THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, April 23, 1996 TAG: 9604230482
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 50 lines
After defecting from Cuba over the winter, pitcher Livan Hernandez was the subject of a bidding war between many of baseball's richer franchises.
Hernandez ended up signing a four-year deal with the Florida Marlins worth $4.5 million. Included in that was a $2.5 million signing bonus and incentives clauses that could boost his pay $1.5 million.
It was not the best offer. The Atlanta Braves and New York Yankees offered more, but with Miami's large Cuban community, Hernandez was swayed to the Marlins. He speaks little English, although he's picking up more and more with the help of his bi-lingual teammates.
Now he's bidding to make his stay in the minor leagues a short one and will pitch for the Triple-A Charlotte Knights tonight against the Norfolk Tides at Harbor Park. The Tides will start Mike Gardiner (1-0, 1.93).
While Hernandez's contract is impressive, opposing hitters haven't been awed. In his previous two starts, the 21-year-old have been roughed up and brings in a 0-2 record and 10.00 earned run average.
One of those starts was against the Tides, who touched him for four hits and three runs in five innings of a 7-1 Norfolk victory on April 12.
Listed at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, Hernandez's waist line didn't do as well as his wallet during contract negotiations. He's working to shed some unwanted pounds, weight that ESPN analyst Peter Gammons made note of Sunday during his segment on ``Baseball Tonight.''
Charlotte coach Sal Rende won't get into specifics regarding Hernandez's weight, but believes it could make some difference in Hernandez's fastball.
Rende also believes he'll have to use that fastball - clocked in the low 90s - more often.
``Right now he's pitching backwards,'' Rende said. ``He's throwing too many breaking balls. While he's got a good breaking ball, hitters are sitting on it and waiting. And a good hitter can hit a curve ball if he's looking for it.''
John Boles, minor-league director for the Marlins, said two weeks ago that there's ``no time line'' for Hernandez.
``Livan could be here as long as he needs to be,'' Boles was quoted as saying in the Charlotte Observer. ``He has to wait for an opening (with the Marlins) and he has to pitch well. He has to do the job to be considered.''
NOTE: Tides relief pitcher Brian Bark has been placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to Thursday and reliever Jason Bullard (sore ankle) has been activated. by CNB