THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, July 1, 1996 TAG: 9607010125
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 68 lines
Tides second baseman Jason Hardtke, Norfolk's active leading hitter at of his left knee, an injury similar to one he sustained two years ago.
``I'm supposed to get an MRI some time soon,'' said Hardtke, who was limping around the Tides' clubhouse in street clothes following Sunday's game. ``But I don't think it's as bad this time. The last time I missed nine weeks.''
Hardtke's knee was injured when Ottawa's Steve Bieser rolled over Hardtke's leg while breaking up a potential double play. A replacement for Hardtke on the Tides' roster had not been named. Hardtke joins five other Tides on the disabled list.
Outfielder Kevin Flora (wrist surgery) is expected to start swinging a bat July 16.
Outfielder Jay Payton (elbow surgery) has joined the Gulf Coast League Mets on a rehabilitation assignment.
Lefthanded pitcher Brian Bark (tendonitis in elbow) is expected back after the All-Star break.
Also, righthander Jim McCready (shoulder injury) and lefthander Chris Roberts (arm surgery), who have been on the Tides' disabled list all season, are also with the Gulf Coast League Mets.
DRAFT STRATEGY: A quick first glance at the New York Mets pitching roster and one would surmise the Mets had a plan when they used five of their first 10 selections in the recent amateur draft to take lefthanded pitchers.
Not so according to Mets general manager Joe McIlvaine.
Drafting in the 13th position, the Mets, who have no active lefthanded starting pitchers in New York, opened by selecting high school outfielder Robert Stratton. After that, ``We went with the best available talent.''
``Historically, we haven't drafted that many lefthanded pitchers because they are always overdrafted,'' said MacIlvaine, in town to catch the Norfolk Tides' ongoing six-game home stand. ``This is just the way the draft fell for us this year.
``The biggest problem for us is that between our first pick and our second pick, 33 of the 35 guys taken were on our preferential player list, so the draft fell apart for us very quickly.''
How quickly could the Mets' top picks be in Norfolk, or better yet New York? McIlvaine said that's anybody's guess.
``There is no natural progression for a draft pick, no expectations for progression along the way. Obviously, injuries and adjustments to pro ball play a part. But you don't even try to set a time table.''
McIlvaine said Mets pitcher Jason Isringhausen is a perfect example of ``somebody moving up quickly. Here he is drafted in the 44th round and doesn't even sign until the following year. Then he shoots through the organization.''
Isringhausen reached the majors in less than 3 1/2 years.
``Butch (Huskey) is just the opposite,'' McIlvaine said. ``He signs out of high school as a 17-year-old, goes through his trials and tribulations before getting there.''
Huskey made brief appearances with the Mets in his fifth and seventh years in the organization before starting this season with the Mets.
``Only seven of 100 guys drafted ultimately make it to the major leagues, so (the draft) is certainly a risky proposition,'' McIlvaine said. ``But it must be something like 77 of 100 lefthanded pitchers who make it. The ratio is much higher.''
TIDAL WAVES: Tonight's game against the Richmond Braves will be followed by a fireworks display. ... By reaching base five times Sunday (two singles, three walks), first baseman Roberto Petagine moved into the league lead in on-base percentage at .444. by CNB