DATE: Friday, May 30, 1997                  TAG: 9705300890

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   78 lines

NEW YORK SHUTTLE CARRIES PRIME-TIME TIDES

A minor-league baseball team has two primary goals: Win games and prepare players for the major leagues.

Sometimes the second goal is more important than the first.

In either order, the Norfolk Tides are doing their part.

The Tides, who open a seven-game homestand tonight against Syracuse, sit atop the International League West Division standings and have provided their parent New York Mets with players who have made quick and pointed contributions.

Matt Franco, who left the Tides for the Mets in mid-April, has performed admirably as New York's No. 1 pinch-hitter and part-time third baseman. Franco is batting .297, second on the team to first baseman John Olerud, who is among league leaders at .332.

Franco has driven in six runs, four as a pinch-hitter - a primary reason the Mets lead the majors in pinch-hit RBIs in May with 11. Franco is 6 for 18 as a pinch-hitter (.333) after an 0-for-9 start.

When Andy Tomberlin went on the disabled list with a bulging disk, Tides manager Rick Dempsey was quizzed on who was more ready to fill Tomberlin's role - a lefthanded bat, usually coming off the bench - Franco or Tides first baseman Roberto Petagine.

``I looked at both players, assessed their strengths and weaknesses and Matt seemed more suited for what the Mets needed,'' Dempsey said. ``Petagine is a power guy who needs to play every day to be effective. One of the harder parts of my job is having to explain to the other guy why he wasn't the one they took.''

Tides Opening Day pitcher Cory Lidle also has performed to raves since being called up a month ago to help shore a struggling Mets bullpen. Lidle is 3-0 with a 1.00 earned run average.

Lidle has accomplished one thing other Mets relievers couldn't: an outstanding walks-to-strikeouts ratio. In nine innings, he's walked one and struck out six.

``We were in need of a guy who was aggressive and who would come in and throw strikes,'' said Mets manager Bobby Valentine, whose team is a surprising five games above .500. ``He's pitched some big innings for us.''

Lidle's promotion allowed Dempsey to have some fun. The Tides were in Toledo, Ohio, when Dempsey got the news and knocked on Lidle's hotel room door at 2:45 a.m.

``We thought he was checking curfew,'' said Lidle, 25, who had never pitched above Double-A before this season. ``He came in yelling, `Where are the girls?' ''

The Mets are just as happy with Lidle's glove as his arm.

``He's very aggressive that way,'' said Mets assistant general manager Steve Phillips. ``He's involved in every play. He really does become a ninth defensive player after he releases his pitch.''

Lefthanded reliever Takashi Kashiwada (1-0, 1.69 ERA) was destined for New York from the time the Mets acquired him from the Tokyo Giants. He was assigned to Norfolk for a short period, but can be counted among Tides-Mets success stories of 1997.

``He was on the fast track and would have made the Mets out of spring training had they been able to work out the visa problem,'' Dempsey said. ``But it afforded me the opportunity to get him in Triple-A, even if for a brief time.''

Lefthanders Joe Crawford and Brian Bohanon pitched briefly out of the bullpen for the Mets after beginning the year in Norfolk, but both are back with the Tides as starters. Bohanon was 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA while Crawford was 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in just two innings.

Outfielder Gary Thurman has been with the Mets for the last month, replacing injured Lance Johnson, who is out with shin splints. He has been used as a late-inning replacement and pinch-runner.

Who will the Mets call next?

Middle infielder Luis Lopez, who has a 15-game hitting streak? Petagine, who has hit .385 in May with 12 home runs? Outfielder Benny Agbayani (.290, six home runs, 27 RBIs)?

Whoever it is, the parent club has growing confidence in what the Tides have to offer.

``You hope for a 35- to 40-percent success rate with players going up to the majors during the season,'' Dempsey said. ``I don't know where to put our success rate, but I'd say we've by far exceeded that.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photos

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