United Baseball League Crowding Plate In Portland

The new United Baseball League, set to begin in March, apparently jumped the gun Thursday when it announced that Portland, Ore., had locked up one of four Western Division franchises.

The UBL’s proclamation startled Jack Cain, owner of the Northwest League’s Portland Rockies.

Civic Stadium, the Rockies’ home field, is the only ballpark in the Portland area that can support professional baseball. Given the complexities of baseball schedules, sharing the stadium is not a valid option.

“We have a season to finish and three more years on our lease,” Cain told the Portland Oregonian.

Cain said he had been approached about joining the UBL venture, but was not interested. The Rockies have already set a league season attendance record after years as the NWL’s worst-drawing team in Bend, Ore.

A young Young

If the league gave away a Cy Young Award, Travis Thurmond of Boise would be the leading candidate.

Thurmond added to his impressive resume last week with a one-hit shutout over Everett. The lone hit, a second-inning infield single, could have been ruled an error.

Thurmond (7-2) has a league-high 75 strikeouts and four complete games. In his last seven starts he has an earned-run average of 1.90.

The 6-foot-3 right-hander has compiled three complete games that lasted less than 2 hours and 15 minutes. Two came against Spokane.

Blythe spirit

Eugene lost its patience with Billy Blythe and demoted the right-hander to the bullpen after his record as a starter fell to 1-6 with a 10.52 ERA.

Blythe made the best of the situation. His replacement in the rotation, Matt McWilliams, pitched five strong innings during his first start. McWilliams’ relief help came from Blythe, who allowed two hits in four innings for his first professional save.

No doubting that scouting

Bob Wolcott, just two years out of the NWL, started and won for the Seattle Mariners Friday against Boston and Cy Young candidate Tim Wakefield.

Spokane hitting coach Cliff Pastornicky had more than a passing interest in Wolcott’s start. Pastornicky signed Wolcott to a professional contract when he worked as a Mariners scout.

Pastornicky also signed pitcher Jim Converse, who just went to the Kansas City Royals as part of the deal that brought Vince Coleman to Seattle.

Welch’s juice

Brandon Welch of Southern Oregon was distraught when the A’s wrapped up their season series with Spokane.

The outfielder from Texas Tech went 7 for 17, with five runs batted in, during a just-completed five-game series against the Indians in Medford.

The output improved Welch’s batting average to .130. Before the Spokane series, Welch had two hits in 52 at-bats, both coming in a late-June game against Yakima.

Rockies roll

Portland cooled off Northern Division leader Bellingham, winning four of five games last week and holding the Giants to a .153 batting average.

Colorado general manager Bob Gebhard attended four of the games and crowed about the Rockies’ farm system. Every Colorado affiliate is involved in a pennant race.

Rockies outfielder Dave Feuerstein took the opportunity to impress the Big Rocky during his visit. Feuerstein, of Yale University, went 4 for 5 one night to become the first Portland player with four hits in a game.

One of the games went 14 innings after a 25-minute rain delay. The two teams’ pitchers combined for 34 strikeouts, 19 by Portland. Bellingham catcher Andy Norton, out of Gonzaga University, whiffed three times.

Around the league

Boise catcher Danny Alzualde, who missed 23 games after a collision at home with Eugene’s George Lombard, returned and began a seven-game hit streak… . Everett’s Randy Vickers struck out 19 times against Boise this year. Vickers leads the league with 84 strikeouts, two more than Alberto Castillo of Bellingham… . Eugene pitcher Ken Giard (3-0, 2.53) was promoted to Macon, Ga., of the Class A South Atlantic League. Giard was a replacement player for the Atlanta Braves this year.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Graphic: Indians’ month at-a-glance

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