Second-Half Talk Centers Around Injuries, Comebacks
Dan Wilson’s fly ball had barely settled into the glove of right fielder Gary Sheffield for the final out of the All-Star Game, and already the talk had turned to the second half of the baseball season.
John Smoltz was hoping his two-inning stint in the National League’s 6-0 win Tuesday night in Philadelphia would set him straight. Mike Piazza was wondering about Tom Lasorda. Mike Hargrove was talking about Albert Belle.
And what about all those injuries? Cal Ripken’s broken nose is OK, at least all right enough for him to continue his streak of 2,239 straight games tonight when Darryl Strawberry and the New York Yankees visit Camden Yards.
The N.L. West-leading San Diego Padres and Seattle, second in the A.L. West, have problems, too. Tony Gwynn is sidelined by a heel injury and Ken Griffey Jr. is missing from the Mariners because of a broken hand.
Piazza, whose home run and RBI double won him the All-Star MVP award, had his manager in mind. Lasorda is recovering from a heart attack, and his return to the Los Angeles Dodgers is uncertain.
“I hope he comes back as soon as he can,” Piazza said. “I owe so much of my career to him and I can’t wait until he’s back.”
Making his managerial debut, meanwhile, will be John Boles. He was hired by Florida on Monday, a day after the Marlins fired manager Rene Lachemann. Boles and the Marlins play tonight in Atlanta, which holds a five-game lead over Montreal in the N.L. East.
Though his win in the All-Star Game did not count in the official statistics, Smoltz thought it helped him. He still leads the majors with 14 wins despite losing his last three starts for the Braves.
“I know it’s going to help me get my second half off to a good start,” he said. “Honestly, I wish I could have pitched more (Tuesday) because it’s my regular turn. But this is something to build on.”
Hargrove, however, wants to see Belle break loose in the second half. Belle did it last year, hitting 36 home runs after the All-Star break for Cleveland.
Belle struck out three times Tuesday night, becoming the first A.L. player to do it in a nine-inning All-Star game since Mickey Mantle in 1956, and finished 0 for 4 to a constant chorus of catcalls from fans.
“Albert was booed less tonight than he has for the last month,” Hargrove said. “I don’t know that it affected him, but he’s only human.”
Meanwhile, Belle claims a “smear campaign” is preventing him from changing his bad-boy image. In an interview with USA Today, Belle said he’s considering sitting out the 1997 season.
“My body is beat up,” said Belle, who becomes a free agent after this season. “It’s wear and tear from a long, grinding season. Maybe I’ll just sit out the year and relax.”
All-Star ratings suffer
If baseball is back, the All-Star Game’s television rating doesn’t show it.
Tuesday night’s game got the lowest rating ever for a prime-time All-Star game and was the least-watched in 27 years.
NBC’s broadcast of the National League’s 6-0 victory got a 13.2 rating and 23 share, Nielsen Media Research said. The rating was down 5 percent from the 13.9 rating for last year’s game, which had the previous low rating for a prime-time All-Star game. It was down 16 percent from ‘94 - the last before the strike - which had a 15.7 rating.
Around the majors
Wally Joyner, out since breaking his left thumb June 2, will rejoin the San Diego Padres’ starting lineup tonight at Colorado. The first baseman broke the thumb while sliding into second base at Philadelphia. He had the cast taken off a week earlier than expected and made three rehab appearances with Class A Rancho Cucamonga. … Chicago White Sox slugger Frank Thomas says a sore left foot may put him on the disabled list for the first time in his career. Thomas went to a doctor for tests after returning to Chicago on Wednesday. Results are expected today.