Elia Speaks From Experience On Ills Of Playing For Numbers

Individual goals become secondary for a contending baseball team - at least that’s the party line - but major-leaguers cannot help but think about personal numbers from time to time.

No starting pitcher who ever won 19 games didn’t want to win 20. No batter who ever got to .299 wouldn’t rather have reached .300.

“You get 24 home runs with five, six weeks left, hitting 30 pops into your mind once in awhile,” Seattle first baseman Paul Sorrento said. “But it’s not something you focus on. Wins are what you play for.”

Mike Blowers has been in a platoon role all season, but began the day Saturday batting .314 - 25 points better than his best single-season average. Would he like to hit .300?

“Sure, but I’d rather get to a World Series,” he said.

Hitting coach Lee Elia has been through the final days of long seasons as a player, coach and manager, and knows that when players begin looking at individual goals, team focus fades.

“To do your job, to do what has to be done for the team, sometimes doesn’t help your own statistics,” Elia said. “But that’s not the same as saying you’re not aware of your own numbers.”

Back in the summer of ‘59, for instance, a rookie infielder named Elia was playing in the Pioneer League for an Elmira, N.Y., team going nowhere.

“The little local paper back there had me hitting .306 the last week of the year, and I was aware of that,” Elia said. “You play a little differently, you try to keep that average above .300.

“Turns out, after the season ends, the official league stats had me at .297.”

Notes

For those wondering why Tacoma right-hander Bob Wolcott was pulled Friday night after three scoreless innings for the Rainiers, here’s the answer - he might start the game Monday in the Kingdome against the Boston Red Sox. Then again, he might not. “Bob Wells will start that game unless I have to use Wells before then,” manager Lou Piniella said. “If we use Wells in relief, Wolcott will start the game Monday.” … Randy Johnson is scheduled to throw Tuesday, testing the tender middle finger of his left hand.

Coming up

Seattle concludes its three-game series with New York with a 1:35 p.m. game in the Kingdome. Probable starters: David Wells (14-6, 4.13 ERA) vs. Ken Cloude (1-2, 5.51).