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 Balls are already flying out of the park
Posted: Thursday April 08, 1999 12:50 PM
This season has picked up right where last year left off -- with baseballs flying out of ballparks. Let's look at Opening Day, for example. Even with every team's No. 1 starter on the mound, there still were 38 home runs in 11 games. With the sad state of pitching, smaller ballparks and what seems to be a lively baseball, I think we'll see three or four players chasing the home run record this year. Mark, Sammy and Junior will be in the mix, and you can throw in Albert Belle, Mo Vaughn and Manny Ramirez. But my dark horse pick is Vinnie Castilla. He's averaged 42 homers over the last three seasons. If he gets off to a hot start, he'll be there at the end. How watered down is today's pitching? Tony Gwynn hasn't changed his line-drive swing. But after hitting double figures in homers just twice in his first 15 seasons, he's hit 17 and 16 home runs over the last two years.
OvershadowedMcGwire's run for the record overshadowed the terrific debut of Cardinals rookie J.D. Drew late last season. In just 14 games, Drew had five homers and 13 RBI. And his home run-to-at bat ratio was better than McGwire's. In St Louis, they're already comparing him to Stan Musial. I've watched J.D. in batting practice and in games -- he has a natural power hitter's swing and he should continue to put up impressive numbers. But this season, he'll be called upon to do more than that. I think Mark wants some relief from the pressures of the media and carrying the Cardinal offense. Some of that burden will end up on Drew's shoulders. I've talked with J.D., and I expect him to handle the challenge. He has respect for the game and he strikes me as a young man who should be a very special player.
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