Caught In The Draft

ROCKY: YOU know how many times Huizenga's going to have to rent out What About Bob? to pay Stewart's salary?

MARLON: Do you have anyone with Stew's solid track record?

ROCKY: We're going after young starters. I'll even tell you in advance three more we're going to take: Kansas City's Chris Haney, Minnesota's Mark Guthrie and Milwaukee's Mike Fetters. They're all young, developing pitchers who in a few years should be ready to blossom. Remember, Haney came out of the Expo organization, and any Montreal product we take will be worth it. Larry Bearnarth, a special assistant to our general manager, was the Expos' pitching coach last year. And Gebhard was once farm director of the Expos, as well as Minnesota's assistant general manager last year. He knows Guthrie, too.

MARLON: You'll have a Mile-High ERA. I'm drafting Jonathan Hurst of the Expos, Wally Whitehurst of the Mets and John Burkett of the Giants.

ROCKY: That's two hursts on your staff already. Who's your fifth starter—Bruce Hurst or Patty Hearst?

MARLON: Hey, Patty Hearst used to have a rifle. Whitehurst and Burkett have major league experience. Jonathan Hurst has a great arm. As for Montreal players, don't forget that our man Dombrowski was the Expos' G.M. until a year ago, when he took our job. Plus, he brought with him scouting director Gary Hughes, John Boles from the Expos' minor league operations and Frank Wren, who was Montreal's assistant director of scouting.

ROCKY: Congratulations. We have our share of former Expos, but you've managed to lure away the entire scouting staff from a team that has finished first once this century.

MARLON: O.K., just make your next pick.

ROCKY: We're stressing defense, so we're taking Baltimore's Billy Ripken to play second base. He's not much of a hitter, but we need a great fielder.

MARLON: Yeah, you need a great fielder: Cecil Fielder.