1998 BASEBALL, NFL Union-News, Friday, October 23, Johnson likely to become Dodgers manager? Combined wire reports Davey Johnson, who has specialized in turning teams around as a manager, apparently will get such an opportunity with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Johnson, 55, was scheduled to meet with Dodgers executives late yesterday about their vacant managerial job that was his for the taking, the Associated Press learned. Baseball notebook A news conference could be held to introduce Johnson as early as today, assuming the parties finalize contract terms. Sources close to the situation said the team was confident Johnson would be its next manager. Johnson and former Red Sox manager Kevin Kennedy interviewed for the job with Malone Johnson has managed the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds and Baltimore Orioles.
MORE ON YANKEES: The World Series champion New York Yankees are planning their second trip in three years up the city's famed "Canyon of Heroes." Minutes after the Yankees won a record 24th World Series title, the city began making plans for a huge parade today to honor base- A Yankees play percentages Front office personnel made it a priority to acquire players with the seek high on-base percentages, and the strategy paid off. NEW YORK Imagine the Yankees without Bernie Williams. No, not if he leaves as a free agent this winter, but if he had not made the team at all. Gene Michael, the Yankees' director of major league scouting, talked in the aftermath of the team's latest World Series championship about how that might have happened if Williams had not measured up in a statistic to which the Yankees pay particular attention. The Yankees completed a fourgame Series sweep over the Padres at San Diego Wednesday night with a 3-0 victory.
They finished the regular season and postseason 125-50. "If Bernie had a low on-base percentage, he wouldn't be here," said Michael, who was the general manager when Williams joined the Yankees. "He wouldn't have been nearly as appealing. He wouldn't have been the player we wanted. One of the attractions about Bernie when he was in the minor leagues was that he was selective at the plate, and he had a high on-base percentage." year the Yankees decided to players with high on-base percentages.
Aikman feels 'pretty good' "That's how you score more Talk about the Yankees this runs," Michael said. "That's what year victories centered they were amassing. But switching to get that kind of player on the number of prompted it. In 1990, we started the number Michael and other here. We wanted high on-base club executives believe contrib- percentage players.
Every player uted significantly to the team's we acquired after 1990 was a high success was on-base percentage, a on-base Michael said percentage the guy." statistic that has always been team's hitting overshadowed by batting average. and coaches Chris in that Chambliss, time, were Rick told Down of The Yankees' high on percentage at .364, they led the the Yankees' desire and that they American League for the second were hitters. to work The accordingly Yankees' with minor the year in a row is the result of the also inpatience they showed at bat all league instructors were year. It was the part of their game doctrinated in the system. that attracted the most notice Michael said that he and Mark among fellow professionals.
Newman, the vice president for "The thing that impresses you player development, were talking most about them is they work a the other day about "how we wantpitcher," San Diego's Tony Gwynn ed high on-base type players." said halfway through the World "We want players to take pitchSeries. "They ain't swinging at es," Michael said. "We want playnothing. They're not chasing any- ers to become selective." thing. They're going out there; It was no mere whim that they're trying to get a pitch they prompted the Yankees to sign can handle.
To me, that's what Wade Boggs as a free agent from they've done really well." the Boston Red Sox before the Working pitchers deep into the 1993 season. By design, he became count, forcing them to throw more the team's model of selectivity. pitches than they care to, was not a "Boggs rubbed off on a lot of new development with the Yan- people by working the count," said kees this year. It has been a style Brian Cashman, the current generand a strategy in the making since al manager. "That's when our: 1990, the year Michael began his team really started developing a second term as general manager, higher on-base percentage." GEAR NFL notebook York Jets Criminal charges were being sought against St.
Louis linebacker Leonard Little, accused of getting drunk at a party before his car was involved in a wreck that killed a 47-year-old woman Running back Tavian Banks (foot) and defensive lineman Seth Payne (shoulder) will miss Jacksonville's game Sunday's against Denver because of injuries. Fred Taylor (shoulder) is expected to return after missing a game 49ers coach Steve Mariucci agreed that officials blew two critical calls on Indianapolis helped San Francisco rally to a 34- 31 victory Sunday, but said he was surprised the NFL made the rare public admission that its officials Patriots: Glenn injured; Call goes out to Gaiter Continued from Page D1 down, he also has been the team's most reliable kick returner. turn game." As Bledsoe surveyed the damNow, with the injury to Glenn, ages to his receiver corps, he said, Gaiter could find himself in the "It's going to be important for our wide receiver rotation along with other wide receivers to step up and Tony Simmons, who was elevated play well. When they come on the from the "scout" team last week; field, they'll have to be ready to and Anthony Ladd, who was make the plays." promoted from the practice squad Gaiter returns to the Patriots Monday. with no hard feelings about his reWithout Glenn, the Patriots lease.
He admits that Carroll gave would have only one proven wide- him an opportunity to make the out Shawn Jefferson. The short- team, but it just didn't work out. age could cause: the team to go "He used me in every exhibition hunting for a veteran wide receiv- game, usually in the second quarer, but such players are hard to ter. Right now, I'm ready to do come by at this time of the season. whatever they need.
If it's kick like to spread the ball turns, fine. I can be a special teams around, and that's what we will player. The good thing is, I'm alstrive for against the Dolphins," ready indoctrinated to what the Carroll said. team is doing. It won't take much The "spreading" could mean a for me to catch up and get comfortlot more balls thrown to tight ends able," Gaiter said.
Ben Coates and Lovett Purnell. It GRID GAB: In beating the Dolalso could mean that quarterback phins three times last season, the Drew Bledsoe will be throwing Patriots seemed to have decoded more to rookie running back Rob-: quarterback Dan Marino's audiert Edwards, who has shown the bles at the line of scrimmage. ability to make tough catches. Coach Jimmy Johnson of the DolWithout Glenn, though, the Pat- phins has revamped the audible riots would lose their proven deep- system to avert any repeats of ball threat. He leads the team with what happened last year The 25 catches for 415 yards and two Patriots have concerns about Mitouchdowns.
He's averaging 16.6 ami's commitment to the run, a yards per catch. Brown ranks sec- marked change from the Dolphins ond in receptions with 21 for 304 of recent years. "You don't want to The loss of Brown doubly hurts, control the football, and their deyards and one score. fall behind early, because they can because he not only has been an fense is very tough, especially on excellent go-to player on third receivers," Carroll said. 1 ball's most decorated team.
The official celebration will start at 11:30 a.m. today on Broadway, with the parade ending in front of City Hall. Orlando Hernandez is expected to be reunited today with his family in United States, 10 months after the Yankees pitcher defected from Cuba on a raft. Hernandez's ex-wife, their two daughters and his mother have been granted permission by Cuba to fly to the United States. Maria Cubas of Miami, whose husband helped Hernandez defect, said the family hoped to fly to Miami, then to New York for the World Series parade.
VAUGHN FILES: As Jose Canseco and seven others filed for free agency in the hours following the World Series, Mo Vaughn took his first step away from the Boston Red Sox, declining a $6.75 million option for 1999. Vaughn, who appears ready to leave Boston, became one of approximately 150 players eligible to file for free agency by Nov 5. ET. CETERA: The Red Sox exercised their contract option on relief pitcher Jim Corsi. Braves third baseman Chipper Jones shocked many Wednesday with the revelation that he an illegitimate child during a binge of extramarital activity.
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Aikman took snaps as the starting quarterback yesterday for the first time since he was sidelined by a broken left collarbone in the second quarter of Denver's 42-23 victory over the Cowboys on Sept. 13. Aikman said he experienced a pain when throwing, but otherwise felt "pretty good." The Cowboys will fit Aikman with tra padding to support the bone. However, Aikman said it wouldn't help much in case of a direct hit. ETCETERA: Quarterback Chris Chandler was back on the practice field for the Atlanta Falcons, but Steve DeBerg still looks like the probable starter against the New were wrong.
Carolina receiver Mark Carrier was knocked dizzy while trying to make a catch in practice, yet is listed as probable for Sunday's game with Buffalo Kansas City defensive end Leslie O'Neal has been ordered to pay $50 for sexual battery against a topless dancer Agent Jeff Nalley's involvement with Curtis Enis when the All-America running back was at Penn State has cost Nalley a two-year suspension by the NFL Players Association Tennessee receiver Yancey Thigpen is expected to miss 4-6 weeks after knee surgery. 198164.
