Section B·Page 6
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The University Daily Kansan
Wednesdav. February 28, 2001
Red Sox retain Olympic hero Former Wildcats for position It did raise his profile above other in the first for the first run of the games, all with Oakland in 1998. He
Neill, a career minor-leaguer won Sydney gold
The Associated Press
FORT MYERS, Fla. — On a team with big hitters, Mike Neill draws little attention when he takes his swings.
He spent the past 10 seasons in the minors and just hopes the Red Sox remember him when they need an extra bat. But he's done some
tning that Manny Ramirez and Carl Everett haven't.
Neill is an Olympic champion, a hero of the United States' victory against Cuba in the gold-medal game at Sydney last year.
"It's a great experience and something I'm going to cherish the rest of my life," he said yesterday. "But, at the same time, it's not going to help me make the Red Sox right now."
It did raise his profile above other minor league hopefuls who worked just as hard with as much success but haven't reached the majors.
Would any other 30-year-old who spent a decade beating the bushes get calls from 10 to 15 major-league teams, as Neill did after the Olympics?
He chose Boston because it seemed most interested in him as a potential major leaguer, although he's likely to begin the season in the minors. His major league memories about Boston are pleasant ones. He's 4-for-8 against the Red Sox, 0-for-7 against other teams.
"Whether it's in (Triple-A) Pawtucket or if it's in Boston, I'm going to try to have fun," Neill said. "Hopefully, (Boston) will be in the race, and they just want an extra body as someone to have there."
He knows he'll be able to handle the pressure of a pennant race.
"I can't imagine it being any more than having USA on your chest and knowing that, if you lose, it's not acceptable," Neill said.
Neill came through in critical situations in Sydney, hitting a two-run, 13th-inning inner for a 4-2 win over Japan in the opener, then homering
in the first for the first run of the United States' 4-0 win over Cuba for the gold medal.
He ended that game with a sliding catch in left field.
"I did a lot of screaming because Cuba beat up on us pretty well in the preliminaries," he said. "The players on the plane flight home said that (homer) was the first time they actually really believed we could win."
His most important hit may have come a year earlier, when the Americans were trying to qualify for the Olympics. He got the game-winning single in the 10th inning for a 2-1 victory against Mexico in the semifinals of the Pan American Games that qualified the United States.
"That felt like there was more pressure than in the Olympics," Neill said.
But the Olympics made him a public figure, and he had a busy offseason — making motivational speeches, attending baseball camps and getting the key to his hometown of Seaford, Del.
"I was grand marshal of the Christmas parade," he said. "It's not bad."
He's played in just six major league
Now it's back to reality.
games, all with Oakland in 1998. He spent nearly all of the last three seasons bouncing around Triple-A on the West Coast.
He hit .302 with Edmonton in 1998,
.296 with Vancouver in 1999 and .310
with Tacoma in 2000.
"I'm not going to go out there and hit 30 homers or steal 30 bases," Neill said, "but I think I can get hits when needed."
Boston batting coach Rick Down said Neill had good hitting mechanics and a decent grasp of the strike zone. He doesn't think being 30 should hurt Neill's chances.
"It should be a testimony to his persistence." Down said. "If you don't believe in your heart that you're a big league player, you shouldn't be here."
Boston first baseman Brian Daubach spent nine seasons in the minors before he hit .294 in 110 games as a 27-year-old rookie.
Neill could be the next to make his mark at an advanced age. And if he isn't, he'll always have Svdney.
"It felt great. It's something I worked my whole life toward," he said. "I always thought I was going to be in the big leagues, but it didn't work out that way."
Cardinals, La Russa key up for opener
JUPITER, Fla. — St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa called the pitch count, the outs and the situation with
The Associated Press
base runners,
and second
b a s e m a n
Fernando Vina
dribbed a bunt
down the first
base line.
La Russa made
another call, and Vina slapped a grounder through the left side of the infield, through a hole the opposing shortstop might have vacated to cover second.
It was just one of the drills executed repeatedly by the Cardinals, who are preparing for a series of intrasquared games
today and tomorrow before the Grapefruit League season opens Friday.
And Vina, acquired in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers in December 1999, is loving every minute of it.
"It's fun," Vina said. "It's a great organization; there's great camaraderie in the clubhouse and a real good team, too. We are all trying to do what is needed — what is necessary — to get ready for April second."
That is when the Cardinals start defending their NL Central title, opening a series in Denver against the Colorado Rockies.
The Cardinals seem to be just as fond of Vina as he is of them. "We had great expectations last year," La Russa said, "but
now after he's been with us for a year, we are more excited than ever. He's one of the keys to the success of our season."
Vina batted .300 in 123 games last season, noticeably higher than his .282 career average in six seasons with the New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers. He missed a month in midseason with a pulled right hamstring and a broken rib.
"I feel great now, no problems so far." Vina said.
With shortstop Edgar Renteria, Vina has helped solidify the Cardinals infield. It's a plus that they get along well off the field as well as on.
"We room together during spring training, and we live in the same complex in St. Louis." Vina said. "We see each other
every dav."
Vina, Renteria and the other position players get a chance to test their springtime development in a series of intrasquid games, two today on the main field at Roger Dean Stadium and two more tomorrow on a nearby practice field.
Coaches will pitch, but "it gives us a chance to hit the ball, run around the bases and the fielders to try and make some plays, make some outs," La Russa said. "It's sort of halfway between batting practice and a real game."
The Cardinals open the Grapefruit League season here Friday against Baitimore with Dustin Hermanson starting against the Orioles' Sidney Ponson.
Kansas State's Wilson hoping for Royals' spot
The Associated Press
HAINES CITY, Fla. — Craig Wilson holds an obscure major league record: highest batting average .468 — for a player with at least 50 plate-appear-
The Kansas State alumnus set the record in 1998 with the Chicago White Sox, who called him in September for his first taste of
the majors. Wilson played in 13 games, singled off Andy Pettitte in his first at-bat and had eight multi-hit games.
"It's kind of wild," Wilson said of his record.
The White Sox, however, released Wilson last November, but the Kansas City Royals promptly signed him to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training, where he is competing for a job as a utility player.
Wilson, who hit .416 his senior season at Kansas State, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 23rd round after his junior season, but opted to return to college and play in the Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.
The White Sox selected Wilson in the 13th round in 1992. He had a .272 batting average in 139 games over three years with Chicago as a backup infielder.
"A few teams inquired about me after Chicago released me," Wilson said. "I make my home in Kansas City, and I know most of the guys from working out
with them during the winter. '
"I wanted to go to a place that had a good shot at winning and where I'd have good teammates."
He was the White Sox's startin third baseman when the 2000 season opened, but a bad back soon landed him on the disabled list and back in the minors.
"Last year I had a little stiffness in my back going into sorring training." Wilson said.
It kept getting worse, and, Wilson was put on the disabled, list on June 3 and was optioned, July 13 to Class AAA Charlotte when he returned.
"It was painful to do anything I did in baseball," Wilson said, "I tried to play through it, but came to the realization I had to have something done."
Wilson's back is better this year after undergoing surgery for a herniated disc in November.
Bob Watkins, a Los Angeles physician, performed the surgery.
"Some say he's the best back surgeon," Wilson said. "He's performed back surgery on (hockey great Wayne) Gretzky and (Tennessee Titans quarter-back) Steve McNair. Now I can do things 10 times better than last year. I needed to get it taken care of."
Wilson played shortstop at Kansas State, but in the majors he has played more games at third base. He also has played second and first base. The Royals have even worked Wilson in left field.
"I can play all four infield positions, and I'm taking balls in the outfield," Wilson said. "I've played in a couple of games in left field in the Class AAA. I think I can be an adequate left fielder. It's something if I work on, I think I can do."