Baseball / Ross Newhan : Cardinal Tale of Dismal May: Coleman Pickled, Mets a ‘Shoo-in’

It was one of those weeks for Vince Coleman and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Coleman, the Cardinals’ leadoff batter, had to elude 21 straight pickoff throws by Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chris Welsh before stealing second base in one game. He had 19 steals in his last 18 games, but he was also trapped in three rundowns during a four-day span, earning the nickname of Pickles from Cardinal Manager Whitey Herzog, an authority on pickles.

The Cardinals are still in a pickle as they struggle to overcome that strangely anemic start and successfully defend their National League pennant.

Can it be done? Herzog has doubts. In the wake of a 9-17 May, he said:

“I think Gussie (owner August A. Busch Jr.) is going to see if we can transfer to the American League West for the rest of the season.

“The Mets are a shoo-in. There’s not going to be a race.”

Pete Rose said it a little differently when it was suggested that his Cincinnati Reds and the Chicago Cubs seem to be in a similar situation--both disappointments and facing a tough road back. Rose, however, thinks his Reds, at least, have a shot at redemption.

“We may be just like the Cubs with one difference, and it’s all the difference in the world as far as I’m concerned,” he said.

“We’re chasing Houston, and the Cubs are chasing the Mets.”

Are the Mets cocky? “We’re not cocky, we shouldn’t get cocky and we won’t get cocky,” second baseman Wally Backman said. “But with this team, if we want to be cocky, we can be cocky.”

The 24-man roster? No big deal, Pittsburgh Pirates Manager Jim Leyland said.

“If you’ve got a good team, it feels like you’ve got 50 players,” he said.

“If you’ve got a bad team, it feels like you’ve got 10.”

The Cincinnati Reds seem to be going to the dogs. Specifically, Schottzie, owner Marge Schott’s St. Bernard, may be left to run it.

Steve Cobb, the traveling secretary, and Doug Duennes, director of stadium operations, submitted resignations last week, effective at the All-Star break. That’s six front-office employees who have quit since the start of the 1985 season. A seventh, Roger Blaemire, marketing vice president, was fired.

The reason? Like Schottzie’s fleas, Marge seems to be into everything.

In fact, the Reds’ limited partners, reportedly infuriated by the loss of quality employees and concerned that Schott has been siphoning money out of the organization, have ordered an independent audit as part of an attempt to oust her.

Schottzie, however, might stay. She has an office at Riverfront Stadium and has been incorporated by her owner, which allows her to keep the revenue from the sale of souvenir Schottzie items.

The Reds held a clubhouse meeting and approved locking out reporters for 10 minutes after every game. Said Tony Perez, disgustedly: “Here we are 10 games out and we’re having a meeting about the writers. C’mon.”

Baltimore Orioles Manager Earl Weaver, watching on TV, didn’t like it when Gene Mauch and the Angels played Little Ball against the New York Yankees last week.

Weaver loathes the bunt, but he was particularly infuriated by Mauch’s use of it.

“We’re trying to beat out the Yankees, and he’s bunting against them with a team that needs four runs to win a ballgame,” he said. “He says he wants to get (runs) one at a time, but he and his pitching staff give them up two at a time.”

The continued disintegration of the Dodger defense comes at a time when Vice President Al Campanis is touting his new video, “The Dodgers’ Way to Play Baseball.” Presumably, it was filmed with stand-ins.

The Milwaukee Brewers, already blessed with one of baseball’s best young shortstops in Earnest Riles, spent their No. 1 draft pick on Tampa prep Gary Sheffield, Dwight Gooden’s nephew.

The Brewers were exercising the best-available-athlete theory, believing that Sheffield can move anywhere, particularly third base, first base or the outfield.

Riles saw it only one way, however.

“If he can play shortstop like Dwight Gooden can pitch, I’ve got my work cut out for me,” he said.

Designated hitter Ron Kittle of the Chicago White Sox had not hit a home run in his last 38 games through Friday.

“If I liked failing so much, I’d have stayed in fifth-grade math,” he said.

Kittle is not alone.

Virtually all of the White Sox are failing. A team that took heart when Manager Tony LaRussa got his vote of confidence, the Sox seem to have expired again, putting LaRussa back in jeopardy. Vice President Ken Harrelson, in fact, is now having the team tailed by three scouts, infuriating LaRussa, who has other reasons to be infuriated.

The White Sox had lost 11 of 14 games though Friday and were hitting less than .200. Rookie center fielder John Cangelosi was 8 for 60 and headed back to Buffalo, perhaps. Shortstop Ozzie Guillen, fighting the sophomore jinx, was 4 for 26. Catcher Carlton Fisk was 0 for 18 and complaining of exhaustion. He was to undergo a battery of tests, including an eye examination.

The one positive: Second baseman Julio Cruz got an RBI Wednesday night. It was his first since Sept. 13.

Ejected six times last season, Cleveland Indians Manager Pat Corrales vowed to change his behavior in 1986. He wasn’t ejected until Wednesday night, when he got the thumb after Brett Butler was called out trying to steal second, confirming Corrales’ opinion that the world has it in for Cleveland.

“For the last 20 years, Cleveland hasn’t gotten a call,” he said. “When there’s been a close call that’s supposed to go to the opposition, it has. For me, being a nice guy hasn’t helped, so I’ll just go back to being an (bleep).”

Does Wade Boggs follow his batting average? Will he know how many hits he needs to bat .400?

“I really don’t think I’m any different than a CPA who is conscious of his figures, a lawyer who is conscious of his cases, a doctor who is conscious of his medical problems,” Boggs said.

“Batting average is something every player is judged by, so, sure, you keep up with it; you know where you are; you know what you need to reach a certain plateau.”

The Atlanta Braves played an exhibition game in Richmond, Va., the other night. Dale Murphy managed. Pitchers Craig McMurtry and Jeff Dedmon played the outfield. Pitcher Gene Garber was at shortstop. Catcher-infielder Ted Simmons pitched the ninth. Two stewardesses kept the Braves company in the dugout.

The fans, who had paid $10 for tickets, booed. The Richmond papers printed editorials blasting the club and demanding that it return for another exhibition with its regular lineup.

Said Murphy: “What can I say? I lost control.”