Hershiser Pitches Towards '83 Series By Steve Shutt Every fall, Bowling Green baseball Everybody knows what you have to do coach Don Purvis holds try-outs for and you go out and do it. Even if any walk-on who thinks he has the you're down by two or three runs, you talent to play baseball for the don't hear people cheering. You just Falcons. And every fall, Purvis sees a know you have to come through. lot of ex-high school jocks who can't "I like the cheering in college. But quite cut it in the world of major col- now you shake hands and cheer after lege baseball. the game but not during." In the fall of 1976, a young man hap- Hershiser has set up a mental pened to catch Purvis' attention. He schedule of his progress towards his didn't look much like a ball player; he ultimate goal-the major leagues. Los was tall and skinny and wore glasses. Angeles operates a high class A team But Purvis told his wife Pat that some- in Lodi, California; a class AA team in day he thought this tall, skinny kid San Antonio, and a AAA team in Albu- might be able to play a little ball for querque, New Mexico. Allowing for the Falcons. one-year stops at each level, Orel That tall, skinny kid goes by the hopes to catch on with the Dodgers name of Orel Hershiser. I'll run that by by 1983. you again - Orel Hershiser. But it's "But I can't really set my goals at what that kid can do with the baseball making it in three years", said that'll turn your head. Hershiser. "You never know, I might Hershiser came out of Cherry Hill get to the next level and not be able to East High School in Cherry Hill, New get anybody out." Jersey. He chose to lend his baseball "But I must be some kind of a pro- talents to Bowling Green for the next Orel Hershiser spect or they wouldn't be sending me four years. Shortly thereafter his fami- to Arizona." The Dodgers choose just ly moved to Michigan and Orel now fifth in the Midwest League. And his 30 players out of the 150 in their farm calls Bloomfield Hills home. performance earned him a spot on the system to participate in the instruc- What Hershiser did as a pitcher for Mesa, Arizona team in the winter in- tional league. Bowling Green was to win six games, structional league. "But without Bowling Green, I prob- lose three and pitch himself into a The change in atmosphere from ably never would have been able to contract with the Los Angeles college baseball at Bowling Green to play pro ball," said Orel. "Coach Dodgers for his services. professional baseball in Clinton, Iowa Purvis pushed me and got the scouts Only a junior, Hershiser was a first was something of a shock to the to the games. He's probably responsi- team all-Mid-American Conference 20-year old Hershiser. Coach Purvis ble for me getting drafted." pitcher in 1979 as he posted a 2.26 had warned him that in many minor But how did Purvis react to losing ERA and tossed a no-hitter against league locker rooms, he would have his top pitcher with a full year of Kent State. He was Bowling Green's to hang his clothes on nothing but a eligibility left? main arm down the stretch as the nail. "He wasn't mad. He said that I Falcons mounted a serious threat for "It was bad," said Hershiser, "but it could have come back next year and the MAC title. wasn't that bad. True, our locker room pitched well and been drafted higher But the Dogers made Hershiser a didn't measure up to the one at Bowl- than 17th." 17th round draft pick in the June draft ing Green. But there was more con- When asked about his first half and offered him a good contract. So sistency in the baseball. Every oppo- year in pro baseball, Hershiser said: "I Hershiser left Bowling Green and nent has the ability to beat you. In col- accomplished everything I could have became property of Clinton Profes- lege you always had the teams that hoped to and got a step in the right sional Baseball, Inc. That's Clinton, you knew you could beat. direction. I'm glad I didn't fall on my as in Iowa, as in class A baseball. "And the pitching is much better", face. I didn't burn the league up either Orel signed with the Dodgers on Orel continued. "Here (in the minors), but I proved that I can play pro June 9, was assigned to Clinton and you have the top one and two pitchers baseball." arrived on June 12. He was assigned from each college. In college when And as far as making it out of the to the bullpen and that made a dif- you get down to the fourth and fifth minors and into the big show with LA: ference for a pitcher who had been a pitchers, they are pretty weak. But "The pressure is inside of you to do life-long starter. now your fourth and fifth pitchers well. It's tough for a pitcher because "I had to learn how to warm-up dif- were number one and two in college he has three or four days where if ferently and to run differently and they're pretty good." you're not doing well, you might get because I had to be ready every When drafted by the Dodgers, released. The hitter can go back out night," said Hershiser. Hershiser owned an excellent fastball tomorrow and go three for four and Out of the pen, Orel picked up a and a curveball that was more than everything's fine." pair of saves and two victories. Then adequate. Since then, with a little Los Angeles is on its way back up his manager, Dick McLaughlin, decid- help from the LA pitching coach, he after a dismal start this year. And Orel ed that Hershiser was impressive has learned to spot his pitches better Hershiser is also on his way up. enough to move into the starting rota- and learned to set up the hitter. And chances are they will have a tion. Hershiser responded with two Minor league baseball differs from pleasent meeting sometime before more wins and one loss in the play- college baseball in another aspect the 1983 season. offs. that many people don't suspect. When the Dodgers and Orel All told, Hershiser had a 4-1 record "There's no rah-rah", said Hershiser. Hershiser are both on top. with a 1.95 ERA which placed him "It's all individually motivated. HFF. Page 29