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Show The Daily Utah Ckraaidc, Vfedarsday, April 4, Pace Tea t4 SPORTS Expos faeairtbreafcoinig, butt go with 'mm amiyway This is the second of a scries four-pa- rt examining this year's Major League Baseball season. Now, the N'ationll League Eastern Division: THE PICKS Montreal 2 St. Louis 3 Pittsburgh 4 Philadelphia 5 Chicago 6 New York 1 THE PROCESS OPINION BY John Youngron It is harder to believe in the Expos, however, as they broke camp for the season with two of their front-lin- e pitchers, Steve Rogers (17-13.23 ERA) and Fred Breining 3.82), obtained from the Giants in the Al Oliver deal, on the disabled list. Although each left camp after encouraging performances, neither is expected to be back 2, 2, into the rotation until at least April 9. The bullpen, though, is potentially (there's that 17 word again) strong, with Gary Lucas (5-saves for San Diego) backing up ace Jeff 21 saves). Reardon (7-Offensively, the Expos have the sock that just may be what finally does it for them. Outfielder. Andre Dawson is among the game's best players, and his .299 batting average, 32 home runs and 113 RBIs are the heart of the Expo lineup. Also somewhere in the outfield, depending upon what direction Manager Bill Virdon decides to take, is Tim Raines, the league's leading base stealer (90), who is no slouch at the plate either (.298, 71 RBIs batting leadoff) and, probably, good old Pete Rose, who had a terribly year last season in Philadelphia (.245 average and loss of his starting job) but has a lot to prove both to the Phillies and to the Expos,who are giving him another chance. Catcher Gary Carter (.270, 17 homers, 79 and Tim Wallach (.269, 19 RBIs in an r) 70 home runs, RBIs) are also factors. If the as can Expos play a team, if Rose can do well and direction and if the Cardinals, some provide Phillies and Pirates don't notice, the Expos could sneak away with the marbles in '84, provided the starting pitching doesn't take too long to get healthy. 8, 9, O .W. - Utc sophomore Sandy Sobotka scored a 9.1$ on the beam at the NCAA Midwest regional in the Special Events Center. Sobotka and the rest of the Utes will compete at the NCAA championships this weekend in Los Angeles. off-yea- Gymnasts to defend title The e Hermann sprained an ankle in practice last defending national seed for Ute are the Sunday and her status is unknown for the champion gymnasts top this weekend's NCAA championships in Los nationals. Hermann was scheduled to this weekend until she Angeles. Utah, 172 on the year, will compete compete in for the title at UCLA Friday and Saturday. was felled by the spill, Ute coach Greg Seeded behind the Utes are Florida, Marsden said. Fullerton State, Arizona State and UCLA. Others injured this season included Kim Utah has already posted wins over each Taylor and Cindy Paul, who are definitely school, but has dropped meets to Fullerton out of the nationals. Sobotka will probably and ASU in return matches on the road. see limited action in Pauley Pavillion. Sobotka has suffered from stress fractures Injuries have decimated the Utes this season. The string of bumps and bruises in her hip all year, but has still competed off came throughout the year, with sophomore and on this year. She scored a 9.15 on the Tina Hermann being the latest casualty. beam in the regionals to finish in the top 10. three-tim- all-arou- nd 'Next year, I'm going shopping' lost between the two seasons to anchor the starting pitchers. But one of the game's best outfields, George Hendrick, (.318, 18 homers, 97 RBIs), along with Willie McGee ( .285, 74 RBIs) and Lonnie Smith (.321 , 45 RBIs) can keep the Cardinals in the hunt if everything else goes all right. The Pittsburgh Pitrates, as well, have the potential to win this division. Although devoid of the power they once boasted, they do have one of the best starting pitching stalTs around, 3.90 ERA) and Larry with Rick Rhoden (13-1McWilliams (15.8, 3.25 ERA), as well as another premier reliever, this time Kent Tckulve (18 saves, 1.64 ERA). The Pirates have a solid infield, including Jason Thompson and batting champion Bill Madlock (.323), but if the Pirates have trouble it will be because of the lack of power or reliability in their outfield. The Philadelphia Phillies won it with mirrors last year, all the way to the World Series, but the loss of key club leaders and outfield depth will negate the presence of starting pitchers Steve Carlton, John Denny, reliever Al Holland and the game's finest third baseman, Mike Schmidt. Although Chicagd had made some key trades in the past few months; obtaining players like Gary Matthews from Philadelphia and Scott Sanderson from Montreal, the Cubs still don't have the attitude or the depth to make it serious contenders in '84, and the seemingly endless Bill Buckner trade talk has heated up 3, They're chosen every year, by someone or another, and every year they arc disappointing. The Montreal Expos, for all that potential talent, have never really put it together, so why should this year be different? Because, as Tug McGraw once said, "You gotta believe . . ." (11-1- save and 4 2 ERA in 1983 to recapture his status as the game most consistent renei man. Joaquin And u jar must find the nine wins he BEST OF THE REST They were the world champions in 1982, but a number of things went wrong last year and the 1 1 St. Louis Cardinals spiralled to 3, off the games pace. To return to form this year, second baseman Tom Herr (.323, 31 RBIs in only 89 games) must be able to play the full season. Bruce Sutter must regain the skill that he lost between his 36 saves and 2.90 ERA in 1982 and his 21 79-8- again. And although George Foster should finally put together an all around big year in his third campaign with the New York Mets, and Daryl Rookie of the Year Strawberry (a 22 year-ol- d who finished last season with a .257 average, 26 homers and 74 RBIs) will make a lot of New Yorkers smile, the lack of experience starters in the pitching coprs and a solid catcher will make it another summer in the Big Apple. Tomorrow: the Chronicle looks at the American League's Western Division, where the Chicago White Sox and Oakland A's are expected to battle for first place. The series concludes Friday with the American League East and the World Series champion Baltimore Orioles. 'Hogs to rumble The Ute Rugby Club opens the 1984 season this Saturday in Provo with a match against the BYU Rugby Club. While the Runnin' Roothogs are just beginning, BYU's season is nearing its finish. "The Y's spring semester ends in April, so they begin their rugby season six weeks before ours," according to Ute club president Tiger Ellefsen. "They're a very good team, but we'll be ready for them." Although BYU holds a 16-- 1 lead in the series between the two clubs, that one loss came in their last meeting a 0 Utah victory last spring. BYU owns an 0 record going into the 2 p.m. contest. Following the opening match, Utah's second side, the Fire Leapers, will square off 3-- 8-- against BYU's "B" side. Having a 'beef about lackluster Final Four Who would have thought it would come to this? I swore long ago that I would never, ever use a certain phrase in any of my columns, but after the happenings of the last few days I just have to. And so, at the risk of sounding like Walter Mondale I am compelled to ask the burning question: "Where's the beef?" OPINION BY Puke, I know, but it's the only explanation I can come up with for the Final Four last week in Seattle. Somehow I had expected prime rib, and had to settle for peanut butter. It was a disappointing sight, for sure. On Saturday I went through the ritualistic, yet necessary, preparations for the 45 minutes before tipoff I sporting event of the year. Precisely faded a Memphis State sweatshirt donned my white gym trunks, and situated myself on the couch. With and my LA Dodgers cap of root beer in the fridge and warmed up,a the television I counted off the final Doritos at side, of my two packages i ck ky four-and-a-h- alf Mark Saal six-pa- minutes before game time. Just as the ref was about to toss up the ball to begin the Houston-Kentucgame, into the room walked my wife. herself Positioning directly in front of the TV, she began little blouse she'd ever seen at a shop in the about cutest chirping the mall. Her timing was perfect, and she knew it. Frantically craning my neck to catch a glimpse of the screen, I suggested that she rush right down to the mall and buy it and anything else she hours. Three minutes might find in the next later she flitted out the door with the checkbook and a promise not to be long. I growled after her and turned my attention back to the tube. Well, after all that, the semifinal games turned out to be somewhat of a disappointment. The two games cost me a total of one blouse, two sweaters and a skirt, and if I could, I'd demand game was my money back. Although the Houston-Virginthe wrong team won. And the Georgetown-Kentucgame started well, but fizzled out in the second half when the Wildcats made NCAA history by avoiding the hoop like the plague. When the 4ust settled, the Hoyas and the Cougars were headed for the final showdown Monday night, but my interest in ia quasi-interestin- g, ky the outcome had hit an low. As Monday evening approached, the sitcoms were beginning to look awfully good, but then at the last minute my next-doneighbor called and invited me over for the game. I finally acquiesced, with the stipulation that the moment one of the teams missed three shots in a row I was out the door. Perched nervously on the edge of my neighbor's couch, I watched as the Cougars sank their first seven shots to take a 0 lead. But once I began to relax, things went awry. The good guys started turning the ball over, and the bad guys built up a 0 halftime lead. On top of that, dreams of Akeem turned into a nightmare when he picked up his third personal with 42 seconds left before the half. As if that weren't enough, Olajuwon was whistled for his fourth foul with only 23 seconds gone in the second half. After that, things were pretty much decided. The Cougars made several charges at the Hoyas, but nothing serious, and the championship ended in a whimper. I must admit, with about two minutes remaining I muttered something about washing the car, excused myself and went home to watch the rest of The Facts of Life.- Where's the beef, indeed. Next year I help the wife pick out a whole new wardrobe. all-ti- or 14-1- 40-3- |