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Show ____TheSaltLake Tribune BASEBALLSunday, Ma’ MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL STATISTICS 18 2 5 30 38 AMERICAN LEAGUE M6 30 55 TEAM TCH TRB B $0 Se 1601 Be NATIONAL LEAGUE TEAM PITCHING B15 Utahn Not Giving Up on Major League Dream, Despite Numerous Setbacks wrist BY JABBO GORDON Hehad been hopingto goto winterball, but t time his wrist healed, there were nospots availa “So, I missed half a year,” Sappsaid. “I had been SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE SARASOTA, Fla. — Pleasant Grove resident Damian Sapp wasconsidered a top catching prospect with the Boston Red Sox organization after coming optimistic about going to Double-Athis year, looks like I haveto start over. Well, it's not exactly starting over. The off a big year with the Michigan Battle Cats three years ago. Orta SF KBrowa LA BusRessesse eases were fom SEERERBEESSeu8S" HUUREReeeresERs 48 pick in the 1994 draft. Sappstarted slowly, batting 180 in 19 games with Fort Myers (Fla.) in the Gulf Coast Rookie League that year and .198 in 37 games with Utica in the New York-Penn Leaguein 1995. However, he turned the corner with Michigan the following season when he hit .322(fourth best in the Red Sox minor league system) and placed second in the Midwest Leaguewith a 570slugging percenta; Sappled Michigan with 18 homeruns and waschosen Boston's minorleagueplayer oftheyearfor the Ashby aaa + 7g SchmdtPit a) peg Sappis sharing catching duties, while playing said. “But myfavoritepositionis catcher. That's my strong point.” As if he didn’t have enough to deal with. Sapp openedthe season in an awful slump. Fortunately he knew part of what was wrong and hestar! working to correctit “Ll have good power, but I liketo hit for average too,” he said. “My problemis that I try to do to much and I of 1997 season. windsup outthinking himself. Before he knewit, hi wasleading the teamin strikeouts that manager BobGeren described as a major league average is coming and he just has to trust himself He opened the 1998 campaignat Sarasota and was hitting .244 in 35 games,highlighted by a home run blast. Because of his power and progress, Sapp was promoted to Trenton (N.J.) in the Class AA Eastern League, where hebatted .242 with five homers, including a game-winner at Harrisburg, Pa., in 28 games. However, disaster struck again in the form of a broken wrist on July11 “I was hit by a pitch,” Sappexplained. “Thepitchat SD a ctsCHC A circuit. some first base or serving as the designated hitter I like first ba ndI like to get my at-bats,” he Battle Creek-based club. But then hehadlowerback surgery and missedthe 555 sesseeace BRBSSUBEES 33-31 6% er threwa 94-mphfastball at me and I threw up my arm to protect myself, and the ball broke myleft ing.” ‘Then Sappstarts talking to himself, tenses up ond ButSapp is nottoo discouraged. He knows abetter And manager Butch Hobsonseespotential in Sapp He's big and strong and he’s got power,” Hobs said. “His problem is that he has never had a fu season. Hejust needs to go a full season without getting hurt. “He's a real student of the game and he learn: from his mistakes,’ Hobson added. “He even keeps : book on every pitcher he’s faced, like Andre Daws« did. But he fights himself. Sometimes, he thinks t much. He just needsto play.” Quest for 3,000 Hits on Hold as Gwynn Goes on DL exe gestesserss SRSkE5S e 9: bps Eee es sgeesaras " m4 x Py 2 B 2% 2 ne % 2 Hampton How Ayala Moe But injuries have held him back and nowhe is working his way back up the ladder. A Murraynative, Sapp was Boston's 10th-round but i! State Leagueis considereda high or advanc THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Gwynn, Wade Boggs and Cal Ripken, whoall began the season witha chanceto reach 3,000, each have gone on the DL this year. ‘It's ironic,” said Gwynn, who SAN DIEGO — Tony Gwynn’s countdown to 3,000 hits has pulled up lame at T-minus 25. The last thing the last-place Padres needed to see was Gwynn getting hurt. But there he was. left the stadium on crutches,his lower leg in a large walking boot “Boggs gets hurt, Ripken gets hurt and nowI get hurt grimacing as he hopped down to 16 181 3.900 NATIONAL LEAGUE ‘TEAM BATTING ABR H OBR RBI Avg 25 40 42 21S 2 52 2S 20 50 210 first base after straining his left calf muscle comingout of the batter’s box in the first inning of San nothing you could have done to Cincinnati things. “There's nothing you cansay. Diego’s 5-4 win Friday night over preventit. It’s just one of those The slumping Gwynn, whore ness,’ said Gwynn, whose 7-for 41 slumpin hispast 11 gameshas droppedhis average from .400or May 4 to 333. He has only one multi-hit per formance in his last 17 games ter getting two or more hits times in hisfirst 21 games mains on hold with 2.975 hits, said frayed right Achilles’ tendon. He still won the batting title in 94 22nd member of the 3,000-hit 3,000 hits, and figures heat least will get a break from that. heis taking this setbackin stride in 1996 missed 30 games with He also missed time with strainedright calf in June 199. Ater Pee Goe2 Remember - Preventive Maintenance Works and can save you money! Get Your “TRANSMISSION TUNE-UP”Today! 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The Utah Jazz have laced up their hightops for another run at the NBA Finals. Join in the excitement by placing an ad in the Western Conference Expanded Sports and NBAFinals special sections. Both sections will be published in The Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret Newsfollowing the Western Conference and NBAFinals. Western Conference , Expanded Sports Section y size ad until May 25. After May ads mustbe full, half or Quarter page sizes. Black and white ads only. SEVERAL FINANCING OPTIONS AVAILABLE Deadlines as the Jazz schedule dictates FOR FREE HOME COMFORT SURVEY, CALL To find out more, contact Paige Ferrell at the WARSHAWS485-6112 12 Gwynnwasonthe disabled| He has had to answera lot of questions about his pursuit of the 15-daydisabled list Saturday. He's eligible to return on June 6 We have the Largest Allocation! 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