Hershiser Regains Control, Gets Spot on All-Star Team

CHICAGO —  Orel Hershiser was a mediocre pitcher (in 1986).

--Former Dodger Vice President Al Campanis, spring of 1987

He’s an outstanding pitcher.

--Dodger Vice President Fred Claire, summer of 1987

Nasty things can be said during baseball arbitration hearings, where true feelings surface and loyalty is often temporarily suspended.

Orel Hershiser, by now a calloused veteran at the arbitration game, was told by the Dodgers this spring that his 14-14 record last season was deserving of a 20% pay cut. An arbitrator agreed and reduced Hershiser’s 1987 salary from $1 million to $800,000.

The deepest cut, though, might have been apparent lack of faith in Hershiser’s ability by Dodger management, specifically then-vice president Al Campanis.

But this season, Hershiser has proved his worth on the field. On a team that is 10 games below .500, Hershiser has a 10-8 record and the National League’s second best earned-run average, 2.36.

Thursday, Hershiser was named to the National League pitching staff for next Tuesday’s All-Star game in Oakland.

The only other Dodger named to the NL roster was Pedro Guerrero, who will be one of the six backup outfielders.

Hershiser said his selection is something he has dreamed about, and, of course, it won’t hurt when he goes back to the arbitration table next winter.

“I’m just happy to make it,” Hershiser said. “I haven’t thought about that yet. Maybe I won’t have arbitration. It’d be nice. I’d love to sign a long-term contract, because I want to play for the Dodgers the rest of my career. But I guess a long-term contract these days is two years.”

Hershiser, who has seen highs (a 19-3 record in 1985) and lows (14-14 last season) in four years with the Dodgers, has taken his recent success and first All-Star assignment in stride.

“This is no big deal,” Hershiser said, smiling. “I’ve made the All-Star team many times before--in my dreams.”

Most important to Hershiser, the factors that contributed to his 1986 downfall have not been repeated.

The differences are that Hershiser has considerably narrowed his walks-to-strikeouts ratio, and his teammates have been kind enough to score runs to support him.

“I’ve just become more of a consistent pitcher,” said Hershiser, who pitches today against the Cubs. “I’m staying away from the big innings. Last year, I’d go along and put in a lot of zeros (scoreless innings), then I’d give up the big inning. This year, there’s the same number of zeros but no big innings.

“A lot of it, too, is just how well your team plays in front of you. Last year, (the Dodgers were) shut out seven times (when Hershiser pitched). But I still won 14 games. This year, I’ve been shut out once, and we’re halfway through the season. It seems like (Rick) Honeycutt and (Bob) Welch pick the games to pitch when we aren’t hitting.”

Manager Tom Lasorda has always supported Hershiser’s contention that he did not pitch poorly last season. However, Lasorda wasn’t present at the arbitration hearing.

“He could have been doing last year what he’s doing now,” Lasorda said. “But his control was not anything like it is now. He wasn’t throwing as well, but he still could have had a better record than he had.”

Lately, Hershiser’s recovered control and effective assortment of pitches have been reflected in his statistics.

Despite leaving his last start after five scoreless innings because of back stiffness, Hershiser remains second among National League pitchers in earned-run average (2.36), tied for second in complete games (6), third in strikeouts (105) and first in innings pitched (137).

Hershiser’s durability has been a bonus to the Dodgers, too. Twice this season, he has volunteered for emergency relief duty. Both occasions presented themselves in St. Louis, Hershiser earning a save on May 2 and enduring the 8-7 loss in the 10th inning of Wednesday night’s second game.

Claire, who only laughed and shook his head when asked if Hershiser’s performance will affect the 1988 arbitration hearing, says Hershiser has literally worked himself into a quality pitcher.

“He was drafted in the 17th round or something, so he’s proven a lot of scouts wrong,” Claire said. “I like Orel’s work habits. He’s gone step by step through the organization and picked up a lot of things along the way.”

After last season’s disappointment, Hershiser sought advice from several former Dodger pitchers, including Sandy Koufax, pitching coach Ron Perranoski and Honeycutt.

Perranoski said Hershiser has certain checkpoints concerning his windup, delivery, release point and follow-through in order to remain consistent.

“Last year, in the middle of the season, my mechanics failed me,” Hershiser said. “In my travels, I’ve found that the most important thing is to learn all you can about the game before your ability goes.

“I talk to guys who say, ‘I wish I would’ve known what I know now when my body was still able to do it.’ I listen to people and then I apply what works for me.”

Rick Sutcliffe of the Chicago Cubs, who leads the NL with 11 victories, heads the eight-man pitching staff named by Manager Davey Johnson and could get the starting assignment since he pitched Thursday against the Dodgers.

Sutcliffe, 11-4 with a 3.54 earned-run average, will be joined by 10-game winners Hershiser and Mike Scott of Houston, 9-game winner Sid Fernandez of the New York Mets and Rick Reuschel of Pittsburgh, who has a 7-4 record and leads the league with a 2.32 ERA.

The other three pitchers are relievers--Steve Bedrosian of Philadelphia, who set a major league record with 13 saves in 13 straight relief appearances, Lee Smith of Chicago and John Franco of Cincinnati. Fernandez and Franco are the only left-handers on the staff.

Omitted from the team was 10-game winner Neal Heaton of Montreal, Terry Leach of Johnson’s Mets, who is 8-0 with a 2.08 ERA in a mixture of starting and relief roles, and Houston reliever Dave Smith, who has a 0.52 ERA with 15 saves and has allowed just 11 hits in 34 innings.

It also was the first time in seven major league seasons that Fernando Valenzuela of the Dodgers failed to make the team and the first miss in four seasons for Dwight Gooden of the Mets. Valenzuela is 7-7 with a 4.15 ERA, and Gooden, 5-2 with a 2.90 ERA, missed the first six weeks of the season undergoing drug rehabilitation.

Among the players added to the squad by Johnson were catchers Ozzie Virgil of Atlanta and Bo Diaz of Cincinnati, first baseman Keith Hernandez of the Mets, second baseman Juan Samuel of Philadelphia, shortstop Hubie Brooks of Montreal and third baseman Tim Wallach, also of the Expos.

Named as the backup outfielders were Guerrero, Tony Gwynn of San Diego, Jeffrey Leonard of San Francisco, Willie McGee of St. Louis, Dale Murphy of Atlanta and Tim Raines of Montreal.

NATIONAL LEAGUE ALL-STARS

STARTERS

Position Player Team Votes Catcher Gary Carter New York Mets 936,810 First Base Jack Clark St. Louis 1,269,136 Second Base Ryne Sandberg Chicago Cubs 1,295,957 Shortstop Ozzie Smith St. Louis 2,254,409 Third Base Mike Schmidt Philadelphia 1,818,905 Outfield Eric Davis Cincinnati 1,810,391 Darryl Strawberry New York Mets 1,255,651 Andre Dawson Chicago Cubs 1,167,091

RESERVES

Position Player Team Votes (No. by Pos.) Catcher Ozzie Virgil Atlanta 353,403 (5th) Bo Diaz Cincinnati 251,650 (8th) First Base Keith Hernandez New York Mets 892,790 (2nd) Second Base Juan Samuel Philadelphia 288,590 (6th) Shortstop Hubie Brooks Montreal 452,229 (2nd) Third Base Tim Wallach Montreal 429,205 (3rd) Outfield Dale Murphy Atlanta 960,388 (4th) Tony Gwynn San Diego 745,209 (5th) Willie McGee St. Louis 651,383 (7th) Pedro Guerrero Dodgers 588,995 (8th) Jeffrey Leonard San Francisco 388,110 (10th) Tim Raines* Montreal 86,571 (31st)

* Write-in candidate

PITCHERS

Player Team Player Team Steve Bedrosian Philadelphia Rick Reuschel Pittsburgh Sid Fernandez New York Mets Mike Scott Houston John Franco Cincinnati Lee Smith Chicago Cubs Orel Hershiser Dodgers Rick Sutcliffe Chicago Cubs