Reading Eagle - April 22, 1980

Burris, Allen Keep Mets From Being Hapless

PHILADELPHIA (AP) – The last two years have weighed heavily on New York Mets pitcher Ray Burris.

The 29-year-old Burris talked about his frustrations Monday night after combining with reliever Neil Allen to pitch a 3-0 five-hit shutout over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Burris worked 7-1/3 innings, allowed just four hits, left because he tired and his pitching hand began to feel a little numb.  Allen arrived with a runner on, retired five of the next six hitters and earned his fourth save of the season.

Without Burris and Allen, the Mets already would have reclaimed their title of “hapless.”  Burris has two of New York’s four victories, and Allen has a save in all four.

Actually, all the Mets needed was an RBI single by Joel Youngblood in the fourth, but Frank Taveras drove home a run in the fifth, and scored another on Steve Henderson’s infield out in the seventh.

The Phillies’ only threats were in the third and sixth when they had two baserunners, each time after two uots, and couldn’t score.  Pete Rose tripled in the seventh, again with two down, and was left.

Burris spent seven years with the Cubs, most of the time as a starter.  He said, however, that Chicago manager Herman Franks and personnel boss Bob Kennedy hurt him in the spring of 1979, when they demoted him to the bullpen.

“Herman told me he planned to go with three starters in the early part of the season, and that I would be his fourth later on.  But he went with Mike Krukow.  That hurt.

“I know a manager has a tough job.  He has to please the fans, the media, the front office, and I tried to understand him.  I could see his side, but he didn’t know where I was coming from.  He didn’t think I had the right to come into his office and say what I did.

“Franks and Kennedy tore down my morale, tore me down as a human being,” Burris said.  “But I have no regrets.  I’m not angry or bitter at anyone.  I guess they were trying to do their job the best for the club.  I’m glad now the way things worked out.”

Burris said he pitched often for the New York Yankees last year until manager Bob Lemon was fired and Billy Martin returned.

“When Billy came back it was all over for me,” Burris said.  “I was pleased to go to the Mets.”

Burris always has pitched well against Philadelphia.  He’s 9-4 against the Phillies.  Ironically, the Mets beat Steve Carlton, and are only one of two National League clubs (26-23) with beter than a .500 record against one of baseball’s best pitchers.  The Cincinnati Reds (14-8) are the other.

Phillies’ manager Dallas Green said it was hard to figure how some pitchers can just throw their gloves out and beat another team.  Green added, however, that if Carlton, who allowed five hits and struck out five, pitched that was all season he’d win 90 percent of the time.

Rose had three hits and raised his average 55 points to .244.  Garry Maddox stole his 136^th base as a Phillie, tying him for seventh place on the club’s all-time list with Tony Taylor.