Doylestown Daily Intelligencer - October 1, 1980
Bystrom Wins Fifth, Phils Wallop Cubs
By Paul Giordano, Intelligencer Writer
PHILADELPHIA – A laugher. Finally, an honest-to-goodness laughter with the Phils playing to their potential. The Phils scored 14 runs, had 15 hits; played most of the kids for the final two innings and kept pace with the Montreal Expos.
Tuesday night’s 14-2 win over the Chicago Cubs, possible the worst team in the National League, keps the Phils ½ game behind the Expos and even-up in the loss column.
Marty Bystrom picked up his fifth straight win and Dallas Green rested easy.
“It felt good,” Green said after last night’s game “I’m glad we could get the kids in, they had some fun.”
Some fun, too. After the veterans gave the Phils a commanding 10-2 lead after six innings, the likes of Ramon Aviles, Manny Trillo, Lonnie Smith and the youthful touch of Bob Dernier and Orlando Isales added four more in the seventh.
Aviles, who came in for Larry Bowa in the seventh, opened the Phils’ half of the inning with a double. Trillo followed with an infield single. Then, after pinch-hitter Luis Aguayo flied out to left field, Smith beat out an infield single to load the bases.
Dernier followed with an RBI single. Trillo scored on a wild pitch and Isales stroked a two-run triple, his first major-league hit in his first major-league at-bat, and there was no more.
What the kids did in the seventh, rookie Bystrom did in the seven full innings he pitched, allowing just two runs on four hits. He’s 5-0 in five starts. In those five starts, including a four-run first inning last night, the Phils have scored a total of 11 runs in the first inning.
“It all goes back to I told you so,” Green said when asked about Bystrom’s pitching. “I knew that kid could pitch and he came up and did exactly what I wanted him to do.
“We didn’t look for him to be 5-0, just hoped he pitched well, hoped he came out a winner. But at the same time he has the stuff to pitch over .500. He’s going to be a top major league pitcher if he minds his Ps and Qs.”
Green has been so pleased with Bystrom’s progress, he may even use him in this weekend’s crucial series at Montreal, against the Expos.
“I don’t think I would be hesitant,” Green said. “He’s pitched good games against good-hitting baseball teams. He’s one of those kids pressure doesn’t seem to bother. Maybe he feels it inside, but he doesn’t show it outside.”
If the Phils do go into Montreal this weekend deadlocked with the Expos for first place, Green may be hard-pressed whether to use Bystrom or not.
“His pitching has made it tougher,” Green said. “Right now it boils down to Ruthven, Larry Christenson, Carlton. Or maybe even Bystrom on Sunday, depending on where we stand.”
Which could mean being one up going into Sunday’s game. Then what? Carlton in the Sunday game, or save him for a possible playoff game Monday afternoon.
"I don't know that answer right now," Green said. "All I know is that it's Ruthven Friday and I have Christenson penciled in for Saturday. LC's physically fine, and you saw the stuff he had in Monday night's game. He gave us six strong innings. We'll just have to wait and see.
Tuesday night, though, the see was that of the Phils run around the bases, starting in the very first inning off starter Lynn McGlothen.
After Smith grounded out to third, Pete Rose drew a walk. Bake McBride followed with a single to right field, advancing Rose to third. Rose scored the lead run on Mike Schmidt’s sacrifice fly to centerfield. Then, after Del Unser drew a walk, Keith Moreland lashed a double to deep left-center and the Phils had a 4-0 lead after one.
For the record, Bob Boone will be behind the plate in tonight’s game. Green wants Boone to handle Steve Carlton, tonight’s scheduled pitcher.
EXTRA BASES – Tuesday night’s win was number 19 for the Phils this month, which matches their club record set in 1977… Tuesday was the second time the Phils have socred 14 runs this season. Season high is 17 scored against Atlanta in July… Bake McBride has hit in eight straight gaems… Should a division race end in a tie, a one-game playoff will be played at Philadelphia, Monday, at 2pm. Channel 17 will televise the final home game Thursday night and all three games from Montreal.
Green Concerned About Future Phillies
By Paul Giordano, Intelligencer Writer
PHILADELPHIA – Dallas Green’s team abuse after Monday night’s game was not a ploy, a gamble to spark emotional drive into his ballclub. It was honest and sincere. And, to the point. No prisoners.
It was with reason and founded, with more than just this season at stake.
The Philadelphia Phillies happen to be blessed with some very promising youngsters. Guys who can play and will in the future. There’s the likes of Keith Moreland, Marty Bystrom, Lonnie Smith, Luis Aguayo, Jay Loviglio, Mark Davis, Bob Dernier, Orlando Isales, Don McCormack and Ozzie Virgil.
They were and are foremost in Green’s concern for today and tomorrow. He does not want them to be affected, become infected by the 10 percent of the veterans on the current ballclub who have coated and tarnished his views on what Phillies baseball is supposed to be and is all about.
“That is a very big concern,” Green said after Tuesday night’s 14-2 laugher over the Chicago Cubs. “It is of concern because of what we’re trying to build, winning here for a long time. And we’re at the age level where the kids have to start coming in and do the job.
“When I said 10 percent the other night, I didn’t mean that number is all everyday players. I’m talking total squad.”
A totally new squad Green will be talking to and about next season. Even to the point, where it means getting rid of guys who have locked-in, no-trade contracts, if necessary. There could be a few.
“Most contractual problems can be worked out if there’s a desire to do it,” Green said. “Ruly (Carpenter) and Paul (Owens) let me handle the money with freedom to do what I wanted to do.”
It is a proven track record. Just go back to this spring training past and you get the message. In one move, Green cost the Phils a cool $1 million. He released pitchers Doug Bird and Rawly Eastwick, both signed to long term, guaranteed contracts. Both pitchers were paid off.
“You’ve already made one mistake giving them the money,’ Green said. “You don’t make a second mistake by giving them more. Baseball is a game of mistakes, but you try to overcome them.”
And when Green gets finished, the Phils may be a little poorer dollar-wise, but richer in the long run – the future. He took a risk Monday night in what he said, and won. Ruly Carpenter and Paul Owens are behind him.
“There’s always a risk when you let your feelings flow,” Green said. “I told Paul today I was going to do it my way or not at all. He said, ‘I’m with you.’ I’ve got this gut thing and I’m going to let it flow.
“I spoke with Ruly, too. He asked me 77 questions and I answered 76. I told him I didn’t think he understands what’s going on down here.
“When I came in today, the locker room attitude was reserved, very reserved. They were waiting to see what I was going to do. And I didn’t do anything different.
“One thing this 1980 team is going to find out when it’s over, I could (couldn’t) care less as long as they play the way they’re capable.
“There’s a lot out there who don’t need that, what I said Monday night. They know I’m not talking about them. And I’ll make every effort that Paul Owens knows about the 10 percent, who they are.
‘Loose’ Expos Rally to Overcome Cards
MONTREAL (AP) – The Montreal Expos had committed three errors, managed just four hits and were losing 2-1 in the fifth inning Tuesday night when the score was flashed on the giant message board at Olympic Stadium:
PHILADELPHIA 14, CHICAGO 2, FINAL.
Minutes later Rodney Scott hit a blooper that got away from left fielder Leon Durham for a triple and ignited a five-run outburst that gave the Expos a 7-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.
“Hey, we saw the score up there,” Andre Dawson said. “But it didn’t really bother us. We still had four at-bats and we’re loose. We know it (the pennant) is within our grasp.
“You can’t depend on someone else to do your job. We do hope the Cubs knock them off one game. But, if they don’t, we’ll have to take care of our own business.”
Dawson took care of business Tuesday night, leading the Expos to a season-high 25 total bases with a pair of triples and a homer.
His first three-base hit of the night drove in Rowland Office, who had doubled with one out in the fourth. Dawson’s second triple came after Office brought Scott home with the tying run on a grounder that was the second out of the inning.
That started the real explosion that drove home Bob Forsch, 11-10, from the mound.
Gary Carter doubled home Dawson, Warren Cromartie was intentionally walked and Larry Parrish followed with a line drive three-run homer, his 15th of the season.
Dawson’s 17th homer of the year, a solo shot off Jim Otten in the eighth, capped the scoring.
“I thought both of those (triples) were going to be caught because (centerfielder) Tony Scott’s awful quick out there. But that (rally) is just the kind of thing we’re capable of.
“This is a lot of work, but it’s fun too,” Dawson added. “I’m just thankful I’m a part of this, and a part of this team.”
Rookie right-hander Bill Gullickson, 10-5, scattered four hits and struck out nine in seven innings. He and his teammates also got a scare when Ken Oberkfell slammer a liner off his right leg with two out in the seventh.
“What’s so amazing is he got hit with a shot and went right after the ball to get the out,” said Monteral Manager Dick Williams. “I was just hoping it didn’t hit bone.”