WITH the completion of the NBA finals, baseball takes center stage nationally, at least until the NFL camps open. That means even more focus and pressure on St. Louis' Mark McGwire, who could obliterate the single-season home run record of 61 set by Roger Maris in 1961. McGwire’s becoming
one-man ShowAt his current pace -- and we've reached the point in the season where we can use those words without sounding too silly -- McGwire would hit 75 home runs.
Before yesterday he'd kept an even temperament, despite intense interest in the record from Opening Day, when he hit a grand slam.
But the psychological pressure of pursuing the game's most high-profile record could be starting to get to McGwire. Home runs that don't even count are drawing more attention than whether the the Cardinals win or lose.
More fans arrive early to watch McGwire take batting practice than attend Oakland A's home games. Way more. The Associated Press reported that about 15,000 watched him blast pregame shots at the Astrodome earlier this week, and fans who left after his last at-bat missed a Houston game-winning rally.
"It's totally out of hand," Mc-Gwire was quoted as saying yesterday. "I feel like a caged animal."
Last year the pressure got to Seattle's Ken Griffey Jr., when he threatened the record. During a power slump, the usually amiable Griffey made negative comments about the Mariners' management, which, though probably deserved, were out of character for him.
In one regard, McGwire has a legitimate beef. The primary purpose of BP is to prepare for the game, and it defeats that purpose if it becomes too much of a sideshow.
While McGwire's professional attitude is to be admired, it's unrealistic in a sense.
If he is a victim of his own success and can't take batting practice in peace, well, too bad. Whether McGwire likes it or not, he's the best thing that's happened to baseball in a long time, and the game's image -- still recovering from the strike of 1994 -- is riding on his large shoulders.
WE go from the most talked about player in the game to a fringe rookie two days in the bigs, and one at-bat -- a strike out -- on his ledger. That would be Benny Agbayani of the Mets by way of Waipahu, St. Louis School and Hawaii Pacific University.
It does the soul good to see a typical guy from here make it to The Show when so many others -- Garrett Nago, Mario Monico, Joey Vierra among them -- came so close. And it was starting to look like Agbayani wasn't going to get a shot . . . or that it would be in Japan, where he may still end up.
Agbayani possesses the natural ability of the 30th round draft pick that he was. But he has no major weaknesses as a player, either.
"There was no reason to expect him to make it to the majors when he left here," said Pal Eldredge, the Punahou coach and former scout. "But he improved as he went along and became a very steady, balanced player. That makes him kind of a valuable property."
And the kind of underdog you can't help but root for.
DARRYL Arata is rooting for the Bulls to stay together. And not just because he's a fan since his days at McKinley High in the late '80s.
If Jordan and Co. blow away from the Windy City, it makes Arata's job difficult. The former University of Hawaii sports information assistant now sells season ticket packages for the best basketball team on the planet.
Last year, Arata was an intern handling media relations for the Bulls. Rainbow basketball coach Riley Wallace helped him get the assignment.
"This has been a dream job, and I couldn't ask for anything more, except warmer weather and a good plate lunch."
Dave Reardon is a magazine editor and freelance
writer who has covered Hawaii sports since 1977.
He can be reached via the Star-Bulletin or
by email at dreardon@hmsa.com.
