Baseball

The Real Class of '92
Infielder Pat Listach (above), who was released last week by the Reds (his seventh organization in the last 2� years), was the overwhelming choice for American League Rookie of the Year in 1992. However, more than a few of Listach 's peers have gone on to outshine him. Here's a sampling of how some of those other rookies from '92 have fared.
PLAYER, '92 TEAM	POS.	LOOK AT HIM NOW
Derek Bell , Blue Jays	0F	As an Astro: 17 homers, 113 RBIs in '96; 22 and 108 in "98
Scott Brosius , A's	0F-3B	'98 World Series MVP with Yankees
Damion Easley , Angels	3B-2B	Averaged 24.5 homers and 86 RBIs last two years with Tigers
Pat Hentgen , Blue Jays	P	'96 American League Cy Young winner
Roberto Hernandez , White Sox	P	Averaged almost 30 saves a year last six seasons
Kenny Lofton , Indians	0F	Five-time league leader in steals is .311 career hitter
Jim Thome , Indians	3B-1B	Averaged 36 homers over last three seasons

Still Jackin'
Amid heavy-duty spring hoopla, a focused McGwire has picked up where he left off

For a man considered to be baseball's bastion of truth and integrity, Mark McGwire is one hell of a liar. "Nothing at all," was his reply to the simple, somewhat silly question, What about this year's spring training is different from last year's? "It's the same as always." This was roughly 30 seconds after McGwire , en route to the visitors' clubhouse at Dodgertown in Vero Beach , Fla. , was greeted by a throng of 100 or more fans—including one woman who'd waited six hours for an autograph—pushing and shoving one another against a metal fence. McGwire played 4� innings in Sunday's game against LA When he didn't jog out to first base for the bottom of the fifth, half the 6,694 in attendance seemed to suddenly blow away.

Nothing at all?

"I still don't know how he deals with it so well," says outfielder J.D. Drew , the Cardinals ' rookie phenom. "Everywhere Mark goes, people are yelling his name, asking for a minute. You'd think spring would be more laid back. Not for him."

McGwire insists he doesn't mind. Really. "This is all part of my job," he says, "and I love my job." However, McGwire cannot go to a mall, take a stroll, catch a movie—even in the sleepy town of Jupiter, Fla. , where the Cardinals are based. "I'm not into swimming or fishing," he says. "I don't do much here."

One thing he does do is hit home runs. In seven games he had five dingers in only 14 at bats, including two blasts on Sunday against Dodgers lefty Carlos Perez. His first-inning homer barely cleared the left-field fence. His second, a shot worthy of the Apollo program, smacked off the scoreboard in right center and fell to a grassy knoll. A dozen kids swarmed to the ball like pigeons after a bread crumb. Keith Barrett, a skinny 17-year-old, pushed two tykes out of the way, threw an elbow, dived headfirst and came up a winner.

"No way I'm sellin' this baby!" Barrett screamed.

One hundred dollars? someone suggested.

"No way."

Five hundred?