clarinews@clarinet.com (WILL DUNHAM, UPI Sports Writer) (09/22/89)
BALTIMORE (UPI) -- Anyone who expected the Baltimore Orioles to crumble under the pressure of a pennant race had better quickly reevaluate the situation, says Orioles Manager Frank Robinson. The Orioles, seeking to become the first team in the history of major-league baseball to go from last place one season to first place the next, are nipping at the heels of the American League East front-running Toronto Blue Jays. In the closest of the four division races, Baltimore stands one game behind the Blue Jays, with both teams having nine games left to play, including the final three in a head-to-head showdown in Toronto. Perhaps as surprising as the fact that the Orioles, who hit rock bottom with a major-leagues record 54-107 season in 1988, are in the hunt for a division title is the fact that they are handling the pressure of a pennant race so well. ``We have confidence in what we can do,'' said Robinson, who has molded the youngest team in the major leagues into an apparent contender for years to come. ``This ballclub has no quit in it and it hasn't quit all year long. It didn't quit when things got tough and it didn't get cocky when things were going good. It's just kept even-keel and that's been one of the keys to this club's success.'' ``What pressure?'' asked catcher Mickey Tettleton, who has produced a career-high 25 home runs this season and has joined veterans such as Cal Ripken Jr. and Phil Bradley in providing leadership for a young team. ``There isn't any pressure. We weren't even supposed to be here in the first place. This is fun. There's no reason for it to change now.'' Both Baltimore (83-70) and Toronto (84-69) had Thursday off, with the Orioles starting a three-game home series against the New York Yankees Friday night and the Blue Jays starting a three-game road series against the Milwaukee Brewers the same night. After the New York series, the Orioles travel for three games in Milwaukee before finishing up the regular season in Toronto, while the Blue Jays travel for three games against the Detroit Tigers before returning home to play Baltimore. The Orioles and Blue Jays have not played each other since Aug. 20. Left-hander Jeff Ballard, who improved his record to 18-7 in Baltimore's 9-2 victory over Detroit Wednesday, said the Blue Jays had better watch out. ``They can't expect us to roll over,'' Ballard said. ``It's a pennant race. That's the way it's going to be down to the wire.'' Ballard's 18 victories are the most by a Baltimore lefty since Scott McGregor won 18 in 1983, the year the Orioles won the World Series. He likely will have three more starts, giving him a chance for a 20-victory season. While Ballard has been the starting ace, Gregg Olson has been the bullpen stopper. He has produced an AL rookie record of 26 saves to go along with a 5-2 record, has a 1.79 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 80 1-3 innings and has pitched 22 straight scoreless innings over his last 18 appearances. The Orioles posted the worst record in the franchise's history last season and lost 100 games for the first time since their first year in Baltimore, 1954. But the Orioles have already clinched a winning record for 1989 and have guaranteed themselves of a 28 1/2 game improvement over last season. Baltimore needs one more victory for the greatest single season improvement since divisional play began in 1969, five more victories for the greatest turnaround in league history and six more victories for the all-time major leagues record set by the New York Giants, who went 48-88 in 1902 and 84-55 in 1903.