Schmidt Torches Record Book; Church to Pitch?

SCHMIDT ROCKS THE RECORD BOOKS

As Lompoc sports fans knew he would, JURGEN SCHMIDT has begun to plaster his name all over the swimming record books in the two months since he turned 85.

Schmidt set no less than four new U.S. national records the weekend before last at the Southern Pacific Regional Masters meet in Mission Viejo.

“I did super,” admitted the modest onetime accountant before insisting, “You don’t have to publish all this stuff.”

Oh yes, we do. This is history being made.

Schmidt, a freestyle long distance specialist, set new records in three freestyle races, the 500, 1000 and 1650, and surprised even himself with a new mark in the 400 Individual Medley.

“That was the real corker. I haven’t swam the 400 IM in five years!” he laughed.

Ironically, it was in the 400 IM that he most dramatically eclipsed the former record. In that event he smashed a mark set in 1999 by almost 10 seconds. His time was 8:36.18 and the old record was 8:45.11.

“I did OK,” he admitted. “I think that 400 IM record is going to stand, and the 1650 too.”

In two races, the 1650 and 500 freestyle, Schmidt broke his own records that he set just last month. He bettered his 1650 time by 36 seconds (28:36.66 to 29:12.63) and his 500 time by about four seconds (8:24.66 to 8:28.81).

His other record, in the 1000 free, came in a split of the 1650 and happened without Schmidt being aware of it. “The judge said, ‘By the way you just set a new record.’ I did?” Schmidt gasped as he continued swimming. The old record was 17:22.73 while Schmidt swam 17:16.01, a six-second improvement.

Schmidt now holds five U.S. national records including the 100 IM set last month. He is aiming for more as he will swim next weekend in Texas at the U.S. Nationals.

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Church Still Thinks of Pitching

Last Thursday night the New York Mets needed 14 innings to nip the Washington Nationals. They were almost out of pitchers but one was available in right field: RYAN CHURCH. Here is Marty Noble’s story from MLB.com

PHILADELPHIA -- The Mets' offense hardly was distinguishing itself as the extra innings mounted on Thursday night. Ten base runners and, to that point -- two out in the 14th inning -- no runs.

There was no reason to expect a tangible indication of offense -- a run -- the way the Mets were swinging. And when Brian Schneider stepped into the batter's box as a pinch-hitter for the pitcher, Scott Schoeneweis was the last man standing ... er, sitting in the Mets' bullpen.

How much longer could it go? How many innings could Schoeneweis' left arm provide?
The questions ran through the manager's mind. And the 22-inning affair between the Rockies and Padres later that night brought back questions well after a wild pitch pre-empted Schneider and allowed the Mets to beat the Nationals. Who would Willie Randolph have used if another pitcher had been needed?

Which position player might pitch in the middle of some baseball overnight hardly was an issue Randolph and general manager Omar Minaya considered when they created the roster in Spring Training, though every manager is likely to face a situation the way bullpens are used these days.

Specialists and left-handed relievers who rarely see a right-handed hitter have their places in nine-inning games. But the same bullpen usage that works for nine innings can strap a bullpen when the number of outs needed eventually exceeds 40.

Randolph addressed the situation Saturday. "We didn't get to that point, so I didn't have to think about it," Randolph said.

At least one person was, well, preparing to think about it. If Schoeneweis had pitched and Randolph needed another arm and a volunteer, a left hand would have been raised in right field.

"If [Schoeneweis] had been used, I would have started thinking about it," Ryan Church said.
Church hasn't pitched in eight years, not since he was a freshman at the University of Nevada. A slow-healing labrum injury and the team's need for an outfielder changed his position, but the recessive gene is there. Let's just say he wouldn't be opposed to spending time on the mound.

"As long as I come out of it as he winning pitcher," Church said. Spoken like a hurler.
Church denies spending more than a moment considering the possibility Thursday night.
"I just wanted us to get a run and get out of there," Church said on Saturday.

But the suspicion was that he was warming up in his mind. "Absolutely, he was," said Schneider, Church's teammate with the Nationals and Mets. "He misses it a lot."

Getting Church to talk pitching is not a problem. Schneider suggested his teammate had "good sink on his fastball" and "has a good curve," but that "his cutter is his favorite pitch."

"No, my changeup," Church said. "And I've got a knuckleball." But the changeup is what he'd throw if he needed a swing and miss. "Back in the day, I would," Church said.

Randolph was somewhat aware of Church's pitching past. "[Church has] a good arm," Randolph said. But Randolph mentioned David Wright first as the possible position player to pitch. Wright immediately withdrew from consideration. He would neither seek nor accept his manager's nomination. Memories of Jose Canseco's pitching-injured elbow?

The Mets never used a position player to pitch until Sept. 26, 1992, when Jeff Torborg tapped third baseman Bill Pecota. They were the only franchise who had used pitchers exclusively. Indeed, Davey Johnson railed against the practice, saying it demeaned the game. It should be noted that Johnson had starter Ron Darling pitch in relief in the 19-inning game the Mets played in Atlanta in July of 1985.

Since Pecota, the Mets have had five other instances of non-pitchers pitching: Matt Franco pitched twice for Bobby Valentine in 1999, Derek Bell, Desi Relaford and Todd Zeile once each in 2000, 2001 and 2004 respectively. None was urged to quit his day job.

Church is playfully confident he would be effective, though he anticipates some nervousness. "But," he said. "I think I'm better off with a bat now."