Rangers Find 'The Natural'

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[i:a31fc84606]by Jim Reeves
originally printed: The Sporting News, March 10, 1986[/i:a31fc84606]

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. - Pete Incaviglia, the raw Texas Rangers slugger with no professional experience, made a major league splash in his first spring training batting practice.

Incaviglia, who set an NCAA record last spring when he clubbed 48 homer runs in 75 games for Oklahoma State, smashed eight massive home runs against the wind during a 10-minute session. Five of the monstrous blasts came in his last 13 swings.

The righthanded batter cracked one line drive so hard that it literally knocked a baseball-sized hole in the top of the fence in left-center field.

"That's one-inch plywood," said Rangers Manager Bobby Valentine, who was pitching to the rookie. "Awesome."

Incaviglia also skipped a line drive off Valentine's back when the manager couldn't duck behind the protective screen in time. "From his second swing on, I had the fear of God in me," said Valentine.

Incaviglia was chosen by Montreal in the first round of the June 1985 free-agent draft, but did not sign with the Expos. He was traded to Texas last November 2 for pitcher Bob Sebra and infielder Jimmy Anderson and then got a $175,000 bonus to sign with the Rangers.

With the Rangers, the 6-1, 225-pounder is known affectionately as "the Fat Kid". But don't let talk about the rookie's weight fool you.

"He has a 'wait' problem all right," said Valentine, making a play on words. "He probably can't wait for his next at-bat."

The Rangers can't wait for him to get some exposure in game conditions.

"It's impossible for a human being to hit the ball any harder," said General Manager Tom Grieve. "Frank Howard didn't hit them any harder than that."

Grieve played with Howard in Washington and in Texas in 1972.

"I've never seen anything like that," said batting coach Art Howe. "He was hitting against the wind and you'd sworn there was a 30-mile-an-hour gale blowing out."

Incaviglia, the designated hitter on The Sporting News 1985 All-America team, hasn't played competitively since the College World Series last June.

"A lot of people said I h it so many home runs because of the aluminum bat," said Incaviglia. "It's nice to show people so I don't have to hear that anymore."

But hitting a ball [i:a31fc84606]through[/i:a31fc84606] the fence?

"I've done that a couple of times," Incaviglia said with a shrug.

Incaviglia's strength isn't in a question, but his lack of experience is.

"His day in the big leagues may be delayed," said Valentine, "but I don't see how it can denied."