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Sports

Wednesday, November 12, 1997

Eagles offense looks good at scrimmage

PECOS, Nov. 12 -- They didn't get to face the Ozona Lions Tuesday,
but the Pecos Eagles did get to see a lot of Fort Stockton
Prowlers during the first of their two preseason girls basketball
scrimmages.

The Eagles were hoping to see the Lions, who are seeking their
third Class 2A state title in four years, but coach Brian Williams
said when his team got to Fort Stockton, Prowlers' coach Fernando
Espino said the other teams has canceled out.

But Williams said there were enough Fort Stockton girls to keep
the Eagles busy. "We took seven (varsity) girls down there and he
played everybody. He had about 20 and put them in five at a time,
and he said `your girls aren't even breaking a sweat.' We were on
the court for about an hour-and-a-half, so that's a compliment to
the work we've done in practice."

"We looked OK at this point. For where I'm trying to take them we
did pretty well," he said. "There were some things on offense
they're beginning to understand that we just need to fine-tune,"
he said.

"Our inside game looked good. Lori (Marquez) scored about 23
points and all of those came from inside the paint. Valerie Lara
scored 10 points and Erica Orona scored 10."

"We've still got a long way to go, but Saturday will tell us a
little bit more. Hopefully, we'll be able to press (defensively)
by Saturday," Williams said.

The Eagles will go to Odessa Permian for a 9:30 a.m. scrimmage
Saturday. Hobbs and Fort Stockton have been at past scrimmages
there, but Williams said he wasn't sure yet who the other teams
would be this time around.

Pecos opens regular season play next Tuesday at Odessa High. The
Eagles' boys will have their first scrimmage on Saturday at Crane,
and open their season next Tuesday in Monahans.

Alou's first Marlin to get away

By RONALD BLUM
AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK, Nov. 12 -- Florida Marlins spent last offseason
assembling a championship club. Now, they've started tearing it
apart.

Two weeks after winning the World Series, the Marlins traded star
outfielder Moises Alou and his $25 million contract to the Houston
Astros on Tuesday.

For cutting their payroll, the Marlins got two minor league
pitchers and a player to be named from the Astros.

``Experience teaches you when this happens, the perception is that
it's not a good deal,'' Marlins general manager Dave Dombrowski
said. ``It's not what you prefer to do.''

Alou, 31, spent only one season in Florida. He led the wild-card
Marlins with 23 home runs and 115 RBIs, and was a key contributor
in the World Series win over the Cleveland Indians.

Owner H. Wayne Huizenga wants to ditch expensive stars as fast as
he signed them after last season, when he committed $89 million to
free agents.

Huizenga, claiming he lost $34 million this year, intends to sell
the Marlins to a group headed by team president Don Smiley, and
the pair have vowed to cut payroll from $54 million to about $20
million.

The Marlins acquired a pair of 23-year-old pitchers, Oscar
Henriquez and Manuel Barrios, for Alou.

``In this situation we're looking for young quality players that
are ready to step in,'' Dombrowski said.

The New York Yankees also made a move, trading third baseman
Charlie Hayes to the San Francisco Giants for a pair of minor
leaguers. Hayes had angered owner George Steinbrenner, and New
York agreed to pay his entire $1.6 million salary next season.

``It's no secret he had fallen out of favor with certain
individuals in the organization,'' Yankees general manager Bob
Watson said.

Hayes, who hit .258 last season with 11 home runs and 53 RBIs,
will be used by the Giants as a backup to third baseman Bill
Mueller and first baseman J.T. Snow and as a right-handed
pitch-hitter.

``Charlie's a clutch man, a run producer. And he's been on winning
teams,'' manager Dusty Baker said. ``We're going to try to utilize
Charlie much as we did Mark Lewis to keep Billy strong.''

The Yankees acquired outfielder Chris Singleton and left-hander
Alberto Castillo.

On the day the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays each
found out which players will be available in next Tuesday's
expansion draft, both teams made trades.

The Cincinnati Reds sent outfielder Mike Kelly to Tampa Bay and
right-hander Felix Rodriguez to Arizona for players to be named.

``It's exciting to have consummated the first major league trade
in club history,'' Devil Rays general manager Chuck Lamar said.
``We believe Kelly is a player who has continued to improve at the
major league level and has a chance to be an everyday player for
us.''

As part of a four-trade flurry in less than 24 hours, the Reds
also got outfielder Mel Nieves from the Detroit Tigers for minor
league catcher Paul Bako and pitcher Donne Wall. Wall was claimed
off waivers a month ago.

``I'm shocked and excited at the same time,'' said Kelly, who
lives in Phoenix. ``A trade was probably the last thing I was
thinking about that could happen.''

Switzer says Cowboys nothing to sneeze at

IRVING, Texas, Nov. 12 (AP) -- Barry Switzer hasn't had a good
year.

His team is underachieving and now he has a cold.

But give him credit for being feisty. He holds to the theory the
Dallas Cowboys are highly capable of making a championship run if
they can beat Washington on Sunday.

In fact, he points out, the Cowboys did it last year with a big
win over Washington.

``This is a big game, no question about it,'' Switzer said Tuesday
in a croaking voice. ``This is a must win situation. We responded
well last year against Washington (21-10 on Thanksgiving Day) when
we were 7-5. I just hope we respond the same this Sunday.''

Dallas, winners of five consecutive NFC East titles, is 5-5 with
one of the losses 21-16 to Washington in the sixth game of the
season. The Redskins stand 6-4.

Dallas hasn't missed the NFL playoffs since 1990 but the current
team has trouble winning despite owning the No. 2 defense in the
league because the offense can't score touchdowns.

``I just hope we play like we did in the second half of the game
against the (Arizona) Cardinals,'' Switzer said. ``We're getting
(guard) Nate Newton back for Washington. He should be able to play
after missing last week (with a leg injury).''

Switzer said the 24-6 win over Arizona helped with team morale.
There had been some grumbling among players that practices weren't
hard enough.

Switzer said the practice talk ``was just an excuse for getting
your butt beat. I'm coaching the same way I have all my life.
Winning is the only thing. It doesn't cure cancer or AIDs but it
cures football problems.''

This was the week, according to one report, that Switzer was
expected to be replaced by personnel director Larry Lacewell,
according to sources.

Switzer was in full command on Tuesday although he was feeling
bad. He ended his quick press conference by saying ``I've had
enough of this. I'm sick. I know you (the media) are too.''

However, a week won't go by without at least one rumor considering
the Cowboys coaching job. One broadcast report said owner Jerry
Jones will replace Switzer with former San Francisco coach George
Seifert next year.

A weary Rich Dalrymple, publications director for the Cowboys,
said of the report: ``Our reaction is there is no need for a
comment. Jerry Jones is the only source that matters on any
subjects pertaining to the contract status of any coach on the
Dallas Cowboys staff.

``He has repeatedly made it clear that any speculation in that
area is a waste of time.''



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