Cardinals Steal One From Padres

There are cuts just below the knees of Vince Coleman, a name that should be learned quickly because he runs quickly, about 4.3 in the 40 to be precise. One of the cuts is new, courtesy of the AstroTurf here at Busch Stadium. This gash is bloody.

“It doesn’t bother my running,” Vince Coleman says.

By August, by September, he shall know more, though. By then, he might have 140 stolen bases, perhaps 150. His knees most probably will ache then, and maybe his elbows, too, because he likes to slide head first into third.

But if he’s still standing, still running, still stealing, maybe, the St. Louis Cardinals will be in a pennant race.

“If they can get any kind of bullpen help, they’ll be exciting to watch,” said Padre Manager Dick Williams after a 5-2 Cardinal victory Monday night, a victory ignited by Coleman.

He is 23. His legs are young. And they’re strong, too. At Florida A&M;, he’d been a kicker and a punter. He had fast times on the track and good hang time on the turf. The Washington Redskins thought he’d be a decent wide receiver. Bobby Beathard brought him to a mini-camp and timed him. The stop watch said 4.29.

But he sprained an ankle and had to sit for four days. That did it. He’d play baseball, where the knee injuries are bloodier but tamer.

So here he is now, a can’t-miss-kid. Teammate Willie McGee says he wants to run all the time now, that Coleman has inspired him. And Vince Coleman is inspiring. The letters “VC” are branded upon his right arm. He is tough, cocky too.

“It doesn’t matter who’s catching or pitching,”

On Monday night, it was Terry Kennedy, catching and Eric Show, pitching. In the first inning, Coleman struck out. In the third, he nearly beat out a routine AstroTurf grounder to second. The Padres, behind a home run by Kevin McReynolds and an RBI single by Show, led 2-0.

In the fifth, Coleman led off the inning. He smacked a ball into center. Here we go, said everyone.

The next batter was Andy Van Slyke. Show looked at him and looked at Coleman and pitched.

Coleman took off, but slipped. He stayed.

Kennedy gave Show the baseball. Show looked over at Coleman and threw to first base once, twice. Finally, Show went to the plate.

Coleman went to second.

Kennedy’s throw wasn’t close. So Coleman, who has had just stolen his 18th base in 17 games, thought about stealing third, a base that’s more fun to steal, easier to steal.

“That’s true,” he said. “I get a better jump and a better lead.

Garry Templeton, the Padre shortstop, began to talk to Coleman, began playing with his mind.

“I’m right behind you,” Templeton told Coleman.

Coleman stole third, his belly slide a thing of beauty. This was No. 19.

“It was like he didn’t hear me,” Templeton said. “I’ve seen faster guys, but he has that explosive start like Lou Brock used to have. Lou didn’t care. He’d just take off. He (Coleman) is like that.

“That’s why he steals so good. He’s just one step off the bag, and he just explodes.”

Coleman: “I heard (Templeton), but I don’t listen, really . . . I think about one thing--doing my job. It’s something I’ve been doing my whole life.”

So he stood on third, and the Cardinals, doing nothing before, had a rally going. Show, although he said it hardly bothered him, had to be unnerved.

“Nothing happened until Coleman got on base,” Williams said. “Then, everything happened.”

Van Slyke quickly tripled to right center, Coleman scoring. Tommy Herr lined a ball into the left-field corner, Van Slyke scoring. Jack Clark popped out, but McGee lined to left center, scoring Herr. Terry Pendleton doubled off the wall in left, McGee scoring.

It’s 4-2, Cardinals.

And the Padres saw here what they don’t have, because they simply don’t have the type of offense that scores many runs. The Cardinals create. It’s not just Coleman. It’s Pendleton, McGee, Ozzie Smith, Lonnie Smith. It’s speed.

McGee, Pendleton and Coleman are all young switch hitters, too. They make up the St. Louis Brick House Gang, a name they should adopt because they are all built like homes.

In the fifth inning, McGee had reached on an infield single, and tried stealing. Show forced him into a rundown, but Steve Garvey’s throw to second hit McGee’s helmet, bouncing into center. The error belonged to Garvey (only his second in 212 games), and McGee stood at third. He eventually scored on Craig Lefferts’ wild pitch.

“I just kept going,” McGee said of his steal. “ . . . He (Coleman) is one of the most exciting players I’ve ever seen. He makes me think. I want to be more aggressive.”

And, late in this game, the Cardinals even got decent relief pitching, Rick Horton and Jeff Lahti saving the game for starter Danny Cox.

If they can keep up with Coleman (although few can), maybe, maybe, maybe . . .

Padre Notes

Garry Templeton still hears boos at Busch Stadium, four years after he left the place. They obviously don’t forget the obscene gestures he had made at them, but perhaps they forgot he could play, too. Templeton was 3 for 4 on Monday night. “I’m used to it (the boos) now. I know why they’re booing . . . It just makes me concentrate better” . . . Saturday and Sunday’s home games against the Cubs are both sold out.