Several Veteran Pitchers Are Making Comebacks in the New Baseball Season

No matter how hard you look during spring training, you seldom gain a clue what’s going to happen during the regular season.

No one, for instance, could anticipate how well some veteran pitchers--both young and old--would rebound so far this season.

It’s early, but Houston’s Nolan Ryan, Kansas City’s Dennis Leonard, Oakland’s Rick Langford and the Yankees’ Joe Niekro have shown enough life to improve their respective ballclubs.

Ernie Camacho of Cleveland, Milwaukee’s Tim Leary and Charles Hudson of Philadelphia are other players looking improved, though their contributions probably won’t show near the top of the standings.

Ryan’s early success looks especially significant. Last year he went 10-12, looking every bit his 38 years. He had vowed to retire when his fastball deserted him, and the time appeared to have arrived.

Instead, Ryan won three of his first five decisions this year, an interesting development since the injury to Pedro Guerrero leaves the Dodgers vulnerable to a challenge.

Leonard’s comeback from a knee injury has received due attention, but its ripple effects have not. Manager Dick Howser, satisfied that Leonard is back for real, has duplicated a move he made in last year’s American League playoffs--sending left-hander Bud Black to the bullpen.

Now, in addition to having a starting rotation of Charlie Leibrandt, Bret Saberhagen, Mark Gubicza and Leonard, the Royals also carry a power left-hander to complement right-hander Dan Quisenberry in the bullpen.

Langford lost two of his first three decisions, but showed a special touch in an April 27 games against Seattle, when he allowed one hit over seven innings in a 1-0 victory.

A 34-year-old right-hander who battled injuries over three seasons, Langford could prove especially valuable as a spot starter and reliever if the A’s contend seriously.

Joe Niekro said he would pitch without a smile on his face after his brother Phil was released by the Yankees. However, he has also pitched with something on his knuckleball. He won his first two decisions and he traditionally grows stronger as the year progresses.

Last year, at age 40, he went 11-13, including 9-12 with a lifeless Houston club.

Camacho, after saving 23 games in 1984, appeared in only two in an injury-plagued 1985 season. The right-hander could not contribute while the Indians were wasting a respectable offense with late-inning bullpen collapses. Camacho owned four saves through April 28 and could become even more effective when used in tandem with lefty Scott Bailes.

Like Langford, Leary merits consideration for a comeback award simply by returning to the big leagues. His career could have died several times since 1981, when he strained an elbow muscle in his major-league debut.

He went 1-4 with the Brewers last year, won two of his first three decisions this season and is now in a promising rotation that includes Bill Wegman, Ted Higuera and Juan Nieves.

Hudson, 27, helped the Phillies go to the 1983 World Series and hasn’t done much since. He went 8-8 for them that year, including a near no-hitter against Houston, and won a game in the playoffs. He went 9-11 and 8-13 in following years, and won two of his first three starts this year. It’s not spectacular, but his contribution could help stabilize a team finding its way after trading a Cy Young Award winner (John Denny) and an All-Star catcher (Ozzie Virgil).