AMERICAN LEAGUE ROUNDUP : Smith’s Value Goes Up

It was a short spring for most major league pitchers. But it was long for Lee Smith.

Hardly a day went by without the 6-foot-6 relief pitcher hearing that the Boston Red Sox were trying to trade him.

Smith, 6-1 last season with 25 saves in 30 chances, became expendable after the Red Sox signed Jeff Reardon as a free agent. The Red Sox’s asking price for Smith is high--a starting pitcher.

After the first two games of the season, it might go higher.

Smith set down the Detroit Tigers in the ninth inning Tuesday at Boston to preserve a 4-2 victory for Mike Boddicker. Smith has saved both games.

Another free agent, catcher Tony Pena, singled with the bases loaded to highlight a four-run third inning that helped Boddicker, who went five innings, get the victory.

Manager Sparky Anderson was determined that Wade Boggs, who had three hits in Monday’s season opener, would not beat him. He ordered the six-time American League batting champion walked a record-tying three times.

Smith, unexpectedly, was brought into Monday’s game in the ninth inning with the Red Sox leading, 5-2, two runners on and two outs. An infield hit loaded the bases and brought up Alan Trammell. In a similar situation in last year’s opener, Trammell hit a three-run home run off Smith to win the game. This time, Smith struck him out with a curveball.

Although Smith is still on the trading block, Manager Joe Morgan had an easy explanation why he went with the big right-hander in the first save situation.

“I made up my mind Friday that Smith’s spring showing earned the first shot,” Morgan said. Smith was 2-0, with two saves and an earned-run average of 2.16 in 8 1/3 innings in exhibitions.

Morgan gives some credit to Pena. “Tony has made some changes,” Morgan said. “On the curve he used to strike out Trammell, I’ll bet Trammell never saw that pitch from Smith previously. Not in that situation, that’s for sure.”

Oakland 5, Minnesota 3--Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire hit their first home runs of the season at Oakland and the Athletics romped to their second victory.

Bob Welch settled down after giving up a leadoff home run to Dan Gladden to pick up the victory. Dennis Eckersley pitched the last two innings to earn the save.

Chicago 5, Milwaukee 3--For some reason, the White Sox play their best against the Brewers. The teams shifted to Milwaukee for the second game of the season, but the result was the same.

Lance Johnson singled with the bases loaded to drive in two of Chicago’s three runs in the sixth inning. Last season, the White Sox beat the Brewers 10 of 12 times.

Toronto 2, Texas 1--Dave Stieb and three relievers limited the Rangers to five hits. Stieb gave up only two hits in six innings to get the victory.

President George Bush, whose son George owns the Rangers, and Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney both attended the game and left after five innings. The Blue Jays scored both runs on three hits in the fifth.