MINOR LEAGUE REPORT : Cubs’ Prospect Dickson Is Whirlwind of Whiffs

Despite all the success, there is at least one drawback to the way Lance Dickson has thrown a baseball this summer.

Moving.

Since becoming a No. 1 draft choice of the Chicago Cubs this June out of Arizona, Dickson, a former star pitcher for Grossmont High, has moved from Tucson to Geneva, N.Y., to Peoria, Ill., to Charlotte, N.C.

The latter three are minor league affiliates of the Cubs--Geneva and Peoria are Class A clubs, Charlotte double-A.

And if Dickson keeps pitching the way he did Tuesday night in a three-hit shutout for Charlotte, he may find himself moving once again, to triple-A Iowa or maybe even Chicago.

“I’ve been living out of a suitcase,” Dickson said from a hotel in Memphis, where the Charlotte Knights are playing the Chicks this weekend. “But as far as moving from town to town, it’s been great. I’ve been able to see a lot of the country and experience a lot of new things.

“I’m moving in the right direction, and that’s what counts.”

Indeed, Dickson has been outstanding and seemingly unchallenged at each level so far.

At Arizona, he led the nation in strikeouts with 141 in 119 2/3 innings.

That convinced the Cubs to select him No. 1, the 23rd overall pick.

Chicago sent him to Geneva, but he wasn’t there long. Dickson had 29 strikeouts in 17 innings and allowed just one earned run and five hits in posting a 2-1 record.

At Peoria, his numbers were 3-1, 1.88 earned run average and 46 strikeouts in 28 2/3 innings.

And after two games and 16 innings with Charlotte, Dickson has 18 strikeouts, a 0.56 ERA and a 1-1 record.

Since February, Dickson has struck out 236 in 191 1/3 innings. Equally amazing is that Dickson has walked just 69.

“No free passes,” Dickson said. “There’s nothing worse than giving up free passes. I’d rather have no walks and no strikeouts, than five walks and 15 strikeouts.”

He added, “Personally, I knew I was capable of doing really well. Left-handers are in demand, so I knew if I put up some numbers, I’d move up. I’m not shocked.”

Dickson was an All-County selection for Grossmont in 1987 and had to choose between playing for Arizona or Houston, which had drafted him in the 18th round.

“It was a tough decision,” he said. “But once I visited Arizona, there really wasn’t much of a choice. I was hooked. Going to Arizona was the best decision I’ve ever made.”

Dickson had good seasons his freshman and sophomore years but really came on as a junior. In three seasons, he is seventh on the all-time Arizona strikeout list with 304. Had he returned for his senior season and put up similar numbers, he would have passed Carl Thomas (1954-56), who is the Wildcats’ leader with 422.

Dickson says his best pitch is a breaking ball, but he also has a pretty good fastball, a slider and a change.

“I haven’t learned any new pitches,” he said. “There’s no secret to the success I’ve had. I’ve just pitched the way I always have.”

Well, almost. There was the time in July that Dickson came to San Diego for his brother’s wedding and had to rush off the next morning to get to Peoria in time for his scheduled start. He left San Diego at 6:15 a.m., had a layover in Chicago and finally made it to Peoria around 4:30 p.m.

“I went home for an hour, put on my uniform and went to the park. They said I was pushing it. I made them nervous. But I made it,” Dickson said.

He then went out and struck out 17 batters in seven innings.

Maybe it was the jet lag. Dickson is certainly used to it.

Tony Clark, the No. 2 selection in the June free agent draft by the Detroit Tigers, hit just .143 (four for 28) in his first 10 games at Bristol, Va., the Tigers’ rookie league team. Clark, from Christian High, is attempting to play professional baseball for the Tigers and college basketball for Arizona.

Orange Glen’s Glen Reyes, last year’s surprise pick in the draft by the Houston Astros, is hitting .286 (10 for 35) for the Astros’ rookie league team in Kissimmee, Fla.

Last year, he hit .175, but Reyes had not played baseball in years. He ran track and was the San Diego Section 100-meter champion in 1988 and the 100- and 200-meter champ in ’89.

“When (the Astros) first saw him last year they kind of laughed,” said Reggie Waller, the Astro scout who recommended Reyes. “They said, ‘Reggie, you can’t be serious.’ But now . . .”

Now Reyes is doing quite well, but strangely, he has only two stolen bases. “He still has a lot to learn,” Waller said. “But he’s got a good work ethic.”

Billy Miller, a former San Diego State outfielder, is hitting just .188 for Cleveland’s Class A club in Kinston, N.C., but he’s perfect as a pitcher. Miller worked an inning a couple of weeks ago and allowed no runs and struck out two.