McCall Making a Powerful Case

Like many other hopefuls, Rod McCall believes he has done enough to show he deserves a major-league chance.

After struggling his first four seasons in the Cleveland Indians’ system at a .221 clip--which includes the 1992 Class A season in Columbus, Ohio, where he hit .240 with 20 home runs and 80 runs batted in--the 6-foot-7, 220-pound McCall has emerged.

After changing his batting stance, “which helped me see the ball better, especially against left-handers,” McCall has become the Indians’ top minor league home run hitter. He combined for 31 with three teams in 1994, then hit 29 last year with Bakersfield and Canton-Akron.

And he’s having a terrific 1996 at double-A Canton-Akron, batting .314 with 17 homers and 46 RBIs.

McCall, 24, the former Rancho Alamitos High and Orange Coast College star, doesn’t know if his emergence has come too late.

Cleveland is loaded with young players who won the American League pennant last year and are favored to do the same this season. The Indians are particularly well-stocked at McCall’s position, first base. At the major league level they have future Hall of Famer Eddie Murray and Jim Thome.

On McCall’s Eastern League team, Richie Sexson is playing first regularly while McCall is primarily the designated hitter.

McCall is trying to be the good soldier, but wonders if his dream of one day taking swats at Jacobs Field is just that.

“I’m hoping there would be a chance. But if not, I think some other team will have an interest,” McCall said. “I’m a free agent after this year, and I’m kind of excited about that.” As for the Indians’ interest, “I’ve gotten no indication yet,” McCall said.

Considering how patient the Indians have been with McCall’s development, you might think they would want to recoup some of their investment.

Cleveland drafted McCall in the ninth round of the June 1990 draft. They stayed with him in 1993 after he broke his left leg and missed nearly half the season. But the Indians also have not tested McCall beyond double A. And McCall believes that has to happen before he gets an invitation to the majors.

“I think I’m ready to take the next step, at least to triple-A,” McCall said. “I’m hoping for another promotion, but if it doesn’t happen, it won’t bother me. I feel something good is going to happen.”

Canton-Akron Manager Jeff Datz said McCall is making any decision on him by Cleveland a difficult one.

“But that’s the way it should be,” Datz said. “They know he can play first base. And if he keeps showing the power he has been showing, it will be tough to let him go. He’s been in a groove all season, and he missed three weeks because of an injured wrist during spring training.”

The waiting game has not soured McCall.

“The only thing I hate are the bus rides,” he said. “They’re very long.”

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Like McCall, Larry Sutton is a first baseman who is forcing new assessments, but by the Kansas City Royals.

Now in his fifth minor league season, Sutton, a 26-year-old former Mater Dei and University of Illinois grad, keeps getting better. He is batting .283 for the Wichita Wranglers. His 14 home runs and 52 RBIs top the Royals’ double-A Texas League team.

And like McCall, Sutton had to rebound from a serious injury.

After a big 1994 season at Wilmington, Del., where he batted .306 with 26 home runs and 94 RBIs, Sutton broke his left elbow and missed most of the 1995 season.

“It really set me back,” said Sutton. “This year I had to prove I could still play.”

Fortunately for Sutton, his bat did not need much recovery time. Even during his days with the Monarchs, Sutton was considered a threat.

“He probably knew the strike zone better than any player we had at Mater Dei,” Monarch Coach Bob Ickes said. “He would get 26-27 walks every season, plus hit very well. He was a very mature offensive player.”

What Sutton did not have in high school was the power stroke he has found in the pros.

Drafted in the 21st round by Kansas City in June, 1992, Sutton’s first Northwest League season at Class A Eugene, Ore., earned him MVP honors when he led the league in home runs (15), RBIs (58) and was fourth in batting (.311). His 1994 season at Wilmington was good enough for Carolina League MVP honors.

If Sutton has another big year in Wichita, the Royals are going to have to make some decisions.

Even though he has not gone above double A, Sutton is reaching an age where prospects can become non-prospects overnight. Sutton is gearing everything toward getting a chance to make the Royals’ lineup next spring. He already has decided not to play winter ball, instead concentrating his time in the weight room in an effort to add 10 to 15 pounds to his 5-11, 175-pound frame.

“As for me being in Kansas City’s plans, I don’t know,” Sutton said. “They say they’d like for me to be their next first baseman, but I haven’t gotten a major league look yet. I’ll try and keep putting up numbers. It would be nice at the end of the year to get a [September] call-up.”

Muzzy Jackson, the Royals’ assistant director of scouting and player development, said Sutton may get that spring training invitation next year if he continues to perform well.

“You can’t deny his talent,” Jackson said. “It’s still early; we don’t make those invitations until the end of the season. But the way he’s swinging the bat, it would be tough not to invite him.”

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David Newhan, 22, an outfielder for the Class-A Modesto A’s of the California League, came close to hitting for his first cycle June 27 against Rancho Cucamonga. In a 12-1 Modesto victory, Newhan homered, doubled, singled and walked. But in his last at-bat, after hitting a liner foul into the right-field corner, he struck out.

On July 2, however, the former Esperanza High and Cypress College standout got another chance. This time he got it.

Against San Jose, Newhan homered, singled twice and doubled in his first four at-bats. When he came up a fifth time, Newhan was just looking to score a runner from third to break a 4-4 tie. His deep fly found a gap in the outfield, and ended up being a triple--his first of the season.

“I didn’t think about a cycle until I doubled,” Newhan said. “And my last time up, I wasn’t thinking about anything except trying to drive in the run.”

It was the winning hit in Modesto’s 6-4 victory.

For the season, Newhan is batting .275, with 12 home runs and 37 RBIs.