Lack Of Dh In N.L. Park Puts Murray Back On First

With no designated hitter permitted at National League parks, Eddie Murray will return to first base for Cleveland in as many as four World Series games.

Murray will remain the Indians’ DH in the three games at Jacobs Field, but when the World Series moves to Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, the former Gold Glove first baseman will play in the field.

If that’s a problem for Indians manager Mike Hargrove, he refuses to acknowledge it.

“Is it a concern?” Hargrove said Thursday. “Not really. Eddie has played first for us this year. He is a good first baseman. He doesn’t move as well as he did 10 years ago, but he’s good enough to be in the lineup.”

The whole idea of the American League champion being forced to change its lineup because the National League refuses to use the DH is abhorrent to general manager John Hart.

“I have never been a proponent of the idea that it’s exciting to watch the manager make a double switch or that people pay to see the pitcher hit,” he said. “Sure, a pitcher might flair a hit once in awhile, but that’s usually the time to make a trip to the bathroom.

“The fans like hitting, and I think the DH makes it a more exciting game.”

Protesters ready

Mike Haney of Oklahoma City plans to wear a Ku Klux Klan outfit to the World Series “to show America what it feels like to be portrayed in a negative manner.”

Haney will be part of an American Indian protest in Atlanta Saturday against the Indian symbols used by fans of the Atlanta Braves and Cleveland Indians.

The protesters will have an “amnesty barrel” in which fans may burn their tomahawks, headdresses and other Indian paraphernalia, he said Thursday.

“We’re going to ask them to wash their faces of that ugly paint and quit doing the (tomahawk) chop,” said Haney, vice president of the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media.

Haney’s group has been given permission to protest at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium’s “free speech area,” located on the east side of the ball park near the statue of home run king Hank Aaron.

Braves recuperate

The Atlanta Braves, taking advantage of a week off between games, could have two injured players back in the lineup for the World Series opener.

David Justice appears to have recovered from the knee injury that knocked him out of the final game of the NLCS victory over Cincinnati. He was struck by a ball during batting practice before the game.

Jeff Blauser, who missed the Reds series with a thigh bruise, did a little running and fielded some ground balls on Wednesday night.

Manager Bobby Cox gave the Braves the day off on Thursday.

Pitching decision

Orel Hershiser will start for Cleveland against Atlanta’s Greg Maddux in Game 1, but manager Mike Hargrove of the Indians hasn’t settled on a starter for the second game. Either Dennis Martinez or Charles Nagy will face Tom Glavine.

Why the uncertainty? “I don’t know if I want Dennis to come back for the sixth game or the seventh,” Hargrove said.