Magrane Starting to Look Like Idol

ST. LOUIS —  For almost as long as he can remember, St. Louis Cardinal pitcher Joe Magrane has had one baseball dream.

Magrane, a contender for the National League’s Cy Young Award, wants to become the next Super Lefty, the next Steve Carlton.

It’s a dream that has recurred regularly for Magrane since he was a boy growing up in Morehead, Ky., with posters and pictures of Carlton hanging on his bedroom walls.

“I just liked the way he pitched,” said Magrane, who has a 16-7 record this year. “His mechanics and everything were flawless. It was like a hook-and-ladder unfolding before he got (the ball) to the plate. He was definitely somebody I found myself idolizing a lot.”

Carlton, who began his career with the Cardinals, won 329 games, four Cy Young awards and struck out 4,136 batters in a 23-year major-league career. He retired from baseball this year.

“Steve went like 10 years without ever missing a start. This guy was a serious iron man,” said the 25-year-old Magrane. “If I could even do half of what he’s done, I think I’d be pretty successful.”

Magrane may be on his way.

The All-American from the University of Arizona was the Cardinals’ first-round draft choice in 1985, and made it to the majors two years later with a can’t miss tag.

Magrane lived up to the billing at the start of his rookie season, winning his first five games before sputtering and finishing at 9-7. Last year, he led the league with a 2.18 earned-run average but had a disappointing 5-9 record.

In his nine defeats, his team scored 13 runs and was shut out four times.

That adversity proved quite helpful, according to pitching coach Mike Roarke.

“I think he’s really pitching better this year, even though his earned-run average is up a little,” Roarke said. “I think there are certain situations in the ballgame that he approaches a little different than he did last year.”

Magrane, a study in concentration on each pitch, has cut mental and physical errors, reduced his balks and wild pitches and kept opponents’ baserunners closer.

Consistency has been the result. Since starting 5-6, he has won 11 of 12 starts with a 2.22 ERA.

Magrane is St. Louis’ first 16-game winner since Joaquin Andujar and John Tudor each won 21 in 1985.

“Everybody goes through stretches where they throw the ball extremely well,” teammate Ozzie Smith said. “The thing that you look for is to maintain that.”

More than any other pitcher, Magrane has kept the Cardinals’ NL East title hopes fluttering by winning 10 times in his last 13 times out after a team defeat.

“I think everybody has seen his capabilities. It’s good to see it all starting to come together,” Smith said.

Magrane, who at 6-foot-6, 230 pounds is an inch taller and a bit heavier than Carlton, does not copy the retired Philadelphia star’s power pitching.

“We have different type of stuff. He had the slider by which all others are judged. I kind of rely on a moving fastball,” Magrane said. “I throw that to different parts. He didn’t throw inside as much as I do. He threw his fastball away.”

But Magrane does want to adopt Carlton’s discipline, concentration and philosophical approach to the game.

“I guess the most important thing is the mental (part), the visualization,” Magrane said. “That’s important to any athlete. The people who can use their mental skills the best on a daily basis are the ones who are going to be successful.”