July  20, 1995, Metro Edition

SECTION: Sports; Pg. 5C
LENGTH:  557  words
HEADLINE: Erickson makes most of brief time with Orioles
BYLINE: Dennis Brackin; Staff Writer
 BODY:
    Having faced Rick Aguilera 24 hours after his trade to Boston, the Twins are a bit hardened to the
prospect of facing Scott Erickson today.  Erickson has been gone since July 7, when he was traded to Baltimore for Scott Klingenbeck.

    "The difference is, this isn't so sudden," Twins second baseman Chuck Knoblauch said. "[Erickson] wasn't here one day, and the next day in another uniform right down the hall.
But it's still going to be strange."

    Erickson was his usual enigmatic self Wednesday, preferring to keep his thoughts on today's game against his former teammates to himself.  He declined to speak with reporters, although he was gracious, turning interview requests aside with a smile and a handshake. "I'll talk [Thursday] after the game," he said.

    That's more than he did after many games with the Twins, with whom he  formed an uneasy alliance. Erickson was not fond of the Metrodome and often had strained relationships with manager Tom Kelly and pitching coach Dick Such. He left the Twins with a not-so-subtle jab against owner Carl Pohlad, saying "they should turn the team over to someone who wants a winning team, somebody who likes baseball."

    By all accounts, Erickson has enjoyed a cordial - albeit brief - relationship with Orioles manager Phil Regan and pitching coach Mike Flanagan. The bliss is hardly surprising: Erickson is 2-0 in two starts with Baltimore and his new bosses are pitcher-friendly.  Regan, a former major league pitcher, is putting no pressure on Erickson to change his repertoire.

    Such spent the better part of six seasons trying to get Erickson to add a third pitch to go with his sinking fastball and slider.  Erickson can generously be described as stubborn, although Such praised Erickson's work ethic Wednesday. The bottom line is Such worked with Erickson on a circle change, forkball, and slow curve, and Erickson failed to gain the necessary command of any of them.

    Regan and Flanagan believe no drastic changes are in order.  Regan said Erickson could "probably work on an off-speed pitch," but they are willing to let him do what makes him
comfortable.

    Flanagan has worked on one mechanical change designed to get Erickson to throw more directly
overhand, which would help keep the ball lower in the strike zone. "He's been receptive," Flanagan said. "My philosophy is everybody deserves to start with a clean slate. I have no preconceived notions about what might have happened before."

    Orioles officials are convinced that Erickson should improve simply by pitching more games on the grass at Camden Yards than on the Metrodome's artificial turf.  Erickson left the Twins with a career 4.51 ERA on artificial turf, 3.73 on grass.

    The Orioles believe Erickson might have fallen into the habit of trying to overpower hitters, rather than making them hit his sinker. Perhaps, although it's too early to draw conclusions.  Erickson's two victories with the Orioles have been 11-2 over Chicago and 9-1 over Kansas City. "It helps," Flanagan said of the offensive support.  "He's been able to throw a lot more fastballs."

    The Twins, naturally, would prefer to test Erickson's expanded repertoire. Namely the slow curve, circle change or forkball - three reasons he is no longer in a Twins uniform.