THE BIG 'SON: Mark Hendrickson is a thoughtful man, and he thought his four-hit, no-walk, complete-game victory over Kansas City on Wednesday was the best performance of his big-league baseball career. So we wondered how it compared to the best game in his other career - as a pro basketball player.
Before concentrating on baseball full-time in 2000, the 6-foot-9 Hendrickson played parts of four seasons in the NBA, and the other parts in the CBA. He started in 1996-97 with the 76ers, who drafted him in the second round out of Washington State, then moved to the Kings in 1997-98, the Nets in 1998-99, and the Cavaliers and Nets in 1999-00.
Hendrickson didn't get a lot of NBA minutes, averaging 3.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 114 games, but he had his moments: a double double (12 points, 11 rebounds) as a rookie in an April 14, 1997, game against Washington; another double double (14 points, 10 rebounds) on May 1, 1999, when he played a career-most 46 minutes for the Nets; and a career-high 19 points four days later against Milwaukee. Hendrickson's personal high point, though, was based more on his contributions to the team.
"It was in Sacramento, one of my first games with them, and we played in L.A. (against the Lakers) in the old Forum, and I ended up having seven points and nine rebounds," Hendrickson said. "It was a pretty significant game, I made all my shots and I got a lot of rebounds. That was one of the best ones."
At Washington State he put up big numbers, posting 43 double doubles in 108 games. He was a two-time All-Pac 10 selection. His best collegiate performance?
"Probably the game with Arizona State my sophomore year," he said. "I had a stress fracture in my leg and didn't know it until after the game. I ended up with 24 points and hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer, and after the game I had to get crutches to get to the hospital because I couldn't walk. That was a pretty memorable game."
SPEED THRILLS: Lou Piniella and Tino Martinez are among the best players to come out of Tampa, but neither was built for speed. In his 16 full big-league seasons Piniella stole 32 bases. In his 15th season, Martinez has stolen 24, including his surprising theft of third base Tuesday.
"I've got Tino beat," Piniella said. "Maybe that's why he was running without the green light. He ran on his own. That was a West Tampa stolen base."
TRIPLE TIME
Carl Crawford makes triples look easy, but he is piling up some amazing numbers. He is the first player to have eight in a month since Rod Carew in 1977, and with 16 overall could challenge the AL record of 26 shared by Joe Jackson (1912) and Sam Crawford (1914). Over the past 50 years only 11 players finished a season with more than Crawford has now:
YOU DON'T SAY
"A solid-pitched game, timely hitting, good defense - we call it retro baseball now. It's fun." - TREVER MILLER, Rays reliever, after Thursday's 2-0 win
