Marc My Words

Spring training may not have started yet, but that hasn't stopped the players from working out. Yesterday, at Brookline High School, Luis Tiant displayed his pitching prowess, his physique, and his basketball and swimming abilities for an assortment of people, including his father, Luis Sr., and his long-time friend, Felix Fernandez, a Brookline High teacher.

"He's much better this year than any other year," Fernandez said about Tiant. Fernandez, like Tiant, is a refugee from Cuba, and the two played together on the Marianao Park team in Havana. Fernandez said that Tiant is working on three new pitches to befuddle hitters, including a knuckleball, a forkball, and a palmball.

But Tiant has not foresaken his fastball, which he can spin to the left and the right, causing the ball to break in or out. Fernandez, who has been catching Tiant's pitches everyday for the past two weeks and has helped him train for the past few years, says that the changes in his pitches have made El Tiante's fastball faster than it has ever been.

Even indoors, where Tiant was working out, all of his pitches moved well. His knuckleball waved and then broke down as it neared the plate, in the best tradition of Hoyt Wilhelm and Wilbur Wood. The knuckler, a pitch that doesn't require as much strength as the fastball, is a welcome addition to Tiant's arsenal, because he's getting older and won't be able to throw as hard as he used to.

Although Luis looked like a powerful athlete while throwing, his basketball playing ability betrayed this impression. He cavorted up and down the court trying to follow the plays, dribbling (he was all right, no left) and shooting. Throughout the game, he was a study in motion, his bulky frame constantly cutting under the basket, twisting and turning as he does on the pitcher's mound, where his job is to confuse enemy batsmen.

While he cut under the basket, Luis let out a shrieking whistle, calling for his teammate to throw him the ball. When he got it, he would usually throw up an air ball. But when he hit, he flashed a grin and two fingers, signifying the number of points he had made.

Off the court, Luis demonstrated the baseball handling skills that have taken him years to acquire. The ball always went into his glove with two fingers on it, but came out with a different grip for each pitch in his repertoire. All of the changes came too quickly to see. "He knows the secret of the ball," Fernandez said.

And Luis is in good shape. "I've been running, throwing every day," Tiant said in his thick Spanish accent. "My arm feels much better."

Luis didn't want to predict how the Red Sox would fare this year. "Nobody knows," Luis said. But he is still very optimistic. "We have a much better team this year than last," because of the new strength in the pitching staff, especially with the addition of Ferguson Jenkins, Luis said.

"He's a good pitcher," Tiant said of Jenkins. "He's doing better than I do. Before, I was the only guy to win 20, but last year we spread the wins around. Everyone has to do his part."

Tiant was confused about the Drago trade, which sent one of the Red Sox's best relievers, Dick Drago, to California for three minor league nobodies. "I don't know why those people do it, but we have to be ready for this kind of thing."

After his workout, Tiant ventured next door to the swimming pool, and stripped to reveal a tight bathing suit and a physique that would make Scott Meadow drool. After a few locker room autographs, Luis went out to swim.

But he felt the water temperature and temporarily decided against entering the pool. And when his friends invited him into the water, Luis would sputter, "no way," "no chance," and "you guys are sick." Eventually, he did go in, entering on a completely formless dive.

But form doesn't count when you're pitching. Luis Tiant does not have the best form around, but he does have the mental attitude and the physical attributes to lead the Red Sox to another pennant. And this time they'll beat the Reds.