NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME

By P.J. Harmer

Staff Writer

COOPERSTOWN &#

Star photo by Anita Briggs Ryne Sandberg, left, speaks with John Odell, the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s curator of history and research, Tuesday in the Hall’s Gallery. Sandberg, a former power-hitting second baseman for the Chicago Cubs, will be inducted into the Hall with Wade Boggs on July 31 at the Clark Sports Center.

151; Ryne Sandberg went on a power trip Tuesday at the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

In town for his orientation tour, the former power-hitting second baseman for the Chicago Cubs got his first look at the place that will welcome him as one of its newest Hall of Famers on July 31.

"Everything is amazing," said Sandberg, 45, who toured the Hall with his wife, Margaret. "The whole town is unique. It’s a perfect setting to be here and see that and feel part of it. It’s still at the overwhelming stage. I co[an error occurred while processing this directive]uld have spent a couple more hours here."

Sandberg, elected in his third year on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot, will join Wade Boggs at the 2005 Induction Ceremony at the Clark Sports Center.

Boggs is tentatively scheduled to take his orientation tour next week, according to Hall officials.

Sandberg, who appeared on 76.2 percent of the ballots (393) this year, spent the majority of his 16-year career in a Cubs uniform. The Philadelphia Phillies selected Sandberg as a shortstop in the 20th round of the 1978 draft. Sandberg debuted in the majors in 1981, playing 13 games for the Phillies before he and Larry Bowa were shipped to the Cubs in 1982 for Ivan DeJesus.

"Playing at Wrigley Field and in front of Cubs fans was a huge part of my career," said Sandberg, a native of Spokane, Wash., who batted .285 career. "I was always ready to play there. I love day baseball. It’s more of a normal type of lifestyle — get up early and be home in time for dinner. I was done when other players on other teams were just getting to the park."

Sandberg played 133 games at third in 1982 before making the switch to second in 1983. He ended up playing 1,995 of 2,164 career games at second base.

"I didn’t know how that would turn out," said Sandberg, whose 277 homers as a second baseman was a record when he retired in 1997. Jeff Kent passed him in 2004.

"I heard I was too tall," Sandberg continued. "I loved the transition from third to second. I love being in the middle of the diamond."

Sandberg was a master at tracking down grounders up the middle and had it all on defense, but his offensive numbers made him worthy of the Hall. He hit 40 of his 282 career homers in 1990, six seasons after stealing 54 bases en route to 344 all-time.

Sandberg was all smiles Tuesday as he absorbed his special day at the Hall. Dressed in khaki pants with a dark-blue Otesaga Hotel/Leatherstocking Golf Course sweater, Sandberg talked about how he gained confidence to swing for power.

"It was a thing that happened with me with the offense," said Sandberg, who pinpointed his power surge when Jim Frey took over the Cubs in 1984. "I think it was more of a confidence thing. It was a change in philosophy and advice from Jim Frey.

"(He said) drive the ball and hit with power sometimes," Sandberg said. "Certain counts get fastballs. Swing at it hard and if you miss, it’s only a strike. It was my third year and I had a change. I got confidence and everything fell into place."

There was irony Tuesday, too, as Sandberg sat inside the Bullpen Theater on a stool sporting the San Diego Padres logo. The Padres beat the Cubs, three games to two, in the National League Championship Series in 1984, the same year Sandberg won the NL MVP.

"I just played the game for the fun," said Sandberg, a 10-time All-Star (1984-93) who won nine Gold Gloves at second. "It was entertainment and something to do with friends and at school. It was in my blood at a young age."

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P.J. Harmer can be reached at pharmer@thedailystar.com or 607-432-1000, ext. 229.