ATHLETE OF THE WEEK : Salkeld Supplies the Fast Times at Saugus

Introducing Roger Salkeld, the man with the golden arm--soon to be pitching in a major league ballpark near you. The memories are waiting--or so it assuredly seems.

For Salkeld, Saugus High’s 18-year-old, 6-foot-5 senior right-hander, deciding whether to attend college before signing a professional baseball contract, seemingly, is his only pressing concern.

Who wouldn’t give their right arm to have Salkeld’s right arm? Life must be tough, eh, Rog?

“What more can you ask for?,” Salkeld says, sounding almost embarrassed. “I feel really lucky. Before, I played baseball because I liked to play it and be around my friends.

“But now, I feel like I have a chance to play as a career.”

The list of teams keeping tabs on Salkeld reads like a list of some of baseball’s top organizations--which it is. The Dodgers, Yankees, Athletics, Royals, Reds, Padres, Phillies, Orioles, Mariners, Indians, White Sox--all have expressed interest in Salkeld.

He is 6-0 with 88 strikeouts and an 0.52 earned-run average in 50 1/3 innings this season. His fastball has the velocity of a rocket, his changeup the speed of a hot-air balloon. And the combination has earned Salkeld his wings as, perhaps, the best high school pitcher in the state.

“He’s the most dominating pitcher I have ever seen,” Saugus Coach Doug Worley said. “When he was a sophomore he would overpower seniors. He’s so tough and he will go after you. He’s got that great fastball and everything sets up off of that.”

Baseball America magazine ranks Salkeld third nationwide among high school prospects, and although he is considering attending USC or Arizona State, Salkeld admits he is leaning toward pursuing a professional career in June.

“Nobody’s said, ‘Do this’ or ‘Do that’ and that’s the way I like it,” he said. “It’s really my decision.”

Packed grandstands greet Salkeld wherever he throws. Frequent viewers include a group of straw-hatted gentleman toting black suitcases that bear major league insignias. Rarely does a Salkeld fastball go undocumented.

On Friday, for instance, a firing squad of five scouts aimed their radar guns at Salkeld as he warmed up for the Centurions’ showdown with cross-town rival Canyon. Salkeld’s first fastball registered 88 m.p.h. Later in the game, some pitches exceeded 90.

In the 100-degree heat, Salkeld maintained a minimum velocity of 85 m.p.h. while posting a one-hit shutout with seven strikeouts--his lowest total in a start this season. Saugus (5-0) defeated Canyon, 5-0, to take a one-game lead in the Golden League standings.

It was a busy week. Three days earlier, Salkeld struck out six in three innings in relief to earn a victory against Quartz Hill.

The three-year letterman also topped the 300 career-strikeout mark (306) and established school records for complete games (23) and wins (23). Salkeld’s career record is 23-7.

But what about developing a sore arm, the bane of young flame throwers? Many pitchers’ dreams have gone up in smoke because of a burned-out arm. And that’s one reason Bill Salkeld does not object to the thought of his son skipping college.

“Colleges have a tendency to burn out a lot of young pitchers,” he said. “Roger would prefer to go pro, and, being his parents, if that’s what he wants, OK.”

But no decision about his future will be made too quickly.

“I won’t decide until when and if I get drafted,” Salkeld said.”