May  31, 1992, Metro Edition

SECTION: Sports; Sid Hartman; Pg. 2C
LENGTH:  1603  words
HEADLINE: Erickson says bullpen stint was beneficial
BYLINE: Sid Hartman; Staff Writer

 BODY:
    Scott Erickson, a 20-game winner for the Twins last year and runner-up to Roger Clemens for the Cy Young Award, said he deserved his recent demotion to the bullpen. He will start today against the Tigers after missing one turn in the rotation.

    Erickson, who won 12 straight games during one stretch in 1991, was 2-4 with a 5.37 ERA after nine starts this year when manager Tom Kelly decided to bench him so he could work on some things. "You've got to go out there and produce," Erickson said. "We could easily be in first place if I was doing anything close to what I'm capable of doing. I kind of feel bad for letting my teammates down. But hopefully, I can get back in a groove and turn things around."

    Erickson, who has blown leads in all of his losses, said he has been working on concentrating harder, being mentally tougher and trying to throw every pitch exactly where he wants it.  "I think one of my problems has been that I wasn't on top of every pitch and fully devoted to throwing that pitch," he said. "That is what you have to do to be successful. I'm going to do that from here on."

    He said he has made some minor changes after working with Kelly and pitching coach Dick Such on the sideline. "I've shortened my stride just a hair to try to get on top of the ball," he said. "One of the bad things I've been doing is dropping my arm a little bit. I need to concentrate on keeping my arm up and having a good rotation toward home plate instead of kind of dropping my arm a little and slinging the ball."

   Forget about last year.

   Erickson says he has forgotten about the success he had last season, when he was scheduled to be the All-Star starter until an arm problem put him on the disabled list July 2-15.

    "That was over the day the season ended," he said. "It was great to remember for three months and to enjoy it for what it was. But last year is not going to do anything to help me this season. I might as well forget last year. I've had that attitude the whole time. It is not like I've been saying 'Well, I did it last year and I can do it again this year.' You have to work hard at what you are doing and do the best you can."

    Erickson, 24 and in only his fourth year in pro baseball, is confident he can do the job. "I won in the minor leagues and won here," he said. "So it's not like I had a lucky year. You've got to get in the groove not only physically but mentally. I just haven't found it yet."

    He has been a winner. He was 8-3 at Class AA Orlando in 1990 with a 3.03 ERA, then got promoted to the Twins and was 8-4 with a 2.87 ERA. Last year he was 20-8, 3.18. He says last season's injuries have not recurred. "My arm feels great," he said. "I worked hard all offseason, every day and a long time."

    Erickson and DH Chili Davis shared a house on Lake Minnetonka last year, a great season for both as Erickson won 20 and Davis drove in 93 runs and hit 29 homers. But Davis, too, has slumped, hitting .275 after 45 games compared to .308 at this point last year.  He has two home runs compared to eight last year and 19 RBI compared to 26. If Erickson and Davis can regain last year's form, the Twins will win another pennant and maybe the World Series.