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Tuesday, July 22, 1997

Deion: Satan controls Shea Stadium

By JEFF HORRIGAN

Scripps Howard News Service

NEW YORK - Cincinnati Reds left fielder Deion Sanders calls Shea Stadium "The House of Pain."

Sanders, subjected to a string of boos, curses and abuse over the weekend, said Satan "lives" at the ballpark and controls the temperament of those within it. Sanders made the statement with the way he is treated at Shea Stadium in mind, but after the devil of a time the Reds have been having here, few teammates would dispute his claim.

The entire scenario was so difficult for Sanders that he pulled himself out of the lineup for Monday's game, which the Mets won, 5-3. The victory completed a four-game series sweep and left the Reds 0-6 at Shea and 2-9 overall against the Mets this season.

Sanders said the request mainly had to do with his on-going batting slump rather than the abuse he has taken from New York fans. The Reds' leadoff batter had only one hit in 10 at-bats in the first three games of the series, dropping his batting average to a season-low .286.

Sanders has been targeted by the fans at Shea Stadium, who bombarded him with boos and curses every time he stepped on the field.

"It's not the people; I just don't like the field," Sanders said, explaining why he went to manager Ray Knight to ask for the day off. "I don't let people get to me. People motivate me. I just haven't played good here."

Even so, Sanders said he doesn't like to play any sport in New York.

"I don't even like playing football here," the Dallas Cowboys player said. "I don't like the whole atmosphere. The negativity is amazing."

Sanders said his recent struggles have nothing to do with the distractions caused by his divorce proceedings. His wife, Carolyn, was in New York over the weekend.

"The personal stuff has clouded me, but that's pretty much over," Sanders said.

Sanders troubles began Friday and Saturday when he missed catchable fly balls leading to a pair of losses. Being targeted by the New York fans only compounded the problem, and Sanders let loose on them in an interview with the (New York) Daily News on Saturday.

"This is the house of pain," Sanders told reporter Lisa Olson. "They're all so frustrated with their own lives. That's Satan, man. He lives here. ... It's so negative, so much hurt in the air. To come out here and yell and curse, you have to wonder why they're so upset with their lives. They can't be frustrated with me because I've got peace in my life."

Predictably, the abuse aimed at Sanders was more intense Sunday, when he went 0-for-3 to fall to 2-for-15 on the road trip.

He said that his one-day rest was in the best interest of the club.

""Like the song says: 'You've got to know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em,' " Sanders said. ""I'm just folding 'em for a day. I'm (folding up) my tent for a day, brother."

(Jeff Horrigan writes for The Cincinnati Post.)