Another case of inadequate treatment.  I hope that the NIH, CDC, Steere,
Sigal, McSweegan, Rosa, Barbour, the cabal at NEMC, et. al., are very
proud of themselves.  Maybe their next study could be a million dollar
study to show why it is withdrawal from chewing tobacco that is causing
all these symptoms!

Art Doherty

article follows:

--------------------------

 Bohanon sparkles in a pinch =

 By Lawrence Rocca
   The Star-Ledger
       4/7/97 =

     box score =

SAN FRANCISCO -- Just six games into the season, the Mets found
themselves at a crisis point yesterday. =

Pete Harnisch, suffering from anxiety and sleep deprivation, was
scratched from his scheduled start and sent to New York to see a
psychiatrist. =

Brian Bohanon, a journeyman lefty middle reliever cut on the last day
of spring training, was forced into an emergency start less than 11
hours after joining the team to replace injured reliever Yorkis Perez.
And the Mets, who today may add Harnisch to a list of disabled
pitchers that already numbers six, faced the possibility of limping into
the third leg of their opening trip with a 1-5 record. =

But after a pregame team meeting called by manager Bobby
Valentine, Bohanon at least temporarily delivered the Mets from
their gloom. Expected to pitch no more than three innings, Bohanon
went seven strong innings and led the Mets to a 4-2 victory over the
San Francisco Giants at 3Com Park. =

"I don't think anything that happens in April is devastating or
miraculous," Valentine said, "but this is a game you wanted to win." =

They won it because Bohanon, who had not started a game since he
was with the Tigers in August 1995, came through with a remarkable
performance. =

Bohanon, who did not pitch more than two innings in any outing this
spring, limited the Giants to two runs on four hits, struck out five and
walked one. He threw 101 pitches, 65 for strikes, and said he never
grew tired. =

"Great may be a mild word," said Valentine, who checked
Bohanon's stamina each inning after the fourth. "I think he pitched
beyond the expectations of everyone in this room. ... He earned his
stripes, I'll tell you that. And he can probably give a little, 'I told
you so.' He really basically did make the team out of spring training." =

Bohanon's frustration over being cut the last day -- in favor of Perez,
who was claimed off waivers, -- was only heightened when he saw
how poorly the middle relievers had fared through the first five
games. He was delighted to be called up so soon, but was shocked
when Valentine told him at 11 a.m. he was going to start. =

"I thought he was kidding at first because I thought Pete was
starting," said Bohanon, who got to the team hotel at 1:30 a.m.
"Then I went over and looked at the lineup card and I was on it." =

Harnisch, who again is suffering from the insomnia, cold sweats and
shakes that jeopardized his Opening Day start, was scratched after
talking to Valentine in the morning. Valentine said he suspected
Saturday that he would not allow Harnisch to pitch, but just in case,
he had Harnisch undergo a series of cardiovascular and {*filter*} tests
at a local hospital Saturday night. Valentine said Harnisch was
cleared medically, but he decided against taking a chance on letting
him pitch. =

Valentine would not say what it was about Harnisch's behavior that
led him to make his decision, but he agreed with trainer Fred Hina's
as sessment that "Pete is not Pete right now." =

Todd Hundley and John Franco, Harnisch's best friends on the team,
said the normally jovial and wisecracking pitcher had been
increasingly edgy and outwardly depressed the past several days.
The episodic anxiety and symptoms have been upsetting to Harnisch,
who said he is concerned he is suffering a relapse of the Lyme
disease he had after the 1995 season. =

"He just wants to know what the hell is going on," Hundley said. "He
wants to know that everything is OK. He just wants to hear that
other people have been through this also. It's just something you
don't wish on your own worst enemy, let alone your good friend." =

The Mets previously said Harnisch, who has talked to Dr. Allan
Lans, the Mets director of employee assistant services, by phone a
few times, was merely suffering from nicotine withdrawal linked to
his recent cold turkey abstention from smokeless tobacco products.
Now, they are not so sure. =

"Either it's systemic or psychological or a combination of the two,"
Mets general manager Joe McIlvaine said. =

Harnisch flew to New York with his wife yesterday and is scheduled
to see Dr. Lans today. =

Franco pitched the ninth inning to earn his second save. =

Franco said Harnisch felt terrible about leaving the team without a
starter at such short notice. In fact, Valentine, who called Lans a few
times for advice on how to handle Harnisch, had to argue with
Harnisch to convince him he shouldn't start. =

In deference to Harnisch's desire for privacy, McIlvaine would not
talk about his conversations with Harnisch Saturday or yesterday.
But he said he has no doubts Harnisch will be OK. =

"I think it happens to people in all walks of life," McIlvaine said.
"Sometimes, you get a little scared, if that's the word. It's a
temporary condition." =

Harnisch's teammates certainly hope so, and their thoughts were with
him yesterday. =

"Mental health is something you don't mess with," Hundley said. "I
hope it's just all withdrawal from the nicotine. I'm hoping that's
what's going on." =

Copyright 1997, New Jersey Online=AE