JETHAWKS NOTEBOOK: YOUNT'S INDUCTION INTO HALL TOUCHES SLATON.

Byline: Chris Cocoles Daily News Staff Writer

When Robin Yount joins George Brett and Nolan Ryan as new inductees at the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 25, Jim Slaton will be in Calgary, coaching the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers pitchers.

But Slaton's heart will be in Cooperstown, N.Y. with his close friend Yount, a former Milwaukee Brewers teammate.

Slaton, an Antelope Valley native who spent the past two years as the JetHawks' pitching coach, practically watched Yount grow up from an 18-year-old major-leaguer in 1974 to a two-time MVP winner who collected 3,142 career-hits.

``I wish I could be there to see it happen,'' said Slaton, who spent the bulk of his 16-year, major-league career with Yount in Milwaukee.

Slaton holds Brewers' career pitching records in wins (117), innings pitched (2,025), games started (268) and shutouts (19).

``Right after (Yount) was inducted, I called and talked to his wife, Michelle,'' Slaton said from the Seattle Mariners' spring-training camp at the Peoria Sports Complex. ``We talked for a while and she was remembering back when he was just an 18-year-old starting out.''

Yount had such a kinship with Slaton that he was one of the select members of the Brewers family who were part of Robin Yount Day at County Stadium on May 29, 1994, when the San Fernando Valley native's No. 19 was retired.

Slaton joined former Brewers owner and current commissioner Bud Selig, broadcaster Bob Uecker and future Hall of Famer Paul Molitor as guest speakers in front of a sellout crowd.

``Molitor was playing for Toronto and was speaking up on the scoreboard monitor,'' Slaton said. ``I was one of the lucky few to speak at County Stadium in front of 50,000 fans on Robin Yount Day. I was so nervous.''

Key season: This is a big season for first baseman Claudio Liverziani of Italy as he gets a shot with the JetHawks following two less-than-spectacular seasons at Wisconsin.

Liverziani, who played for the Italian Olympic team at the 1996 Atlanta Games, has above average speed for a first baseman (27 steals the past two seasons), but he has combined for just eight homers and 67 RBI in two professional seasons, a span of 701 at-bats.

``That's an attribute for a first baseman that we're not looking for,'' Looper said of Liverziani's speed. ``We want that spot to drive in some runs and play good defense at the bag.''

1999 JetHawk to watch: Infielder Victor Martinez. The 21-year-old Dominican could be this year's version of Joel Ramirez, a valuable utility infielder who can fill in at both second base and shortstop.

Martinez proved he can be a quality hitter last year in his third professional season.

At short-season Single-A Everett, Martinez was leading the Northwest League with 99 hits. He batted .344 with five home runs, 32 RBI and 21 steals, resulting in a promotion to Wisconsin of the Midwest League.