STAYING POSITIVE GOOD ATTITUDE KEEPS SUPPAN GOING IN RIGHT DIRECTION.

Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

It could be worse, he could be a sports writer.

Jeff Suppan tries to look at the positive side of everything.

Struggles early in his career were softened by the reminder that it was a valuable learning experience. As he endures rough times again this year, the Kansas City Royals pitcher thinks how lucky he is just to be a professional baseball player.

Working in the sports department of a newspaper when he was 18 quickly taught him that.

``That's why I didn't do it that long,'' the Crespi High of Encino graduate said of his old job. ``I had coaches and everyone calling when you spell a name wrong. And when they lose, you hate going up to them. There are worse jobs, but it definitely makes this look a lot better.

``People don't realize everything we go through. I was with three teams and lived in a hotel for three months one season and stuff like that, but I love baseball and you always have to look at the positives.''

Suppan's optimistic attitude is part of what keeps the Royals from getting too worried about his 2-4 start.

``He'll come around,'' said Kansas City pitching coach Brent Strom.

Performances like Wednesday's victory against Oakland are another encouraging sign. Suppan had six strikeouts and allowed six hits in eight scoreless innings - the first time this season he has not allowed a run - for his first win since April 8 against Minnesota.

``It's been a struggle a little bit for me early in the year,'' Suppan said. ``But you can't really look at one month as a year.

``The key about being a quality major-league starter is just to go out there and give the team a chance to win. That's my goal and hopefully some of the quality outings will become wins. The team's playing well now and as long as the team wins, we're OK.''

Suppan, 25, entered this season with high expectations. Last year was his best since making his major-league debut as a 20-year-old with the Boston Red Sox. He went 10-12 with a career-best 4.53 ERA in 1999 for a team that won just 64 games. His 10 wins tied him for the team lead.

``Last year was big for me,'' Suppan said. ``I went out and proved I could be a major-league starter, which I knew I was capable of.

``But for pitchers, especially in this era, it's tough. It's tough to go out there seven, eight, nine innings because the lineups are so good. So last year was a great year for me. I was happy and I reached some goals.''

The biggest goal he realized was pitching at least 200 innings in what was his first full season in the majors.

The late 1998 trade that sent him from Arizona, which had selected him from Boston in the 1997 expansion draft, was welcomed as an opportunity to play for a club with players his own age, moving upward together.

In other organizations, he was sent down as soon as he struggled. The Royals' patience helps his confidence and allows him to gain experience, which Suppan feels is his biggest weakness.

``I'm not going out the next game trying to make my ERA drop,'' Suppan said. ``The point is going out there and getting the team a quality start and that's my goal. I've always stuck with that and tried to learn from what's gone wrong.

``You have to learn to deal with the ups and downs. There's a whole lot of ups and downs in baseball. You're not always gonna be the superstar, the pitcher of the game or whatever. Someone has to lose. You have to learn to deal with failure.

``When you think about it, that you get to play baseball for a living, you should be happy.''

SUPPAN FILE

Name: Jeff Suppan

Team: Kansas City Royals

Position: Pitcher

Age: 25

Local tie: Crespi High

Career highlights: Tied for Kansas City's team lead in wins with a career-high 10 in 1999. . . . Pitched his first major-league shutout Aug. 3, 1999 against the Angels. . . . Drafted in the second round by the Boston Red Sox in 1993. . . . Named Red Sox Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 1996.

Contract status: Signed through 2000.

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

Jeff Suppan has been a positive addition to the Kansas City Royals since coming to the team in a late 1998 trade. Suppan prepped at Crespi High of Encino.

Orlin Wagner/Associated Press

Box: SUPPAN FILE (See text)