Between the Lines

Gaylord Perry on Barry Bonds, the trade deadline and retirement

Q:

I understand that you are doing something fun this weekend, care to elaborate?

A:

We are driving to Cooperstown for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony where Tony Gwinn and Cal Ripkin, Jr. will be inducted on Sunday.  Right now we have about 120 miles left to go on our day and a half trip.  I’m beginning to get excited and I’m glad you called.  There sure is a lot of sports news right now.

Q:

There sure is, tell me what you think of the issues surrounding Michael Vick?

A:

It’s a shame those allegations about Michael Vick being mixed up with dog fighting came out.  Too many people love their animals and they will not tolerate a person doing something horrible like that. He’ll never recover to the fame and notoriety that he enjoyed at one time.

Q:

The trade deadline is just six days away, do you expect any surprises?

A:

I don’t think anything unusual will occur this year. Every team is in search of better pitching and if you got a good pitching rotation then you will protect it.  At this point in the season pitching is the only way a team will improve in the standings.  I may be a little biased, but anyone in baseball will tell you that pitching is the key from this point forward.

Q:

Let’s talk about your old team the Kansas City Royals. Dayton Moore has some very talented and young ballplayers: Octavio Dotel, Reggie Sanders and Mark Grudzielanek who’s hitting 300. Should the Royals bargain with these young players or are they better off working with the talent they already have?

A:

I hope Kansas keeps the team intact because they do have some excellent players who have a lot of great playing years ahead.  They are just now beginning to realize the potential of the top four or five players they’ve been drafting for the past decade or more.  Smart management realizes this and doesn’t squander talented ballplayers just as they are beginning to gain valuable experience.  Now there are some clubs who would like to get some of the Kansas players but the future will be very good for the Royals as long as they keep the club together and everyone stays healthy.

**A Fun Fact from Gaylord: The Royals started their season 21-38, but have won 22 of their 38 games since then, climbing into a tie with the White Sox at the bottom of the American League Central. Billy Butler has moved into the middle of their lineup and is doing what injuries prevented Mike Sweeney from doing the last few years, giving the Royals a steady run producer. The bullpen has improved dramatically, Gil Meche has earned every bit of his salary, and the lineup is deepening.**

Q:

How difficult is it for a player like Craig Biggio to announce his retirement?

A:

It’s a very hard decision to make because you want to play the game you love so much as long as you can, just like I did. You know some days are going to be OK and some won’t. But, it’s that good day that you keep playing for, that’s what keeps bringing you back. As a whole, Biggio is having a little off year but when you break his game down, he has had a number of clutch hits like the grand-slam last night.  Veterans like Biggio and Clemens keep playing because they know that they can deliver and it’s still fun for those guys. When you are ready to retire, you just learn to live with it. Biggio’s has had a great career, he’s been very lucky to stay with one club his whole career. So, boy I know yesterday was one that he’ll never forget. Hitting that grand-slam probably made him rethink his decision [chuckles].

**A Fun Fact from Gaylord: Craig Biggio, a 20-year veteran who reached 3,000 hits on June 28, connected off Rudy Seanez (6-2) for his fourth career slam and second this season.**

Q:

What was it like for you when you made the decision to retire?

A:

Well, I wanted to keep playing but my legs said go home. My arm was still fine, but you know a pitcher uses his legs so much, and mine had so much wear and tear on them.  I knew I wouldn’t have as many good days as I would like; I had a great career and decided it was time to go try something else.

Q:

Did you go back and forth on the decision?

A:

Well, I started thinking about it in 1978, and then I had a great year. I won the Cy Young in ’78, won 21 games, lost six, then I was only a few games away from 300. And I was saying to myself, ‘now I’ve got to really work hard, keep myself conditioned and try to get somebody to let me play so I can hit 300’.  That is a very special goal to achieve; something you really want to get because very few people have reached that many wins. A lot of pitchers probably played longer then they should have trying to win 300 games. And, the game is just so special to you. Achieving 300 wins and striking out over 3500 people, it’s just something very special. It’s the reason I’m driving to Cooperstown today, because I am in the Hall of Fame and not too many people are there.

Q:

Speaking of special numbers, Barry Bonds is closing in on 756. With every hitting record that is accomplished, there’s a pitcher involved. Al Downing was the pitcher when Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s record and hit number 715. Tracy Stallard gave up hit number 61 to Roger Maris in 1961. Did you play a part in anyone reaching a significant milestone?

A:

Henry Aaron hit number 600 off of me. And then he also hit one in the All-Star game in 1972 in Atlanta. He only hit like four counting everything off of me and I pitched against him 10 years or more, so really, I had a pretty good record keeping him in the singles, but he got number 600 while I was on the mound. He had a good friend who got pitchers to sign a ball after every homerun.  I remember signing number 600. I’m sure I gave up some more but I don’t recall right now.

Q:

What’s going through a pitcher’s mind when Barry Bonds steps into the batter’s box these?  Does the “record” affect a pitcher?

A:

Well, it sure is because a pitcher doesn’t want to be remembered as the guy who gave up number 756 to Barry Bonds.

**A Fun Fact from Gaylord Perry:**

NOTEWORTHY HOME RUNS
• Following are some of baseball's biggest home runs and the pitchers who surrendered them:
DATE	HOME RUN	PITCHER
9/30/1927	Babe Ruth's 60th HR	Tom Zachary
5/25/1935	Babe Ruth's 714th career HR	Guy Bush
7/8/1941	Ted Williams wins All-Star Game	Claude Passeau
9/30/1945	Hank Greenberg's ninth-inning GS wins pennant	Nelson Potter
10/1/1950	Dick Sisler's 10th-inning HR wins pennant	Don Newcombe
10/3/1951	Bobby Thomson's pennant-winning HR	Ralph Branca
7/12/1955	Stan Musial's 12th-inning HR wins All-Star Game	Frank Sullivan
10/13/1960	Bill Mazeroski's WS-winning HR	Ralph Terry
10/1/1961	Roger Maris' 61st HR	Tracy Stallard
7/7/1964	Johnny Callson's HR wins All-Star Game	Dick Radatz
4/8/1974	Hank Aaron's 715th HR	Al Downing
10/21/1975	Carlton Fisk's WS Game 6 HR	Pat Darcy
7/20/1976	Hank Aaron's 755th career HR	Dick Drago
10/14/1976	Chris Chambliss' HR wins ALCS	Mark Littell
10/15/1988	Kirk Gibson's WS Game 1-winning HR	Dennis Eckersley
10/26/1991	Kirby Puckett's WS Game 6-winning HR	Charlie Leibrandt
10/23/1993	Joe Carter's WS-winning HR	Mitch Williams
9/8/1998	Mark McGwire's 62nd HR	Steve Trachsel
10/5/2001	Barry Bonds' 71st HR	Chan Ho Park
10/16/2003	Aaron Boone's HR wins ALCS	Tim Wakefield
5/28/2006	Barry Bonds' 715th career HR	Byung-Hyun Kim
10/14/2006	Magglio Ordonez's HR wins ALCS	Huston Street

Q:

Commissioner Bud Selig said he is going to follow Barry Bonds saying “I felt it was the right thing to do…”  It’s obvious that there is a conflict between the commissioner and Barry Bonds, does their relationship affect what people think of baseball overall?

A:

I don’t think so. Everybody understands the commissioner knows a great deal more than we do but there are some things he can’t say. But I’m glad to see that he will try to be there when the record is broken.

Q:

Do you think that the alleged steroid usage is going to be something that continues to plague Barry?

A:

I think it’ll stay with him for the rest of his life.

Gaylord Perry on the upcoming All-Star Game

Q:

Which All-Star team do you believe is the best?

Gaylord:

Whoo... You know I’m a National Leaguer because that’s where I started, but I think that the American League has got the edge again. They’ve had it for what? 10 years in a row now?

The first time I played in an All-Star game, the league president came by and it was more than a pep talk, it was a threat. You are going to win this game! They took a great deal of pride in being the winner of the All-Star Game. The players did too. We’d talk about it, like, Hey, we need to beat these guys. The National league is the best.

As you know, the position of league president has been done away with.  This places the responsibility on the manager to motivate the team. 

Q:

Which team is the most underrated ball club?

Gaylord:

Well, at start of the season I think it was the Milwaukee Brewers. They have the talent.  It’s been a long time since they’ve had the talent to be competitive, but they did real well during the last off-season, and I think the players are gaining the confidence and believe they can win. It’s probably a long-shot, but they would be my dark horse - the Milwaukee Brewers.

Q:

Which of the All-Star selections probably surprised you the most?

Gaylord:

Wow. I haven’t really looked over it that close and in the last couple days there’ve been some replacements.  We’ll just have to wait and see who is physically able. But sometimes, especially for pitchers, if they pitched on Sunday, they really shouldn’t pitch Tuesday. Because if you go out there and pitch 6, 7, 8 innings, you are not ready to be on the mound throwing as hard as you can two days later.

When I made the All-Star team late in my career, you couldn’t be on the All-Star team if you pitched on Sandy.  They wanted sufficient rest for you.

It may be easier to say who I think is having a bad year, like Andruw Jones, the Braves centerfielder. He’s just now starting to come around and I expect he’ll have a much better second half and finish strong in September.  I kind of always expect him to make it because he is such a great centerfielder.

Q:

Speaking of Andruw Jones, how does a Major League Baseball player get out of a severe slump?

Gaylord:

Hard work and practice, and staying in the line-up. Bobby Cox and the batting coach [Terry Pendleton] have not let Jones take a week off. He’s got to work it out and I’ve heard no complaints about him playing. I think the other players know they’ve got to have him to win in the second half – they’re only two games out of first place! If he comes through it will take the pressure off of Chipper [Jones] and the other young guys and a healthy Andrew Jones, along with the other players, give the Braves just as good a chance of winning their Division as any other team.

Q:

What do you think about the All-Star winner having home field advantage in the World Series? Is that important?

Gaylord:

Oh, Definitely. [chuckles] If you can play at home, then you don’t have to travel before the first game. You have more time to rest and spend time at your personal home with your family and friends. It’s so important that you start at home in any sport really. You know how important it is for basketball, for football; it’s just as important for baseball.

I understand the commissioner and his people are trying to make the All-Star game much more competitive and meaningful. I was very disappointed when they couldn’t finish the All-Star Game in Milwaukee. If I’d been an infielder or outfielder I’d have volunteered to pitch just so the fans aren’t let down.  I would have wanted to find away to finish the game for the fans.

Q:

Is it better to have home field advantage alternate between the American League and the National League every other year?

Gaylord:

As I said earlier, they are trying to make the All-Star Game more competitive because of what happened in Milwaukee when they had the All-Star game there. Everybody was buddy, buddy. Saying, I’m only going to pitch a third of an inning, I’ll only pitch one inning.

I was in the bullpen during my first All-Star game.  Sandy Koufax started and we had Gibson.  I thought that I had a very slim chance of pitching.  I’m in the bullpen in the ninth inning, we’re tied up. I get the call to warm up to pitch the 9th.  I got to also pitch the 10th and we won.  But we wanted it so bad.  I don’t see that today.

Q:

Does home field advantage create a desire to win for the players?

Gaylord:

Yes, and I hear more fans talking about it - Well, who’s going to start the World Series? Where will we play?

It also helps pre-sell tickets. Let’s take Milwaukee who hasn’t been in the World Series in a long time and they got a chance this year. If I’m a season ticket holder, I’ve got a chance to attend the World Series. I’d like for it to start in my hometown that way I get a chance to see more games. If my team is in the World Series, I want them to start at home, so I can see two, maybe four games.   Now all of a sudden, the All-Star game outcome matters to me as a fan and season ticket holder.

Q:

Will you watch the homerun derby contest tonight?

Gaylord:

I sure will. I have friends from Boston and from North Carolina over, and we’re going to watch it from my hotel room.

Q:

What about tomorrow night?

Gaylord:

We’ll go to my favorite restaurant, DiMaggio’s Chop House. It’s the very best restaurant in San Francisco.  I’ve already eaten there twice. With a lot of friends in town, we’ll watch the game from our hotel.  It’ll be exciting.  I’m really looking forward to it.