What do you think of Cecil Cooper as the Astros’ interim coach and potential head coach?
I’ve known Cecil for a long time and think he would be an outstanding manager for the Astros. I know personally that Cecil was a tough guy to get out; he played hard during every game and had the respect of his opponents because of his ability to play the game. He’s paid his dues as a bench coach. I’m pulling for him
What do you think about MLB’s push to include more minority managers?
Managing a major league baseball club is a tough job and in some cases you don’t always have a lot of applicants to choose from. This is not a new issue; Major League Baseball has been addressing minority managers and Cecil being selected at the Astros would certainly help, and he’s more than qualified for the job.
This week, baseball lost a great minor league third base coach when he was hit with a line drive. Isn’t that a very dangerous job?
I’ve always thought that first and third base coaches are the most dedicated in the game. They do not have time to watch the hitter because they keep an eye on the runner so they can help him advance the bases. Mentally, they approach the job as if they don’t worry about the ball hitting them. It takes a special breed of person to stand 90 feet or less from some fantastic hitters. They impress me with their dedication. My prayers go out to this coach’s family.
Minnesota announced plans to move from the Metro Dome. Will you miss it?
A dome stadium without a retractable roof just isn’t attractive. I remember playing at Cleveland in 1972 at an outdoor park by the airport. It was a fantastic place to play ball. We know that you are going to have a cold day at Wrigley, in Atlanta and at a lot of parks in the spring. It’s part of the game and fans come to expect it. I was talking to Harmon Killebrew last Sunday and he recalled not believing the Metro Dome wasn’t constructed with a roof that would open. It really would have made a difference in the overall baseball experience for both the player and fans.
Since Pete Rose reached 500 homeruns, we’ve seen a 50% increase in the number of players reaching that statistics. Next year alone, MLB has the potential to add four or five members to that club. How do you explain this surge?
Owners and fans have put a lot more emphasis on hitting homeruns. Plus, parks are just so much smaller these days. They are built for homeruns. For instance, there was a homerun in the Yankee’s game yesterday that would have been a given pop-up out in DiMaggio’s day.
I remember in Pittsburg, where I got my first win, they would put the batting cage in centerfield so the balls would go out of the stadium.
Baltimore started the trend towards smaller baseball parks. Then owners jumped on the bandwagon by paying a bonus for homeruns hit in a season. It was all to make the game more exciting for fans and I support that. But, as a pitcher, it sure doesn’t do a lot for pride! Heck, no one wants to see a shutout unless you are a Yankees fan and Boston is up.
Is there anything else that’s lead to more homeruns?
Yes, there’s a lot more emphasis on protecting the batter then in previous decades. If a pitcher throws at the batter’s head, for instance, he’s automatically going to be ejected from the game. In my day when Gibson or Drysdale were on the mound, batters didn’t dig in at the plate like they can today.
Owners who are fortunate to have an A-Rod or Derek Jeter on the roster always think that it will be another 20 years before another player of this caliber will come along and they really want to protect their investment.
The same thing is true about football. Heck, I remember when Eddie LeBaron played for the Redskins. As s 5’4” QB, he had to run for his life on every play. Now, the QB is the most protected player on the field.
Another thing that has led owners to these measures is expansion. In the ‘60’s there were 16 clubs. Now with 32, the talent is spread out across so many teams. This gave birth to the franchise player concept, which some teams have made work very well while others still struggle.
NL Cy Young winner Chris Carpenter almost gave up the game in 2003 due to injury. How does a pitcher avoid this situation or does he have any control over injuries at all?
Taking care of your body is the first thing. That means treating your body well by getting enough rest, working out and keeping your body fit and strong. The other, and most important for pitchers, is good mechanics.
A pitcher cannot afford to throw against his body. Power in pitching is from the waist down. Strong legs took stress off the arm and when you could get the upper and lower portions of your body working together, it’s like a well-oiled machine.
Good coaches are always looking at mechanics and suggesting ways to improve. This is to keep a player healthy and in the lineup on a daily basis.
Does the game change for a player in October?
To make it to October you have to have a great September. Take Cy Young winner, Carpenter. He won with four or five solid games in September that capped off a good spring and summer. It also laid the foundation for a really good autumn. That’s how to win Cy Youngs and Pennants. The last six weeks of the season either make or break a lot of ball clubs.
Right now you see the Yankees picking it up, as they always do this time of the year. You also see Boston having trouble; heck, it only takes one week to blow a seven-game lead.
When I played baseball, everyone on the team had their eye on September and October. That’s when you could really make some money to carry you through the off season. Back then, if you could win the World Series, a player would make more money than the rest of the season. That’s why September and October are so critical.
What are your plans for the holiday weekend?
We’re headed to Atlanta with my grandkids to watch the Mets series. It should be a very fun weekend.
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