RMJ 48 April 3

THURSDAY, APRIL 3 ● Houston, vs Atlanta

 I had to look back at the Willie Morris passage. Alan Truax of the Chronicle is starting to get under my skin — either out of ignorance or on purpose, it doesn’t really matter.

After the opening game, he had me saying that John Hudek would be used to set up Billy Wagner. I have studiously avoided saying that either of these guys would set up the other. Did he fabricate this line, or was he just not listening?

The next day, he told me that Bobby Cox said that Shane Reynolds was the most underrated pitcher in the league.

“He ought to know,” I said. “He left him off the All-Star team last year.” I knew this statement would sound inflammatory, so I continued, “Of course, that’s a no-win situation. No matter who you pick, you will have to leave somebody off who deserves to make the team.”

Naturally, the first part of the quote was in the paper; the qualifying sentence was not. I had to talk to Hudek to deny saying he was a setup man. Now I will have to track down Bobby Cox and explain the situation to him.

I saw Alan during batting practice today. It was tough to shake his hand and shoot the breeze without saying anything, but that’s what I did.

It’s like being asked if you are still beating your wife.

 

The final game with the Braves was a killer. Darryl Kile was more of an enigma to the Braves than to me. He carried a no-hit shutout into the seventh inning. The Braves’ first run came on their first hit: an opposite-field homer by Fred McGriff.

Tom Glavine was just about as tough. He was throwing 90 and 91 miles an hour, and throwing changeups to the outside corner with the touch of a safecracker.

We did manage to get two runs off him in the fifth. Listach got the big hit to start the rally. He has been a lot better at the plate than he was during spring training. James Mouton and Derek Bell picked up the RBIs.

The deciding runs scored in the eighth. Javy Lopez walked on a 3-2 pitch. Then one of the Braves’ best clutch players, little Mark Lemke, hit a hanging curve into the right-field corner for a double. Jeff Blauser hit a sacrifice fly to tie the game. Lemke moved to third. Keith Lockhart came up to pinch hit for Glavine, and he lofted another fly ball to right to give the Braves a 3-2 lead.

In the bottom of the eighth, Gonzo hit a two-out double off Mike Bielecki. Mark Wohlers came in, throwing 98 MPH.  He walked Tony Eusebio, then fanned pinch-hitter Thomas Howard on a nasty forkball. Biggio doubled with two outs in the ninth, and Bill Spiers, pinch hitting for James Mouton, got two good cuts at fastballs. Then he, too, went down on a forkball.

It was an exciting finish and a great ballgame, despite the loss.

After the game, I checked on Wohlers against righthanded and lefthanded hitters, on a hunch that he might be better against lefties. I was right: righthanded hitters didn’t exactly kill him last year, but they did fare a little better. That’s something to put in the memory bank; something I should have put there before the series.

           

After almost everyone had left, I invited Tommy McCraw into my office for a cold beer. Yes, I have managed to secret some brew into the locker room. I just can’t get used to a cold glass of milk after a tough game. Tommy is of the same persuasion, though a lot of our players and coaches are smarter than we are: they don’t drink at all.

Tommy and I had a great conversation about the series. He was as charged up as I.

“Three great games,” he said. “That’s what baseball is all about. Tough pitching, good fielding, a little strategy, and a few key hits. If you didn’t like this series, you just don’t like baseball.”

“People don’t realize how much work goes into playing baseball at this level,” I said. “It takes a helluva lot more than athletic ability to put on a show like this. Sometimes, I think the fans don’t appreciate the difficulty of the game. From afar, things seem slower. Get down on the field, and everything is split-second. I wish some of them could get down here, so they would know.”

“It’s a beautiful thing,” he said. “I say a word of thanks every day that I can make my living in this game.”

Our conversation was brief, but I could feel some bonding. Another series or two like this could really bring this team together.

It’s not going to be easy: Tony La Russa brings the Cardinals in tomorrow night, and they have lost three in a row. I know there will be fire in those Cardinal eyes.

           

We got a Labrador puppy yesterday. When I got home, she was crying. I went outside and smoked a cigar while I listened to Stan Getz and Oscar Peterson. The puppy settled down; so did I. It was a nice night, despite the loss.