RMJ 144 July 9
WEDNESDAY, JULY 9 ● Houston ● All-Star break
This is the twenty-first anniversary of my no-hitter against the Expos. It’s hard to believe it has been that long ago. Seems like waiting to turn 21 took an eternity; these last 21 years have flown by like a Nolan Ryan fastball.
| Inn | Score | Out | RoB | Pit(cnt) | R/O | @Bat | Batter | Pitcher | wWPA | wWE | Play Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top of the 9th, Expos Batting, Behind 0-6, Astros’ Larry Dierker facing 1-2-3 | |||||||||||
| t9 | 0-6 | 0 | — | O | MON | Pepe Mangual | Larry Dierker | 0% | 100% | Strikeout | |
| t9 | 0-6 | 1 | — | O | MON | Jim Lyttle | Larry Dierker | 0% | 100% | Strikeout | |
| t9 | 0-6 | 2 | — | O | MON | Mike Jorgensen | Larry Dierker | 0% | 100% | Groundout: 1B unassisted | |
| 0 runs, 0 hits, 0 errors, 0 LOB. Expos 0, Astros 6. | |||||||||||
Golf at Lochinvar was a treat. This is an exclusive club, and our foursome, Heine, Ruhle, Worrell, and me, was about the only group on the course. None of us played all that well, but it was a good time. Heine and Ruhle were especially impressed, as they have never played this immaculate track before.
I was a little concerned when they started changing into their spikes in the parking lot — this is a breach of decorum. Nobody was there to witness the crime, so I didn’t say anything. I’m not big on decorum anyway.
I got back home in time to play a little catch with Ryan. He’s throwing the ball well again, but he has lost some of his control with the long layoff.
I got a call from Gerry just before I left for the ballpark and our journey into the season’s second half. I was upbeat, talking about golf and the like. I told him I was ready to begin the evaluations and he just kept saying, “That’s nice. That’s good.” I could tell something was wrong.
“Look,” he said. Our vacation didn’t go so well. Irene got in a boating accident, and she’s hurt pretty bad.”
Irene Hunsicker
“Oh no!” I said. “What happened?”
“Well, we were at the shore, and Kelly wanted to go on a waverunner. She couldn’t go by herself, because she’s not 18. I didn’t feel like going with her, so Irene went. I could kick myself.
“Anyway, Kelly wanted to do this doughnut maneuver, where you spin around in a 360. Irene was on the back, and when Kelly turned, Irene fell off and the damn thing came around and hit her on the head.”
I was speechless.
“She’s going to be all right, we think. Luckily, the doctor here is supposed to be good with head injuries, and he feels like she’ll be all right. But the next couple of days are critical. She has a lot of swelling, and a gash on her forehead. She’s also having bad headaches. They think there is internal bleeding and that the pressure is causing the headaches.
“She is coherent, and she seems to be getting better. But it’s scary. I’m going to stay here with her, and I’ll come to Pittsburgh when I know she’s all right.”
He gave me his phone number, and said he would stay in touch.
“How’s Kelly handling it?” I asked.
“She’s a funny kid,” he said. “I know it has to be killing her, but she doesn’t say much. I think she’ll be OK when she knows Irene will get better. Right now, it’s pretty tough for all of us.”
“Well, I hope everything goes well,” I said. “Sometimes things like this can bring a family together. When kids are that age, they think they’re invincible, and they don’t think they need their parents at all. This should help her understand her true feelings. Maybe it will be a good thing in the end.”
“Well, I hope so,” he said.
“I know Judy will want to send flowers,” I said. “Do you have the address of the hospital?”
“That’s not necessary,” said. “She should be home at the number I gave you by Thursday or Friday. Maybe Judy can call her then.”
With this wonderful news, I embarked on Phase Two of my adventure in managing. Somehow, the care-and-feeding of Derek Bell doesn’t seem so difficult anymore.
Before I resume the narrative of this odyssey through the National League, I will present my analysis of our players for the first half of the season. It will be interesting to see what develops as we go along.
Just as Darryl Kile has emerged from what seemed like a quicksand of doubt this spring, I imagine others will make these observations seem ludicrous in the end. If most of them emerge rather than submerge, we may just win this thing.
I suppose it’s my job to make that happen. But I certainly can’t take credit for what D.K. has done on his own. My best move with him was to keep sending him out there, hoping for improvement.
That’s the tricky thing about managing: you can’t really make the players play better, but you can screw them up.
I plan to present these evaluations to the players in the company of the hitting and fielding and pitching coaches, then get the hell out of the way.
I hope it works.
Darryl Kile Your work has been excellent in every way. Good level of conditioning. Good arm health. Best-ever control of fastball. This is the difference between being an All-Star or just another pitcher. I am especially proud of your response to the challenge of losing the arbitration case. At first, it seemed like this would be another obstacle in what has been a rocky road to success. Instead, it seems to have hardened you to the task.
Your fielding and hitting are areas for improvement. Bunting has been pretty good. Could use some slash work.
You have been careless with runners a few times, but your routines are generally better (not throwing to first when a non-stealer is aboard) in base-stealing situations.
Great attitude late in the game. You want to finish, but accept being relieved. You have really done a lot of maturing this year.
For the second half, the important thing is to stay focused and protect your arm. Don’t throw too much on the side, or in the outfield.
It looks like you are heading for big-time innings this year: 250-plus. Save your arm strength for the game.
Shane Reynolds Good, professional work, as usual. You were right on target for another big year before the knee problem. This should be a learning experience.
Pitchers and players must be honest with coaches and trainers. No player is so good that he can play with a serious injury and outperform the substitute who would be pitching or playing instead. This is a macho thing, an ego thing. In some ways, it can be a good thing, because a good player can play through minor injuries, and sometimes you don’t know “major” from “minor.”
In this case, I believe you knew before you told us, and you pitched two or three losing games. This does not help you as an athlete, and it clearly hurts the team. I would rather have a player that pushes himself too hard than one who doesn’t push hard enough.
Honesty is the best policy; tell the trainer exactly how you feel. Tell the manager the truth about how you feel in the late stages of the game. We know you are a great competitor, and a winner. We are not going to get down on you if you are hurt of if you run out of gas late in the game.
For the second half, I expect my ace back in August and September. Don’t rush it; get yourself ready for the stretch. I know you like to work out hard, but I would suggest that you reduce heavy activity the day before you pitch. Save as much strength as possible for the game.
Mike Hampton Slow start. A little stubborn in terms of communicating. We were not on the same page about how to throw the sinker, and how to use it in relation to your other pitches. Now you are back on track, but you cannot take anything for granted. The good feel comes and goes. Try to remember the feelings you have when you are “on.” Get some checkpoints, so you can get yourself back in a groove when your control falters.
I am proud of the way you came through your difficulties. You never quit on yourself, but you did internalize. It wasn’t until we talked in Philadelphia that you admitted that you did not feel confident on the mound. It was almost like it embarrassed you to say it. Ironically, saying it seemed to take the sting out of it.
Every pitcher has gone through slumps. Now you have some keys to get out of it sooner if it happens again. Don’t be afraid to admit your problems or your fears. Bring them out in the open, where we can help you conquer them.
Your pitches are nice and crisp now. You are doing a good job of holding runners. One thing to consider is how to get out of a jam like you had in the first inning against the Reds. Vern can only visit once; Brad might not want to visit when you need a break. Learn to recognize when you are on the ropes. Step back off the mound, evaluate the situation, and step back up with a fresh start.
My feeling is that you are a reactive athlete in an active athlete’s role. This will make the mental side of pitching more challenging — less natural than it is for a guy like Donne Wall, for example. This will always be the most difficult part of pitching for you. Understand it and work on it.
On the other side, the reactive side, you have room for improvement. Your fielding is excellent, though you need work on throws to the bases and poise on bunt plays. Your hitting can get to be an asset — especially with your speed on the bases. Take your hitting and bunting seriously. These skills can get you a few extra wins every year.
You have a cocky way of carrying yourself. This is a good thing on a team. We need more guys that convey an attitude of defiance. I sense that you could be a better teammate, though, especially with the rookies and newcomers.
You have a quick wit, which is a great personality trait. But sometimes when the humor is biting, it can hurt someone’s feelings. I know you were sensitive when you weren’t going well; use your humor when the time is right. Try to have a more positive attitude with guys who are struggling. Build them up.
You are still one of the youngest players on the team. But you are also among the most intelligent and the most gifted. As such, you can be a leader in your own way. I’m not talking about cheerleading; I’m talking about helping us win by being a good teammate.
Chris Holt You have a good rookie season underway. It will be more difficult to close the deal than you might think. I’m not talking about the league catching up to you; I’m talking about maintaining confidence as you work your way through the inevitable problems that any rookie faces.
Your pitching has generally been good. You have shown command of all of your pitches. And you have not been intimidated by big-league hitters. In my estimation, your problems tend to be more physical than mental in nature.
Sometimes you look sluggish. Sometimes you get a little sloppy with your delivery. Sometimes you are slow to the plate with runners on base. All of these things can be improved with physical effort and concentration. Don’t expect too much too soon. Just be aware of your strengths and weaknesses. Work on improving in both areas at the same time.
From a technical standpoint, you are good at jamming righthanded hitters and hitting them on the end of the bat with breaking balls away. You have less command vs. lefthanded hitters. The same spots work, but you have to get the sinker down consistently to lefties. And you need to make sure the inside fastball doesn’t drift back over the plate. Learning to use the slider up-and-in to lefties and to take a little speed off the sinker down-and-away will give you more variety.
You can improve all nonpitching aspects of your game, like hitting, bunting, and fielding. As a starting pitcher, you will get 75 or more at-bats per year. You will have four or five balls hit back at you each start. Improving hitting and fielding skills can mean two to four more wins each year.
Your strengths are sufficient to have a fine career. You have good, lively stuff and your body language is excellent. You don’t ever seem ruffled or scared. You are durable and can pitch deep into the game.
The one thing I would caution you against is taking success for granted. You must work at your trade all the time to keep others from going past you. Most of the work, in your case, is physical, I believe. It’s not that you don’t work as hard as the next guy; it’s just that your natural ability is endurance, not speed and strength. Endurance is more important for a starter, but you need some speed and strength too. This will be a good project for the winter.
As for now, please be honest with us about your arm. Shane may have cost us a couple of wins by trying to pitch with a bad knee. Honesty is the best policy when it comes to injuries, and also when it comes to how you feel late in the game. Nobody is going to doubt your courage if you are hurt or tired. We know you will give us all you’ve got.
Ramón Garcia It has been a pleasure to have you as a member of the Houston Astros. You have been a valuable member of our staff this year, starting and coming out of the bullpen. I believe that you will do better as a starter, and that is the way we want to use you in the second half of the season.
I have the feeling that you are a private man, and I don’t expect you to be the life of the party. But I do want you to share with me any feelings you may have: any problems, injuries, anything. I am here to help you, and Vern is here to help you. Please be honest with us at all times.
I believe you will be a successful starting pitcher in this league, but I expect that it may take you another year or two to reach your prime.
The main things you will need to improve on is your work against lefthanded hitters, and your defense against the running game. Sometimes you are too slow to the plate; sometimes you try to go too fast, and you don’t get your best action on the pitch. This will just take time, and I am encouraged by your progress.
Many lefthanded hitters are low-ball hitters. Your best stuff is down around the knees. To get the lefties out, you need to be able to come up-and-in with fastballs and sliders, and to use different speeds with your sinker away. Using the curve ball to get ahead of lefties is a good strategy. But when you get two strikes in the count, the curve should be in the dirt. If you want a slow pitch with two strikes in the count, try the changeup more often.
These things will take time, but you can do them. You might be able to pitch up-and-in to righthanders with two strikes, too.
I know it is not easy for a man to be away from his family in a foreign country for so many months of the year. I hope that you feel the presence of God helping you with these things. You are a gentleman. You speak softly. You are very respectful. But you must also be a tough man to win games in this league.
I know you can do it. You are going to help us win our division this year. We are very happy to have you on our team.
José Lima You have done a good job for us this year, and I think you can get better. You have the instincts of a dog: you want to go for the throat and kill your enemy. Sometimes this is the best way to pitch. But sometimes it is better to be like a cat: to play with your victim. You know how a cat will slap and bite and toss a mouse around before finally killing it? This is the way we need to approach certain hitters in certain situations.
Sometimes the direct approach of the dog is best. Sometimes the way of the cat is better. When you learn to pitch both ways, you will reach your potential.
One thing that makes it difficult for you to do this is your emotions. You have the heart of a warrior. But the pitcher is not only a warrior; he is the field general. He must be the brains of the team. This is where you can improve.
When things start to fall apart, step off and calm down. Use your head. Be smart. You already know your checkpoints: left shoulder, head, downward angle. Low for outs, up-and-in for effect. Step off the mound, take a deep breath, and relax. Then think about what you want to do, and start over.
One area for improvement is in the use of your third pitch: the slider. You don’t want to get beat with this pitch, but you need to throw it enough to get command of location. Down-and-away from righthanders is obviously good. Up-and-in on lefties is also a good location, and it helps set up the fastball low-and-away, and the changeup. Continue working on your slider.
Your attitude is great. You are open to advice, and always in a positive frame of mind. You are great with the fans, and also with your teammates. You add a lot of energy and life to our team, and we need that because some of our best players are quiet guys.
Your arm is healthy and strong. Take care of it. Don’t throw too hard during batting practice. Work on your spins, but save your strength for the game. I really appreciate your willingness to pitch every day — even when you have worked a lot. The ability to bounce back with your arm is a major asset. Protect it.
Russ Springer It has been a pleasure to have you on the club. Before you hurt your back, you were on your way to a great season. There is still time for you to have that breakthrough year.
In my opinion, you have the stuff of a closer. I am not going to ask you to do this, except when Billy is spent. But I think this is something you can shoot for as a realistic goal in terms of being the best you can be, and for making big money. Don’t be timid about it. Go for it.
From what I have seen, the only thing that is holding you back is the mistake pitch. You are not wild. And your stuff is well above average. You don’t have to nibble, if you use all of your pitches.
It is important, however, that all of your pitches are crisp. This type of consistency is delivery- related. If your arm isn’t tired and your delivery is sound, you can overmatch any hitter in this league.
Naturally, there are some guys you want to be careful with in some situations. But in general, you can keep the approach you have had in going after hitters aggressively.
Your fastball is excellent. Try to throw the cutter to the third-base corner and break it across for a strike, rather than starting at the middle and breaking it inside. Stay back on your breaking ball, and make sure it is down. Practice your split more, and use it more in the game. This can become your second-best pitch.
Your best pitch is the fastball. Don’t ever underestimate the value a good fastball — on or near the corner.
One other area to work on is holding runners. You can try to improve on this, or you can use the Todd Worrell approach and just pitch for outs and trust yourself to get the next hitter or hitters out.
It would be a mistake to compromise your good stuff to prevent the stolen base. It may also be a mistake to try for the double-play grounder. You are a fly ball and strikeout pitcher. Your curve and split will be hit on the ground, but if you throw them well, you will get choppers, not double-play grounders. Get the outs one at a time; don’t worry about double plays.
Russ, I know you have never quite measured up to the expectations others have had for you. In this way, being a hard thrower can be a burden. Everyone expects you to be a star.
Well, this is the place and the time that it is finally going to come together. I believe in you. Vern is an excellent coach. And we don’t expect perfection; just a dedicated effort and steady improvement in the areas we have identified.
I hope you are happy here, and that you will be an important member of our bullpen for years to come.
Tom Martin Your work has been very good so far. It is a tremendous advantage for me to have you in the bullpen, because your stuff is good enough to get righthanded and lefthanded hitters. Your ability to hold runners is improving. Your attitude is good. You have a good presence on the mound.
The problems you have had are natural. Virtually every rookie has them. It all boils down to one thing: command. When you make your pitches, you get people out. When you get behind or throw a pitch down the middle, you get hurt. The only way to get better command is to pitch. You will get plenty of opportunities to work on your command.
Your fastball is almost always your best pitch. Continue to work on getting ahead in the count without throwing it over the middle of the plate.
Your curve and changeup are good pitches as well. I would favor tightening your curve to get better control of it. I have talked to Vern about this, and you may want to work on it with him.
Despite Kevin Seitzer’s home run, your changeup is a good pitch. The change he hit was a good pitch. Don’t be afraid to use it just because one guy got a winning hit off you.
Your attitude and work habits have been great. All you need to do to have a good big-league career is to keep charging forward. Don’t let minor setbacks make you defensive. Stay aggressive. Don’t give the hitters too much credit. You have what it takes to beat them.
Billy Wagner You have had a good first half. Your work habits and your attitude have been excellent. You have the perfect mentality for a closer, and you will get plenty of chances to close.
One thing we have to be careful about is overuse. Please be honest with Vern and me. We want to win this year, but we want to win next year and the year after too. Don’t pitch with a sore arm — period.
You should get better as your career moves along, simply because you will learn to repeat your delivery, and this will give you better control. Right now, you don’t need pinpoint control, but you can still work on hitting corners when the situation is right.
You can continue to work on your breaking ball and changeup as well. I know you don’t want to get beat with your second or third pitch, but there will come a day when you need these pitches and the only way to get command of them is to throw them in the game.
One of the things you need to do on your own is come up with a way of getting “close to ready” without extending yourself fully. If we get the double play and you don’t have to pitch, I want you at full strength the next day. Work with Vern and Alan on this. I know there have been times when you have been fully warmed up, and we have not brought you into the game. We want to avoid this if at all possible.
You are going to save a lot of games and make a lot of money. Don’t let yourself get swayed by the notoriety you are receiving. Enjoy it, but don’t be fooled by it. There is always someone out there ready to knock you off your high horse. Keep working hard and getting smarter.
John Hudek I know it has been a struggle for you to find yourself on this team. You want to close, but Billy has had more chances. You got frustrated and started overthrowing, and you had a setback. To your credit, you did not let this beat you. You came back, and now you are ready to help us win our division.
As I have told you many times, I have confidence in you. I believe you can still close games, and I will give you that opportunity if Billy is not available. You are an important member of our bullpen, and I don’t think we can win this division without a strong second-half performance from John Hudek.
For me, the key to your effectiveness is the location and movement of your fastball. I believe the key to location is concentration and relaxation. When you try to throw harder-than-hard, your location suffers and you don’t gain any speed.
The movement of your fastball is in the wrist. Keep it loose, so it can flip the ball in there. When you have good wrist action, your ball rides. When it rides, and you move it in and out, you can get hitters out easily.
I believe that your changeup will become your second-best pitch. Your arm slot is perfect for a good change, but it may take you a year or two to perfect the pitch. Keep throwing it — especially to lefties. The riding-fastball/changeup combination can be devastating.
The slider is a good ground-ball pitch, but it may be difficult for you to throw with your natural arm angle. The cutter is probably a better option — especially to lefthanders. Don’t be afraid to throw it for the third-base corner and let it work across the plate for a strike. This way, they will jam themselves. If you work it from the middle across, it will usually be a ball, and they won’t swing at it.
Don’t pitch for the double play. You are a strikeout and fly-ball pitcher. Get the outs one at a time. If you happen to get a double play, great. But don’t go away from your best stuff to get a grounder.
Try to accept your role — whatever it is — and to help us win the division. If you pitch well, the closing opportunities will come. If we win our division and get into the playoffs, your stock will rise.
Don’t worry so much about your earning capacity; just pitch the way you can, be a good teammate, and let the chips fall where they may.
Brad Ausmus We traded for you because of your defense. And because of your defense, our pitchers have been noticeably better. Your throwing ability has been good enough to discourage most teams from taking chances on the bases. This allows our pitchers to go after hitters without worrying too much about base-stealers.
When a pitcher has to concentrate only on the hitter, he is a better pitcher. When he can stay in a rhythm, and have good tempo, he will throw better strikes and make fewer mistakes. Year after year, the teams that go to the playoffs are the teams that have the best ERAs. Your throwing ability alone makes eleven other players on our team better.
In terms of calling the game, we have had some problems; let’s call them misunderstandings. Several pitchers are not strong-minded; they need help from you in terms of calling the game. This is an area where I think we can improve by communicating better. It also an area of great sensitivity.
There may be times when a pitcher wants to lay the blame for a bad pitch on the catcher. He may say something like, “I wanted to go in on him before I went back away, but Brad called for a fastball away.”
Vern and I will likely tell the pitcher that Brad is not going to get the win or the loss; that the pitcher must make his own pitch decisions, because it is his responsibility. We will not buy this excuse.
Still, when we asked our pitchers, “How many of you guys like to throw pretty much what the catcher calls for?” almost all of them raised their hands. I’m sure the response to this question would vary a lot from team to team. But we have a young and inexperienced pitching staff — and like it or not, whether it’s right or not — they depend on you a lot.
I know you will not always make the right call. And many times, the call may be right, but the execution is wrong. So how do we approach this problem? This is my suggestion:
First, we make it clear when we are all together that the pitchers are responsible for their pitches.
Second, we attempt better communication. You talk with us and with the pitchers about the various hitters and situations — before they occur and afterward. If a pitcher wants to throw a pitch that you have strong reservations about, go to the mound and talk it over. Not in a spirit of disagreement, but in a spirit of cooperation.
For example:
“What do you want to throw?
“A slider away.”
“He’s leaning out over the plate, looking to go the other way. If you throw a good one, you’ll get him, but it has to be a good one.”
“Do you think I should come inside or throw an offspeed pitch?”
“Only if you are comfortable with it and feel confident you can throw a strike. If not, go with the slider — and make it a good one.”
This type of dialogue will give the pitcher confidence most of the time. Working together, instead of being at odds, improves our chance of success.
We have some pitchers, like José Lima, who will make the same mistakes over and over again. We cannot expect him to be crafty and cunning. “Confident” is about the best we can hope for.
If Hudek wants to lay the blame on you, even though you know he just made a bad pitch, let him. Swallow your own pride in the interest of making your pitcher better. You might say, “I’m sorry I wasn’t on a wavelength with you last night. Let’s talk about it, so we can get better.”
I know you take a lot of pride in your knowledge of game situations and hitter tendencies, but you cannot throw the pitches. Sometimes you will be like clockwork with your pitcher; other times, you will think the guy has lost his mind. Either way, we have to get the best out of him. As frustrating as it might be, you’ve got to try to help these guys out.
They depend on your intelligence. It’s up to you to get them to depend on your counsel. If there is a real difference when you go to the mound, and it is a critical juncture in the game, call Vern or me out there.
As far as your hitting goes, I am satisfied. Do I think you can do better? Yes. Is that why we got you? No.
I have noticed that you reach a flash point rather easily. This is true of most good competitors, and it doesn’t bother me — if you shake it off and go on. We cannot afford to have 11 pitchers put at a disadvantage because you are in a hitting slump.
Smash your bat all you want. Get the frustration out, and get ready to put the other guy in a slump. That is your main job.
Lately, I have had the sense that you may be carrying your hitting problems out to the field. We cannot afford this. Even the best hitters go hot and cold; there is virtually no way to be a consistent hitter. Luck has a lot to do with it. I believe you will have enough good at-bats to help the offense a lot over the course of the year.
Concentrating on defense takes determination and concentration. You are capable of doing these things consistently, because luck need not enter into it.
During the second half, try to work on your communication skills with the staff. When you get to the point where you can support your pitchers with more than just your mitt, your arm, and your pitch selection, you will become a truly great catcher.
Tony Eusebio Your work behind the plate this year has been exceptional. You have received the ball well, thrown well, and you have done a good job calling pitches. In my opinion, you have become a very fine defensive catcher.
Now that you are swinging the bat well again, I believe you will make major contributions to our offense as well.
Brad is a good defensive catcher too. This is a luxury. Now that you have injured your knee, you can probably understand why we needed another catcher. Nothing against Randy Knorr, but we would be in big trouble this year if Brad got hurt and you had to play every day.
If you can get your knee healthy this winter, I think you will be ready to be a Number 1 guy. I know you are a big man, but I hope you will try to keep your yourself as light as possible, so there won’t be as much of a burden on your legs.
In the second half, I expect you to keep D.K. going and get some more key pinch-hits. If your knee improves, I may ask you to catch a little more.
Jeff Bagwell You are once again meeting the high standards you have set for yourself. It has been a privilege to watch you play — day by day, year by year.
I have nothing critical to say about your game. I do, however, get messages from your body language that say, “I’m frustrated. What more can I do? Why don’t these other guys play harder, or smarter?”
The sad fact of the matter is that they probably can’t or won’t play harder or smarter. The same things that keep eating away at me seem to be getting you too.
I try to stay optimistic and positive, and present a picture of confidence. I’m sure there times when I don’t pull it off. This is about the only criticism I have of you — that you don’t always pull it off, either.
You are a serious-minded guy, and I don’t expect you to be a cheerleader or a clown. I do think, however, that through conscientious effort, you may be able to hide some of your frustrations and present a positive, optimistic picture to your teammates.
The only other thing I want to mention regards playing time. I know you want to play every day. You generally play under control, and I usually don’t feel the need to rest you. But there are times when you probably need a break — not for physical reasons but to relieve the mental and emotional strain of getting “up” for each game. You could do me a tremendous favor by helping me know when to do it.
I can look up matchup information and use days before or after off-days, but these days may not be as beneficial to you as an ordinary day in the schedule when you have a nagging injury or are just feeling the weight of the team on your shoulders.
We cannot win this thing with Bagwell, Biggio, Kile, and Wagner. No matter what you do, we need contributions from the other starters and bench players. I have been tempted to rest you several times, and I couldn’t quite make myself do it because wins have not been coming easily and I feel the pressure to get something going in the way of positive momentum.
Still, I could go the whole year without finding a good-enough excuse to rest you. I will have to do it a couple more times this year, and it would help if you gave some input as to when a good time would be.
Craig Biggio You have another great year going. It has been a pleasure to watch you this year, and in years past. You are a true professional; a team player; a fierce competitor. The only thing that has bothered me a little is your ferocity.
A couple of weeks ago, when you made an error in Chicago, I was afraid you were going to hurt yourself banging around down there in the runway. It is difficult enough for me to find a spot to rest you, and it worries me when you expend so much energy outside the lines.
I have nothing against blowing off a little steam. In fact, I like it, because it sends a message to the other players that you are putting your heart and soul into the game. I would just caution you to think about what you are doing to the extent that you don’t drain your battery or hurt yourself.
One message that you sometimes send is not so great for the team. That is the message I read in your body language when guys screw up, or don’t give us a good effort, or just have a brain cramp.
Everyone is going to make these mistakes. But when the same guy or guys keep making them, day in and day out, and don’t even seem to be bothered by it, you get mad, just like I do.
I have had to bite my lip a few times, and I’m sure I have thrown some body-language daggers myself. There will come a time when I have to confront someone, but most of the time I believe that I need to send positive and upbeat signals — even when I’m pissed off.
I’m not suggesting you hide your feelings, and let anger burn inside you. I’m only introducing these thoughts to give you a chance to think about them.
No manager can make every guy on the team happy all the time. I just have to do what I think is best, and most of the time it’s only an educated guess. Part of education is gathering information. I am open to ideas from anyone who has enough experience to have significant baseball knowledge.
In this regard, I would appreciate your thoughts on the team and the game. I may not always act on your suggestions, but there may be times when you see things or think of things that will help.
There is no one way to play this game. Most of my decisions are either/or. Very few are simple and clearcut. You and some of the other players can help me, just as the coaches do. You have been pretty good about sharing your thoughts, and I hope you will continue to do so.
Bill Spiers You have had a great first half. Your ability to answer the call and play with injuries has been critical to our success. I guess “above and beyond the call of duty” would be the best way to describe your contribution so far.
The only thing I would say by way of encouragement is that you may be a better hitter than you realize. Sometimes I think you give the pitcher too much credit, and you give up some of your strength to protect against your weakness. In the first half, this has paid dividends, as you have drawn a lot of walks by waiting for a good pitch to hit. But you have also given up some clout in so doing.
If you don’t drive the ball, pitchers will start challenging you. Then you will not be able to draw the walks. There is a fine line here, but what I am saying is that you can’t protect a .300 average all year by being somewhat defensive at the plate. You’ll continue to get your hits, but if they are mostly singles and the walk ratio declines, your offensive value will decline too. What I am saying is that I would like you to be a little — just a little — more aggressive.
In the second half, I am going to try to get Sean Berry going again as a semiregular player. If this works, you will be back in an all-around utility role. I know I am going to have to rest Bidge some, and I know I am going to see some matchups that suggest that I start you at short. You will still get a lot of playing time, but it may be at several positions, more that it has so far.
One thing that I think you can help with is team unity. Some of your running mates are a little intolerant of guys who are not pulling their share of the load. I admit, I am the same way myself.
Gonzo is a guy who seems to bridge the gaps between the various groups of players on the team. With your personality and intelligence, I think that you can do some of the same work, and internally help keep everyone pulling in the same direction.
Tim Bogar Your excellent defense has solidified our infield. This is a major contribution, as it helps the whole pitching staff, giving them more confidence. You have been an unselfish player. You did not complain earlier when you weren’t getting any playing time, and you have been a good teammate and a positive influence on the team.
Your hitting has not been great, but your work habits are good, and I believe your bat will improve. I would encourage you to work on your hitting but not to worry about it. The hits will come with more playing time. Just keep doing the things you have been doing, and you will help us win a lot of games.
Sean Berry Naturally, I am disappointed that your recovery has been a little more difficult than we imagined.
I can’t really pass judgment on your hitting at this time. Will you return to last year’s form? Will you perform as you did with the Expos: good, but not great? Or are your best years still ahead? These are questions that you may be able to answer in the coming months.
For now, the only thing I can say is keep working your way through it and I will check with Dave Labossiere every day to monitor your progress.
On the fielding side, I would judge your work to be average to slightly-below average. I believe that it will get better as you get more-regular playing time, but this presents a dilemma. Do we play you as much as possible now, hoping for better hitting and fielding? Or do we mix-and-match as we have been, just trying to win games one at a time, and wait for your shoulder to heal before playing you on a daily basis?
From a selfish standpoint, I would prefer to start playing you more. This may not yield immediate dividends, but it could be very important to you and the ballclub, because of the decisions that we must make this fall.
As you know, free-agency and expansion-draft decisions must be made by the ballclub in the next few months. If we don’t know more than we know right now, we may lose you. I suppose this could happen anyway, but since I like your bat and your attitude, I would like to see you make it difficult for us not to try to sign and protect you. The only way this can happen is if you play more and play well.
You are the only one who can truly serve as guardian of your own future. I don’t know the medical risks of playing with your injury, and I can’t even offer any advice.
I think it is safe to say that you will be in the big leagues somewhere next season — probably as a starting third-baseman. I would like to have you here, but I’m sure you understand that we can’t make a decision to move forward with the idea of you being our man unless you prove that you can hit about like you did last season, and field adequately.
I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable by raising this issue, but this is the nature of the business. None of us really knows for sure what we will be doing from year to year, or where we will be doing it. Most of us like to stay in one place, however, and try to make ourselves indispensable. I hope that you will be able to make us feel this way about you in the coming months.
Ricky Gutiérrez I hope you don’t think I was blowing smoke when I told you that if I were the manager last year, you would have played more. At that time, I felt that you were the best defensive shortstop we had. It’s nice to have a good hitter at the shortstop position, but for me, fielding comes first.
When we got Pat Listach, we thought we were getting a player with explosive speed; it didn’t turn out that way. Billy Spiers is a nice all-around infielder, but he doesn’t have the range or the arm I like to see in a shortstop. Bogey is a little short on range, but his footwork and quick, accurate throwing arm have been impressive. This is why he has been playing a lot lately.
Aside from the catcher, the shortstop is the most-important defensive player on the field. A good shortstop can make an entire pitching staff more confident, and more effective. This is why we often give up hitting to get good fielding at this position.
Good pitching is the trademark of almost every championship team. It is difficult to have really good pitching without a good catcher and a good shortstop.
In my opinion, you can be as good a shortstop as Bogey — maybe better. You are still young, and middle infielders generally get better with age. But they don’t get better without work.
This is why I am glad that you accepted the challenge of working with Gene Coleman to improve your quickness. It would have been easy for you to just give up, and wait for expansion next year. The fact that you didn’t do that shows that you are a professional ballplayer — not just a guy hanging around to pick up a paycheck.
Everybody wants to play every day. Some guys are talented enough to do this without working at it. In your case, I don’t believe it will be that easy. If you show improvement this summer, you will get more playing time, and you will put yourself in a better position going into next year. If you continue your work in the winter, I honestly think you can win an everyday job.
Several years ago, I made a statement on the broadcast that I thought Steve Finely would become a power hitter, with 20 or more home runs a year. Bill Brown about fell out of his chair. He thought I was kidding. I wasn’t kidding, and I was right.
I don’t feel quite as certain about you, because I haven’t seen you in live game conditions as much as I had seen Steve. But I do have the same feeling about you: that you might become somewhat of a power hitter.
Now here’s the surprise: I also think it is possible that you could win an everyday job at third base or second base. Your range, hands, and arm are good enough for these positions right now.
What I am suggesting is that, in my opinion, you are kind of in-between now: not quite what we look for in quickness at shortstop, and not quite as powerful a hitter as we look for at third or second.
In my mind, this gives you several opportunities to work your way into the lineup, and to make some real money. Both ways will take work — not just for a few weeks, but all year.
Of course, you could devote your time to this work and still not get the everyday job. But you would still be stronger and faster, and that may give you a couple of extra years at the end of your career.
Coaches, managers, and scouts pay a lot of attention to the way a player handles himself. Does he get to the park early? Stay late? Does he do extra work? Does he concentrate in batting practice and during infield?
These things don’t guarantee success, but they do make a statement about a player’s commitment to the game.
I see Ricky Gutiérrez as a player who is popular on the team, who works pretty hard, and who is a pretty good hitter and a decent fielder. There is room for improvement.
I hope you keep on working until you get that starting job you want. In the meantime, I will try to play you enough to keep your bat going, and to give us a look at how your fielding is coming along.
James Mouton I really like the way you are swinging the bat now. But I am having trouble finding enough playing time for you, especially with this long list of righthanders we have been facing.
In my opinion, you are sort of in-between in terms of having the skills to play every day. Your outfield work is plenty good enough for the corners, but your bat is a little light. Your bat is adequate for a great defensive centerfielder, but your glove is only adequate in center.
As you know, I have been a James Mouton fan all along. I think it has a lot to do with your dedication, to the game and to your faith and family. I am always pulling for you to do something to win the everyday job, but I have to be realistic. There is no way I can play a guy because I like him, hoping that it will work out in the end.
When you first came up, you got a long look. Now you are in a part-time and specialty role. It can be difficult to break out of this situation, but it is not impossible. I have seen numerous players hit their stride in their late 20s or even in their 30s and then go on and have several productive years as everyday players.
Ironically, the one thing that seems to hold you back is the intensity of your desire. To unlock the door to a better future, you need to relax and concentrate at the same time. This is the most important attribute of successful players: they relax enough to let their talent flow, and they concentrate hard enough to avoid mental mistakes.
When I see you bobble a ground ball in the outfield or swing at a pitch in the dirt, I get the feeling that you are just wound up too tight. You make more than your share of mental mistakes, and I know you are an intelligent person. You need to find a way to block out all distractions and concentrate on the situation at hand.
Once again, I think this is a function of relaxation. If you are worried about having struck out and not thinking about the situation, you might do something like trying to throw a runner out at the plate with a two-run lead — and in the process, miss the cutoff man, allowing the tying run to go to second base.
Most of the time, you have time to play the “what if?” game. If I have to go back, I’m going to do this. If I have to charge in, I’ll do that. If they hit a double here, we’ll be in trouble. We could afford a single, so I’ll play a little deeper.
These thoughts concentrate on the situation at the moment. As each moment passes, the situation changes. A guy is a lot more likely to hit a long ball or pull the ball when the count is 2-0 than he is 0-2. This is why we have to constantly monitor the moment, and forget everything else.
To do this and to relax is not easy, but it is what stands between you and the everyday job.
Mac and I believe you are ready. I didn’t see it in the few games I saw in Puerto Rico, but I see it now in practice. If someone gets hurt or we face some lefthanders, you will get another chance to prove you are ready. I hope you will be able to seize the opportunity.
Chuck Carr I haven’t seen enough to really evaluate you as a ballplayer, but I certainly appreciate your attitude thus far. Your outfield play has been a considerable upgrade from what we were getting before you arrived. You hitting has been pretty good too. As long as you play the good defense, you will start most of the games.
I know you have had some problems “getting along” in the past. As far as I am concerned, that slate is wiped clean. I hope you will find that being a conscientious professional ballplayer is as rewarding or more rewarding than being a one-man “Chuckie Carr Show.”
Luis González Your hitting has been good. Your defense has been excellent. And your attitude has been damn near perfect. In short, you are a fine ballplayer and an asset to the team.
Of course, I knew these things going in, and that’s why I continued to promote you during the winter. Keep up the good work.
One more thing: I believe Gerry is more aware of your intangible contributions to the team now. I told him this winter, but now he has seen for himself.
As we plan our course for the 1998 season, we have to deal with arbitration, free agency, and the expansion draft. I don’t know how you will fit into this picture, but I know we would both like to have you back.
If you think it is appropriate, you might have a talk with Gerry, or have your agent call him so that we can come up with a plan for keeping you, if you want to come back here.
Thomas Howard I was really glad to hear Gene Coleman say that you came to him to do some extra work. I have had the impression all year long that your heart wasn’t really in it; that you were just playing out the string here. This distresses me, because I think you are a much better player than we have seen.
I know you may not be as good as you were playing against the Astros in the past. Maybe our judgment has been colored by the great games you played against us. I do honestly feel, however, that you were lighter then, faster then, and brought more energy to the playing field then.
If I had to guess why things are different, I would start with the rules of the game. In most people’s minds you have probably been typecast as a fourth outfielder, and a guy who can play every day if someone gets hurt.
This is because your defense has not been great; because you are fast enough to get around the bases, but not fast enough to be a big base-stealer; and because you have hit for average but without home-run power and without many walks. In other words, your skills don’t fit neatly into any everyday package.
Still, when contract time comes along, your numbers are good enough for a large raise. Since most clubs don’t want to pay top dollar to guys who don’t play every day, you have been traded or nontendered.
You have bounced around from one team to another, like a mercenary — a soldier of fortune, who fights for money but not for love. The passion just isn’t there. If you had played here all these years, it would be different. But you have not, and I don’t really blame you for not being more gung-ho.
In addition to this, there is the family problem. I don’t know the details, but I imagine it is a lot like what happened to me in 1970 when I was going through a divorce.
In 1969 I had a 2.33 ERA. In 1970 it went up to 3.84. I still pitched a lot of innings and won some games, but my heart wasn’t in it. When we fell out of the race, I felt like I was pitching for the lawyers and my ex-wife. In other words, “Why should I kill myself to make money I can’t keep for myself?” This was not good thinking, but that’s where my head was at the time.
The long and short of it is that this is an unforgiving game. It’s a “what have you done for me lately?” game. And what you have done for us is not going to do much for you next year, if it doesn’t get better.
I still remember you telling me at spring training that you were going to make it hard for me to not play you. At the time, I thought you would be right; I thought Bobby would have trouble making the grade. I thought we would be a contending team, and I thought that we would probably end up with a platoon with you and Mouton.
This has not been the case; partly because of your hitting, but mostly because of your speed. You haven’t covered as much ground as I thought you would. You haven’t been as good a baserunner as I thought you would be.
At your age, it is hard to maintain physical prowess. You will have to work harder than ever just to stay the same as you have been in the past. Every ballplayer faces this dilemma. Some attack the problem; some just fade away. I don’t think you will fade. But I’m not sure you have enough time left to rescue this season.
In spite of all these things, I am still interested in you for next season. Not if it’s going to be like this; only if it’s going to be a season where Thomas Howard dedicates himself to the Houston Astros.
The fact that you have gone to Gene tells me that you recognize these things. Your value for next year will depend upon the way you finish this season. My guess is that you will not be able to command a top salary, and that is why I am interested in what you can do by way of a comeback season.
I was able to come back and perform better when I got past the divorce and got a better attitude, and I believe you can do it too. I say this because there is one thing that I really like about your makeup: your competitive attitude.
I didn’t like it when you stormed out of the dugout in Denver, but I know where you are coming from: I made several ungraceful exits myself. This type of personal confidence and competitive desire is impossible to teach. And you have it.
I sense that you think you are going to get a hit every time you go up, and that when you don’t get a hit, you are more determined to get one the next time. I don’t think you are afraid of any pitcher or are intimidated by any situation. Because of these things, and because you know how to play the game and are still relatively young, I believe you will make a comeback. Depending on the market, someone could get a real good deal on Thomas Howard next year.
The reason I say next year and not this year is that I think it will be tough for you to get into the kind of shape you need to be in while the season is going on. It’s more of an offseason and spring-training conditioning program that you need, at least in my opinion.
I have seen you come into the dugout after scoring from first on a double, and you looked gassed: out of breath, sweating bullets. I think you need to play lighter and faster. This will take a big commitment and a reasonable length of time.
In the meantime, I expect you will still be able to hit, and for that reason you will still get enough starts to keep your bat ready for pinch-hitting. You are still my top pinch-hitter in RBI situations.
I know these things are not easy to accept, and I realize that I might not be right on target with all the things I have said. But I also think you are intelligent enough to know that you must maintain your speed if you want to maintain your value.
As it is, we are not getting your best — and worst of all, you are cheating yourself. As you get older, your playing career will be a precious thing. It will seem much more important than it does now. You will be much happier looking back if you know you gave it your best shot.
Derek Bell When we were in Temple, Texas before spring training, I remember you telling Drayton and me that you never work out in the offseason. “I get in shape in spring training,” you said. I was concerned about this when you said it, because it implied that you didn’t think you had to work as hard as the rest of the guys — that you thought your ability would carry you.
I hope you realize now that the line between a guy who has great ability and doesn’t work at his game, and a guy with good ability who does work is thin. This is a game where the superstars have to work just as hard or harder than than the rest of the players, just to stay on top.
In spring training, you were always concerned with whether you were getting to miss as much action as Bagwell and Biggio. You didn’t want to run sprints after the game, like everyone else. And you were hitting home runs left and right. You said you were going to be a 30-30 man. And I’m sure you believed it. I must admit, I thought you might do it too.
But when the season started, the league caught up to you. You weren’t swinging the bat that well, and you weren’t playing the outfield that well.
First, you wanted to hit in front of Bagwell. Then you wanted to play right field. You used every excuse in the book to keep from looking in the mirror and facing the facts:
You have lost your first-step quickness. You can’t steal bases with ease, like you did in the past. When you have to score from first on a double, you’re spent before you get to third. The other night, you looked like you were going to pass out when you came back to the dugout.
Does this make you a bad guy? No. It just means that you got a big contract and somehow thought that this, in itself, would insure your status as a star. As you can see now, it does not. Many players have fallen into this trap. You are not the first guy to get the midseason wakeup call.
So what do we do now? There is nothing we can do but keep playing and battling until we get the bat going, get the legs in shape, and return to form. This will not be easy. It will take some time. But it is clearly within your grasp, because you are still young.
Your body will bounce back. Your first-step quickness will return. Your outfield play will improve. But only if you look yourself in the eye and say, “I am willing to do what it takes to make my comeback.”
I know you have a great deal of pride in your ability. I know it has to be killing you to play this way. And I hope you don’t think that it will all come back like magic. Your hitting may return, because I know you have been working hard at it. But your outfield and baserunning ability won’t come back without a similar commitment.
To me, the saddest thing is that your teammates know you are letting them down. It’s not that they don’t like you; it’s just that they know that we can’t win this thing without the real Derek Bell. And they want to win it so bad they can taste it.
At this point, I don’t think they feel that you really care if we win it or not. I do not think this is true. I think you want it as bad as they do, but I think you are still in denial. You still think it’s where you hit in the lineup, or where you play in the field. You can’t face the fact that you have let your ability wither away.
If you want to grow a healthy plant, you have to water it; you have to fertilize it; you have to prune it. You have to treat it for insects and treat it for fungus. In other words, you have to nurture it.
Most of us just put the seed in the ground and hope for the best. That is because we are not farmers. Farmers depend on their crops for a living. They are professionals. They work at it every day.
We are professionals in baseball. As such, we cannot just hope for the best. We have to do all the things necessary to get the best result. We can’t just water, or just fertilize. We have to do everything in our power to get the best result.
Do you want to get the best result? Do you want to be a star? Do you want to go to the playoffs? Do you want the respect of your teammates? The adoration of the fans? I think you do, but I have my doubts about whether you will ever admit to yourself that you are going to have to work at it.
Sure, you are working at your hitting. But are you working on your strength? Your speed? Your throwing? Your leads? With your speed, you could put an end to a slump with a bunt. Can you bunt? No, you can’t. Willie Mays bunted. Mickey Mantle bunted. They had both speed and power, just like you. When the situation was right, they bunted to get on base. They were professionals.
All of these things tell me that you are not really a professional ballplayer. You are just a guy with a lot of talent who likes to make a lot of money and have nice things and a good time.
But I will tell you this: there will be a time after you retire when your baseball playing career will be the most precious, most cherished thing in your life. You will not be a happy person if you look back with regrets.
So far, you have wasted only half a year. This will be insignificant in the scope of your whole career if you get your wakeup call now, and get up and get going.
I know there is satisfaction in not having to do all the work and still performing well. I’ve been there myself. But the day came when that was no longer possible for me — and that day has come for you.
If you don’t become a professional now, you will surely regret it later. If you do accept the challenge, you will have many more great seasons and you will realize that there is more satisfaction in doing the work than getting out of it. The choice is up to you.
I really have no choice in this matter; we don’t have anyone who is better. Even if we did, I would have to play you, because of the money. I would have to hope that you would play better so we could trade you. But this is not what I want. I want the real Derek Bell — not just for the run production and the defense, but for the other intangibles.
Your personality is friendly. You’re kind of a nut; a likeable guy. Every team needs players who are funny, who have a good time, who bring a little life to the clubhouse. When you are playing well, you are that kind of guy.
I don’t expect miracles. And I’m not trying to burden you with the expectation that you will be a superstar. I do, however, expect you to be an above-average everyday player.
I want the real Derek Bell back. And I think you do, too. I just wonder if you want it badly enough.