Sunday, June 18, 2000
NL INSIDER
Reds coach unfazed by Bouton book
By Chris Haft
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Special attention has been paid this month to the 30th anniversary of the publication of Jim Bouton's groundbreaking book, Ball Four. A commemorative hardback edition of Bouton's inside look at baseball life is being published. Several ESPN.com correspondents wrote paeans to Bouton's work.
(A personal note: One of my most privileged moments as a baseball writer occurred in New York during my rookie year when Larry Dierker sang a few stanzas of “It Makes a Fellow Proud to be an Astro” for me.)
But many of Bouton's contemporaries who actually played the game couldn't care less. Reds hitting coach Denis Menke is among them. Menke, who was mentioned only briefly toward the end of Ball Four after Bouton was traded from the Seattle Pilots to the Houston Astros, expressed no bitterness toward the knuckleballer for writing an expose. But as somebody who experienced what Bouton chronicled — though he probably wasn't as wild as some of the book's notable characters — Menke figured, what's the big deal?
“I pretty much didn't think about it,” said Menke, an All-Star shortstop on Bouton's Astros. “I never had to worry about what he said about me. But some guys — I'm sur prised Doug Rader didn't try to pinch his head off.”
Menke never put himself in position to let Ball Four annoy or anger him.
“I never read it,” he said. “I think I started reading it, got bored and never did finish it.”
KIM CAN: The Arizona Diamondbacks have all but officially changed closers. Byung-Hyun Kim, who has outpitched Matt Mantei this year, is the new man.
Kim has converted three save opportunities since Mantei squandered a 4-1 lead in the 10th inning of a 4-3 loss to Chicago on June5. The Korean sidearmer entered the weekend with a strikeouts-per-nine innings ratio of 15.3, exceeding last year's record of 14.9 set by Houston's Billy Wagner.
Kim continued to insist that Mantei is the bullpen ace. But Mantei, who frequently has been injured, sensed otherwise.
“I need to have some successful innings,” said Mantei, who allowed nine earned runs, 11 hits and nine walks in his first 11ö innings while weathering ankle, biceps tendon and shoulder injuries. “If I keep pitching well, I'll pitch myself back into the role I want to be in. If I keep pitching like (crap), I don't keep that role.”
Said manager Buck Showalter, trying to remain diplomatic, “We're lucky we have two to choose from.”
PENNY'S PINCHED: Inclement weather has curtailed three of Brad Pen ny's last four starts, leading to his obvious nickname: Rain Man.
That's playful. What's not funny is Penny's soggy effectiveness. All this rain has prevented the promising rookie from building endurance. Reds fans might remember that he pitched 5ô no-hit innings at Cinergy Field on May 27 before Mother Nature sent him to the showers. But he has pitched just 12 innings in his last four starts and has made it through the sixth just once in his last seven outings.
“It's killing me going two innings at a time,” said Penny, 0-5 with four no-decisions since opening with a 3-1 record. “You can condition and run all you want, but it gets to be the sixth inning and you're tired. I've got to pitch some innings.”
WAIT & SEE: Though Mike Hampton has overcome his abysmal start for the New York Mets, club management will wait until the end of the season before trying to sign the left-hander and prevent him from entering the free-agent market.
“Both sides agreed that unless our positions changed, we wouldn't be calling after every single start,” said Mets general manager Steve Phillips, having been tempered by failed talks in spring training.
The Mets don't want to pay the $14 million a year Hampton allegedly wants. But they know the pitfalls of delays. They adopted a similar wait-and-see strategy last year with first baseman John Olerud, who fled to Seattle.
New York would like to think Hampton wants to stay there. Said Mets infielder Todd Zeile, “He walks around the clubhouse like he's happy.”
Said catcher Mike Piazza: “Mike does seem to be fitting in, but who knows what he's thinking? What I worry about is him signing with the Braves. Imagine that rotation with Mike.”
DUSTY'S DESTINY: San Francisco manager Dusty Baker has remained coy about his hazy future. His contract expires after this year, and the Giants want to re-sign him, but he sounded reluctant to negotiate during the season.
“Right now, the ball is in my court,” Baker said. The advantage belongs to him, too. Though the Giants are stuck in fourth place, Baker is hugely popular among players and fans. The Giants' series-opening victory over the Reds last Monday made Baker the winningest San Francisco manager ever.
“I want to concentrate on getting the team going, seeing more consistency from them,” Baker said. “That's what my focus is now. The contract stuff will take care of itself.”
QUICK PITCHES: Pittsburgh first baseman Kevin Young derived a special thrill from hitting his 100th career homer. It happened to come at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, near where he grew up. “I didn't give it much thought until someone brought it up,” Young said. “But I couldn't pick a better place to do it.”
• As the July 31 trading deadline approaches, the San Diego Padres are expected to dangle infielder Ed Sprague, catcher Carlos Hernandez and perhaps outfielder Al Martin in proposed deals. General manager Kevin Towers supposedly promised Sprague he'd be dealt to a contender if the Padres didn't win. Hernandez is available because Wiki Gonzalez has emerged and Ben Davis remains a prospect. Martin's off-field headaches make him a potential albatross, though he can hit.
• Philadelphia's Curt Schilling needed his strong outing Friday night against Atlanta (eight innings, five hits, one run, 11 strikeouts in the Phillies' 2-1 victory over Atlanta). Before that, the staff ace owned a 1-4 record, a 6.34 ERA and a .320 opponents' batting average. “I've never gone through a stretch like this,” said Schilling, who has struggled with shoulder problems. “My arm feels great. I'm just pitching bad.”
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Reds coach unfazed by Bouton book
