Sunday, June 03, 2001
Perez deserved 2nd chance
Tony Perez no longer will manage by the seat of his pants. Sitting, he has decided, is too sedentary. He wants to manage the Florida Marlins on the move.
“I think I made a little mistake the first time,” Perez said Saturday afternoon. “I sat around too much. I was trying to learn about the game and I forgot a little about the players.”
Eight years after his abrupt exit from the Cincinnati Reds, Perez returns to the dugout resolved to be more involved. Managing a baseball team is not only about planning but presence. It's about setting a tone and cultivating an attitude.
A lot of guys can call a pitchout. A lot fewer guys can call a clubhouse meeting and expect everyone's attention. John Boles lost the Marlins job because his play ers stopped listening and started to mutiny. Perez was promoted to restore order and instill professionalism.
“What I want now is to keep everybody focused,” he said. “I want to make sure they're in the game and not talking about a movie they saw last night. I want them to think like I was — a winner.”
Hall of Fame players seldom make the best managers, but they rarely need to raise their voice to make themselves heard. This surely should work to Perez's advantage. Still, while his career numbers deserve respect, his decency and dignity demand it.
When he was asked to run the Marlins last week, Perez initially intended on an interim arrangement. He had other commitments on the autograph circuit and no real craving to fill out lineup cards again. Yet after three days in the dugout in Pittsburgh (and two victories), his resistance was dwindling rapidly.
Tuesday night, Perez told Alex Gonzalez to “hit one out,” before an at-bat. When the young shortstop complied, he turned to his manager in the midst of his home run trot with the smile of a child who has pleased a parent.
The next night, after a comeback victory, Perez was sought out by Jim Leyland, who managed the Marlins to the 1997 World Championship.
“He said, "You should stay,'” Perez said. “Coming from him, that made me think some more.”
Lobbying continued on the flight back to Florida. Several players left their seats to plead with Perez to reconsider his plans.
“Don't leave us,” infielder Kevin Millar begged.
By the time Perez crawled into bed after 4 a.m., he was wavering. The next day, during a staff review of prospective managers, Marlins general manager Dave Dombrowski asked him again to take the job full-time. This time, Perez was prepared to accept.
“Right now, it's 'til the end of the season,” he said. “I'm going to see what I can do. I want to prove myself. If I'm going to be a long-term manager, this is going to be the time to find out.”
Whether Perez can hold the position beyond season's end will depend on a variety of variables: how well the Marlins respond to his guidance; whether Felipe Alou is still available; whether Florida still has a franchise.
If Commissioner Bud Selig is sincere about reducing the number of major-league teams, the Marlins would seem a leading candidate for elimination. Perez's hiring was motivated at least in part by his popularity in Miami's Hispanic community and its influence on the campaign for a downtown ballpark.
“It might help,” Perez said. “I hope it helps. I think it will help.”
It couldn't hurt.
E-mail tsullivan@enquirer.com. Past columns at Enquirer.com/columns/sullivan.
Reds Stories
Q&A with Dick LeBeau
DAUGHERTY: Tiger can win anytime, anywhere
Darkness halts Memorial
Memorial Golf Notebook
Tristate Golf Notebook
Best and worst of week in sports
Bowden uses media to his disadvantage
Pitcher becomes pastor
U.S. bobsledders focus of benefit
Auto Racing Insider
Ducks don't raise ticket prices
CCD wins state baseball title
Symbols of A.J. Cohen inspired dad, brother
Hamilton throws away softball title
Ohio boys track highlights
Ohio boys track results
Ohio girls track highlights
Ohio girls track results
Kentucky boys track highlights
Kentucky boys track results
Kentucky girls track highlights
Kentucky girls track results
Kentucky tennis highlights
Kentucky tennis results
N.Ky. baseball highlights
• Return to Reds front page...
SULLIVAN: Perez deserved 2nd chance
