Saturday, May 04, 2002
Under Hurdle, Rockies' road has become suddenly smooth
Team confident - and winning - under new manager
The Associated Press
DENVER — It's getting harder and harder for Clint Hurdle to deflect credit for the Colorado Rockies' abrupt turnaround.
Promoted to replace Buddy Bell as Colorado's manager a week ago after the worst start in team history (6-16), Hurdle vowed to bring fun back to the dugout and clubhouse.
He has done that, to go along with a 6-0 record.
Heading into Friday night's game in Philadelphia, Hurdle was just trying to enjoy the ride.
“I happened to be in the right place at the right time. No more than that,” he said. “I'm not pitching, I'm not hitting, I'm not playing defense. I'm just trying to get things loosened up a little bit here, get a little focus, see some smiles in the dugout.
“I told our guys, the biggest challenge now is when we go somewhere and things don't work our way for a few days in a row. We have to maintain the same mentality that we've had. It's a consistent confidence.”
Clearly, his approach is working — the players love the changed atmosphere.
“You hate to call your manager a big goofball, but he is,” outfielder Larry Walker said. “He's full of excitement, he's fun and he jokes around. He keeps everybody loose. He's brought a new spirit to the clubhouse and the bench. There's a lot of confidence around here now.”
Hurdle, 44, had a nondescript major-league career despite being on the cover of Sports Illustrated — and dubbed “This Year's Phenom” — before the 1978 season. Over 11 seasons he played in only 515 games and finished with a career batting average of .259.
He embarked on a managerial career in the New York Mets' system, reaching Triple-A before he found himself out of work in 1993 after a change in regime.
He joined Colorado's organization a year later and began his sixth year as the its hitting coach this spring before taking over as manager.
But it's superb pitching, not hitting, that fueled Colorado's winning streak. In Hurdle's first six games as the manager, the team's starters went a combined 6-0 with a 1.08 ERA — all at hitter-friendly Coors Field.
“Starting pitching — that's the whole ball of wax,” Hurdle said. “That's where it's all started. I'm a hitting coach but I'll tell you this: The better we pitch, the better defense we'll play and the more games we're going to win because it's going to be close late.
“If you can stay close late, the other team is going to lose half of those games on their own. Why do the Yankees and the Braves win? They stay close late because they can pitch and play defense.”
Mike Hampton limited Pittsburgh to three hits in seven scoreless innings of a 10-0 win. The next night, Denny Neagle went one better, holding the Pirates to three hits in eight shutout innings.
Then, on Thursday, John Thomson didn't allow a hit until there was one out in the seventh.
“Your momentum is as good as your next starting pitcher's effort,” Hurdle said. “We're on a real good roll.”
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Under Hurdle, Rockies' road has become suddenly smooth
