Blog: Leyland Chats Up Storm With Writers:

Posted By: Kirk Griffin

SUNDAY, March 26:

TAMPA, Fla. — Interviews with managers, especially during spring training, are unlike chats with football, basketball and hockey coaches — ever.

Each day before and after exhibition games, writers gather around managers in an office or a dugout and spend lots of time asking questions, hearing stories and laughing at jokes.

These relaxed sessions can last up to 30 minutes and moments of silence are not awkward, nor do they lead to managers or PR guys ending the conversation. During the season, pregame chats can be just as lengthy while postgame interviews are much shorter because of deadlines.

Football coaches — pro and college — talk after practices and games and most would rather reveal trick plays than talk to reporters twice a day for up to an hour like managers do. NBA and NHL coaches chat with the media two times on game days, once after the shootaround or morning skate and again with a postgame session, but those are usually quick, nuts-and-bolts interviews.

Listening to Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland is almost more enjoyable than a sunny day in the mid-60s for a reporter escaping the cold of the Motor City.

When asked Thursday about second baseman Placido Polanco, Leyland said: "He's kind of like an old shoe — real comfortable."

Leyland told Justin Verlander and Joel Zumaya on Saturday they earned spots in the rotation and bullpen, respectively, a day after telling Jason Grilli and Roman Colon they wouldn't be starters.

"I think it was more important to talk to the other guys first, and I told them that," Leyland said. "But they didn't care what else I said. If I would've told them to wash my car, they would've done it."

Did he?

"If it was my own, I would've — but this was a rental," Leyland deadpanned.

When asked today about the possibility of using infielder Omar Infante being as a pinch-runner, Leyland quipped. "It's not like you're putting Jesse Owens in there to run."

_AP Sports Writer Larry Lage

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MONDAY, March 20:

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Some players end interviews by scowling and storming away. David Ortiz has a much more pleasant way of wrapping things up. The Red Sox cheerful designated hitter takes his cologne from his locker and playfully sprays reporters.

That's how he finished an 11-minute, one-on-one conversation today about Boston's trade for outfielder Wily Mo Pena, a fellow Dominican who Ortiz says — if you can believe it — has even more power than he does.

Pena also is more muscular. Ortiz described him as "Gabe Kapler in my body." Kapler is another Red Sox outfielder and isn't nearly as big as Ortiz or Pena but has bulging biceps and a very well defined upper torso. I'm not sure what scent any of those players use.

But in a clubhouse filled with sweaty jerseys and dirty socks, reporters don't complain much about Ortiz's parting shots.

_AP Sports Writer Howard Ulman

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SUNDAY, March 19:

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — While watching Detroit Tigers lefty Kenny Rogers pitch against the Houston Astros on Sunday I was reminded of the last time I saw him pitch in person.

It was the summer before my senior year of high school and my family and I made the five-hour drive from our home in the tiny west Texas town of New Deal to the big ol' Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex for a short vacation.

My parents had bought tickets for us to see a Texas Rangers game and check out their less than four-month-old ballpark. My brother and I were most excited about going to Six Flags amusement park, which is situated right next the ballpark, but we figured a baseball game could be fun too.

Were we ever in for a treat.

You see, it was July 28, 1994 and we lucked into seeing Rogers pitch his perfect game against the Angels. Our seats were far from great, but they weren't nosebleeds either, and we witnessed history with rapt attention from our second level perch.

Almost 12 years later I can still remember the rising electricity in the air as the innings kept going by without a hit. By the sixth inning virtually everyone was on their feet and going crazy — exchanging high fives and jumping up and down with each out.

When center fielder Rusty Greer caught a fly ball for the last out, the noise was so overwhelming that I couldn't hear well the rest of the night.

His legacy was likely forever tarnished when he shoved two cameramen on the field before a game last June also against the Angels, but please forgive me if I choose to remember him as he was on that magical summer night when he was perfect.

_AP Sports Writer Kristie Rieken

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Even the most hardcore Giants fans or dedicated fantasy players won't get too worked up about who the Giants take as their fifth outfielder.

Todd Linden? Jason Ellison? It's not like either one of those players will impact the standings of the NL West or your fantasy league.

But for the players involved, the difference couldn't be bigger between being a backup in the majors or a starter at Triple-A Fresno. Just take salaries for starters — Ellison would make $345,000 in the majors and $243,750 in the minors while Linden will be paid $330,000 in the majors and $144,150 in the minors.

"It affects you in every way — where you are going to be, where your family will see you, how you pack your clothes, where you send your car, financially, the meals, everything," Linden said. "It's night and day. It's a fine line and it's night and day."

Just something to think about when you peruse the transactions lists over the next couple of weeks.

For the record, Ellison appears to have the lead right now with a .475 spring average through Saturday and the ability to play all three outfield spots. Linden is hitting .293 and is the bigger power threat.

_AP Sports Writer Josh Dubow

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SATURDAY, March 18:

TUCSON, Ariz. — They really should think about putting up a netting in the right-field picnic area at Hi Corbett Field.

That's where the players' wives and kids hang out during the game, and it's a nice, grassy area with some trees, toys scattered around and babies toddling about while their daddies go about the business of baseball.

The only thing that breaks up the tranquility is the all-too-often "Heads Up!" when a foul ball comes slicing toward the area.

On Sunday, a foul ball came screaming through the area and came within five feet of a little boy probably no older than 2 years old.

The adults that are there just can't shield the kids when the foul balls are heading that way.

It'd be nice to see them put up some netting before somebody gets hurt.

_AP Sports Writer Arnie Stapleton.

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FRIDAY, March 17:

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — You drive in Florida, then you drive some more.

That is, you crawl along on Interstate-4 through construction and then putter down the backstreets when you're stuck behind some lovely senior citizens on their way to another early-bird special.

Spring training is about renewal, and some hard time behind the steering wheel.

But it's all good. Driving with the windows open in 75-degree weather while listening to a new CD makes the 2-hour-plus jaunt to Dunedin or the bumper-to-bumper traffic in Kissimmee much easier to take.

A few years ago my colleague, Ben Walker, showed me how you can always pick up an NCAA basketball game on the radio in March down here. And just this week in the heart of SEC country, I've heard Florida, Arkansas and LSU broadcasts.

With a week to go, I've already logged 500 miles on the rental car with trips to Tampa, Sarasota and Kissimmee set for next week. Sometimes I wonder how ballplayers handle the boring travel and the constant packing and unpacking that goes along with it.

Then it hits me: They get paid huge money and get to play a kid's game in front of thousands of adoring fans.

And I get to watch.

_AP Sports Writer Tom Withers

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WEDNESDAY, March 15:

KISSIMEE, Fla. — Michael Jackson's recent legal troubles haven't soured a trio of Houston Astros on his music. Preston Wilson, Brad Ausmus and Chris Burke took turns doing their interpretations of his famous dance moves while Jackson's 1980s hit "Thriller" was piped into the stadium during batting practice before the Astros faced the New York Yankees on Wednesday.

Both Wilson and Ausmus added a little leg twist at the end of the their dances and then erupted into uproarious laughter.

But a note from a casual observer: they should probably stick to their day jobs as their dance moves certainly left something to be desired.

_AP Sports Writer Kristie Rieken

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TUESDAY, March 14:

MESA, Ariz. — Off in the distance, snow capped the mountains. The view from the press box could have easily been mistaken for a scene from the Northwest — if not for the cacti, sunshine and temperatures in the 70s.

The snow fell during a rare winter storm the other day.

And since we're on the subject of storms, this seems like a good time to bring up Mark Prior.

The Chicago Cubs' ace was supposed to throw off the mound on Tuesday, but he never made it there. His right shoulder acted up during long tosses, and he'll be examined by a specialist in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The Cubs hope this is nothing more than a minor setback for Prior, who they hoped would pitch in three exhibition games.

Cubs fans who have seen Prior and Kerry Wood go down more than a few times over the years are probably a little nervous, bracing for some rough weather.

_AP Sports Writer Andrew Seligman

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VERO BEACH, Fla. — Right down Vin Scully Way on Field 2, a salamander scurries over an empty bench. Slow down, little guy. No one's ever in a hurry here.

It's hard to explain just how special this place is for fans. Officially, it's called Dodgertown. To those who come back every March, it's more like Mecca.

This is baseball's petting zoo, where players mix with ordinary people, as casually as if they were at the mall. Put away the high screen fences and amped-up security guards that separate them at other spring training parks. Only a couple of rules: Please let the players go when they've got work to do, and move off the paved paths when Tom Lasorda comes zipping by in his golf cart.

On this late afternoon, while two old-timey biplanes from an air show climb through puffy clouds, a bunch of prospects practice under the watch of former Dodgers star — and Triple-A coach — Steve Yeager. He hits a grounder that skips off a pebble and nicks the young shortstop's wrist. The next fungo, the kid is a bit spooked and plays it off to the side. Got to break that habit.

"Shaggers, let's go!" Yeager shouts to a couple of guys lollygagging near the water jug. They make it to the outfield, eventually.

Funny thing: Because this town is a mere dot on the map of Florida's east coast, some players deride it as Zero Beach. But I'll guarantee this: When they're old and gray and the bad hops outnumber the good ones, the days they spent here will be those they remember most fondly.

_AP Sports Writer Ben Walker

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MONDAY, March 13

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Kind of messy game here tonight between the Nationals and Mets. Balls bouncing all over the yard, most of the big stars missing because of the World Baseball Classic.

The Mets led 10-4 in the top of the seventh, it was really dragging. And then — presto! — the lights went out. Not all of them of them, but enough that they couldn't play anymore. That was fine by Washington manager Frank Robinson ... his team was facing an hour-plus drive home, plus a pair of split-squad games tomorrow afternoon.

I'd only seen this once before. When I was a kid in the 1960s, my best friend's dad took a bunch of us to D.C. Stadium to see the Senators play the Kansas City Athletics. We'd just bought our popcorn when the lights flickered off. Man, were we disappointed. I can still remember walking toward the parking lot, turning around and hoping the lights had come back on. No luck.

Tonight, no one seemed to mind.

_AP Sports Writer Ben Walker

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LAKELAND, Fla. — On my drive from Orlando to Tampa today, I stopped by Tigertown to catch a few innings of a split-squad game between Detroit and Pittsburgh. Obviously, the marquee matchup up the day. Sparse crowd.

But I really like the quaint, cozy atmosphere at Joker Marchant Stadium, and I was glad I popped in because it was probably my last chance to do so this spring.

The Pirates have a young middle-infield tandem that can really pick it: shortstop Jack Wilson and second baseman Jose Castillo. They play defense with a little bit of flair, too, which makes them fun to watch.

I saw Castillo turn about four double plays, I think, and he's really quick around the bag. I noticed it last season as well. Now that Luis Castillo has moved from the Florida Marlins to the Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh's Castillo could be in line for an NL Gold Glove award. But he'll probably have to beat out Orlando Hudson, the AL winner at second base last year who is now with Arizona. That might be tough. I like Hudson a lot, too. I saw him make a couple of mind-boggling plays for Toronto the past few years.

_AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick

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SUNDAY, March 12:

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Those hanging around the field Friday before the United States played South Africa in the World Baseball Classic might have witnessed a tender moment between three generations of Griffeys — Ken Griffey Sr., Junior, and his 12-year-old son, Trey.

Junior leaned in toward his father to adjust his dad's necklace, with Trey looking on inches behind them. All three sported similar chains around their necks.

Griffey Sr. coaches first base for the Americans, Griffey Jr. is playing on the team, and Trey has been working as a bat boy.

Meanwhile, longtime Giants equipment manager Mike Murphy stood in the San Francisco dugout that was being borrowed by the South African squad. He made a few faces and flapped his arms, the commotion of all the WBC hype a little much for him.

"Get back to normal, here," he said. Murphy is a man of routine, so the idea of the WBC and sharing a stadium is going to take some getting used to.

He's been with the club since it moved West in 1958, so change is certainly something he can get used to.

_AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The two-hour trip to Tucson is a dreaded one for most veteran major leaguers, and even some of the younger players. The kids don't dare complain; most have taken much longer bus rides while in the minors.

The old guys sometimes get a break and stay home.

Giants manager Felipe Alou loves the trek and seeing Picacho Peak, which he remembers passing back in his playing days five decades ago. The spot was long used as a landmark by early explorers.

Ken Macha, the Oakland Athletics' skipper, makes sure the A's team bus stops at Dairy Queen whenever possible along the way, and promises his players an ice cream treat.

"I'm open to bribes," he said for those players who would rather stay home.

It's always a race to the clubhouse information board the day rosters are posted for the Tucson road trip, and many breathe a sigh of relief or grimace when they get their assignment.

When someone asked Alou last week whether catcher Mike Matheny would be part of the team headed south for a Cactus League game against the World Series champion White Sox, Alou wasted no time offering an answer.

"There's no way we're going to get him on that bus — not even on a helicopter," Alou said with a smile.

Macha always was in the traveling group during his spring training days in Florida, where every trip is significantly longer than for Arizona exhibition games.

"We nicknamed ourselves the 'Bus Squad,'" Macha recalled.

How about Barry Bonds? San Francisco officials don't think their star slugger has made the trip in more than a decade.

"It's been a long time," Bonds said with a smile after hitting his first home run of the spring. "I can't even remember. What's the impact of me going to Tucson? None!"

_AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley

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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller is often at Chain of Lakes Park — in full uniform — to sign autographs during Cleveland Indians spring training games.

Yankees manager Joe Torre said he first met Feller in 1961 or 1962.

"He was trying to sell me an insurance policy. He worked for Northwestern Mutual, he sold for them in Milwaukee. I'll never forget it. And in fact, I think I did buy one. Who wouldn't buy one from Bob Feller?" Torre said.

_AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick

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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — There's no arguing that pitching in the thin air of Colorado is extremely difficult. The ball carries like nowhere else and breaking balls don't break as sharply.

But New York Yankees right-hander Shawn Chacon acknowledged something interesting today after his three-inning outing against the Indians.

"It's probably a little mental, too," he said.

Chacon, who often struggled at Coors Field, had a 2.85 ERA in 14 games (12 starts) with the Yankees last season after being traded by the Rockies in July. He thinks his experience in Colorado makes him more poised now in pressure situations.

"I would say pitching in Colorado probably helped me," Chacon said, "because more often than not you look up and you're in a jam."

_AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick

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SATURDAY, March 11:

MESA, Ariz. — The tarp is out. And a bird is bathing on a waterlogged warning track.

Meanwhile, back in Chicago, the temperature is in the mid-60s, but who's complaining? After a record-setting 143-day dry spell, this region got a much-needed shower.

And the Cubs got a day off. Their game against Kansas City was canceled — Chicago's first rainout at HoHoKam Park since March 16, 2003.

_AP Sports Writer Andrew Seligman

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KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Phil Garner is one of the most likeable and engaging managers in the majors. This morning in his office at Houston Astros camp, without missing a beat he went from talking about Jeff Bagwell's chronically injured shoulder to some research he did on Russian and Ukranian history. And it was all pretty interesting.

By the way, here's how you're given directions in Central Florida: "Go about 2 miles, make a left between Hess and Citgo. If you hit Wal-Mart, you went too far."

_AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick

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KISSIMMEE, Fla. — The World Baseball Classic is a good idea that's already proven to be fairly entertaining on the field, I think. Some of the weaker teams were more competitive in the first round than many thought — the South Africa-USA game notwithstanding.

The pitch counts and ludicrous second-tier tiebreakers (after head-to-head results) definitely hurt the credibility of the event. The biggest problem, though, is timing. There doesn't seem to be a really good month to hold the tournament. During spring training might be the only practical time. I don't think November would work because I really don't think many major leaguers would want to keep playing after the season. They're exhausted after 162 games plus playoffs, and they don't get much free time with their families to begin with.

Braves pitcher John Smoltz told me yesterday he thinks it should be held during an expanded All-Star break, similar to what the NHL does with the Olympics. That way, he said, players (and especially pitchers) would be in midseason form. But Garner thinks a two-week break in the middle of the major league season is too long and would hurt the quality of play. I think the WBC might get more attention in the U.S. if it were held in July, when fans are already tuned into baseball and it wouldn't have to compete with the NCAA tournament. We should remember, however, that the WBC is not only about America. Much of the rest of the world appears to care far more about it than we do.

_AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick

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FRIDAY, March 10:

JUPITER, Fla. — I took the hour-long trip from Fort Lauderdale to Jupiter today to cover the Baltimore Orioles in their game against the Florida Marlins. Given the horrid traffic on I-95 south, the ride home promises to be much longer.

At least it wasn't a wasted journey, as was the case for Orioles outfielder Jay Gibbons, who was a late scratch with a strained right hamstring. Gibbons came up on the team bus, told manager Sam Perlozzo about the injury and was promptly removed from the lineup.

So Gibbons ended up watching the game in the stands with his new bride. All things considered, he'd have rather been in Lauderdale.

"Let's see, here or the beach?" he asked.

I was asking myself the same question, because I am not required to cover the Orioles on the road. A day at South Beach would have made for a marvelous blog!

_AP Sports Writer Dave Ginsburg

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WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — Backup catchers are always the nicest guys in baseball — and Todd Pratt is the quintessential backup catcher.

Now with the Atlanta Braves, Pratt caught John Smoltz for the first time Friday against the Cleveland Indians. After "Tank" finished his running on the warning track, I asked him why he and his backup brethren are often so interesting and friendly.

"We watch the game a lot and we watch people a lot. We understand the game," he said. "But I can be mean sometimes."

The Braves are Pratt's third NL East team — he also played for the Mets and Phillies. He knows bouncing around is part of the gig, and he even negotiated his own deal with Atlanta.

"It's an honor, actually, to stay in the division," Pratt said.

_AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick

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FORT MYERS, Fla. — Josh Bard looks like he might be the new personal catcher for Boston Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield.

Bard caught Wakefield for the first time in his career today and didn't do too badly in a 9-4 win over Philadelphia. He and Wakefield each played four innings and there wasn't a single passed ball. There were, however, two wild pitches, but Wakefield was happy with the catcher who was part of the deal that brought center fielder Coco Crisp from Cleveland.

"All three of them have done a great job of catching me. I don't have a preference of who I throw to," Wakefield said.

Last year, Doug Mirabelli was Wakefield's catcher, but he was sent to the Padres this offseason. Bard entered camp in competition with two other newcomers, but John Flaherty retired and Ken Huckaby hasn't played yet because of a sore knee.

Jason Varitek is Boston's starting catcher but Mirabelli caught almost all of Wakefield's starts for the past three-and-a-half years.

_AP Sports Writer Howard Ulman

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THURSDAY, March 9:

TUCSON, Ariz. — Here was a sight to see: that noted speedster Jim Thome legging out a triple. The slugger smashed a pitch high off the Green Monster-like wall in center field at Tucson Electric Park in the third inning of Thursday's game against Seattle. The ball took a funny carom, and Thome never stopped.

"I do take a lot of pride in when I get on base, to be able to give it that best effort," Thome said.

And he did take some razzing afterward. Will he ask manager Ozzie Guillen to bat him leadoff?

"Hey, you never know," Thome said.

Then, he turned serious.

"You don't have to be really fast to be a good base-runner," said Thome, who has 24 triples in his career. "When you get out there, it's important to concentrate and understand the game situations."

_AP Sports Writer Andrew Seligman

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WEDNESDAY, March 8:

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — I was supposed to be on an 8 a.m. flight out of New York this morning. I had wanted to see two games today: the Mets and Indians in Winter Haven this afternoon, about an hour from Orlando, and the WBC tilt between Italy and Venezuela at night. Of course, when I get to the airport, American has my reservation but I am not actually TICKETED for that flight. Reminded me of the "Seinfeld" episode when they TOOK the reservation for Jerry's rental car, but didn't HOLD the reservation.

"And that's really the most important part of the reservation process."

And, of course, by the time they call their people and I call my people and it finally gets resolved, it's too late to check a bag, get through security and make the flight. Agent is soooo helpful, too.

So I end up getting down here Wednesday night instead of Wednesday morning. By now, though, the travel frustration has (mostly) subsided, it's a beautiful, crisp night, and they're playing beisbol out there.

Glad to be here.

_AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick

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KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Just arrived at the World Baseball Classic in time to see Mike Piazza buff in the sixth inning — for the third time tonight, I'm told. Strange to see that "Italia" written in script across his chest instead of "Mets" — but kind of cool, too.

Carlos Silva of Venezuela does a squat and major fist pump after freezing Piazza, then yaps his way all the way back to the dugout to cheers from the heavily Venezuelan crowd. Gibson ever do that? Koufax? Mariano Rivera?

Whatever you think of Silva's antics, though, this much is clear: The WBC is far more than spring training with different uniforms.

As I walk up to the ballpark, an older guy with a thick, Irish, New England accent is still trying to unload some tickets — even though the game is already half over. He's wearing a Boston cap, ratty Red Sox sweat shirt and obviously belongs on Yawkey Way outside Fenway Park, not anywhere near Disney World.

Ahh, the power of Papi.

_AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick

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TUESDAY, March 7:

ORLANDO, Fla. — Most everyone who spent a lot of time around baseball from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s has a story to tell about Kirby Puckett. Here's mine:

About a month before Puckett's induction into the Hall of Fame in 2001, I was asked to speak at a meeting of sports editors and writers in Minneapolis. A group of maybe 60, from all over the area.

The man in charge of the schedule called, saying there were two speaking slots left — I could either go right before or right after the featured guest. I asked who it was, and he said Kirby Puckett.

Pretty easy choice there.

I said I'd go first. Figured there was no percentage in trying to hit cleanup behind Puckett in the Twin Cities.

As it turned out, I got to introduce him. When he got up, he said, basically: "Speeches aren't really my thing. Any questions?"

And for the next hour, I got to watch him turn grown men into little kids, all eager to raise their hands.

_AP Sports Writer Ben Walker

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