Kansas City Times - October 14, 1980
Fall Classic is bringing its magic to Kansas City
The 1980 World Series Commentary
By Jeffrey R. Copion, A Member of the Staff
It's the big enchilada, the end of the rainbow, the brass ring on the merry-go-round — the Mona Lisa of sporting events, as Cole Porter would put.
It It's the World Series and Kansas City’s got it for the first time, beginning with tonight’s game in Philadelphia.
When the Royals swept the New York Yankees in the playoffs, they became thrice blessed. They became the undisputed champions of the American League, throwing their hometown into a whirl that rivaled V-J Day. They won sweet revenge over their old tormentors, swallowing whole the pinstripes some said they had choked on in seasons past.
And perhaps best of all, they reserved a spot in the fabled Fail Classic, the true American dream.
Make no mistake about it: The World Series looms larger than any other national event. For a week or more in October, algebra lessons are deferred, office discipline disrupted and the finest of meals become TV dinners.
Everyone is suddenly a baseball fan — your grandmother, your bank teller, the old man on the next stool at the corner diner. Transistor radios make their annual comeback, often in the hands of people who think a hit-and-run is a Class A misdemeanor.
A World Series can dwarf an election; voters bored with both Reagan and Carter will argue passionately over George Brett vs. Mike Schmidt. It can inspire more bets than the Kentucky Derby. And it can put the most throbbing serial soaper to shame, for when Willie Wilson is sprinting for home, who caret who shot JR?
Last Oct. 17, a total of 71,170,000 people watched the Pittsburgh Pirates whip the Baltimore Orioles in the seventh and deciding game of the 1979 Series. That’s barely 10 million fewer than the number casting presidential votes in 1976, and more than twice the number that normally watch “Dallas” (a primitive burg, after all, that lacks a big-league baseball team).
For Kansas City, of course, the 1980 Series will have special significance, the city's first cut of two franchises and 25 years of striving. It also represents the first Series appearance by an American League expansion team.
But while Ewing Kauffman's club may be only 12 years old, it needn't be gripped by any adolescent anxiety. The opponents, after all, are the Philadelphia Phillies an aging squad that can match the Royals to past frustration but not in hitting, speed or poise
Philadelphia’s losing tradition is matched only by its fans' reputation for booing their own players. Like Kansas City, the Phillies lost three playoffs in a row in 1976 to 1978 then regrouped through a miserable 1979 to take the league crown this year.
But that’s where the similarities end. While the Royals’ lineup is packed with young and hungry players still making their marks, Philadelphia is a rich and aging squad that smells its last hurrah.
This marks the Phillies' third appearance in a World Series since the club was founded in 1876. They last won the pennant in 1950, only to be swept by the Yankees to four games. Their first pennant was in 1915, when the Red Sox beat them in five games.
They seem unlikely to better that this time around. Philadelphia comes into the Series with an exhausted pitching staff, mediocre power aside from the slumping Schmidt and a defense that cracks in left field like the Liberty Bell.
They also sport enough head cases to perplex a Viennese analyst, big names who regularly collapse in big games. As anyone who watched the National League playoffs last week can attest, the Phillies invest the term "mental error” with new meaning, whether in the field or on the bases.
While they squeezed past the punchless Houston Astros in a low comedy of errors, there will be less margin for miscues against the Royals.
Although it comes from the City of Brotherly Love, this club brims not with fraternity. Manager Dallas Green, as blunt and hard-bitten as they come, refers to several malcontent players as "cancer,” and promises they will be irradiated by 1981.
It's the only team says reliever Tug McGraw, the Phillies' most appealing boy of summer “that flushes Its mind ln public."
Under the kileg-llght glare of a World Series, these are not helpful attributes. Nowhere are a team's character and a player's grace under pressure, so sorely tested. Every moment is magnified, and more than a few are frozen to national memory: When you fall here you fail big.
The outstanding example remains Mickey Owen, an otherwise unremarkable catcher who played for four teams over 13 years. In 1941, Owen caught for the old Brooklyn Dodgers, who Still were thirsting for their first world championship. They trailed the powerful New York Yankees two games to one, but held a 4-3 lead late into the fourth game.
With two outs in the Yankee ninth Tommy Henrich swung at a third strike that would have ended the contest and tied up the Series. But Owen missed the ball and Henrich made it to first, setting off a four-run rally that won the game.
New York wrapped it up the next day, and it would be 14 years before Brooklyn won its first Series. Owen meanwhile was immortalized by the newsreels and sportswriters as the ultimate goat.
Naturally It can work the other way as well. Several great players, particularly those toiling outside the media centers, became certified as national stars only via the World Series. The slashing bat and rifle arm of Roberto Clemente (Pittsburgh 1971), the acrobatics of third baseman Brooks Robinson (Baltimore 1969-71), the clutch hits and daring steals of Lou Brock (St Louis 1964-67-66) — all entered a new realm of celebrity through October play.
Yet another World Series phenomenon is that of the relatively obscure journeyman, plucked by fate and his presence of mind to enjoy a brief nova of glory. Such were the cases of Billy Martin, when he lunged to catch Jackie Robinson's wind-blown pop fly in 1952. Dusty Rhodes, the Giant pinch hitter who drove in seven runs in six at-bats in 1954, and Gene Tenace, an anemic Oakland utility man who erupted for four home runs in 1972.
But over the long haul, the cream of the game generally rises to the top. The top six Series home-run hitters, for example, are Mickey Mantle (18), Babe Ruth (15), Yogi Berra (12), Duke Snider (11), Lou Gehrig (10), and Reggie Jackson (9).
That five of these six are Yankee should come as no surprise, as New York has dominated Series history with 32 appearances and 22 victories. The St Louis Cardinals, the runner-up, own only eight crowns.
Perhaps the two most glowing Series legends belong to Yankees. One, properly, was forged by Ruth during the 1932 match-up against the Chicago Cubs. In the fifth inning of the third game, Ruth stepped out of the batter 's box to point to Wrigley Field’s deepest bleachers. Then, after taking two deliberate strikes, he slammed a home run to the designated spot.
Twenty-four years later, New York pitcher Don Larsen ignored nerves end probability to toss a perfect game, retiring 27 straight batters.
The 1980 Series may lack any such dramatics. But to its own way, it will prove unforgettable — especially in Kansas City, tasting the top for the first time. And win or lose, this year's edition of the Royals will live forever, in the glory and the lore and the golden days of all the autumns to come.
Phils forced to start rookie pitcher in opener
By Mike Fish, A Member of the Sports Staff
PHILADELPHIA – Bob Walk was standing next to the Phillies’ manager Monday in the basement of Veterans Stadium, clutching a microphone in one hand, waiting for the questions.
The 23-year-old pitcher was about to be introduced by Dallas Green as the Phillies' starter for Game 1 of the 1980 World Series tonight.
No Steve Carlton, Larry Christenson or Dick Ruthven — the Royals will face a rookie right-hander who opened the season in Oklahoma City.
When the Phillies opened training camp last spring, Walk was not on the roster. He was 11-7 with the Phillies, winning eight of his first nine decisions. His record is 3-6 since mid-July.
After slugging it out with the Astros in an electrifying 5-game series, Green had no choice but to start Walk. He was the only Philadelphia starting pitcher not used in the National League Championship Series.
Carlton, the NL’s leading Cy Young Award candidate, pitched Saturday in Game 4. The Phillies went through six pitchers, including three starters, before defeating the Astros 8-7 in Game 5.
“I guess I was just the logical choice," Walk said. “I heard some talk about it Sunday night, but it was nothing definite. I got to thinking about it and I saw my chances were pretty good.
“We’d used just about everybody else up. But then even when it was official I was still surprised.”
Walk, a hard thrower, was not called on during the late-aeason pennant race with the Expos. He hasn't pitched since facing the Cubs 12 days ago in Philadelphia.
“That’s it,” said Herm Starrette Philadelphia’s pitching coach. "That was our only option. He’s all we have and there’s nothing else out there… Before we used Ruthven (Sunday), he was going to pitch the opening game.
“Dallas and I talked about it on the plane ride (from Houston). We kicked things around a little, but we were in a corner. We really had no other rested starting pitcher."
Worse for the Phillies, Walk has been bothered by control problems the past two months. He has walked 71 batters in 151 innings and has a 4.56 earned run average.
“He has had some problems with control and poise, but I believe he has bounced back,” Green said. “I have no qualms about starting Bob Walk. The guy I’m really concerned with is Tugger (Tug McGraw). I’ve just had to pitch the devil out of him the last two or three weeks. I just hope he can rest today and get the juices flowing again.”
If all goes to plan, the Phillies will use Carlton in Game 2 Wednesday night. Ruthven will pitch Friday night in Kansas City and rookie Marty Bystrom in Game 4. If there is a Game 5, Christenson would start. That gives Walk one shot unless he baffles the Royals.
"The fastball is probably my best pitch," Walk said. “I try and get ahead with it, plus a hard slider. If I'm ahead in the count I throw a big curve ball. I also try and change up. I have a straight change that I should probably throw more often than I do.”
Royals open in first Series tonight
Frey seeks latest tips for edge against Phils
By Mike Fish, A Member of the Sports Staff
PHILADELPHIA — Jim Frey was like a railbird searching for fast tip Monday. He huddled with anyone who knew anything about the Philadelphia Phillies,
With the World Series starting at 7:35 tonight in the National League champions’ home stadium, Frey went over scouting reports compiled on the Phillies in recent weeks. Frey also met individually with pitching coach Billy Connors and outfielder Jose Cardenal.
Connors joined the Royals last winter after several years as the Phillies’ minor league pitching coach. Cardenal played for the Phillies in 1978 and 1979.
The Royals will send right-hander Dennis Leonard, 20-11, against the National League champions in Game 1. Philadelphia will counter with rookie right-hander Bob Walk, 11-7.
If there was a series for past have-nots, this would be it. The Royals have never played in a World Series. Both teams advanced to their league championship series in 1976, 1977 and 1978 only to be defeated.
For Philadelphia, this is a third chapter in its World Series history book. The first entry was made in 1915, when the Phillies won their first pennant and lost four consecutive games to Boston in the Series after winning the opener. Their last series appearance, in 1950, also ended in defeat, in four games, to the New York Yankees.
But this is modern history — the Royals against the Phillies on the artificial surface at Veterans Stadium for Games 1 and 2 and possibly 6 and 7.
"We’ll weigh heavily on what Billy has to say,” Frey said after a 2-hour workout Monday. “He's got a pretty good idea on how to pitch to most of them.
“The Philadelphia ballclub is a lot like New York, anyway. They’re more of a power club — power people in (Mike) Schmidt and (Greg) Luzinski, plus some pretty good speed in (Bake) McBride and Garry Maddox.”
The Royals face a team that returned home Monday exhausted from a tension-packed playoff series with the Houston Astros. A key to the World Series will be how quickly the Phillies regroup.
Philadelphia’s troubles were brought out in the open when Manager Dallas Green announced Walk as his Game 1 starter. The 23-year-old rookie hasn’t pitched in 12 days. He wasn’t called on during the final week of the season when Philadelphia battled the Montreal Expos or in the 5-game series with the Astros.
“I don't think we’ll ever get it (playoff series) behind us,” Green said. "That series had to rank with some of the greatest baseball to be seen in a long time. You don’t forget those kind of things.
“We know we have to come down off our cloud, though. We have to get our act back together for the Series. Pitching is an area of concern, sure. But we'll go with Lefty (Steve Carlton) Wednesday, have Thursday off and be ready to go with the rest of our starters after that.”
Walk was the only Philadelphia pitcher who did not see action against the Astros. Faced with elimination in Game 5, Green called on six other pitchers.
"I think being more rested up will help,” Leonard said, “but that advantage can only last for the first couple games. After that, both teams should have their staffs set and the pitchers will know the hitters better.
“You can watch a pitcher and after two innings you have a pretty good idea of what he throws. It's harder to defense and pitch a team you’re not familiar with. You're not quite sure how to defense a particular hitter, where to pitch him. That comes after a couple games.”
That's where Connors and Cardenal can help. Cardenal, for instance, also spoke with Leonard and several other Royals pitchers Monday.
“I have some ideas,” Cardenal said. "I know their hitters. I know the ballpark. You have to be careful on the turf, it’s harder (than Royals Stadium) so the ball bounces differently.
"They have the power in Luzinski and Smitty (Mike Schmidt). You have to pitch around them. Then with men on base, especially with men on base, they don't want to walk. They’re like Reggie. With men on base they want to be the big hero.”
Another element both clubs will have to contend with is the weather. Game 1 is expected to be played in mid-40 degree temperatures.
Frey will open with the same lineup used third game of the Championship Series with the Yankees, giving Clint Hurdle the starting assignment in right field against Walk. John Wathan started the first two games against New York.
Categorical comparison gives edge to the Royals
By Mike McKenzie, A Member of the Sports Staff
PHILADELPHIA — On the surface, the World Series opponents have several similarities. Third basemen who appear certain to be voted Most Valuable Player — George Brett of the Royals, Mlke Schmidt of the Phillies. Gold Glove second basemen who were named MVP of the playoffs — Frank White of the Royals, Manny Trillo of the Phillies. Ace left-handed starting pitchers — Larry Gura of the Royals, Steve Carlton of the Phillies. Workhorse relief pitcher — Dan Quisenberry of the Royals, Tug McGraw of the Phillies. Rookie managers — Jim Frey of the Royals, Dallas Green of the Phillies.
But the similarities end on the surface. Brett is the best all-round hitter in baseball, Schmidt the most powerful. Gura is an off-speed, finesse pitcher, Carlton a strikeout artist. Quisenberry is right-handed and underarmed, McGraw left-handed and over the top. Frey is small and relatively quiet, Green is large and domineering. Only White and Trillo are close to carbons.
As a whole the Royals have the better team. Take them in five, perhaps six. The breakdown by categories:
Infield
Royals: Willie Aikens 1B, White 2B, UL Washington SS, Brett 3B
Phillies: Pete Rose 1B, Trillo 2B, Larry Bowa SS, Schmidt 3B
Aikens and Brett are the Royals' main power source, but their combined 44 home runs fall four short of Schmidt’s 48, the record for a third baseman. Brett (118) and Aikens (98) batted in 216 runs, Schmidt 121.
White has more range at second, Trillo a stronger arm. Each handles the bat efficiently, though they’ve made their reputations with the glove. Trillo hit over .300 before tailing to .292 near the end, White went .264; each hit 7 homers, but White drove in 17 more runs. White made 10 errors, Trillo 11. White would like something like Trillo ’s $400,000 a year contract.
Bowa holds the major league record for career fielding percentage, .982, averaging just 12.8 errors per year for 10 years. He holds the NL record for fewest errors in a season, 9, has been an All-Star five times and Gold Glove twice. But reports have him, at age 35, losing a step in range and he committed 17 errors this season. Washington, 27 this month, is finishing his first year as a regular. He is above average afield, despite 32 errors from greenness, and more productive at bat than Bowa. Each switch-hits. Bowa is better from the left side (,296) Washington from the right (.300).
Rose has no peer in the way he plays the game. He is head-first into the bag, or slamming in to break up a double play or jar the catcher. An All-Star 14 times, he has played five positions. Also a switch-hitter, .282 and 185 hits is an off year for him. Defensively he is steady but not spectacular. Aikens is thought of as a batsman, but his defense is adequate, 12 errors, and improved.
Brett? What's left to say?
The edge to Kansas City The only swap you'd make at any position is Rose for Aikens.
Outfield
Royals: Willie Wilson LF Amos Otis CF Clint Hurdle or John Wathan or Jose Cardenal RF.
Phillies: Greg Luzinksi or Lonnie Smith LF, Garry Maddox CF, Bake McBride RF.
Here lies the Phillies greatest weakness. With Smith, there is excellent speed and range, but he is a wild colt. Luzinski can catch but can't run or throw. Maddox covers ground but can’t throw well. McBride doesn't bust it getting anywhere. All are good hitters, although Luzinski has fought injury and slump all season. His raw power is legendary but he has dipped to 19 homers from an average of around 30, and his average is 60 points below lifetime .285.
The Royals are soundest defensively with Cardenal in right, because of speed and savvy. Hurdle has the strongest arm and goes against right-handed pitching. Wathan faces lefties and is back to .300 form, but he's a natural catcher. Otis has to cheat a little more toward right with Wathan.
Otis is off at bat this year 30-40 points and 100 or so in run production (runs and RBI), but he still ranks as one of the most knowledgeable center-fielders in the league. “I’ve never seen him throw to the wrong base in seven years," says White. Wilson's speed gives Otis room to spare in center, and Wilson has developed into an outstanding defensive player with a strong arm, having overcome a lot of throwing to the wrong base and missing the cutoff man.
Edge to the Royals, wide.
Catching
Royals: Darrell Porter or Wathan.
Phillies: Bob Boone.
Each has been an All-Star three times. Porter exploded offensively last year and early this season, but has been puny at bat the past two months. Boone is 20 points lower at .229 and they have about the same power and run production. Boone has won two straight Gold Gloves.
Opponents test Wathan severely on the base paths, and he has to rely on anticipation and quick release to make up for Porter's strong arm against base stealers.
Edge to the Royals. No swaps.
Pitching
Royals: Starters Dennis Leonard, Larry Gura, Rich Gale, Paul Splittorff; primary relievers Quisenberry, Renie Martin, Marty Pattin, Ken Brett.
Phillies: Starters Steve Carlton, Dick Ruthven, Larry Christenson, Marty Bystrom, Bob Walk, primary relievers McGraw, Ron Reed, Dickie Noles, Kevin Saucier, Warren Brusstar.
Beyond Carlton whose 24-9 and 2.34 earned run average will probably merit his third Cy Young Award, the starters for the Phillies are iffy. Ruthven won 17, and Walk, the first-game starter because the Phillies’ corps was depleted in playoffs, won 11. Walk had control and confidence problems the last two months. After McGraw (20 saves), the bullpen is skimpy, too. Reed saved 9, Noles 6.
Bystrom moved onto the roster Sept 1 and won his first five starts in the majors, giving no earned runs his first 20 innings. But his victims were the Cubs, Mets and Cardinals. Carlton Hitting has thrown more than 300 innings and will be available three times if the Series goes seven.
The rebound of the starting rotation is the biggest difference in the Royals this year and last. Gura’s late-season problems appeared solved in a playoffs victory over the Yankees.
Quisenberry, 26, had 33 saves and 12 victories as Fireman of the Year but his 3.09 ERA is not as efficient as the 1.47 of McGraw, who is 10 years older. The Phillies' ERA is lower overall 3.44 to the Royals’ 3.83. Carlton and McGraw are the difference. Overall edge to the Royals.
Hitting
The Royals rely on all-field, line-drive offense. Nine players batted in 50 or more runs this season, and Wilson had 49. The Phillies had six players do that.
The Royals' .286 team average led the league and led to 5 runs per game, enough to win any title. There is so much talk about Phillies muscle, yet they hit just two more home runs than the Royals, 117-115, six more doubles, 272-266, and fewer triples 54-50, and batted in fewer runs, 674-766.
Schmidt and Luzinski are the Phillies’ ramrods, with flashes of power from Maddox, McBride and Boone. Besides Aikens and Brett, the Royals who are a threat to crash fences are Otis, McRae, Hurdle and Porter.
Both teams move runners well and neither has a weak spot in the order, discounting slumps and off-seasons. Brett and Wilson are the catalysts for the Royals, Rose and Schmidt make it happen for the Phillies.
The DH should help Philadelphia since they are used to the pitchers’ feeble hitting ninth. Edge to the Royals.
Speed
Wilson invented it. He steals with the best, stretches hits a base with regularity, throws a defense completely out of kilter. Both teams are fast but the Royals run more and with better success. The Royals stole 186 bases in 229 attempts, the Phillies 140 in 202. McRae, Otis and Brett advance as much on daring and instinct as pure speed, as opposed to swiftness of White and Washington. Bowa and Maddox are the Phillies' best runners; Smith and McBride are caught too often stealing (combined 26 out of 65). Edge to the Royals.
Bench
Royals probably have the best 12-man combination of regulars to work with in baseball. Jamie Quirk, Cardenal, Dave Chalk and Pete LaCock are used most frequently. Each has had his moments to shine this season especially early season when injuries and illness had the Royals reeling.
Smith and catcher Keith Moreland are strengths in reserve, and their batting averages (.339 and .314, respectively) make them candidates for designated hitter. Dei Unser, 35, was a hero in the playoff clincher against Houston, and his reputation as a pinch hitter includes a major league record three straight home runs. Edge to the Royals.
Managers
Both Frey and Green have a conservative bent. Frey controls the Royals’ speed and defensive alignments from the bench. It's been a relatively quiet year under Frey. Green, however, has had the Phillies speaking out frequently about his iron-fisted rule. He is a screamer who dresses down a player in front of others. Frey does chewing out in the privacy of the office. No edge. Talent wins.
Stadium
Royals Stadium is known for few home runs, Veterans Stadium as a power hitter's delight. Both are 330 down the lines, but Vets angles to just 371 in the power alleys to Royals 385. In dead center, it’s 410 at Royals Stadium, 408 at Vets. "The alleys and the air make the difference,” said McRae, who played in the NL. Veterans Stadium is enclosed by stands all around and the air swirls. Both have artificial turf. Phillies crowds are well-known for intimidation. "It can get hairy in here,” said Green. “They call it The Force, and they use it." Edge to the Phillies, especially with the Series starting here.
Outcome
Royals in five or six.
Frey, Green avoid buddy-buddy act
By Dave Anderson, N.Y. Times News Service
NEW YORK – Since the day baseball's economic evolution turned minions into millionaires, the philosophy of some managers is: Never be hard on the players or they might rebel. Pat them on the back. Be their buddy. Ask them, don’t tell them. And above all, communicate with them ever so gently.
But the Philadelphia Phillies and the Kansas City Royals are in the World Series that opens tonight because Dallas Green and Jim Frey operate like old-fashioned managers — aloof, annoyed and occasionally angry.
The Phillies began to move in August after Green had what he calls his "blowout" — a closed-door tongue-lashing of his team, collectively and individually.
The Royals, in winning their first American League pennant, virtually had no communication with Frey unless it involved a specific incident that happened in a game.
Perhaps significantly, the Phillies and the Royals responded to the methods of their managers after each team had lost three league championship series — the Phillies under Danny Ozark and the Royals under Whitey Herzog, each of whom had a reputation for being "close to the players."
In recent weeks several Phillies vowed they would never play for Green next season. Now they’re gladly playing in the World Series for him.
During the next-to-last weekend of the season Garry Maddox, Phillies' center fielder, lost a fly ball in the sun and Philadelphia lost the game. The next day he was not in the lineup, ostensibly because of an ailing finger.
Green kept him out of the lineup for six games. During that time, the 46-year-old manager was asked when Maddox would return.
"When he tells me that his finger doesn’t hurt," Green snapped.
Maddox eventually returned to the lineup and in the fifth game of the National League Championship Series with the Houston Astros he drove in the winning run of an 8-7 victory with a 10th-inning double.
Larry Bowa, Bake McBride and Greg Luzinski also have complained about how Green handled them.
Green projects a commanding presence at 6-5, 230 pounds. Now gray-haired, he never was much of a right-handed pitcher (19-22 career record with the Phillies, Washington Senators and the New York Mete). He became one of the Phillies’ minor league managers for two years and, in 1969, moved into their minor league department.
When the Phillies's owner, Ruly Carpenter, dismissed Ozark a month before the 1979 season, ended Green was named interim manager. Green was hired for this year and now the Phillies have won their first pennant in 30 years, their third in history.
There is talk Green will be Phillies’ general manager next season, even if the Phillies win the World Series. Perhaps he is tired of moaning millionaires.
Because of his one month on the job last year, Green technically is not a rookie manager. Frey is. Until the Royals hired him, he studied under Earl Weaver as a coach with the Baltimore Orioles for a decade.
Before joining Weaver, Frey was a minor league manager briefly and a scout.
When the opportunity to manage in the major leagues arrived, Frey, 49, made the adjustment because he knew how to handle his players.
When the Royals’ ace right-hander Dennis Leonard, a 20-game winner in three of the last four seasons, sailed his glove into the dugout after having been removed by Frey, the manager told him, "No wonder you hurt your elbow, throwing your glove like that."
"I was mad,” Leonard replied.
"You weren’t half as mad as I was mad at you,” Frey told him. “That's why I took you out."
"I wasn't mad at you," Leonard said. "I was mad for making a bad pitch.”
“I just wanted to make sure you weren't going to make another one,” Frey said.
Another time John Wathan, the Royals’ utility man, asked for an audience with Frey. He wasn’t happy Clint Hurdle playing right field, thereby relegating Wathan to the bench.
"I’ve got to play," Wathan told Frey. “I’m 29 years old, I’m on the last year of my contract. I’ve got a lot at stake."
Frey smiled "I’m 49 years old," he replied "I’m on the last year of my contract. I’ve got a lot at stake, too.”
In time Frey, working on a one-year contract, returned Wathan to the lineup. But he is the manager, nobody else. And if the players get angry at him, the problem is theirs, not his.
Frey and Green, two of a pair. Together, they are as good a reason as any why the Phillies and the Royals are in the World Series. The shame is that one of them has to lose now.
These second basemen play second fiddle to no one
By Mike Fish, A Member of the Sports Staff
PHILADELPHIA – They both claimed to be unknown — the Phillies’ Manny Trillo and the Royals’ Frank White.
After all nobody ever said second base was a glamorous position. Granted, Joe Morgan made some noise in his prime. But second basemen are supposed to be seen not heard; fielders, not hitters.
Maybe it was Just by coincidence that in the course of a week both Trillo and White were exposed for national consumption. White made headlines as the American League playoff’s Most Valuable Player. The Phils' second baseman attained similar glory as the National League’s MVP.
Neither can claim anonymity now.
The baseball world has its eye on second base in this World Series. It’s White. Trillo. Forget the talk about towering home runs. Now, it's lateral movement — the little known requirements for the job.
"This is great for him (Trillo),” said Philadelphia outfielder Bake McBride. "It will make people across the country realize what kind of player Manny is.
"He's amazing, but we (the other players) knew that all along. We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Manny. He's Just so good day, in day out — I think people taka him for granted.''
Trillo was Philadelphia's playoff hitting star. He hit .381 (8-for-21) with three extra-base hits and four RBI. Not only that, he drove in the insurance run in Game 4 and the go-ahead runs in Game 5.
Yet, like White, Trillo’s forte is his fielding.
"I told my wife I would win this (MVP) award for her,” Trillo said. "We were talking about the Kansas City-New York series — she asked me who was the Most Valuable Player in that series. I said Frank White. She said, ‘Yes, I want you to win it for me.’ I said 'All right, I will.' I didn’t know if I could do it, but,” and here he smiles, “I always try to please my wife."
Trillo and White are not strangers. Several years ago they played winter ball together in Venezuela. White was at short, Trillo at second.
"Manny’s always bean a good player,” said White "He’s got quick hands and a real strong arm. He showed that last night (Sunday) on that relay throw (in the second inning).
“I don’t think Philly would have given him a $3 million contract if he wasn’t worth it. Anytime you got a guy who can play steady for you every day, make the plays up the middle, he’s worth it.”
Yet, even before this Series begins, Detroit Tiger manager Sparky Anderson is touting White as a possible MVP candidate. In fact, he'd take White over his Philadelphia rival.
"I’ll make you a bet that when it’s over, people are writing about him (White),” Anderson said. "He's unreal. Both of them are good, but people in the National League have not been able to see this guy (White).
“Laterally, you can’t believe what he’s capable of. If that ball is at all poosible to ha caught, he’ll catch it.”
Royals’ outfielder Jose Cardenal isn't quite sold on Anderson’ opinion. Cardinal and Trillo were teammates (four yean) in both Chicago and Philadelphia, and for the last six weeks Cardinal has ban a teammate of White.
He calls the matchup a draw.
“They have two different styles,” Cardenal said. "The difference is that Manny is a little bit more flashy, very colorful. Frank is more of a serious ballplayer. Manny fools around. This is the way he plays all the time.”
Royals textbook team for playoffs; Phillies a ‘Punch and Judy Show’
By Dick Young, New York Daily News
NEW YORK — Anybody who has been watching the National League play ball lately has to pick the American League to win the World Series.
I can’t remember having seen such shabby stuff as the National League playoffs pass for big league baseball. Maybe it will change overnight. Maybe the Nationals will say to themselves, hey, fellows, this is the big time we're in. They had better, or the Kansas City Royals will blow them out.
I picked the American League to win the World Series long before I knew who’d be playing. I simply think they’re playing a better brand of ball. I don't know why that should be. For most of my lifetime, it was the National League that executed well beat you with basics, with style. The Americans, when they beat you, did it with muscle. The home run. They’d make mistakes, and then make you forget it with a shot into the seats. The Nationals would hit-and-run, steal, work a pickoff, turn a double play, heady stuff. Suddenly, the roles seem reversed.
The Royals played top-notch ball in blowing away the Yankees. They looked like a textbook team. The NL playoffs looked like a Punch and Judy show. I expected that any minute the kids from Taiwan would trot out. It looked like the games were being played in Williamsport, Pa., home of the Little League World Series.
It started weeks ago, down the stretch of the regular season. I saw the Phils, Pirates and Expos battling each other for Use privilege of not making the playoffs. The Expos and Pirates won, so Philly got stuck with the job.
The National playoffs were no improvement, including the umpiring. It only goes to prove that the umpires can go into a slump like anybody else. This was an elite crew of umps, the cream of the staff, assembled from other groups for the big playoff set.
They turned out to be a debating society. I’m not going to second-guess Doug Harvey on the triple-play call that turned out to be a double-play compromise. I guess 1 watched the replay 10 times, backward and forward, from different angles, just as you probably did, and I wouldn't bet my house on whether Garry Maddox’ Little League pop to the mound was caught or trapped by pitcher Vem Ruhle. The only thing proven by the TV tapes is that National Football League Commissioner Pete Rozelle is right when he says technology has not yet come up with anything that convinces him replays should be used to settle disputes.
There was a play later on, however, which was called an out by Bruce Froemming, and was pretty clearly a trapped ball. Froemming is one of the strong umps of the National League. He hustled down the line to be in position for the call in right, and he hustled too much. He called it on the run. He should have come to a last-step stop and set himself to make the call. A man’s vision blurs when he tries to focus on the run.
That's in the past. Now we look ahead to the big show. There is a certain freshness to this World Series. The last time Kansas City was in this position it was in the International League.
I suppose it would be considered cutesy to say it still is, coming from the American League West as the Royals do. The AL West is considered by most baseball men to be the weakest of the big league divisions. Maybe that's so, but keep in mind that the Royals dominated the AL East teams in head-to-head play. On the final day, the Royals were 14 ahead, and breezing. They were 20 ahead on Aug 31, with 31 games to play, when somebody said, what are we killing ourselves for? Jim Frey, riding them like Willie Shoemaker, eased up, then got his entry back in stride during the final week just in time to have them sharp for the Yankees. You have to be a good team, in any division, to be 20 ahead with 31 to go and you have to be a good team to take the Yankees three straight. Anybody who watched that playoff knows he was seeing a fine ballclub.
In an obtuse way, a ghost of the Yankees goes into the World Series. Charley Lau, the Yanks’ batting coach, shaped the hitting habits of George Brett and Hal McRae, two top offensive weapons in the Royals' attack. Both men gladly admit it.
"I can remember when it was," says Brett. "I was hitting .200 at the All-Star break in ’74. Charley came over to me and said, You can laugh all the way to the bank, just getting hits to leftfield.'"
When a man puts it that way, says Brett, you have to listen. "Charley said he saw three things in my hitting that he could change to make me improve.
"I was holding my bat the way Yastrzemski did, cocked, which I couldn't handle. I was trying to pull everything. I was up on the plate with an open stance. He moved me off the plate, closed up my stance, and told me to concentrate on hitting the ball from second base to the leftfield line."
Since then, Brett said, he has grown stronger and pulls for the seats when he gets the right pitch at the right time. "I'm a situation hitter now," he says.
Lau left the Royals in 1978 to join the Yankees. During the playoffs, Lau was careful not to say more than hello to Brett and McRae. The reason is obvious, but McRae said it anyway at Sunday’s practice: "We're reluctant to talk to him in front of people during the season or the playoffs, because if we're seen, right away they're going to think we’re talking about hitting, and 1 don't want the owners to get mad.”
“He’ll talk to us now," said Brett.
Even computer picks Royals in six
WHITEY HERZOG, former manager of the Royals and St Louis Cardinals and now general manager of Cardinals —.”I think Kansas City will win. Steve Carlton probably won't pitch until the third game, and he probably won’t get two starts. The two teams stack up equally at most positions, but Kansas City has more speed and better pitching. Leonard and Gura should give them the edge. You don't know about Philadelphia’s pitching, because it's so worn down from the playoffs with Houston. Kansas City is rested, but I don’t know if that will help too much."
ROD CAREW first baseman California Angels —"I gotta go with the American League team, Kansas City. We’ve been downgraded so much, we have to beat the National League someplace. Kansas City has good speed, good offense, great defense and decent pitching. The Phils are no pushover, a good club, too. I think KC will do it.”
HANK BAUER former major league player and manager — ”I’m pulling for the Royals. I’m a George Brett fan, and he can do everything. I think the Royals have better defense, more speed and hitting. Their outfielders throw a lot better than the Phils' outfielders. Tug McGraw (Phils’ reliever) may be a little worn out. It looks to me like Philadelphia may be a little banged up physically, but players seem to recuperate for World Series.”
FRAN HEALY former Royals' catcher who went to the New York Yankees in the trade that brought Larry Gura to Kansas City. Healy now is a broadcaster for the Yankees — “Kansas City should win, because it’s a great club. Kansas City has George Brett and it has good pitching in Dennis Leonard and Larry Gura — very good pitching. Kansas City is a great club on artificial turf. That Frank White is something special to watch around second base. He makes magnificent plays. The Phils have a pretty good club, too, and their third baseman (Mike Schmidt) is a super player like Brett. It should be an excellent World Series."
BILL VIRDON, manager of the Houston Astros — ”It's difficult to make predictions, because I haven’t seen much of Kansas City. But when two clubs get that far, they have to be good. I'd give a little edge to the Phils, because of pitching. I don't know much about Kansas City's bullpen. I feel the Phils have a very good staff, one that will keep them in games. Steve Carlton probably will pitch the second game and be able to come back in the fifth game Sunday. He can pitch with three days of rest. Kansas City has the edge on the bases and overall team speed. Kansas City has an excellent infield and so do the Phils.”
JIMMY PIERSALL, former major league outfielder and now a broadcaster for the Chicago White Sox — ”Kansas City will win, because man-to-man it's the best club. The pitching is better and younger than Philadelphia's. UL Washington is a better shortstop than Larry Bowa. That guy really surprised me this season. He played great. Frank White will show how sensational he is around second base. Mike Schmidt is playing real well at third base for Philadelphia, but this is the year of George Brett and Kansas City. I think Willie Aikens can hit right-or-left-handers, and I think Darrell Porter is better than Bob Boone behind the plate. John Wathan’s a good backup catcher, but they better keep him out of right field. Philadelphia can get killed In left field with either Greg Luzinski or Lonnie Smith. I figure Kansas City in six games.”
JACK MCKEON, former Royals' manager and now general manager in charge of baseball operations for the San Diego Padres — ”I'm a National Leaguer now, but I still think KansasCity will win in six games. It will be a tough series. Kansas City has more speed, a better defense and its pitching staff is rested. Kansas City is a real good (artificial) turf club and there’s artificial turf at both parks."
THE COMPUTER, according to a Baltimore computer firm which correctly forecast last year's league playoffs and World Series, picks the Royals in six games.
Leonard’s fantasies fell short
The Morning Line By Mike McKenzie
PHILADELPHIA — The year was 1969. Long Island vibrated with Mets Fever. Over in the Bronx, an All-Star baseball game for a youth league was played in Yankee Stadium.
An 18-year-old Mets fan, a right-handed pitcher from Oceanside NY represented the Ozone Park Dukes in that game. And he was in awe of his surroundings. “I dressed in Tom Seaver’s uniform,” Dennis Leonard recalled Monday. “I thought to myself, ‘Geez, Whitey Ford stood on that mound.’ I fantasized. But I just wanted to be a ballplayer. I never fantasized this far.”
This far is the mound at Veterans Stadium, home of the Phillies. Tonight, Leonard will be starting pitcher in the first game of the 1980 World Series.
And this far is so far from the many mounds he dug his cleats into as a beach-loving boy on Long Island — on the rough dirt, no-fence fields near his home; in summer leagues in the Queens; at nearby Iona College; among cornfields of Iowa.
The Royals found Leonard somewhere in that maze of pitches — not before the Red Sox Dodgers and Tigers tried to coax him to sign for nothing as a teenager — and drafted him after his junior season at Iona.
The path he beat to the World Series opener was circuitous, passing through Kingsport, Tenn., and Waterloo, Iowa, to San Jose, Calif., and Omaha, Neb. His first trial by fire left him with four consecutive losses at the tailend of the Royals' 1974 season.
But in '75, Leonard blazed into a form that 1000-plus strikeouts and 109 victories later (including two playoffs) has carried him to a fantasyland he couldn’t imagine.
“It's 40 degrees out, and I'm sweating,” Leonard said after a short workout. “I think I know why, too, and it's not because of running. Weird, but I'm not really that nervous yet. But tomorrow from 2 to 5:15 will seem like three days, not three hours.”
…So far from the beach-bumming days at Island Park, the ice skating and swimming, the clamming and crabbing, the school sports, the dances on Friday night and weekend movies shown on the wall of the old handball court.
This beats the beat Leonard’s mother wanted him to walk. His father was a beat cop for the New York Police Department, and his mother worked for Nassau County P.D. as a school crossing guard.
She, in fact, for two years counted among her pedestrians a curly-haired miss named Audrey who Leonard began dating when he changed from parochial school to public, and eventually they married.
“Mom wanted me to take the police test,” Leonard said. “I flunked it. Needed 75 scored 73. That wasn't for me. It was good for my dad, but he got out and took his pension when the job started calling for hard-helmets and armor suits because people were throwing bottles and stuff. The only time he'd ever used his gun was when a rabid dog went crazy once.”
Leonard learned full respect for the badge — “I got into a whole heap of trouble for answering a cop back once" — but he wouldn't aspire to wear one. His dad's uniform, no. Tom Seaver's, yes, sir.
Countless hours, Dennis would drag his father into the backyard and pitch to him. His father kept preaching one thing, Leonard recalled: “Follow through, follow through, follow through…" And the coach at Oceanside High, Andy Scerbo, a former minor leaguer in the Cardinals’ chain, drummed good work habits into Leonard. “Wouldn’t let me do anything but pitch,” said Leonard. “Best thing that ever happened to me, because I wanted to play everything. Except catcher. Got hit on the head once catching, when I ducked the pitch. I decided then if anybody was going to be throwing at anybody then, it would be me doing the throwing.”
Leonard’s number in the Selective Service draft was 105, so he set sights on college. Certainly there was no future in the table-waiting that occupied summers and year-round weekends at the famed Aqueduct and Belmont race tracks, though the job was lucrative enough for a teen making $50 and more a day on tips. “Funniest part of that was when people thought you knew something about the horses just because you worked there," Leonard said. "They'd tip for touts so you’d give them a horse. If it paid it meant extra money. But they should have known if I knew something, I wouldn't be waiting tables.”
Unwilling to follow up a coach’s contact at Emporia State College in Kansas, the choices for Leonard became Iona or New Paultz, near home. “Main thing was they didn't require a $20 fee to apply,” said Leonard. "I didn’t want to spend my hard-earned money to get rejected." Iona accepted.
There, he dabbled at economics, developed a “feel" for pitching a curve, no-hit and won his way into second-round draft material “and some bonus money,” and the rest is Royals history.
…So far from the Fort Dodge, Iowa, summer league, from sleeping in Chicago's O’Hare Airport lobby all night to get there, from painting houses by day and pitching by night. “Is this place ever backward!” So far from the coach's wife who offered an auburn-haired New Yorker refreshment, and, when he requested a soda brought him a glass of water and baking soda. “Oh you mean pop” she said. So far from playing on the all dirt cornfield against teams with cutoff shorts, with home plate pounded into the ground backward, and traveling nine to a car to get beat “by a bunch of farmers” and shooting the loop of downtown Fort Dodge after games because the 20-year-old New Yorker wasn't old enough to enter a bar…"
In the World Series opener, worlds away from Leonard's boyhood dreams and playgrounds, the main concern is Phillies power — home run king Mike Schmidt, Popeye-arms Greg Luzinski & Co. And Leonard shows a proclivity for serving home run pitches. He allowed 30 this season.
"I never think about that,” he said. I have good control and if a pitcher's around the plate a lot he’s bound to give up home runs. Also, I challenge hitters with my best and if they hit my best, what else can I do? I get them more than they get me. I’m fortunate that my attitude is to leave done what's done. You can't take back a bad pitch and you can’t throw another good pitch until the next one. Home runs aren't a problem, unless they beat you.
“And I don’t plan on getting beat.”
The other Brett – forgotten as a hitter
By The Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA — There’s an old adage, perhaps as old as the game of baseball itself, that says pitchers can't hit.
And with few exceptions, it happens to be true. Ironically, one of those who violates that theory is Kenneth Alvin Brett — George Breit's older brother.
Today. he labors in virtual obscurity as a late-season addition to the Kansas City Royals’ bullpen. The only notoriety in the twilight of his career is the attention he receives, because his brother almost hit .400 en route to winning the American League batting title.
It wasn't always that way, however. Until arm miseries got the best of him, Ken Brett was a better-than-average major league pitcher.
The record will reflect he was the winning pitcher for the National League in the 1974 All-Star Game. It will show he won 82 games and lost 84.
“My first year in the majors I suffered an arm injury,” said Brett prior to the opening game of the World Series. “I never got as good as I should have been."
What he became was a 32-year-old pitcher who might have been better off had he lacked the ability to throw the ball by children his age during his formative years in baseball. Brett could run, field, throw and hit — really hit.
The best of the baseball record books will reveal that Ken Brett — not Babe Ruth or Don Newcombe or any of the other great hitting pitchers — established a home run record that may never be equaled.
In 1973, six seasons after becoming the youngest pitcher ever to appear in a World Series game, Brett hit four home runs in four consecutive starts.
And perhaps true to form the, snake-bitten Brett did it a fifth time, but an umpire's decision cost him that one. A television replay clearly showed that Brett’s long fly ball had cleared the right field fence at Candlestick Park, not on the bounce, but on the fly.
Minus the advantage of daily batting practice, Brett established a .262 lifetime average in 10 major league seasons, and hit 10 home runs in just 347 at-bats. There's no telling what he might have done as an outfielder.
In fact, some of the Brett family members figured Ken would easily outshine George as a professional athlete.
“Ken was, by far, the best athlete in the family," said his brother, Bobby, 30. "George wasn't even the best player on his high school team."
But Bobby Brett said their father, whom he called a good judge of ability, predicted stardom for George.
That's fine as far as Ken is concerned, because he feels superior in the way of many older brothers.
"George? He knows I can whip his butt anytime," he said.
World Series already a TV sellout, but 4-game sweep would be costly
On the air By Steve Nicely
Mention ABC to Royals' fans and the complaints will go something like this: Network offices are in New York, the announcers are Yankee fan,s they hired Billy Martin to do the color, what can you expect?
Or: Networks wanted the Royals to lose because more people will watch the Yankees. A bigger audience means higher advertising rates. The networks make more money.
Right?
Wrong, at least about the money. Virtually all the network’s available commercial time was sold weeks ago. Most of it was sold months ago and some was sold more than a year ago.
The sponsors no doubt would prefer the drawing power of the Yankees over the Royals in terms of the audience they reach with their messages, but buying in advance is a gamble the sponsors take if they want to be a part of World Series telecasts.
The networks also want the highest rating they can get, but NBC’s payday for this World Series will be the same regardless of how many viewers tune in. What NBC is much more concerned about is how many games the Series will run.
Because the commercial spots for Games 5, 6 and 7 are pre-eold on a contingency basis, a 4-game sweep would be the worst possible situation for the network. The same general situation applied to ABC during the playoffs and might have explained why ABC seemed so unhappy with the Royals.
For NBC, it is a high-stakes gamble involving gross revenues of $5.9 million for each game. NBC's gross, based upon a record rate of $270,000 a minute of commercial time, will be $237 million for four games and $416 million for seven games. That’s about $18 million NBC will miss in the event of a sweep.
But that's gross revenue and not net profit. How much NBC paid for the rights to broadcast the World Series is a secret. It's possible NBC could actually lose money with only four games. It's possible ABC lost money with only three American League playoff games.
The amount sponsors are willing to By Steve Nicely pay for each minute of advertising is a reflection of past World Series audience sizes and how well the commercials work. In both cases, the rates have been going up sharply in recent years.
The $270,000 per average commercial minute quoted by NBC is a jump from $160,000 a minute two years ago. Compare it to the current rate of about $100,000 for a prime time minute on a leading network.
The large audience size of past World Series games is one reason for the high cost. Favorable age and income characteristics of the audience are other factors. Not only do a lot of viewers watch but they also have money to spend for commercial products.
The largest World Series audience on record was for the Oct. 22, 1975, game between Cincinnati and Boston when 75.9 million viewers — roughly one-third of the population of the nation — were tuned in. That’s an appealing audience for an advertiser.
The second largest was for a game two years ago between New York and Los Angeles, which attracted 74.2 million viewers. A game last year at Baltimore was third with 71.1 million viewers. The attraction of sponsors is obvious. Interest in World Series baseball is clearly on the rise with viewers.
The recent audiences represent 20 to 30 million more viewers than watched World Series games in the 1960s. In fact, a 1963 game between New York and Los Angeles attracted the 10th largest audience on record, and that was only 45.6 million viewers.
The largest sponsors of the I960 World Series are the Miller Brewing Company and the Ford Motor Company in that order. NBC would not reval the size of their World Series advertising budgets.
For years, Gillette held exclusive rights to the World Series and used NBC as its network. The company is still one of the largest advertisers, but the phenomenal surge in World Series audience size and commercial rates made it impossible for the company to continue sole sponsorship.
Chrysler joined for several years and dropped out because of its financial condition. Today, sponsorship is open to anyone on a bid basis. NBC, because of its past association with Gillette, has carried the Series 31 times. Today, NBC shares the rights with ABC on alternate years. The two networks bid for the rights and are in the second year of a 3-year contract.
World Series, politics won’t mix
No presidential candidates plan appearances
By Kathleen Patterson, Washington Correspondent
WASHINGTON – You can mix politics and baseball as long as you don't delay the game — or try to cash in on the sporting event by pushing your candidate in front of the television cameras in the locker room.
In such fashion do seasoned political operatives, who are also baseball fans, sum up the choices available to this fall's crop of presidential candidates who may or may not be rewriting their campaign schedules to work in stops in Kansas City or Philadelphia.
No major candidate — not President Carter, Ronald Reagan or John Anderson — plans to attend a World Series game. Anderson, the independent, spent Monday afternoon in Philadelphia, but left for Chicago 24 hours before the first pitch.
Carter is to be in northeastern Pennsylvania Wednesday afternoon, leaving by early evening for New Jersey. Reagan is to be in St Louis Saturday afternoon, then returns to the Washington area that night. Those two items, listed on the respective campaign schedules, place the candidates in closest proximity to a World Series game.
The Kansas City Royals and Philadelphia Phillies play in Philadelphia Tuesday and Wednesday nights; in Kansas City Friday, Saturday and Sunday, then returning, if necessary, to Philadelphia next Tuesday and Wednesday.
Sending a presidential candidate to a World Series game seems to make sense. Thousands attend in person and more than 70 million viewers watch the games on their television sets.
In both cases, the teams’ home state is important to the election outcome. For Carter, Missouri is a traditional Democratic stronghold. In Pennsylvania, the Carter-Reagan race is considered even.
Monday, a Carter-Mondale committee official said the campaign is delighted with the two teams in the World Series: "We're doing well in New York and we're in reasonably good shape in Texas (home states of the playoff losers).”
But, he added, the races in Missouri and Pennsylvania were close: “Happy cities make for Democratic victories."
“Sports fans are a tough crowd,” a Missouri political operative-baseball fan said. “To go would be to his (the candidate’s) advantage. But if you delay the game, you’re going to get booed.”
A case in point: Rosalynn Carter threw out the ball in the St Louis Cardinals' season-opener this spring. There were a lot of introductions. The First Lady was received ungraciously, as were all of the other politicians whose introductions lengthened the time before the first pitch.
President Carter attended his first World Series game on October 17, 1979, to see the Pittsburgh Pirates defeat the Baltimore Orioles, the closest thing Washington has to a hometown baseball team. Clearly enthusiastic about the night’s work and the nation’s favorite pastime, Carter visited the two locker rooms after the game.
Some White House aides now admit the President looked awkward sharing the television spotlight with the game’s heroes. His presence added to the “exhilaration and the drama” of the evening. But an aide admitted: "I don’t know how much a President should go to the locker room with the television cameras and all. That’s a tough one. The moment belongs to the players.’'
Of that evening in Baltimore, he said, “Some people thought he looked clumsy and didn’t belong there."
Jim Purks, a White House press aide and co-captain of the White House softball team, was generally of the opinion that presidential attendance is good for the game. “I certainly wouldn’t want to advise him,” Purks said, "but I think it’s good for the game when the leader of the country shows an interest."
Anderson’s defense against Brett? Walk him every time up
By The Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA — Sparky Anderson has a tip for the Philadelphia Phillies on how to stop the Royals’ George Brett in the World Series which starts tonight in Philadelphia.
“Walk him,” said the manager of the Detroit Tigers who managed the Cincinnati Reds when they participated in four World Series, winning two. "That's the only defense against this fellow. Honestly, I am considering walking him every time he comes up against us next season."
Anderson, who watched both the Phillies and Royals work out Monday at Veterans Stadium, said his advice was not given in complete jest.
“I think every club would do just as well by walking him instead of pitching to him," Anderson insisted. “If he went to bat (officially) 60 times and walked 600 times, I think in the final analysis teams would find out that they fared bettor than letting him get a shot at the ball.
“Look at what he did this past season — .390 betting average, 175 hits, 298 total bases and 118 runs batted in (in 117 games). That's about as much damage as you can suffer. I know. They clobbered us in 10 of our 12 games, and Brett was largely responsible."
Anderson will be in the broadcast booth for the World Series, sharing radio commentary with announcer Vin Scully…
Phillies catcher Bab Boone survived a scare Monday when it wu determined he received nothing more than a bruised foot in a home plate collision with Houston catcher Luis Pujols in Game 5 Sunday.
Boone had his left foot X-rayed in Houston Sunday night and again in Philadelphia Monday afternoon. The Phillies' catcher was jolted In three close plays at the plate in the 8-7 NL playoff series-clinching victory over the Astros Sunday.
"The X-rays revealed no break," said team trainer Don Seger. "It’s gonna be painful but it shouldn’t keep him out of the (World Series) opener…"
Royals first baseman Willie Aikens was suffering with the flu Monday. Leftfielder WUlie Wilson has had difficulty sleeping since Saturday because of his wisdom teeth. He’s expected to have them extracted after the World Series…
The names of the six umpires who will officiate the I980 World Series were announced Monday by the Commissioner’s office.
Representing the National League will be Paul Pryor, Harry Wendelstedt and Dutch Rennert, while Bill Kunkel, Don Denkinger and Nick Bremigan will represent the American League.
In tonight's game, Wendelstedt will be behind the plate, Kunkel at first, Pryor at second, Denkinger at third, Rennert in left field and Bremigan in right.
Pryor will be working his third World Series He wee assigned to the 1967 Series between Boston and St. Louis and, with Wendelstedt, worked the 1971 Series between Oakland and the New York Mets.
Both Kunkel and Denkinger worked the 1974 Series between Oakland and Los Angeles.
This will be the first Series assignment for Rennert end Bremigan, although both worked the 1979 All-Star Game and in their respective league championship series in 1977.
Official scorers for the Series also were announced. The 3-member crew will consist of Phil Collier of the San Diego, Calif., Union, president of the Baseball Writers Association of America; Bob Kenney of the Camden, N.J. Courier-Post; and Don Pfannenstiel of the Independence, Mo. Examiner…a