Allentown Morning Call - March 9, 1980

It’s a new look for Luzinski

John Kunda, Executive Sports Editor

CLEARWATER, Fla. – By midweek, Greg Luzinski had a stock answer. "Thank you, I'm feeling great." He must have said it a thousand times. 

The question was pretty stock, too. "You look great, Greg, how much weight did you lose?" 

Luzinski barely smiles. He acknowledges the question like a guy who just won a big bet. "Twenty-five pounds," he says. 

How did he do it? The answer is short and to the point. "By dieting and exercising," he says. 

Luzinski does, indeed, look great. From 238 pounds to 217. He looks more like a solid fullback than the bulky linebacker he did a year ago. 

Luzinski isn't sure, though, that his weight problem of a year ago was the reason for his slump. He is sure, however, that the problem was overplayed. 

"I had all those good years at 235 pounds," he said the other morning as iie prepared for a workout at the Carpenter Complex. "Last year I weighed 238 pounds, that's only three pounds heavier. I don't think that was the reason. But the general manager Paul Owens made a comment and everybody picked up on it. 

"I decided on my own to lose the weight because people felt I didn't care. I guess my nature makes them think that. So I lost 25 pounds. I feel great. We'll just have to wait and see how much of a difference it'll make." 

Luzinski has the kind of body build that takes some doing to keep in shape. He's not overly tall at a little over six feet, and his stocky nature doesn't help. He's been working out in a rubber outer jersey all week.

To go along with the weight loss, Luzinski's hair is somewhat shorter, and, would you believe, he's wearing glasses? 

"I'm experimenting with the glasses," he said. "I've worn contacts for about five years, but they started bothering me. I'm trying this out. So far, I like them."

A new look, all the way. Physically, at any rate. How about a new look mentally? 

The Vet Stadium boo birds turned on Luzinski last season, the first time he's been their target since coming to Philadelphia as the No. 1 pick in the 1968 June draft. 

"Sure, it bothered me," Luzinski said. "It was a very frustrating thing. A good part of this game is mental. You know the fans in Philadelphia support their teams, but so much was said nationally that I think the people in Philadelphia thought they had to live up to their reputation. 

"It bothered me a lot. But I also had so many people say and write that they were behind me, that I don't know who was doing the booing. Right now, that's behind me. I'm not even thinking about the fans and how they'll react. I'm having a good spring, and trying to concentrate on a good season. 

"A good part of the booing came because the fans were frustrated, not only with me, but with the whole team. They thought we would do better, and, frankly, I can't blame You have to cope with the boos. If I get off to a good start, the fans will be right back with me. They have short memories – both ways." 

If Luzinski's batting statistics are any measure, Vet Stadium last year was his graveyard. On the road he hit over .300, but at home he was a disappointing .188. That home average brought his over-all percentage to .252, the lowest he's ever hit as a regular with the Phils. 

Then, there were the trade rumors. They made good copy in the papers and good debate in the neighborhood bars, but to Luzinski, it "wasn't a big concern." 

It was a concern because, according to Luzinski. he was told by owner Ruly Carpenter the decision was his. If he wanted to stay in Philadelphia, he would. If he wanted to go elsewhere, the club would have put him on the market. 

"Ruly and I talked about it a lot," Luzinski said. "I knew the whole situation. He told me he thought I had a lot of good baseball left in me. He just wanted to make sure I would be happy staying in Philadelphia." 

Obviously, there was more smoke than fire as far as trading goes. 

Luzinski says he's "very happy" to be playing in Philadelphia. He says it like a guy who wants to go out and prove a point.

"It's been very frustrating for all of us." Luzinski said of the 1979 season. "We were picked our division and we finished fourth. You can't blame the fans for getting on our case. We went down as a team, and we hope to win as a team. Look at the Pirates. They all had great seasons, and they won. No one guy did it they all did it. It can happen in Philadelphia, too.”

From a personal standpoint. Luzinski explained 1979 was a year in which "I learned a lot." He added: "You learn a lot every year." 

He talked about his thigh injury which "was a lot worse than anybody realized… it hurt my hitting stroke.” 

Luzinski said he spent a great deal of time watching himself in films, along with hitting coach Billy DeMars. "The films showed I was taking a longer stroke," he said. "Billy got me to shorten it and I feel comfortable for the first time in a long time..”

Now, if he can take it back home with him, the boo birds will forgive all.