Wiser and finally healthy, Padres' Gerut cherishes return visit to Cleveland
Posted by dmanoloff@plaind.com June 13, 2008 20:41PM
Jody Gerut is a study in perseverance.
Lenny Ignelzi/Associated Press

Padres outfielder Jody Gerut entered Friday night batting .274 with two homers and 10RBI in 35 games. At various times between an outstanding rookie year with the Indians in 2003 and last winter, he easily could have packed it in.

Instead, Gerut kept grinding, mostly through a lot of pain.

"As long as you have the willpower to still compete, and as long as you believe the body will come around, you're going to hold out as long as possible," he said. "I'm glad I did."

The payoff has come with the Padres. A non-roster invitee to spring training, Gerut was in the starting lineup Friday night for the opener of a three-game series against the Indians in Progressive Field. He played center field and batted ninth.

In 2003, Gerut batted .279 with 22 homers and 75 RBI in 127 games for the Tribe. The Sporting News named him its American League rookie of the year. Late in the 2004 season, he tore the ACL in his right knee while fielding a ball in Progressive Field. He had reconstructive surgery 10 days later.

Gerut, eager to show his dedication, returned to pro ball the following May with Class AAA Buffalo.

"I came back way too fast from an ACL tear," he said. "I should have taken 2005 off, but I was pig-headed and stupid about it."

Hindered by a brace, Gerut made his season's debut with the Indians in mid-May. He clearly was not the same player, though, and the brass wanted him to spend more time in the minors to regain mobility.

Gerut, by his own admission, essentially pouted.

"I had a bad attitude," he said.

After playing just 44 games with Cleveland in 2005, Gerut was traded to the Cubs for Jason DuBois.

"The trade basically was my fault," he said. "I thought I was good enough to be back, and the Indians didn't think so. They made an accurate assessment of my playing ability, they tried to tell me I wasn't moving right yet, but I didn't want to see it for what it was.

"I had a childish response to a fall from grace. I didn't do things in a mature way."

Gerut played 11 games for the Cubs before being shipped to Pittsburgh in a trade deadline deal. He was a Pirate briefly, his last major-league action for quite a while.

In the spring of 2006, Pittsburgh optioned Gerut to Class AAA but he refused to report. The Pirates placed him on the restricted list.

The feud stemmed from a disagreement he had with the Pirates over the health of his right knee, which had flared up the previous August and forced him to the disabled list.

"The Pirates thought it was tendinitis, but I knew it was a lot worse than tendinitis," he said. "They thought I refused to report because I was milking the injury and was upset about not being in the big leagues. I didn't report because if I went to Triple-A, I would have had to play every day, and if I had to play every day, my career would have been over."

Gerut, who had threatened through the players' union to file a grievance, underwent surgery May 31. As it turned out, he was correct. He had a torn patella tendon.

"It tore and reattached itself to another part of the knee in order to deal with the stress I was putting it through," Gerut said. "It was related to the ACL tear. The doctor had never seen anything like it."

The Pirates released Gerut in March 2007. At that point, he became a baseball nowhere man. He spent the year rehabbing in Florida.

A huge break came when Caribes de Anzoategui of the Venezuelan Winter League decided to squeeze him onto its roster. No other teams in any of the winter leagues was interested.

Gerut batted .390 in 40 games. MLB scouts took notice. With multiple teams from which to choose, Gerut opted for San Diego, partly on the recommendation of former Indian Josh Bard.

Gerut entered Friday night batting .274 with two homers and 10 RBI in 35 games.

What's the Rush

Patience, please: Tribe isn't out of race
Fans who want to blow up team should wait and see

By Sheldon Ocker
Beacon Journal sportswriter


Published on Sunday, Jun 08, 2008

DETROIT: What's the rush?

Why are so many fans and some members of the media pushing for the Indians to dismantle the team now and focus on 2009?

Trade C.C. Sabathia tomorrow is the loudest demand by folks who have decided that this season is a lost cause. But this move goes hand in hand with dumping David Dellucci and what's left of his $11.4 million contract, which runs through next year; checking out pitching prospects because Paul Byrd probably won't be asked to return and Jake Westbrook will be lost to injury, plus bringing up Josh Barfield, the entire lineup of Akron's Aeros and the Ohio State Marching Band, if one of the trombone players has the potential to be a closer.

Again, what's the rush?

Obviously, the Tribe hasn't come close to meeting the high expectations of General Manager Mark Shapiro, manager Eric Wedge and the Northeast Ohio sporting public. So what? No other team in the American League Central Division has either.

The Chicago White Sox have taken a tenuous lead, but their volatile manager, Ozzie Guillen, has accused his players, his hitting coach and even his general manager, Kenny Williams, of all sorts of dastardly deeds. Until two weeks ago, the Indians were barely hitting Jeremy Sowers' weight, but almost in lock step with them were the Sox.

That has been the emphasis of Guillen's rants to his players and anyone else who will listen. The saving grace in Chicago has been a small ballpark and the home run ball, plus an overachieving pitching staff that might not be able to keep up the pace for an entire season.

The Minnesota Twins are second in the standings, but they could as easily finish fourth as first. If the Tribe can turn it around, can't the Detroit Tigers, as well? Potentially, they still have the most fearsome lineup in the division, and before long, setup man Joel Zumaya will return from the disabled list throwing 100 mph.

This is not to suggest that the Indians are a lock to win the division championship. But this team is not out of the race, not even close. They have been the same few games out of first for weeks, owing to the inconsistency of the White Sox, and it might not even take a hot streak to pull even closer, unless you regard winning 10-of-16, say, as being a sizzling pace.

One cautionary note: The explosive series against the Texas Rangers is about as atypical as it gets. Yes, I believe the Tribe's extreme offensive problems are over. But who knows when Travis Hafner will return, and even if he does, whether he will emerge from his slump? Who knows when — make it if — Victor Martinez's strained hamstring will allow him to execute his normal swing from both sides of the plate and maybe even hit a home run?

Even with these uncertainties, the additions of Ben Francisco and Shin-Soo Choo give the offense a chance to generate enough runs to allow the pitching to make the difference. I think it's obvious by now that the rotation is among the best around, and effective starting pitching gives a team a chance to win almost all the time.

The key will be an attack that can consistently score four or five runs. Scoring 12 in one game and three in each of the next five won't cut it, but the offense seems to be settling into a pattern of reasonable stability.

That leaves the bullpen as the great unknown, just as team officials feared it would from the beginning.

Wedge needs Jensen Lewis to return from Triple-A Buffalo and pitch the way he did last year. It is unfair to think that Rafael Betancourt will duplicate his 2007 season, but he and Rafael Perez should pitch well enough. Masa Kobayashi has demonstrated that he will get big-league hitters out most of the time. Joe Borowski will blow a few saves, but most of the time, he'll get the job done, one way or another.

The Indians are not offering their fans a steady diet of Oreos and chocolate ice cream, but why not let the season play out? There's plenty of time to give up.

What's the rush?

It could be worse

Until recently, the Tribe's biggest problem was scoring, but that goes hand in hand with keeping the opposition from scoring. Every run the defense saves is a run the offense doesn't have to produce.

Granted, the attack has made strides the past two weeks. In the four-game set against the Rangers that ended Thursday, the Tribe scored 39 runs and amassed 57 hits. Of course, that is not the norm, and going into the weekend series at Detroit, the Indians had scored only 265 runs for the year.

Help has come from an unexpected source, one that really can't be game-planned: getting hit by pitches, an American League statistical category the Tribe leads by a wide margin.

The inability of batters to get out of the way has had a positive effect on the offense. Of the 36 players struck by errant pitches, 15 have scored and four others have moved runners into scoring position. Consequently, hitters putting their bodies on the line have accounted for 7 percent of the club's runs.

In one of the team's oddest rallies of the season, during an April 15 game against the Boston Red Sox, Hafner took his base after being plunked by a fastball. Eventually, the Tribe loaded the bases, and Ryan Garko was hit by a pitch to drive in Hafner.

This is not a team reputed to have an airtight defense. But the Indians rank among the top one-third of AL teams in fielding percentage, double-plays turned and (fewest) errors.

Maybe more important, individual defenders have saved lots of runs by making superlative plays. Whenever someone makes an extraordinary play, I mark it in my scorebook. Going back and determining whether the play saved a run or two can be subjective but not that subjective.

According to my calculations, defenders making very tough plays have taken away 24 runs from opposing teams, 9 percent of their total.

Of course, there are times when players go above and beyond the call of duty but don't actually save a run. So who has made the most exceptional plays? Not surprisingly, Asdrubal Cabrera leads with eight, Casey Blake has six, Grady Sizemore and Ryan Garko five each and Jhonny Peralta, Franklin Gutierrez and Jason Michaels — traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates — four apiece.

Cabrera took three hits away from the Toronto Blue Jays in the same game, saving three runs, which is one reason why the Indians scored a 12-0 shutout May 10.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sheldon Ocker can be reached at socker@thebeaconjournal.com.

DETROIT: What's the rush?

Why are so many fans and some members of the media pushing for the Indians to dismantle the team now and focus on 2009?

Trade C.C. Sabathia tomorrow is the loudest demand by folks who have decided that this season is a lost cause. But this move goes hand in hand with dumping David Dellucci and what's left of his $11.4 million contract, which runs through next year; checking out pitching prospects because Paul Byrd probably won't be asked to return and Jake Westbrook will be lost to injury, plus bringing up Josh Barfield, the entire lineup of Akron's Aeros and the Ohio State Marching Band, if one of the trombone players has the potential to be a closer.

Again, what's the rush?

Obviously, the Tribe hasn't come close to meeting the high expectations of General Manager Mark Shapiro, manager Eric Wedge and the Northeast Ohio sporting public. So what? No other team in the American League Central Division has either.

The Chicago White Sox have taken a tenuous lead, but their volatile manager, Ozzie Guillen, has accused his players, his hitting coach and even his general manager, Kenny Williams, of all sorts of dastardly deeds. Until two weeks ago, the Indians were barely hitting Jeremy Sowers' weight, but almost in lock step with them were the Sox.

That has been the emphasis of Guillen's rants to his players and anyone else who will listen. The saving grace in Chicago has been a small ballpark and the home run ball, plus an overachieving pitching staff that might not be able to keep up the pace for an entire season.

The Minnesota Twins are second in the standings, but they could as easily finish fourth as first. If the Tribe can turn it around, can't the Detroit Tigers, as well? Potentially, they still have the most fearsome lineup in the division, and before long, setup man Joel Zumaya will return from the disabled list throwing 100 mph.

This is not to suggest that the Indians are a lock to win the division championship. But this team is not out of the race, not even close. They have been the same few games out of first for weeks, owing to the inconsistency of the White Sox, and it might not even take a hot streak to pull even closer, unless you regard winning 10-of-16, say, as being a sizzling pace.

One cautionary note: The explosive series against the Texas Rangers is about as atypical as it gets. Yes, I believe the Tribe's extreme offensive problems are over. But who knows when Travis Hafner will return, and even if he does, whether he will emerge from his slump? Who knows when — make it if — Victor Martinez's strained hamstring will allow him to execute his normal swing from both sides of the plate and maybe even hit a home run?

Even with these uncertainties, the additions of Ben Francisco and Shin-Soo Choo give the offense a chance to generate enough runs to allow the pitching to make the difference. I think it's obvious by now that the rotation is among the best around, and effective starting pitching gives a team a chance to win almost all the time.

The key will be an attack that can consistently score four or five runs. Scoring 12 in one game and three in each of the next five won't cut it, but the offense seems to be settling into a pattern of reasonable stability.

That leaves the bullpen as the great unknown, just as team officials feared it would from the beginning.

Wedge needs Jensen Lewis to return from Triple-A Buffalo and pitch the way he did last year. It is unfair to think that Rafael Betancourt will duplicate his 2007 season, but he and Rafael Perez should pitch well enough. Masa Kobayashi has demonstrated that he will get big-league hitters out most of the time. Joe Borowski will blow a few saves, but most of the time, he'll get the job done, one way or another.

The Indians are not offering their fans a steady diet of Oreos and chocolate ice cream, but why not let the season play out? There's plenty of time to give up.

What's the rush?

It could be worse

Until recently, the Tribe's biggest problem was scoring, but that goes hand in hand with keeping the opposition from scoring. Every run the defense saves is a run the offense doesn't have to produce.

Granted, the attack has made strides the past two weeks. In the four-game set against the Rangers that ended Thursday, the Tribe scored 39 runs and amassed 57 hits. Of course, that is not the norm, and going into the weekend series at Detroit, the Indians had scored only 265 runs for the year.

Help has come from an unexpected source, one that really can't be game-planned: getting hit by pitches, an American League statistical category the Tribe leads by a wide margin.

The inability of batters to get out of the way has had a positive effect on the offense. Of the 36 players struck by errant pitches, 15 have scored and four others have moved runners into scoring position. Consequently, hitters putting their bodies on the line have accounted for 7 percent of the club's runs.

In one of the team's oddest rallies of the season, during an April 15 game against the Boston Red Sox, Hafner took his base after being plunked by a fastball. Eventually, the Tribe loaded the bases, and Ryan Garko was hit by a pitch to drive in Hafner.

This is not a team reputed to have an airtight defense. But the Indians rank among the top one-third of AL teams in fielding percentage, double-plays turned and (fewest) errors.

Maybe more important, individual defenders have saved lots of runs by making superlative plays. Whenever someone makes an extraordinary play, I mark it in my scorebook. Going back and determining whether the play saved a run or two can be subjective but not that subjective.

According to my calculations, defenders making very tough plays have taken away 24 runs from opposing teams, 9 percent of their total.

Of course, there are times when players go above and beyond the call of duty but don't actually save a run. So who has made the most exceptional plays? Not surprisingly, Asdrubal Cabrera leads with eight, Casey Blake has six, Grady Sizemore and Ryan Garko five each and Jhonny Peralta, Franklin Gutierrez and Jason Michaels — traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates — four apiece.

Cabrera took three hits away from the Toronto Blue Jays in the same game, saving three runs, which is one reason why the Indians scored a 12-0 shutout May 10.

For Indians, numbers are numbing

Slow start puts Tribe in a pretty deep hole

By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist


Published on Friday, May 30, 2008

Baseball is a game about numbers, and the Indians' season now boils down to some numbers.

As in: The Indians must win 60 percent of their remaining games to finish the season with 90 wins.

If they wish to win 94 games, which might or might not be a reasonable number needed to win the American League Central, they will have to win 64 percent (nearly 2-of-3) the rest of the way.

The numbers make coming back to win the division a difficult proposition, and if it's a safe assumption that a wild-card team will not come from the Central, it's a clear view of the challenge the Indians face as they try to return to the playoffs.

That's the cold, hard reality
of their 24-29 start.

And with each loss, the future of C.C. Sabathia lurks in the background.

Ask yourself what you'd do if the Indians are out of the race at the trading deadline and a team wants to give them three good prospects — one who can hit and two who can pitch.

How do the Indians turn down that deal, especially since Sabathia turned down $18 million per year in the offseason?

Yes, a lot can happen in the next month or two.

A winning streak would change a lot, as would some good relief pitching. But the signs are not good for a team that came within one game of the World Series in 2007.

Start with Travis Hafner, who probably will be put on the disabled list today. Hafner has somehow forgotten to hit since he signed his contract extension a year ago. Last year, Hafner ''struggled'' and still hit 24 home runs and drove in 100 runs. This year, nothing is working.

The rest of the lineup has gone in the tank as well, forcing manager Eric Wedge to try more combinations than a school locker.



Few have worked. The past 30 days the Indians have hit .221, worst in all of baseball.

The cleanup hitter, Victor Martinez, has not hit a home run. That means the three and four spots in the lineup are void of meaningful production.

This has led to some ugly at-bats, but that's what happens when a team doesn't hit. Individuals start to press, which leads to them trying to do too much, which is what happened to Martinez on Wednesday when he popped to short with two on and two out in the ninth.

He swung at a bad pitch, a sign of pressing too much.

Then there's the bullpen, which has blown nine of its 18 save chances. Last year's standout, Rafael Betancourt, had Wedge apoplectic after he blew a lead Wednesday.

A year ago, the Indians prided themselves on having not one but several leaders, and on having a lineup that was slump-proof because it had hitters up and down the lineup who could hit 20 home runs and drive in 80 runs.

The aggregate became greater than the parts.

This year, that same group has proven the slump-proof theory wrong, and because there are so many similar personalities, there is nobody to take charge.

Wedge is trying, but leadership has to come from players as well.

Sabathia is a leader, but he started dismally and could leave after the season.

Consider that with Hafner out, the No. 3 hitter is Ben Francisco. He wasn't on the team until April 22.

Nothing like having the newest guy on the team in the third slot.

But that's what happens when much of the lineup is swinging a Wiffle-ball bat.

The lack of an offseason addition also is showing.

There were good reasons for not making a move — GM Mark Shapiro did not want to give up Asdrubal Cabrera in a trade for a hitter — but the fact remains it's the same team. Another bat might have mitigated the slump of the slump-proof gang.

It is only June, but the Indians will have to finish 66-43 to win 90 games. Which means winning 60.6 percent of their remaining games.

No team in baseball won 60 percent of its games last year. Or the year before.

To win 94 games, the Indians would have to win 70-of-109 (.642). One team in baseball has done that since 2004. One.

That's how tough the Indians' situation has become.

But . . . it's not impossible.

The Indians are 51/2 games behind the Chicago White Sox, and that's not insurmountable. They just have to get going.

The Indians found out last year how good they can be when things go well and everyone contributes. How do they fix things this year? Like they are eating an elephant: one bite at a time.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/mcmanamon/.


Baseball is a game about numbers, and the Indians' season now boils down to some numbers.

As in: The Indians must win 60 percent of their remaining games to finish the season with 90 wins.

If they wish to win 94 games, which might or might not be a reasonable number needed to win the American League Central, they will have to win 64 percent (nearly 2-of-3) the rest of the way.

The numbers make coming back to win the division a difficult proposition, and if it's a safe assumption that a wild-card team will not come from the Central, it's a clear view of the challenge the Indians face as they try to return to the playoffs.

That's the cold, hard reality
of their 24-29 start.

And with each loss, the future of C.C. Sabathia lurks in the background.

Ask yourself what you'd do if the Indians are out of the race at the trading deadline and a team wants to give them three good prospects — one who can hit and two who can pitch.

How do the Indians turn down that deal, especially since Sabathia turned down $18 million per year in the offseason?

Yes, a lot can happen in the next month or two.

A winning streak would change a lot, as would some good relief pitching. But the signs are not good for a team that came within one game of the World Series in 2007.

Start with Travis Hafner, who probably will be put on the disabled list today. Hafner has somehow forgotten to hit since he signed his contract extension a year ago. Last year, Hafner ''struggled'' and still hit 24 home runs and drove in 100 runs. This year, nothing is working.

The rest of the lineup has gone in the tank as well, forcing manager Eric Wedge to try more combinations than a school locker.

Few have worked. The past 30 days the Indians have hit .221, worst in all of baseball.

The cleanup hitter, Victor Martinez, has not hit a home run. That means the three and four spots in the lineup are void of meaningful production.
This has led to some ugly at-bats, but that's what happens when a team doesn't hit. Individuals start to press, which leads to them trying to do too much, which is what happened to Martinez on Wednesday when he popped to short with two on and two out in the ninth.

He swung at a bad pitch, a sign of pressing too much.

Then there's the bullpen, which has blown nine of its 18 save chances. Last year's standout, Rafael Betancourt, had Wedge apoplectic after he blew a lead Wednesday.

A year ago, the Indians prided themselves on having not one but several leaders, and on having a lineup that was slump-proof because it had hitters up and down the lineup who could hit 20 home runs and drive in 80 runs.

The aggregate became greater than the parts.

This year, that same group has proven the slump-proof theory wrong, and because there are so many similar personalities, there is nobody to take charge.

Wedge is trying, but leadership has to come from players as well.

Sabathia is a leader, but he started dismally and could leave after the season.

Consider that with Hafner out, the No. 3 hitter is Ben Francisco. He wasn't on the team until April 22.

Nothing like having the newest guy on the team in the third slot.

But that's what happens when much of the lineup is swinging a Wiffle-ball bat.

The lack of an offseason addition also is showing.

There were good reasons for not making a move — GM Mark Shapiro did not want to give up Asdrubal Cabrera in a trade for a hitter — but the fact remains it's the same team. Another bat might have mitigated the slump of the slump-proof gang.

It is only June, but the Indians will have to finish 66-43 to win 90 games. Which means winning 60.6 percent of their remaining games.

No team in baseball won 60 percent of its games last year. Or the year before.

To win 94 games, the Indians would have to win 70-of-109 (.642). One team in baseball has done that since 2004. One.

That's how tough the Indians' situation has become.

But . . . it's not impossible.

The Indians are 51/2 games behind the Chicago White Sox, and that's not insurmountable. They just have to get going.

The Indians found out last year how good they can be when things go well and everyone contributes. How do they fix things this year? Like they are eating an elephant: one bite at a time.

One Pitch Two Outs

Laffey relies on words of wisdom
Young Indians left-hander takes his own advice

By Stephanie Storm
Beacon Journal sportswriter


Published on Friday, May 30, 2008


One pitch, two outs.

That's what young Indians pitcher Aaron Laffey reminds himself the moment he senses trouble in a game.

Whether there's an error behind him, or he has given up a couple of hits in a row or issued a walk, Laffey steps off the mound. He takes a deep breath. He repeats the words.

One pitch, two outs.



''At any time I can get a ground ball and get out of the inning,'' Laffey said. ''That's the beauty of how I pitch.''

It's not that Laffey, an impressionable 23-year-old, doesn't make mistakes. It's just that he is mature beyond his years and learns quickly from them. He has shown an uncanny ability to slow down the game and to move quickly into damage-control mode when he gets in a jam.

One pitch, two outs.

''There was one game last year as a rookie in Minnesota where I kind of got hit around a bit,'' Laffey said. ''That's when I really started working on remembering to focus. Since then, I just say it out loud to myself. After that point, I've gotten into a couple jams in other outings. But for the most part, I have been able to work through them.''

Laffey was called up from Triple-A Buffalo on April 28 to fill in for Jake Westbrook who
was sidelined with a left intercostal strain. He once again has pitched his way into the Indians' starting rotation.

''For such a young guy, he has pitched very well,'' Westbrook said about his young replacement after making a rehab start last week for the Aeros. ''I enjoy watching him when he's out there.''

Ranked by Baseball America as the Indians' fifth-best prospect entering the season, Laffey survived a roster move this season when closer Joe Borowski came off the disabled list May 23. Left-handed reliever Craig Breslow was sent down.

Laffey could have been the odd man out again Wednesday, but in addition to the Tribe designating struggling veteran reliever Jorge Julio for assignment, a recent hip injury suffered by right-handed starter Fausto Carmona last weekend appears to have cemented Laffey's place in the rotation for about another month.

It will be another month of consistently starting without having to look over his shoulder that the Tribe's 16th-round pick in 2003 out of Allegany (Md.) High School looks forward to the most.

''When you first get up here or are up briefly just filling in, you kind of walk around on egg shells, not wanting to step on anyone's toes,'' said Laffey, who earned the win Tuesday in an 8-2 victory over the visiting Chicago White Sox. He improved his record to 3-3 and his ERA to 1.59.

''But there's a comfortableness that comes with knowing I'm not only here for a while, but I'm here and needed.''

In 392/3 innings Laffey has limited the opposition to seven earned runs. Since April 17, he has the lowest ERA in the American League among pitchers with a minimum of 30 innings, topping his left-handed teammates, C.C. Sabathia (1.61) and Cliff Lee (1.75).

''It's really important for guys to know what kind of player they are so they're not trying to be something they can't,'' Indians pitching coach Carl Willis said. ''Aaron's strength is his sinking fastball and pitching to contact, and he knows that. Thus, he's able to avoid big innings when he gets in trouble because he believes with one pitch he can get two out.''

In his breakout season last year, Laffey won 17 games at three levels in the Indians' system.

After starting the season at Double-A Akron, he quickly pitched his way into the major leagues. He finished the year as the Tribe's fifth starter and pitched into the fifth inning in eight of his last nine starts, going 4-2 with a 4.56 ERA as a rookie.

''A big thing going for him is that he's such a good athlete, and that gives him confidence,'' Willis said. ''In high school, he was an above-average multi-sport player. Because he was the best athlete on the baseball team, when he didn't pitch he played shortstop.''

One pitch, two outs.

It's a phrase easy enough to remember. And with practice, one becoming easier to execute each time Laffey takes the mound.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stephanie Storm can be reached at sstorm@thebeaconjournal.com.


One pitch, two outs.

That's what young Indians pitcher Aaron Laffey reminds himself the moment he senses trouble in a game.

Whether there's an error behind him, or he has given up a couple of hits in a row or issued a walk, Laffey steps off the mound. He takes a deep breath. He repeats the words.

One pitch, two outs.



''At any time I can get a ground ball and get out of the inning,'' Laffey said. ''That's the beauty of how I pitch.''

It's not that Laffey, an impressionable 23-year-old, doesn't make mistakes. It's just that he is mature beyond his years and learns quickly from them. He has shown an uncanny ability to slow down the game and to move quickly into damage-control mode when he gets in a jam.

One pitch, two outs.

''There was one game last year as a rookie in Minnesota where I kind of got hit around a bit,'' Laffey said. ''That's when I really started working on remembering to focus. Since then, I just say it out loud to myself. After that point, I've gotten into a couple jams in other outings. But for the most part, I have been able to work through them.''

Laffey was called up from Triple-A Buffalo on April 28 to fill in for Jake Westbrook who
was sidelined with a left intercostal strain. He once again has pitched his way into the Indians' starting rotation.

''For such a young guy, he has pitched very well,'' Westbrook said about his young replacement after making a rehab start last week for the Aeros. ''I enjoy watching him when he's out there.''

Ranked by Baseball America as the Indians' fifth-best prospect entering the season, Laffey survived a roster move this season when closer Joe Borowski came off the disabled list May 23. Left-handed reliever Craig Breslow was sent down.

Laffey could have been the odd man out again Wednesday, but in addition to the Tribe designating struggling veteran reliever Jorge Julio for assignment, a recent hip injury suffered by right-handed starter Fausto Carmona last weekend appears to have cemented Laffey's place in the rotation for about another month.

It will be another month of consistently starting without having to look over his shoulder that the Tribe's 16th-round pick in 2003 out of Allegany (Md.) High School looks forward to the most.

''When you first get up here or are up briefly just filling in, you kind of walk around on egg shells, not wanting to step on anyone's toes,'' said Laffey, who earned the win Tuesday in an 8-2 victory over the visiting Chicago White Sox. He improved his record to 3-3 and his ERA to 1.59.


''But there's a comfortableness that comes with knowing I'm not only here for a while, but I'm here and needed.''

In 392/3 innings Laffey has limited the opposition to seven earned runs. Since April 17, he has the lowest ERA in the American League among pitchers with a minimum of 30 innings, topping his left-handed teammates, C.C. Sabathia (1.61) and Cliff Lee (1.75).

''It's really important for guys to know what kind of player they are so they're not trying to be something they can't,'' Indians pitching coach Carl Willis said. ''Aaron's strength is his sinking fastball and pitching to contact, and he knows that. Thus, he's able to avoid big innings when he gets in trouble because he believes with one pitch he can get two out.''

In his breakout season last year, Laffey won 17 games at three levels in the Indians' system.

After starting the season at Double-A Akron, he quickly pitched his way into the major leagues. He finished the year as the Tribe's fifth starter and pitched into the fifth inning in eight of his last nine starts, going 4-2 with a 4.56 ERA as a rookie.

''A big thing going for him is that he's such a good athlete, and that gives him confidence,'' Willis said. ''In high school, he was an above-average multi-sport player. Because he was the best athlete on the baseball team, when he didn't pitch he played shortstop.''

One pitch, two outs.

It's a phrase easy enough to remember. And with practice, one becoming easier to execute each time Laffey takes the mound.

Some familiar faces still looking for work 2008

Some familiar faces still looking for work
By Jerry Crasnick
ESPN.com

Craig Biggio left Major League Baseball on his own terms. He joined the 3,000-hit club last June, took a farewell tour with the Astros and retired at the end of the 2007 season. Now he's ready to embrace a new role as coach of his son Conor's baseball team at St. Thomas High School in Houston.


It took Mike Piazza a little longer to come to grips with reality. Last week Piazza announced his retirement at age 39 and issued a statement thanking everyone who helped make his 19-year career a success.

"I walk away with no regrets," Piazza said. "I knew this day was coming, and over the last two years, I started to make my peace with it."

Piazza has lots of company. Over the past few months, Shawn Green, Ryan Klesko and Julio Franco announced their departure from the game. And on Sunday, Mike Lieberthal will sign a one-day contract, throw out the ceremonial first pitch and officially hang it up as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Meanwhile, lots of other veterans remain unemployed but have refrained from formally calling it quits. While some agents privately wonder about collusion -- and the Players Association raises concerns about Barry Bonds' lack of opportunities -- the older generation has been steamrolled by the rush toward more youthful, cost-efficient talent.

"You can definitely see baseball pushing toward the younger group of players,'' said Jeff Cirillo, whose career apparently ended when he failed to receive an offer this winter. "If you're a general manager, you're like, 'Why would I pay 'X' amount of dollars [to a veteran] when I have this guy I've been developing the whole time?'"

Nevertheless, isn't it proper etiquette to give the geezers a nod on their way out the door? This week's installment of "Starting 9" catches up with some familiar faces who've drifted from the scene without saying goodbye -- and one or two who might have another "hello" still left in them.

For the sake of equal time, we've left Bonds and Roger Clemens off our list. Chances are you'll see their names a lot in the coming months -- for reasons other than baseball.

Sammy Sosa (609 home runs in 18 seasons)

Sosa had a productive season with Texas last year, that .311 on-base percentage notwithstanding. He hit 21 homers and drove in 92 runs in 412 at-bats, and posted a 1.024 OPS against left-handers.

But the Rangers decided to go in a different direction, and with the exception of a flimsy Kansas City Royals rumor here and there, Sosa wasn't much of a Hot Stove League presence. According to published reports, Sosa will retire from baseball after the next World Baseball Classic in March 2009.

Sosa is involved in charitable work and a variety of business interests in his native Dominican Republic. He travels extensively and is close friends with Dominican president Leonel Fernandez Reyna.

"Sammy's living his life,'' Adam Katz, Sosa's agent, said. "He keeps himself very busy.''

If Sosa is indeed finished, he could join Clemens, Bonds, Biggio and Piazza on the mother of all Hall of Fame ballots five years from now.

Kenny Lofton (2,428 career hits, 622 stolen bases)

No player has been more publicly adamant that he belongs in a big league lineup than Lofton, who hit .296 in 136 games for Texas and Cleveland last season.

Tampa Bay and Cincinnati expressed interest in Lofton this spring, but the money and other assurances failed to meet Lofton's expectations, so he took a pass. He recently shared his disappointment in an interview with Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer.

"The thing that makes me frustrated is I did my job last year," Lofton said. "I proved myself at 40 that I was better than a lot of guys who were 25. But I can't get a job.

"Everybody says, 'Why doesn't anybody sign Barry?' I say, 'Why doesn't anybody sign Kenny?'"

In front office circles, the consensus is that Lofton would already be with a club if he had been a little less choosy. He just might resurface yet. Jake Peavy recently made a pitch for the Padres to sign him, and if Jim Edmonds continues to flounder with the Cubs, Lofton could be the next left-handed-hitting center fielder du jour in Chicago.

Reggie Sanders (305 homers, 304 stolen bases in 17 seasons)

Sanders, like Lofton, is in a holding pattern. He was hoping for a call from a West Coast club -- ideally, the Dodgers or Padres -- and auditioned with ESPN in January. None of those opportunities worked out, so he went home to suburban Phoenix. Now Sanders is doing some studio analysis for the Arizona Diamondbacks and staying fit with the help of a personal trainer.

"Reggie works out every day,'' said his agent, Mike Powers. "He's like a machine.''

Powers recently found a home for Armando Benitez in Toronto, and he's hoping that patience eventually pays off with Sanders. If a contending team loses an outfielder to injury or is in a bind this summer, Sanders is out there waiting as the consummate, 40-year-old pro. But the window of opportunity gets narrower every day.

In the meantime, Sanders doesn't have to worry about boredom. He's married with four daughters, ages 4 through 15.

"I keep telling Reggie, the testosterone in that house is way too low,'' Powers said, laughing.

Jeff Cirillo (1,598 hits, a .296 career average)

Cirillo set his sights on two possible landing places over the winter: Either he was going to re-sign with the Diamondbacks or return to Milwaukee for a third tour with the Brewers.

Cirillo flew to Arizona for a personal visit with Brewers GM Doug Melvin in spring training and sensed the dynamic was different when he had to sit downstairs and wait by the receptionist's desk. Then he went upstairs, and Melvin politely and professionally told him there wasn't a fit.

"When you don't get your phone calls or e-mails returned, you know it's not going to happen," Cirillo said. "But I needed to hear it for myself. That walk [to Melvin's office] was very uncomfortable. I felt like a cow being led to slaughter."

Cirillo is doing some studio analysis for the Brewers and recently traveled to London to take part in Major League Baseball alumni clinics. He plays golf and participates in a men's basketball league, and is part of a group that's buying a team in the West Coast Collegiate Baseball League. George and Bobby Brett recently bought the Bellingham Bells in the WCCBL.

Cirillo refuses to use the word "retired'' as a matter of principle. He plans to go out fighting "like an alley cat."

"There are two different psyches on this thing," Cirillo said. "One is the guy who's able to end his career and say, 'You know what? I gave everything I got. This is my closure, this is my final curtain, and I'm retiring.'

"Then there are guys like me who always had to scrap for everything we got. I'm not going to give in because I didn't retire. Baseball retired me."

Royce Clayton (1,904 hits, 231 stolen bases in 17 seasons)

Clayton was playing in the same group with Kenny Lofton at Ronnie Lott's charity golf tournament at Pebble Beach two weeks ago when they basked in the view and decided this new chapter of their lives wasn't so bad.

"Kenny and I said, 'This is great.' But if the right situation came along, both of us would strongly consider coming back and strapping it on," Clayton said. "That's just part of our makeup."

But while Lofton still wants desperately to play, Clayton has already begun the transition to a new and exciting life as a budding entrepreneur.

Clayton is the founder of a new private bank in Scottsdale, Ariz., and owns a real estate development company. He's involved in a film-making venture and has started a business called "Global Genius" that's designed to "brand" athletes by partnering them with growing companies. Angels outfielder Torii Hunter is an early client.

Clayton hit .246 in 77 games last season but went out in style. He made a September cameo with the Red Sox and earned a ring as a member of Boston's 2007 world championship club.

"I couldn't imagine a better scenario than that," he said.

Steve Finley (304 homers, 320 stolen bases, five Gold Gloves)

Finley, 43, is adamantly opposed to using the "R" word because he's convinced he can still play at a high level. He's a fitness freak and still checks in at his old playing weight of 190 pounds.

"I have a hard time putting that 'retired' in front of my name because I still feel good," Finley said. "I still feel like I have a lot left in my tank."

It's tough finding a general manager who shares that opinion. Colorado released Finley last summer after he hit .181 in 94 at-bats, and nobody picked him up. Finley traveled to the winter meetings in Nashville, Tenn., to plead his case with teams, but found no takers. There were some rumblings that the Padres might invite him to their Cactus League camp, but that scenario failed to materialize.

This spring, Finley threw batting practice, shagged balls and helped coach the baseball team at San Diego's Francis Parker High, where his son, Austin, made the varsity as starting center fielder at age 14.

"He's holding his own," Finley said. "He catches everything that's hit to him."

While Finley waits for the phone to ring, he's branching into different avenues. He's a partner in Pasquale's of Del Mar, an Italian restaurant that's scheduled to open in July, and will consider broadcasting down the road.

Freddy Garcia (117-76 record in nine seasons)

Garcia hasn't passed from the scene. He's simply rehabbing on his way back to the bigs.

After giving the Philadelphia Phillies one win for their $10 million investment last season, Garcia underwent shoulder surgery in August. Rather than go shopping for a Jon Lieber-type, low-base, high-incentive contract, Garcia's agent, Peter Greenberg, wanted the pitcher to get healthy before taking him back on the market as a free agent.

Garcia is working with a personal trainer at his home in Miami and recently began throwing off a mound. If all goes according to plan, he could be ready for an audition in July, a minor league rehab in August and a big league cameo in September.

"It's pretty slim pickings on the trade market," Greenberg said, "so as long as Freddy is healthy, there should be interest. Even if he's 80 to 90 percent, that's better than most pitchers at 100 percent."

Garcia visited the Mets and Red Sox in spring training, and the Yankees and Tigers will probably be lurking if he can contribute down the stretch. If Sidney Ponson could find new life in the Texas Rangers rotation, it's hard to believe Garcia won't find a job.

David Wells (a 239-157 record over 21 seasons)

Boomer snagged a headline recently when the Yankees' pitching problems began to mount. Hank Steinbrenner tossed his name out as a possibility, the New York Post called for a reaction and Wells allowed that sure, he'd love to give New York a final fling.

Nothing came of the speculation, and realistically, it's not going to happen. Wells has paid more attention to his diet and lifestyle since being diagnosed with diabetes, but he just turned 45 and will never be known as a monument to conditioning.

"David would still love to pitch," said his agent, Gregg Clifton. "We're keeping our fingers crossed every day. But obviously as time goes on, I have to think we're not going to get a get phone call."

So what's on the horizon? Wells is an avid golfer and hunter, and owns a 1,300-acre ranch in Michigan with close friend Kirk Gibson. He recently appeared on Fox's "Best Damned Sports Show Period,'' and Clifton thinks he could easily transition into broadcasting or even managing.

"Not only is David a historian of the game, he knows baseball from a tactical point of view," Clifton said.

And just imagine how entertaining his postgame news conferences would be.

Damian Miller (834 hits in 11 big league seasons)

Miller, who won a World Series ring with Arizona in 2001 and caught a 20-strikeout game by Randy Johnson, felt fortunate to spend the past three seasons playing for his home-state Milwaukee Brewers. He continues to live in Wisconsin, where he keeps busy coaching youth soccer, hunting wild turkey and hanging out with the kids.

During a speech to the Wisconsin Associated Press Sports Editors in early May, Miller revealed that the Yankees and Padres both called recently to inquire about his services when they were desperate for catching help. He politely said no.

"That itch is still there, that competitive itch," Miller said. "I just don't want to deal with the other stuff anymore. I don't want to go find an apartment, drive to the airport, fly to another hotel and order room service."

Miller has made it clear that if he's going to play again, it would be for the Brewers and the Brewers only. But unless he develops a sudden aptitude for closing games, the chances of a reunion are remote.

Jerry Crasnick covers baseball for ESPN.com. His book "License To Deal" was published by Rodale.

Vizquel is baseball's forgotten iron man

Vizquel is baseball's forgotten iron man
By Jim Caple

Because a player never knows when a career might end, especially once he's turned 40 years old, Omar Vizquel decided over the winter to hold a farewell tour. Only this tour wasn't of the major leagues, but of winter ball in his native Venezuela, where he hoped to play in each stadium and against every team in the league in which he started his career in 1984. Playing there -- the first time he played in the league in a decade or so -- provided Vizquel with frequent reminders of just how long a career he has enjoyed in baseball.

"Things have changed a lot in 24 years," he said. "All those kids who saw me play when I was there [starting out], they're all married and have kids of their own."

Fans, meanwhile, received a reminder this weekend of just how long a career Vizquel has had when he played his 2,584th career game at shortstop, the most at that position in major league history. And just to prove he hasn't slowed down much, he broke the record held by Luis Aparicio by playing in both games of a doubleheader.

Vizquel says he didn't think about the record until it became a realistic possibility, but once he got close it became very important and an "awesome" thing. "Especially when you think about this guy who doesn't hit for power, it's crazy -- I'll have played more games at shortstop than Cal Ripken, and probably have more hits, too. And people don't really say anything about that."


No, they don't. Vizquel has played his entire career in the shadow of others, beginning with his major league debut on Opening Day 1989 when the media focused somewhat more attention on teammate Ken Griffey Jr.'s debut (Omar, by the way, currently has more career hits than Junior). And just when Vizquel was fully developing into the next Ozzie Smith, a new standard of shortstop began with the careers of Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Nomar Garciaparra and Miguel Tejada. Overnight, it seemed, shortstops were supposed to hit 30 home runs and bat .300 in addition to their day jobs of fielding the position.

Well, Omar couldn't match that. But like a certain great fielding shortstop named Ozzie, Vizquel worked hard and turned himself into a pretty decent hitter. He batted .333 in 1999 and hit 14 home runs in 2002. He's scored 1,344 runs and stolen 381 bases. He tied an American League record with six hits in a game. He is second to Aparicio for most hits by a shortstop in major league history.

And all the while he's played the sort of dazzling defense seldom seen outside a video game or Bugs Bunny cartoon. He's won 11 gold gloves -- more than any shortstop except Ozzie -- and has the best fielding percentage in big league history for a shortstop. I know some stat guys will say his range numbers aren't as impressive as they should be but those arguments aren't as convincing as the ones my eyes have provided over the past two decades. As reliable as the tides, he is the best fielding shortstop of his era with the surest hands and belongs in the Hall of Fame. He'll get my vote the first time his name is on the ballot, and a poll of 10 other voters found overwhelming support for him as well.

The interesting thing is that were Vizquel to come up today, a team might not be interested in giving a young shortstop with no power enough time to develop his bat in this offense-obsessed era.

"It would have depended on what type of team you were on," he said. "I was with the Mariners and we weren't picked to win our division in those years so they saw a guy who had enthusiasm, who had motivation, who had the passion to play everyday, who had good hands. And they gave me time to develop as a hitter. I only switch-hit for a year before I got to the majors. The very next year I'm in the majors facing major league pitching after only six months of switch-hitting. I was like, you've got to be s----ing me, this is going to be really hard.


"But I did my job defensively and they gave me the opportunity to play everyday. I listened to the coaches, I had a good attitude. There are more things to staying in the big leagues than hitting home runs."

When all the talk was about the shortstop Holy Trinity of Jeter, Nomar and A-Rod, few ever thought to make it a Fab Four by including Omar. Hell, what did fielding your position brilliantly mean compared to hitting home runs or leading the league in batting? But the funny thing about the Holy Trinity is that while Nomar and A-Rod don't play the position anymore, Omar still does, at age 41.

"I feel great about myself," Omar said in answer to a question about retirement during spring training. "I'm in great shape. I'm doing everything I can to compete with these young guys. It just depends on what kind of year I have if I have a down year I don't know if I'll keep playing."

At last glance, he was hitting .216, which is way below his career average, so we'll have to see how he finishes the season. In the meantime, do yourself a favor. Just in case this is Omar's farewell season, go treat yourself by watching the best fielding shortstop you'll ever see who doesn't do backflips.

Players with 2,000 games played at shortstop in the major leagues:

1. Omar Vizquel: 2,585
2. Luis Aparicio*: 2,583
3. Ozzie Smith*: 2,511
4. Cal Ripken*: 2,302
5. Larry Bowa: 2,222
6. Luke Appling*: 2,218
7. Dave Concepcion: 2,178
8. Rabbit Maranville*: 2,153
9. Alan Trammell: 2,139
10. Bill Dahlen: 2,132
11. Bert Campaneris: 2,097
12. Barry Larkin: 2,085
13. Tommy Corcoran: 2,073
14. Royce Clayton: 2,053
15. Roy McMillan: 2,028
16. Pee Wee Reese*: 2,014

* Hall of Famer

Satchel Paige Stories & Quotes

Satchel Quotes

"Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter."

"I ain't ever had a job, I just always played baseball."

"I don't generally like running. I believe in training by rising gently up and down from the bench."

"I never rush myself. See, they can't start the game without me."

"I use my single windup, my double windup, my triple windup, my hesitation windup, my no windup. I also use my step-n-pitch-it, my submariner, my sidearmer and my bat dodger. Man's got to do what he's got to do."

"If a man can beat you, walk him."

"It's funny what a few no-hitters do for a body."

"My feet ain't got nothing to do with my nickname, but when folks get it in their heads that a feller's got big feet, soon the feet start looking big."

"One time I snuck a ball on with me and when I went to winding up, I threw one of them balls to first and one to second. I was so smooth I picked off both runners and fanned the batter without that ump or the other team even knowing it."

"The only change is that baseball has turned Paige from a second class citizen to a second class immortal."

"There never was a man on earth who pitched as much as me. But the more I pitched, the stronger my arm would get."

"When a batter swings and I see his knees move, I can tell just what his weaknesses are then I just put the ball where I know he can't hit it."

"Ain’t no man can avoid being born average, but there ain’t no man got to be common."
"I never threw an illegal pitch. The trouble is, once in a while I would toss one that ain’t never been seen by this generation."

"Just take the ball and throw it where you want to. Throw strikes. Home plate don’t move."
"They said I was the greatest pitcher they ever saw…I couldn’t understand why they couldn’t give me no justice."

"Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you."

"Don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines."

"How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?"

"Money and women. They're two of the strongest things in the world. The things you do for a woman you wouldn't do for anything else. Same with money."

"Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt. Dance like nobody's watching."

"You win a few, you lose a few. Some get rained out. But you got to dress for all of them."

"My pitching philosophy is simple; you gotta keep the ball off the fat part of the bat."

"I never had a job. I always played baseball."
"Mother always told me, if you tell a lie, always rehearse it. If it don't sound good to you, it won't sound good to no one else."
"Don't eat fried food, it angries up the blood."

Paige family remembers Satchel
07-10-2006

KANSAS CITY -- At the table with Robert Paige were his siblings. His sisters Lula, Rita, Caroline and Pam were there. His little brother Warren was at the table as well, and throw in his nephew Michael, and Robert Paige had his father Satchel's present and future at his side.

They were there Saturday for a simple purpose: to celebrate the family patriarch's 100th birthday, and they were there, all of them smartly dressed in white-and-red Monarch jerseys, to offer insight into the iconic life of Satchel Paige, the baseball globetrotter and the most storied name from "black baseball."

Theirs was a first-of-its-kind appearance for the Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference here; theirs might be its last-of-kind appearance, too. For the Paige family guards its heritage, even though the family understands its heritage interests so many people. Everyone who likes baseball wants to hear another Satchel Paige story. Everybody wants to know what made this baseball gypsy the man he was.

Was his private life as hectic and as adventurous as his public one? Did he dote over his children the way he lorded over the game of baseball? Did he make life as comfortable for them as he made it uncomfortable for men who had to face him?

Robert Paige and his sibling provided the answers. They spoke in many voices, a rarity for the Paige children. Their mother told each of them early in life that it was, as Pam would put it, "inappropriate for us to do interviews unless we spoke with her or she understood."

"Until this day, I don't do interviews unless I have the right to critique what is being printed," Pam said. "A lot of people say, 'You all never just talk about your dad.' We just have made it a habit that we have a spokesman -- and that's Robert.

"One person speaks and carries the sentiment of all of us."

In breaking what seemed like a vow of silence, they each offered a perspective on a man whose public life captivated sports fans. For their father, a Hall of Famer, was as good as any man who ever strolled to the pitcher's mound, picked up a baseball and threw it.

He left the landscape littered with tales, some of them larger than life, to prove it.

But his children had few first-hand accounts of their father as the Negro League great. They had been born either near the end of his career or when his career was over. So they knew Satchel Paige as simply a loving father, not as a man with greatness stamped to his legacy. To them, he was like any other father.

"I wish you guys had gotten the chance to meet him," Robert Paige said. "He could tell stories all day. And I had to sit there and listen to him."

Robert Paige broke into a laugh. His words did more than suggest that he longed to sit there now and listen once again to more of Satchel's stories. But all he and his siblings have now are the memories -- plenty of memories, too.

"What about the dance contests?" Robert Paige asked his sisters.

Their eyes brightened with the joy that can only come from reliving a moment as cherished as these.

"He'd always have little dance contests," Pam said of her father. "We'd all take turns. Robert, at the time, had a little skit he had to do in elementary school. So they were learning how to do the 'Scratch' or the 'Itch,' which is what it was back then.

"He was so good at it that everybody just loved it."

What everybody loved, Robert Paige said, was being in the family's home. It might just as well have been Grand Central Station with the traffic that rolled in and out of the place. Their father made the home inviting to whoever might come calling.

Uncles and aunts, cousins, former teammates, neighbors, childhood friends, little kids from down the block, all could find a cozy spot to lay up inside the Paige household.

"The party was on," Robert Paige said.

For with company of good friends, the Paiges offered good food and conversation. Their father enjoyed working over a stove, and their mother was more than a fair cook, and when company wasn't there, the house was just as warm and loving.

Their mother, Lahoma, provided the spiritual foundation. She woke the kids on Saturday mornings with hymns and sent them off to do family chores. They had a garden to tend to, and they had 22 dogs.

Their home might as well have been a kennel, because the dogs had plenty of company. The children had chicken, ducks, cats, rabbits and even a raccoon.

"We got our private zoo," Pam said. "It was visited by the health department -- sometimes."

She was quick to point out that the idea for all the critters wasn't anybody's but her father's. Same things went for the garden, which Paige insisted that his children plant in neat rows.

"He'd bring out a lawn chair," Robert Paige said, "and just sit there and look."

None of them begrudged his not pitching in to help. For they all said their father and his success as a baseball player had created a comfortable life for them. They wanted for little, and whenever money did get a bit tight, they adjusted. So their father had earned the right, as one of Satchel's grandsons put it, to "supervise."

He also earned the right to live life on his terms. Satchel Paige, who died June 8, 1982, had his likes; he had his dislikes. He was a caring father; he was also energetic, talkative and a natural comedian.

Satchel Paige's time-honored maxims about age prove the latter:

About age: "Age is a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it don't matter."

Or airplanes: "Airplanes may kill you, but they ain't likely to hurt you."

Or work: "I ain't ever had a job, I just always played baseball"

Or character: "Ain't no man can avoid being born average, but there ain't no man got to be common."

Call Satchel Paige a lot of things, but he wasn't average or common. He was special, particularly so to the men and women who called him their father.

Now, they'd just love one more dance contest with him. Just one more time of whirling around the dance floor to a Motown or jazz favorite. Even an old Elvis tune would do. Their dad's taste in music didn't fit neatly into a pile anymore than his life did.

They remember that fact well, just as they remember endless stories about the man whose legacy they intend to carry on.

Robert Paige, 54, offered one such story:

His mother needed to go to the grocery store to buy some chicken, so she asked Satchel for some money. All he had was a $100 bill, so he gave it to her. Off she went to the store with Robert in tow.

A short while later, she and Robert returned with the groceries. She took the bags into the kitchen and Robert went to watch TV. A short while later, his father comes into the room.

"Pull the shades back," Satchel told Robert. "He said, 'You know you and your mother went to the store.' I said, 'Yeah, we went to the store.'

"He said, 'You know I gave her $100 bill.' I said, 'OK, you gave her $100 bill.' He said, 'I want you to pull the shades back so I can see the truck that's gonna bring that chicken up in here.' "

Justice B. Hill is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.