Hoyt’s Debut Wasn’t a Big Hit : Former AL Cy Young Winner Will Have to Learn to Swing Along With the Padres

The Padres welcomed LaMarr Hoyt to the National League--where pitchers have to hit, too--Tuesday. As Hoyt stepped up to the plate for his first session of batting practice, Rich Gossage walked out to the mound.

Some welcoming.

Hoyt was instructed to put down a few bunts, then take seven swings. The bunts earned Hoyt an “A” for effort, but the swings were enough to stir up a light breeze in the Arizona desert. The only contact made was that of the ball meeting the catcher’s glove, and that was usually Hoyt’s cue to swing.

By the sixth “swung on and missed,” Gossage couldn’t suppress a chuckle.

“Tony Gwynn, get in there,” he yelled.

Hoyt took it all quite well.

“That wasn’t too much fun, but, hell, everything’s downhill from now on,” he said.

Manager Dick Williams was on an adjacent diamond and didn’t see Hoyt’s display. Even if he had, it wouldn’t have changed his opinion of the American League’s 1983 Cy Young Award winner. Hoyt isn’t here to hit.

“He’s been a very consistent pitcher over the years,” Williams said. “He throws about 240 innings (per season), and we’ve never had a pitcher go that many innings. He’s the guy who consistently gives you a good, hard seven innings or more, and that’s going to add a big lift to the staff.

“He’s a proven winner . . . a Cy Young winner. What can you say?”

Hoyt became a Padre on Dec. 6, in a trade that sent pitchers Tim Lollar and Bill Long, utility man Luis Salazar and infielder Ozzie Guillen to the Chicago White Sox for Hoyt and pitchers Todd Simmons and Kevin Kristan.

The trade came in the aftermath of Hoyt’s only losing season in the major leagues. After going 19-15 in 1982 and 24-10 in 1983, Hoyt was 13-18 with a 4.47 earned-run average. Hoyt believes those numbers are misleading, and there seems to be evidence to support that claim.

The White Sox won the American League West in 1983, but struggled to a 74-88 record and fifth-place finish last year. Hoyt’s statistics went the way of those compiled by many of his teammates.

“I’d say my record is just a reflection of how the team played,” he said. “I know I didn’t have an outstanding year, but I didn’t have a bad year, either.”

Hoyt pointed to his statistics in the Padre media guide, and compared last season to the one he enjoyed in 1982. With the exception of his ERA, the similarities are striking. Yet, he won six more games--and lost three fewer--in 1982. Part of the reason for the decline, he said, is a change in attitude in Chicago.

“There were certain people that we relied on a lot who just had no initiative to go out and do the things--day-in and day-out--that are required to win baseball games,” Hoyt said. “It’s a strange thing to put your finger on.”

Williams said Hoyt’s record, misleading or not, may fall into the blessing-in-disguise category as far as the Padres are concerned.

“He’s the biggest winner in both leagues over the last three years,” he said. “Of course, if he’d have had an outstanding year last year, we wouldn’t have been able to touch him, nor would anybody else.”

Summarized Jack McKeon, the Padres’ vice president of baseball operations: “Put Hoyt on our club last year with the way we were playing and he wins 24 games again.”

Meet the new LaMarr Hoyt.

He reported to spring training about 25 pounds lighter than he was last season and sans the beard he has worn for the past three years. Hoyt said he shaved the beard off in late January, with the hopes that it would help rid him of some of his fashion critics.

“I guess, mainly, I wasn’t too happy with the image I had,” he said. “You know, the ‘dirty, ugly look’ that people always seemed to like to write about in Chicago. I wanted to leave that behind if I could.”

Hoyt is also leaving behind teammates who appreciated his ability. Veteran catcher Carlton Fisk publicly blasted the White Sox for trading Hoyt, saying he fully expects Hoyt to enjoy a strong season. It would be possible to conclude that the White Sox unloaded Hoyt after his only losing season with them, but Hoyt said he isn’t bitter.

“I had some good years over there,” he said. “I’m glad I had the opportunity to play there. But I’m also happy to move over here and pitch for this team.

“This team, I feel, has a much better chance of getting to the World Series than the White Sox have this year. So, I’m kind of thankful to them, I guess.”

So Hoyt will have to learn the National League hitters, and learn to become one, himself. And it would be in his best interest to become a good one. There’s an incentive clause in Hoyt’s contract that calls for a $25,000 bonus should he win the Silver Bat Award as the Padres’ best-hitting pitcher.

“My agent just put as many bonuses in as he could when we were doing my contract,” Hoyt said. “They just threw that thing in.

“Not that I expect to win it or anything.”

Hoyt’s Statistics / A Comparison

Year W-L ERA IP H R ER BB SO 1982 19-15 3.53 239 248 104 94 48 124 1984 13-18 4.47 235 244 127 117 43 126