Parker Is Now Headed in the Right Direction : Leaving Pittsburgh Behind Him, He Makes Himself at Home in Cincinnati

It is a tale of two cities. Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. It’s only a five-hour drive between the two points but, if you’re outfielder Dave Parker, the distance seems much longer.

In fact, just getting out of Pittsburgh and reaching Cincinnati has given him a new lease on life and baseball. He is now amiable, where he was once antagonistic.

Before Tuesday night’s Dodgers-Reds game, Parker could be seen clowning around with Tony Perez and Cesar Cedeno. His last years at Pittsburgh weren’t much fun.

But Parker is a changed man.

“I wasn’t treated right in Pittsburgh. I let it affect my performance in those later years, and I never should have.” he said.

He was one of baseball’s best players from 1975-80, hitting .300 or better for five straight years. He drove in an average of 95 runs and won a batting title in 1978.

Parker and Willie Stargell, with a little help from Sister Sledge and the hit single, “We Are Family,” led the Pirates from a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Baltimore Orioles in the 1979 World Series.

After those glory days for Parker, the bottom dropped out. Slumping to .258 in 1981 and missing half of the season in 1982 with injuries, he drew the brunt of the criticism for Pittsburgh’s sub-par years.

Being baseball’s first million-dollar baby with a multiyear contract in 1978 didn’t help at a time when steelworkers were being laid off.

Parker received death threats. Batteries and even bullets were thrown at him. In 1981, his weight ballooned to 260 pounds. And the years 1982 and ’83 were no better.

He became a free agent in 1983 by playing out his option. Then he had a decision to make.

“There were three teams that showed an interest: Seattle, Cincinnati and the Pirates,” Parker said. “I chose the Reds because it’s my hometown and I wanted to finish my career with my family near me.”

The Reds, under Dick Wagner, didn’t sign free agents, but they took a chance on Parker.

The chance paid off.

Last season, Parker hit .285 and drove in 69 runs. Currently, he is tied for third in hitting (.308), with 14 homers and 55 RBIs.

He leads the Reds in every offensive category and has kept them close in the National League West--five games behind front-running San Diego.

Parker has even signed an extension on his contract, which now runs until 1988.

He’s a lot happier since coming to the Reds. What happened?

“This is just a better atmosphere to play in,” Parker said. “I’m enjoying things here.”

Parker has also done more off-season conditioning in the last two years than in the past, and is in the best shape of his career.

“Last year was a good year for me, but I did some strengthening work all winter and that’s why I’m doing so well this year.

“I’m just so glad to be here. There’s no animosity.” he said. “I made the right move for me and my family, and I’m happy for it.”

Parker thought of himself as a leader at Pittsburgh, and he places himself in the same role with the Reds.

“I just let my actions on the field do the talking. I’m producing and giving it all every day. That’s all they need.”

Reds infielder Nick Esasky admits he was a little apprehensive about Parker joining the team.

“I had heard about things with him in Pittsburgh. But, there’s nothing wrong with him here,” Esasky said. “He isn’t our Dear Abby or anything, but he does his job and leads on the field.”

One of the things that has made life easier for Parker has been the hiring of player-manager Pete Rose.

“He’s easy to play for. He’s got the greatest rapport with the players in the league,” Parker said. “The players can watch him go out and do the things he talks about. That helps.

“I’ll do anything for him. The man’s tremendous.”

Parker wants to put the years at Pittsburgh behind him.

“I don’t even want to talk about the Pittsburgh situation anymore. It’s just a case of one organization going down and another coming up,” he said. “I’d just like to think of myself as part of both.”

Parker says he did the right thing and jumped ship at Pittsburgh before it went down. But, now he has put himself back on course with the Reds.

Look what a change of atmosphere will do.