McKeon Complains Padres ‘Playing Selfish Baseball’

When told that Garry Templeton had said Manager Steve Boros does not have a mean streak, Jack McKeon said some managers have to “kick butt” from time to time, but that managing also “is no cup of tea.”

McKeon also said: “We’re losing because we’re playing selfish baseball. We’re playing a lot of selfish baseball. We’re trying to be hogs and play for the big inning, and we’re not that kind of club.

“We say, ‘Sheesh, (Tim) Stoddard blew that game in Atlanta (last Friday) by walking two batters. Well, we don’t ever let the other team walk us. We never even think about getting on base with a base on balls late in a game. We swing at the first (bleeping) pitch. We don’t even try to get on. That’s selfish baseball.

“The point is you have to know how to win. We won’t let anybody walk us. Marvell Wynne--and I think he’s a good player--swung at a 3-and-1 pitch when there were runners on first and third in the ninth against Atlanta (last Saturday). We were down two runs. That pitch was ball four. Instead of having the bases loaded, he grounded out. We’re all hitters, we’re all hitters. To me, the hitting aspect is overrated. It’s knowing how to win. That’s the key. There are ways to win ballgames--with bases on balls, getting hit by a pitch, grounding out, scoring a run by making an out.”