THE WORLD SERIES : New York Mets vs. Boston Red Sox : Hurst Is Unimpressed by Praise From Mets : It Took Awhile, but He Has Learned to Ignore What Others Say About Him

Grudgingly, they have become connoisseurs of fine pitching. Since the regular season gave way to the postseason, that’s been the only item on the menu for the New York Mets, holders of a collective .189 batting average in the National League playoffs.

So, when the Mets speak about an opposing pitcher these days, it pays to listen up. They have learned by experience.

“You don’t face a lot of left-handers like that in the National League,” Darryl Strawberry said. “We thought he might be a lot like Bob Knepper . . . but he kept me off balance. I didn’t know what to expect.”

Manager Davey Johnson said: “He threw better than Knepper.”

And from Gary Carter: “He kept the balls on the corners all night.”

But when these reviews were relayed to Boston’s Bruce Hurst, a 1-0 winner over the Mets in Game 1 of the World Series Saturday night, he was less than bowled over.

“That’s nice,” he said flatly. “I’ve been called a lot of things over the years. That’s better than some of them.”

See, Hurst has learned from personal experience, too. And that experience has taught him that not all conversation is worthy of attention.

Talk may be cheap, but as Hurst has discovered, if one considers it too carefully, the price can be expensive.

“I’ve stopped paying attention to what other people say about me,” Hurst said. “It’s taken three, four or five years, but I’ve put all the things that were said about me behind me.”

When Hurst began his Red Sox career with records of 3-7, 12-12 and 12-12, outsiders did not limit their criticism to his ability. They questioned his manhood.

Hurst had no guts, they said. He lacked courage; he wasn’t tough. He couldn’t win the big game.

Well, so far in 1986, Hurst is 3 for 3 in big games.

He pitched twice in the American League playoffs against the Angels--winning once and keeping his team close enough to win in extra innings. And in the biggest game of his life, he shut out New York through eight innings--limiting the Mets to four singles.

They’re not saying those things anymore.

Yet, Hurst remembers.

“Sure, some of the things that were said hurt. They hurt a lot,” Hurst said. “But I was 21, 22 years old. I wasn’t ready to act 28. (Catcher Rich) Gedman says I’ve matured. That’s probably pretty accurate.”

Gedman recalled the Hurst of 1982, 1983 and 1984.

“You’d look at his face out there and you knew something was wrong,” Gedman said. “He looked worried. He just had times when he’d get tremendously frustrated with himself. He was a perfectionist who had trouble dealing with giving up a run or a hit.”

Boston Manager John McNamara joined the Red Sox later, in 1985 but knew of Hurst’s reputation.

“I’d heard those things, and I’m sure it bothered him,” McNamara said. “He’s a sensitive person, a very religious young man.

“All I know is what I’ve seen. In the last year-and-a-half, he’s become much more mature, much more calm. He’s not as high-strung as he used to be.”

Today, Hurst relies on selective advice. Tom Seaver may not be available to pitch in this World Series, but Hurst might like to see a few MVP votes directed his way.

“Having Seaver on this team has had a real leveling effect on all of us,” Hurst said. “He has a sense of perspective. If anybody understands pitching in a big game, it’s him.

“Before today’s game, I just sat and visited with him. I haven’t enjoyed talking baseball with anybody as much as Tom Seaver.”

He also met with McNamara, who had a suggestion or two.

“His biggest problem is when he starts to rush himself,” McNamara said. Patience, patience, McNamara preached.

“Like Mac said, sometimes I rush too much,” Hurst said. “I think that’s understandable, considering the game that it was. I can’t overpower anybody anyways, so I just slowed down and mixed it up.”

For eight innings, Hurst had the Mets completely mixed up. But because his counterpart, Ron Darling, had yielded just one unearned run, McNamara chose to remove Hurst from the game for a pinch-hitter in the top of the ninth.

“I told Mac I could get them out,” Hurst said. “But given my first three at-bats (all strikeouts), I didn’t think he was going to keep me in there for my offense. The Mets can put some runs on the board. Mac felt another run was more important at the time.”

So McNamara called on Calvin Schiraldi, who allowed one baserunner in the ninth but preserved the shutout.

“I’ll tell you one thing, it wasn’t an easy decision,” McNamara said. “If it doesn’t work out and we don’t win the ballgame, I know where my neck is. My body might be in the Charles River.”

But it worked. Hurst for eight plus Schiraldi for one equaled an upset in Game 1.

As the Mets’ Johnson put it somewhat beleagueredly, “If you don’t score, you can’t expect to win. It’s as simple as that.”

1-0 WORLD SERIES GAMES

Date Teams x-Oct. 13, 1905 New York Giants 1, Philadelphia Athletics 0 Oct. 12, 1906 Chicago Cubs 1, Chicago White Sox 0 Oct. 10, 1914 Boston Braves 1, Philadelphia Athletics 0 Sept. 5, 1918 Boston Red Sox 1, Chicago Cubs 0 Oct. 11, 1920 Cleveland 1, Brooklyn 0 x-Oct. 13, 1921 New York Giants 1, New York Yankees 0 Oct. 12, 1923 New York Giants 1, New York Yankees 0 Oct. 6, 1948 Boston Braves 1, Cleveland Oct. 5, 1949 New York Yankees 1, Brooklyn Oct. 6, 1949 Brooklyn 1, New York Yankees Oct. 4, 1950 New York Yankees 1, Philadelphia Phillies 0 Oct. 9, 1956 Brooklyn 1, New York Yankees 0 Oct. 7, 1957 Milwaukee 1, New York Yankees 0 Oct. 6, 1959 Chicago White Sox 1, Los Angeles 0 Oct. 16, 1962 New York Yankees 1, San Francisco 0 Oct. 5, 1963 Los Angeles Dodgers 1, New York Yankees 0 Oct. 8, 1966 Baltimore 1, Los Angeles 0 Oct. 9, 1966 Baltimore 1, Los Angeles 0 Oct. 18, 1972 Cincinnati 1, Oakland 0 x-Oct. 18, 1986 Boston 1, New York Mets 0

Date Winning Pitchers x-Oct. 13, 1905 Joe McGinnity Oct. 12, 1906 Mordecai Brown Oct. 10, 1914 Bill James Sept. 5, 1918 Babe Ruth Oct. 11, 1920 Duster Mails x-Oct. 13, 1921 Art Nehf Oct. 12, 1923 Art Nehf Oct. 6, 1948 Johnny Sain Oct. 5, 1949 Allie Reynolds Oct. 6, 1949 Preacher Roe Oct. 4, 1950 Vic Raschi Oct. 9, 1956 Clem Labine Oct. 7, 1957 Lew Burdette Oct. 6, 1959 Bob Shaw, Billy Pierce and Dick Donovan Oct. 16, 1962 Bill Terry Oct. 5, 1963 Don Drysdale Oct. 8, 1966 Wally Bunker Oct. 9, 1966 Dave McNally Oct. 18, 1972 Jack Billingham and Clay Carroll x-Oct. 18, 1986 Bruce Hurst and Calvin Schiraldi

x-donotes unearned run