Baseball : A New Big Red Machine? Pete Rose Likes What He Sees So Far

Surrounded by reporters as he sat in the visiting manager’s office at Shea Stadium the other day, Pete Rose talked of the “great chemistry” on his Cincinnati Reds. He talked of Eric Davis and the young talent, and Dave Parker and the enthusiastic veterans.

He also talked about the manager.

“I can’t conceive of a player not liking to play for me,” he said. “I’m honest, I’m fair, I let ‘em play. I don’t think there’s any question but that I’m offensive-minded. I turn ‘em loose.

“I think I understand players better than any manager in baseball because I was still a player last year and I may be playing again next month.”

Next month? Rose only meant that he will be eligible to play again Friday and hasn’t given up on the idea.

For now, however, he is wrapped up in managing and says he and his team will continue to improve as the players get to know each other better and he gets to know the players better. He only asks them to report on time and give 100%.

“I don’t have 15,000 rules and 83,000 signs,” he said. “I’m not going to outsmart anyone. The key to managing is having the right player in the right place at the right time. Keep it simple.

“I want them to have fun, to enjoy coming to the clubhouse. Now if the clock on the wall says a quarter to eight and I’ve still got three or four players sitting in there watching Vanna White, then the TV’s got to go. And I like Vanna White.”

The Reds offer the latest proof that a team reflects its manager’s personality.

Is this the new Big Red Machine?

“As a player Pete threw everything at you but the kitchen sink,” Parker said. “We don’t have to be told to go about it the same way.

“We have that can’t-wait-to-play attitude. I like the way guys are gaining confidence, getting to the park three, four hours early. It shows they want to play. It shows they want to win, and keep winning.

“It’s early, and we’ve got an extremely tough Western Division to beat. A lot of people say the East is better, but I don’t agree. I think there’s been a swing of power.”

Two former Dodgers, both bargain acquisitions, are filling vital roles on the Cincinnati pitching staff.

The Reds acquired Ted Power from Albuquerque in October of 1982, then traded Rafael Landestoy to the Dodgers for John Franco in May of 1983.

Power saved 27 games for the Reds in ‘85, struggled through the first half of ’86 and was moved into the starting rotation in midseason when Mario Soto and John Denny went down with injuries.

He lost his first start to the Chicago Cubs, 3-2, and has since gone 9-0 in 16 starts, the Reds winning 15.

What kind of feeling did he have when Rose made him a starter?

“The same feeling I had when the Dodgers told me I was going from Los Angeles to Cincinnati. A new life,” Power said.

Franco saved 12 games in 1985 and 29 last year. He had 6 saves in 10 appearances through Thursday, having pitched 9 innings in which he retired 29 of 30 batters. The only batter to have reached base against him did so by error.

“It’s my first no-hitter in the big leagues,” he said, smiling.

Said Rose: “I’ve got to believe he’s the best reliever in the National League. He doesn’t ever give in.”

It was an ugly week for the Oakland A’s. Consider:

--Dennis Eckersley, who had been relegated to the bullpen since his acquisition in early April from the Chicago Cubs, started for the first time as an 11th-hour replacement for Moose Haas. Eckersley worked seven strong innings against Boston in a game that successor Steve Ontiveros eventually lost, then said:

“Spot starting (bleep). What’s the big secret around here anyway? Why aren’t I starting? I’ve been a starting pitcher for 12 years. I’ve got more wins than anyone starting for this (bleep) team.”

Responded Manager Tony LaRussa: “If he doesn’t like the way he’s been handled, I’ll do everything I can to get his (bleep) rear out of here. I don’t like it. I don’t like guys who rag.”

--Ron Cey, under fire from Oakland fans because of his .160 average, 1 RBI and 13 strikeouts in 25 at-bats through Friday, saw similarities to his irregular role with the Chicago Cubs and said: “It’s obvious I can’t do the things they’d like me to do if I’m sitting around most of the time. This is obviously not what I planned on.”

However, Cey doubled home the tying and winning runs Saturday night in an 8-7 victory over Detroit. It was his only at-bat of the game.

--General Manager Sandy Alderson, asked if he thought Joaquin Andujar is faking the arm injury that has put him on the disabled list twice this year and allowed him to pitch only one-plus inning, said:

“No, but what bothers me about Joaquin Andujar is that he thinks he’s smarter than everybody else. He’s the one who won’t go to Tacoma on a rehabilitation assignment. He’s the one who won’t participate in our exercise program. He’s the one who doesn’t want to report to camp on time.

“He’s got his own damn program and that’s what frustrates us. He’s not a licensed physician, and he ought to give some credit to someone who is. We’re simply not going to tolerate it anymore.”

Add Andujar: Remember how the A’s were confident Andujar would give them leadership as well as pitching consistency? He has been on the disabled list three times in slightly more than a year with the A’s. In 10 years in the National League, he was on the disabled list once.

Booed off the field in his one aborted start this year, Andujar blamed Bay Area reporters for turning “everybody in the world against Joaquin Andujar.”

In what he described as a “pet peeve meeting” prompted by the types of things that can be overlooked when a team is winning but are infuriating when its losing, New York Met Manager Davey Johnson said that he wanted better preparation and a reduction of pregame card playing in the clubhouse. He then named Keith Hernandez, long the unofficial captain, as the Mets’ first official one.

Johnson said he considered co-captains, Hernandez and Gary Carter, then decided, “We don’t need two factions. We don’t need any factions,” Johnson said.

What they may need--even more than the return of Dwight Gooden and Roger McDowell and the end of the uncertainty surrounding Bob Ojeda’s ailing elbow--is the return of last year’s swagger and arrogance.

“We better start getting ticked off, showing teams why we’re the world champs,” second baseman Wally Backman said. “I mean, there’s confusion here because no one can believe we’re losing. But we’ve got to get that killer instinct back. Instead of worrying about losing, we have to start kicking some butts.”

Greg Harris, who won 10 games and saved 20 for the Texas Rangers last season, has been in six games with a lead or tie and blown them all.

“I’m a walking time bomb. I have to snap,” said Harris, who added that he has been lectured so often about the relief pitcher’s need to always be in control that now he can’t produce adrenaline.

“He has that too-cool-for-school feeling,” pitching coach Tom House said. “He’s so in control that he’s flat when he goes into a game. I’ll take the blame.”

Bobby Valentine has been ejected 12 times by 12 different umpires in his two seasons at the Ranger helm, and General Manager Tom Grieve is trying to arrange a meeting with Marty Springstead, American League umpiring supervisor.

Said Grieve: “Maybe he can tell us what we’re doing wrong. Maybe something will click for them. When people come to the ballpark we want the game to be the important thing, not the Rangers versus the umpires.”

Baseball Notes

If Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner will always be remembered for and haunted by the climactic play in Game 6 of the World Series, the Mets’ Mookie Wilson may be similarly haunted. “I think I’ve done a lot more things in my career than hit the ball between somebody’s legs,” he said. . . . The Rangers’ Charlie Hough has won his last nine starts against the Cleveland Indians and is 3-0 in meetings against fellow knuckleballer Phil Niekro. Can he compare himself to Niekro? “No way,” Hough said. “He’s going into the Hall of Fame. I’m going to California when my career is over.” . . . The Indians’ bullpen has blown 14 of 18 save opportunities.

Gary Matthews, whose contract with the Chicago Cubs is automatically renewed if he plays in 117 games, has agreed to waive that provision as a means of expediting the possibility of a trade. “If I’m going to get a chance to play, I have to do something to change my situation,” Matthews said. . . . Attorney Dick Moss said he wouldn’t be surprised if the Cubs responded to Andre Dawson’s excellent start by offering to rewrite his contract, which calls for a $500,000 salary and $150,000 of incentives bonuses. The Cubs filled in the numbers when Dawson, in his desire to play at Wrigley Field, gave them that chance. Now, batting .307 with 9 home runs and 28 RBIs through Friday , Dawson reflected on the modest terms and said: “I knew there was a risk when I did it, but I’m going to be man enough to stick with it. I would never cause a problem.”

The San Francisco Giants have three-fourths of their infield on the disabled list. Third baseman Chris Brown has a broken jaw, shortstop Jose Uribe a pulled hamstring and second baseman Robby Thompson back problems for which he is doing yoga and martial arts. . . . Left-hander Mark Davis of the Giants is 0-8 against the Cubs. . . . Coach Don Zimmer received $617 in meal money--$47.50 a day--at the start of a 13-day trip by the Giants and said: “That’s only $83 less than I made in my first year in pro ball (1950).”

Jerry Don Gleaton, formerly with the Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners and Rangers, was recalled by the Kansas City Royals Sunday, saved games Tuesday and Wednesday night against Toronto while facing only three batters and became the Royals’ 1987 save leader. . . . Eight of the 14 White Sox position players were hitting less than .200 entering a weekend series with the Baltimore Orioles. The team average was .212. . . . Never on Sunday? Never on Saturday, either. The Mets are 0-9 in weekend games after Saturday’s 5-4 loss to Atlanta.