He’s Not the Boz, Doesn’t Want to Be

Jeff Bregel, former USC All-American, talking to Jeff Schultz of the San Jose Mercury-News, on his calmness in training camp with the San Francisco 49ers:

“I’ve never been a real quiet guy, but I’ll quiet down as the years go by. I have to be more mature now. When I was in college, and even more so in high school, I was a little louder and vivacious. You have to be more relaxed here. You have to prepare yourself better mentally in the pro ranks.

“I don’t think I can compare myself with someone like (Brian) Bosworth. I mean, who wants to be an idiot?”

Add Bregel: Said 49er assistant coach Bobb McKittrick: “He plays with more aggressiveness than any offensive lineman we’ve ever had.”

Last add Bregel: “Offensive linemen have to be able to work together,” he said. “Everybody is helpful. It’s not like the defensive line, where half of the guys hate each other.”

Trivia Time: What active catcher holds the major league record for fewest passed balls in a season of 150 or more games? (Answer below).

An item in Sunday’s editions gave a whatever-became-of account, 10 months later, of the central figures in the Boston Red Sox’s win over the Angels in Game 5 of the American League playoffs.

Steve Fainaru of the Hartford Courant came up with a similar perspective, except with the heartbreaking loss going to the Red Sox: Game 6 of the World Series against the New York Mets. That was the game Boston was leading, 5-3, heading into the bottom of the 10th inning, three outs away from its first title in 68 years, only to have the roof cave in and the Mets win, 6-5, and then take Game 7.

A few of the subjects:

--Boston pitcher Calvin Schiraldi, who got two Mets out in the 10th, then gave up three straight singles: He had only five saves in the first four months of the 1987 season and an earned-run average hovering around 5.50.

--The Red Sox’s Bob Stanley, whose wild pitch allowed Kevin Mitchell to score the tying run from third base: His record was 3-12 with a 5.24 ERA as a starter and reliever as of last weekend. After a July relief appearance in Toronto, he said, “I’m the dumbest pitcher in the league. I stink.”

--Met Mookie Wilson, whose bouncer to first base would normally have been fielded, sending the game into the 11th inning, but instead went through Bill Buckner’s legs, allowing the winning run to score from second: He has asked the Mets to trade him.

--Buckner: He was released and is playing with the Angels.

Keith Hernandez of the New York Mets, on the narrow lead of the St. Louis Cardinals, his former team, in the National League East: “St. Louis is doing some finger-pointing. They lose some games, and somebody blames the bullpen or somebody says the pitching had done its job but the hitting has let them down. I was enjoying every comment.”

Trivia Answer: Gary Carter allowed one passed ball in 152 games with the Montreal Expos in 1978.

Quotebook

Jack Nicklaus, on the condition of his golf game: “I got contact lenses so I could see. Now I can see and I can’t make anything.”