The Game’s Old Men Still Giving It a Go

In the autumn of their careers, a few major leaguers arrived in Florida and Arizona this year looking for one more spring.

Ron Guidry and Tommy John, a part of the New York Yankees’ past, would like another chance at the future.

Darrell Evans, 41, is back in West Palm Beach with the Atlanta Braves. In Plant City, Pete Rose is the manager and Tony Perez a coach for Cincinnati. One of their old teammates on the Big Red Machine, Ken Griffey, wants to play one more year at the age of 39.

Shortstop Dave Concepcion, another part of the Big Red Machine, is trying to make it with the Angels at 40.

“What will I do if I don’t make it?” John, 45, said in response to a question. “I’ll probably go home and play with my kids. I haven’t had a summer free for a long time.”

Last week, Ben Oglivie got his chance to go home sooner than expected.

His comeback with the Milwaukee Brewers ended with a knee injury and arthroscopic surgery.

John, Guidry, Evans and Griffey have survived the first full week of spring training. They hope to make it to another opening day, but there are no regrets if they don’t.

They have made their mark in baseball and have the numbers to prove it.

Evans, a non-roster player with the Braves, has been a major leaguer since 1970 with Atlanta, San Francisco and Detroit. He has 403 career home runs, including 40 in 1985 with the Tigers at the age of 38.

“I just wasn’t ready to say I couldn’t play anymore,” Evans said. “I had 22 home runs and 64 RBI last season.”

On Tuesday, Evans stood behind home plate talking to New York Mets manager Davey Johnson.

As teammates with Atlanta in 1973, Evans hit 41 home runs and Johnson had 43.

“I never really put a timetable on playing,” Evans said. “When it ends it ends.”

If the Reds keep Griffey, he could be part of history. His son, Ken Griffey Jr., has a shot at making the Seattle Mariners.

If they both stick, it would be the first time in baseball history a father and son have played in the majors at the same time.

“I must be old if my son is about to become a major leaguer,” Griffey joked. “I’m not the only old guy here.”

Also trying to win a spot on the Reds are Manny Trillo, 38, Joel Youngblood, 37, and Kent Tekulve, 42.

After the Yankees acquired Dave LaPoint, Andy Hawkins and Jimmy Jones, it seemed unlikely John and Guidry would be back.

New Manager Dallas Green thought the Yankees needed to go with younger pitchers, but agreed to give them a chance this spring at George Steinbrenner’s behest.

“I know I can throw,” Guidry, 38, said. “But I have to find out if I can still pitch.”

In a ‘B’ game last weekend, Guidry pitched two scoreless innings against Baltimore.

If Guidry makes it, the left-hander will be used as a middle-inning reliever.

In the same game, John also pitched two shutout innings.

“People know what I can do,” John said. “I know I throw the ball well enough to still pitch in this league.”

John needs 14 victories for 300 in his career.

“I can’t say I haven’t thought about getting to 300,” John said. “It would be special.”

Guidry has a career record of 170-91. “I think I reached the things that I wanted to do,” Guidry said in his soft southern drawl. “Now, I started thinking about going home. Who wouldn’t mind retiring when he is 38 years old?”

Apparently, however, a few do mind.