Knoblauch Playing Like a Second-Rate Second Baseman

Chuck Knoblauch dressed carefully and precisely, his back to the big room with the people holding notebooks and questions. Perhaps the empty locker, like the seashell on the beach, rang in his ear with the sound of the crowd.

The crowd booed Wednesday when the New York Yankee second baesman made another wide and ugly throw to first base when he had a chance to turn a double play and booed him when he foolishly was doubled off first base on a fly ball. Worse, he was cheered when he made a routine catch or throw. That’s what they mean by a Bronx cheer.

The crowd was not seduced by the fact that Knoblauch had three hits and was hit by a pitch in five times at the plate. The Bronx is too sophisticated for that.

Besides, that crowd has a long memory. Remember Game 2 of the 1998 American League Championship Series when Knoblauch had brainlock, arguing with the umpire while what proved to be Cleveland’s winning run scored. Surely the Bronx crowd remembers. If Knoblauch understood what he had done, it was not until the next day, when teammates had time to set his mind straight, that he acknowledged his blunder. It was the darkest spot in the Yankees’ brilliant season.

“I thought that was a breakthrough,” Joe Torre, the tough but understanding manager, said. “Players rallied around him. No matter what was being said outside, what teammates think comes first. That told him he belonged.”

It’s a useful thing for a manager to say when he has a problem for which he has no solution. “I worry about it only if he worries about it,” Torre said of his throwing. “We’ll get it right. If he gets to thinking about it, it may turn into a chronic problem.”

Torre seldom says something he doesn’t intend to say. It already is a chronic problem. Torre nods his head knowingly at the mention of Chris Dudley hearing the whistle and, like Pavlov’s dog, thinking: “Drat, now I have to shoot a free throw.”

So there’s Knoblauch hearing the crack of the bat and thinking he has to make another dratted throw. “You can’t go hide; you got to do it,” Torre said. “A lot of it is thinking about it; I don’t know what else to say,” Torre said. “He takes ground balls and every throw is right here.” He formed a circle on his chest. Knoblauch even made a nice play and hurried throw on a dribbler with the bases loaded in the second.

He wasn’t the only reason the Yankees lost to the Tigers, 8-2. But Knoblauch’s baserunning did limit a potential big inning to one run. And a wild sidearm throw up the line on a double-play ball cost a run in the fifth when the Tigers went ahead 4-1. Even Derek Jeter can’t make up for everything.

“What can I say to him?” Jeter said. “I don’t know what he’s thinking. You should ask him.”

So when Knoblauch finished he declared to people waiting to ask: “I don’t got nuttin’ to say, guys.” He put on his World Series ring and departed. Who says Knoblauch can’t try to hide?

Is this the New York that overwhelmed Ed Whitson? Or is this the emotional problem that corroded Steve Sax as a second baseman? Sax had a pretty good year when he came to a bad Yankees team, but when they approached being a contender, he couldn’t throw straight. Mackey Sasser wasn’t a bad guy, but he couldn’t catch for the Mets because he couldn’t return the ball to the pitcher.

Jeter identified Knoblauch as “one of the best” second basemen in baseball. Well, he did win a Gold Glove at Minnesota in 1997, the year before the Yankees got him -- for $3 million and four prospects -- but Minnesota is a far cry from New York. He is not the man with the golden arm. “Players think they have to be more than who we traded for,” Torre said. Casey Stengel explained: “You usually know who you’re married to.”

Steinbrenner says he’s not worried, which means that he’s not worried, or that he is. “If you have to throw the ball underhand, throw it underhand,” he said Wednesday, which suggests concern.

Knoblauch’s offense has been satisfactory. Knoblauch touched off every rally, it seemed, in last season’s flying start. He has 15 errors this season. That doesn’t count the two throws Knoblauch bounced to Tino Martinez Tuesday night or the one he relayed into the dirt Wednesday, probably too late for a double play, anyhow.

Torre has talked with Knoblauch. “He doesn’t allow much,” the manager said. “He’ll sit and listen, very respectful.” Other observers note Knoblauch’s bad habits on defense and his resistance to suggestions. It is noted that Knoblauch’s closest teammate is newcomer Shane Spencer.

There is a problem. Knoblauch was doubled off first when he decided the right fielder couldn’t get to Bernie Williams’ fly and didn’t see Gabe Kapler coming from center. Later, Jeter was watching the ball while going from first to third on Martinez’ single and scored as it eluded Kapler for an instant. Torre and first-base coach Jose Cardenal recalled Willie Mays on the bases. Stengel said, “He doesn’t have to look at third base; they haven’t moved it, have they?”

“That’s instinct,” Cardenal said. “You don’t teach that.”