Hatcher Remembers Puckett’s Big Smile

All Mickey Hatcher wanted was a chance to say goodbye. The Angel batting instructor, a teammate of Kirby Puckett with the Minnesota Twins from 1984 to 1986, called the hospital where Puckett was clinging to life Monday morning but was told the Hall of Famer could not accept visitors.

When a Twins’ scout told Hatcher before the Angels’ exhibition game against San Francisco that Puckett was about to be taken off life support, it was too late.

Puckett, 45, died Monday after suffering a massive stroke, and Tuesday, Hatcher stood in a hallway outside the Angel clubhouse, dark sunglasses unable to completely shield the red puffiness around his eyes, and reminisced about his friend.

“The guy was the greatest teammate you could have,” Hatcher said. “He was a great friend ... but I wasn’t able to be there for him at the end. We always talked about going fishing, and we never did. It happened so fast.... “

Puckett was involved in so many great moments, including his spectacular leaping catch at the wall and his 11th-inning walk-off home run in Game 6 of the 1991 World Series, and he led the Twins to championships in 1987 and 1991. But what Hatcher may remember most about Puckett is an infectious smile that illuminated the Twins’ clubhouse for 12 years.

“I’ve never seen him without a smile,” Hatcher said. “He’d talk to everybody every day in the locker room; he’d give you a nudge to get you going. I remember his first day, here’s this big ol’ round guy. I told him, ‘Play the game hard, and people will love you,’ and he did.

“Whether it was practice or a game, he set the tone. He was a veteran who played the game hard. He was an inspiration for that team, a great leader. When he ran onto the field, he was a champion.”

Puckett’s zest for the game even rubbed off on opponents.

“As a player coming up, you could appreciate his style of play,” said Angel veteran Tim Salmon, whose first three years in the big leagues (1993 to ‘95) were Puckett’s last. “He was very energetic, and everyone drew off that, even the opposition. You’d look at him, see how much fun he was having and think, ‘That’s what you’re supposed to do.’ That’s what stood out to me.”

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Angel outfielder Darin Erstad and Arizona catcher Johnny Estrada were on the same field for the first time since June 6, when Erstad sent Estrada, then with Atlanta, to the disabled list with a bone-crushing collision that some Braves intimated was dirty.

Erstad, however, did not seek out Estrada before the game.

“I didn’t know he was here,” Erstad said.

“I called his house [after the collision], I called the doctors, the trainers,” Erstad said. “I think I made it pretty clear that I was concerned about his health and that he was all right.”

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After throwing two scoreless innings, Angel right-hander Steven Shell was tagged for six runs and seven hits, including Orlando Hudson’s three-run home run and Shawn Green’s two-run home run, in the third inning of Tuesday’s 12-1 exhibition loss to Arizona. Top pitching prospect Jered Weaver allowed two runs, four hits and a walk in two innings of relief.