Fourth Day of Regular Action & Meg Joins In the Festivities (Thurs., Feb. 5)

(Written by Meg Goldsmith on behalf of Kerry)

Once again the trend continued, as the Grizzlies won their morning game 11-3.  Kerry threw one inning and got 2 K’s, giving up no runs.  In the afternoon game, they lost 9-1.  Kerry gave up an unearned run in this game and got 1 K.  He thought the pitching tutorial with Palmer was very helpful because his curveball was “much improved” and more consistent.  At the plate, he went 3 for 5 between the two games.  He scored three runs and drove in two but didn’t get any walks.  In the field, he played short when he wasn’t pitching and while on the mound caught a pop fly and threw someone out on a dribbler.

In the evening, they scheduled the Q&A session with all the former pros.  I attended this session and found it quite interesting.  They had players lined up on either side of the room, with Earl Weaver and Brooks Robinson at one table at the front of the room and Rick Dempsey seated with Elrod Hendricks at another table at the front of the room.  Leo Gomez, John Habyan, and Ken Dixon were a few of the first-time attendees as pros.

Many questions were asked and I got compliments on both of the questions I asked.  (Kerry’s note:  various people came up to me during the duration of the camp to say “was that your wife who asked those great questions on Thursday?”)  The question about Pete Rose and the Hall of Fame came up and Earl grabbed the microphone.  He was adamant that Pete should never be inducted into the HOF and he cited the rule about gambling (21 d or e) that is posted in every clubhouse.  Brooks noted that at every level of organized baseball, the players get a lecture at the beginning of the year on this one and he agreed with Earl that Pete hasn’t earned his way into the HOF.  However, Brooks was a bit more equivocal about it than Earl.  Brooks’ comment was that Bart Giammatti had given Pete a means of redeeming himself but that Pete has taken no responsibility for his actions.  And then to have his book come out the same week that Molitor and Eckersley were inducted into Cooperstown cemented Pete’s fate.  Neither Earl nor Brooks thinks Pete could ever be voted in by the Veteran’s Committee and Brooks noted that Marvin Miller, the man who has had more of an effect on MLB than anybody the past 40 years, didn’t make it.  So I asked him why Orioles players were so active in the union.  Without saying it directly, Brooks basically said that it was because Orioles management had been so hard core during the Hoffberger years.  Earl piped in and said that he joined the union and told Harry Dalton that he (Earl) wore a uniform and they could fire him if they didn’t like him joining the union.  Fortunately, as Earl noted, managers who win 102 games every year don’t get fired.  But he said Marvin Miller was always welcome in his clubhouse.

Later, I asked Brooks about the great shortstops he’d played with and whether or not they affected the way he played the game.  He noted Luis Aparacio and Mark Belanger and said you couldn’t differentiate between them defensively but that Aparacio was the better hitter.  And he said it really didn’t affect how he went about playing his position.

After the Q&A, autographs could be had from all but Earl and Brooks who had their own signing session set up for Fri

The Stat Line--Batting

The Stat Line--Pitching

Previous Reports from 2004 Fantasy Camp:

Wed., Feb. 4-- Third Day of Action

Tues., Feb. 3-- Second Day of Action

Mon., Feb. 2-- First Day of Action

Sun., Feb. 1-- Veteran's Tournament Day 2

Sat., Jan. 31-- Veteran's Tournament Day 1

Fri., Jan. 30 -- Preparing for Camp