BY SCOTT LAUBERNEW YORK -- Sometimes, when he catches Cole Hamels and there aren't runners on base, Carlos Ruiz sits on the ground behind home plate, his right leg splayed out to the side. I asked him once last season why he does it, and he told me it serves as a reminder to Hamels to keep his pitches low in the strike zone.
The first catcher I ever saw do that was Tony Pena.
These days, Pena is the Yankees' bench coach, and in many ways, Ruiz reminds me of him. Pena, like Ruiz, was known for his defense and game-calling. But he stayed in the majors for 17 seasons, many as a starter, because he also was a .260 career hitter. The Phillies believe Ruiz can hit .260, even though he batted only .219 last season. Rich Dubee even thinks he can be an All-Star. And on days like today, when Ruiz collected three hits including a game-winning RBI double in the 11th inning, he makes you think Dubee may be right. "Chooch" was 6-for-8 with a homer and three RBIs in two games against the Yankees, and in his last eight games, he's 14-for-32 (.438) with four doubles, one homer and eight RBIs, hiking his average to .302.
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Maybe it was being in Yankee Stadium, but John Mayberry Jr. reminds me of Dave Winfield. He has the build (6-foot-6, 230 pounds), the long running stride, even the home-run stroke.
Who's with me?
Speaking of Mayberry, Charlie Manuel said after today's game that he's going to stay with the Phillies for a while. "How long is kind of up to big John," he said. In spring training, I thought Mayberry could be an asset to the Phillies as a right-handed hitter off the bench. I still feel that way. Should be interesting to see how consistent he can be at this level.
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Several years ago, Derek Jeter said he didn't want anybody to announce his name at Yankee Stadium except longtime public-address man Bob Sheppard. But Sheppard, now 98 years old, has been sick, and in his absence, a recording of his legendary voice is played whenever Jeter comes to bat.
It has to be one of the coolest things in sports.
1 comment:
Chooch is the best. His attitude and grasp of how the game should be played serves this team so well.
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