KingFish
02-23-2002, 02:59 AM
Dodgers manager expects more from his leaders
By Ken Gurnick
MLB.com
Spring Training Photo Album
Spring Notes, Feb. 22
VERO BEACH, Fla. -- Team chemistry means more than just unloading a disruptive Gary Sheffield.
To Dodgers manager Jim Tracy, it also means player leadership. When he addressed the team Wednesday in the first full-squad spring workout, he challenged his players to take charge in the clubhouse, the dugout and on the field.
"I told them to step forward," said Tracy. "I told the veteran players to step out of the shadows, not to feel afraid or ashamed to voice an opinion, especially if you're a player busting your butt every single day and not leaving yourself subject to any question. It started last year but we must do more of it this year. It's part of learning how to be a championship team. It's another step we need to take as a team.
"I want the integral guys to step forward. I didn't name names, but I didn't have to name names. The intent is not to have players calling out other players. The intent is to have people in place that can react to situations that have the potential for disaster and keep things on course. It's a vital element of getting to the next step. It's part of the mystique about having a championship clubhouse."
Tracy didn't name names in his address to the team, but he did later. Kevin Brown. Brian Jordan. Paul Lo Duca. Shawn Green. He added Marquis Grissom, saying that despite Grissom's close relationship with Sheffield, "he did a lot more than people give him credit for. He held down what could have been a raucous situation."
This year, Sheffield remains a topic of discussion around Dodgertown because he's not here. Second baseman Mark Grudzielanek this week told reporters the team is better off not having the distractions Sheffield caused last spring when he demanded a trade. How teams respond to such distractions often depend on the leadership displayed in the clubhouse.
"We don't have just one team leader, but if something needs to be said, believe me, somebody will say it," said Eric Karros, the dean of the current Dodgers entering his 10th season with the team. "We had team meetings last year and we weren't just looking at each other. For the most part, guys took care of issues in-house."
Terry Mulholland, a 15-year veteran, defined the role of team leader.
"The manager sets the rules and expectations as far as what's expected from the players -- working hard, be on time," he said. "The other things in the clubhouse and on the field, it's pretty much up to us to make sure everybody is busting their butt working toward one goal.
"Once in a while, a guy puts himself ahead of the team. That's when a good leader steps in and explains how things are supposed to be done, and how they're not supposed to be done. In my 15 years, I may have seen maybe a dozen times where something needed to be said. At times you have guys who feel they need to grab the spotlight and be the center of attention. That's fine off the field. But when it interferes with what's happening on the field, when somebody, say, is more concerned with his stats than winning and losing a game, that's when somebody has to step in."
Mulholland said the ideal team leader is an everyday position player. But from a personality and performance perspective, Brown is as likely as anyone to emerge as the leader of this team.
He showed why Thursday. When Hiram Bocachica slipped on the damp grass trying to field a bunt in Thursday morning drills, then because of it threw off-balance into the outfield, Brown barked: "That's why we wear spikes out here."
Said Mulholland: "It's Brownie's desire there to right a wrong, to cut off a possible problem. The last thing we want doing drills is to get a guy hurt because he's not wearing the proper equipment. We had enough guys on the disabled list last year. It was a simple bit of advice. That's what a good team leader will do. You make the point without embarrassing your teammate. It's a fine line there, but you have to make the point so it doesn't happen again. Sometimes you approach it privately, but sometimes you can make a point to everybody."
In another era, the team leader often received the official title of team captain from the manager. Tracy said he has not considered naming one, but the Dodgers have had them in the past.
"The best team leader I ever managed was Reggie Smith, but the greatest I ever played with was Pee Wee Reese," said vice President Tom Lasorda, a Hall of Fame manager and former player in the 1950s. "He was always the captain. He used to sit in his chair and the young players would come to him with all our problems. And he wasn't afraid to get in a teammate's face. You should have heard him get on Duke Snider."
After Reese, manager Walt Alston had three captains -- Snider, Maury Wills and, briefly, Willie Davis. Lasorda gave the job to Davey Lopes. Wills, the everyday shortstop and leadoff hitter, embraced the role on a team with superstar pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.
"I was brash and I went at it," said Wills, now the Dodgers baserunning and bunting coordinator, and also a former manager. "I over-asserted myself, in the estimation of some of my teammates. But I took some of the weight off the manager. As a manager, you hate to have to discipline somebody every time. It's so helpful if the players can discipline themselves."
The best team leaders? Coach Manny Mota said Dusty Baker was "a guy who could wake everybody up," and his leadership skills have carried him to managerial success. Coach Glenn Hoffman said Don Baylor, another clubhouse leader who became a manager, brought stability to the 1986 Boston Red Sox, who nearly won the World Series. Hoffman added current Angels manager Mike Scioscia and 1988 MVP Kirk Gibson as impact leaders. Coach Jim Riggleman, who managed San Diego, nominated Tony Gwynn.
General manager Dan Evans acquired Jordan in the Sheffield trade to essentially replace the left fielder. Tracy believes Jordan can assume a leadership role.
"He brings a dynamic to the clubhouse we're anxiously looking forward to having in there," Tracy said of Jordan, a former NFL defensive back. "He can send a message into the clubhouse. He plays the game at one speed, full out, and he expects his teammates to play at the same speed. He's a winner."
For his part, Jordan quickly offered up the best leader he played with.
"Ozzie Smith," he said. "He knew how to win and what it took to win and he led by example. And when he spoke, you listened. You knew you were getting good, sound advice. I've always tried to emulate Ozzie, to lead by example. When I feel it's time for me to speak, I'll say what I think the team needs to know. It's not really a role you take, it comes naturally. Most of the time, you just play hard and you expect the same from your teammates. If I'm not doing that, I expect somebody to tell me to get it in gear, and I'd do the same."
Green, who hit 49 home runs last year, said Karros and Brown are his idea of leaders in the Dodger clubhouse, but he is ready to answer Tracy's call.
"I'm hoping I can be part of that," said the right fielder. "I don't know if anybody in here will wear the title alone, but I wouldn't shy away from the role. It would be an adjustment for me to be more vocal, but I can do it. From what I've seen in one day, everybody in here is on the same page and that's a huge step in the right direction."
Green said the best leader he played with was Carlos Delgado in Toronto.
"He commanded respect from just about the whole team," said Green. "Not only is he a bright guy, but he is bilingual, so he could relate to everybody on the team."
Like Green, Lo Duca said Tracy's challenge resonated.
"I would love to do it," said Lo Duca, who emerged as an all-around force in only his second season. "I consider myself that kind of player. I take pride in working hard and I'm not afraid to tell someone if they're going half-ass and not doing the job, just like I expect somebody to tell me if I'm not. I can take the criticism and I can dish it out. This team is like family to me."
Because starting pitchers are idle 80 percent of the time, it is rare when they are considered the soul of a ballclub. So it says a lot about Brown that many of his teammates consider him their leader.
"Brownie is one because of the fiery way he goes about his business," said Tom Goodwin. "It's tougher for a pitcher, but get by all the money, and nobody wants to win more than Brownie. He doesn't let guys get down on themselves. Between starts, nobody sees how hard he works in the training room. He's not only a leader for the pitchers, it also spills out to the position players."
Karros said the player that made the greatest impact on him was Tim Wallach who, like Karros, was a quietly confident veteran.
"He wasn't real vocal, but when he had something to say it meant something," said Karros. "A lot of guys talk to hear themselves talk. They are perceived as, quote, a clubhouse leader, or, quote, a presence in the clubhouse. Some guys like to talk, and the perception on the outside is that if you do interviews, that makes you a leader. I don't know what that makes you. But that doesn't make you a leader."
Ken Gurnick covers the Dodgers for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
By Ken Gurnick
MLB.com
Spring Training Photo Album
Spring Notes, Feb. 22
VERO BEACH, Fla. -- Team chemistry means more than just unloading a disruptive Gary Sheffield.
To Dodgers manager Jim Tracy, it also means player leadership. When he addressed the team Wednesday in the first full-squad spring workout, he challenged his players to take charge in the clubhouse, the dugout and on the field.
"I told them to step forward," said Tracy. "I told the veteran players to step out of the shadows, not to feel afraid or ashamed to voice an opinion, especially if you're a player busting your butt every single day and not leaving yourself subject to any question. It started last year but we must do more of it this year. It's part of learning how to be a championship team. It's another step we need to take as a team.
"I want the integral guys to step forward. I didn't name names, but I didn't have to name names. The intent is not to have players calling out other players. The intent is to have people in place that can react to situations that have the potential for disaster and keep things on course. It's a vital element of getting to the next step. It's part of the mystique about having a championship clubhouse."
Tracy didn't name names in his address to the team, but he did later. Kevin Brown. Brian Jordan. Paul Lo Duca. Shawn Green. He added Marquis Grissom, saying that despite Grissom's close relationship with Sheffield, "he did a lot more than people give him credit for. He held down what could have been a raucous situation."
This year, Sheffield remains a topic of discussion around Dodgertown because he's not here. Second baseman Mark Grudzielanek this week told reporters the team is better off not having the distractions Sheffield caused last spring when he demanded a trade. How teams respond to such distractions often depend on the leadership displayed in the clubhouse.
"We don't have just one team leader, but if something needs to be said, believe me, somebody will say it," said Eric Karros, the dean of the current Dodgers entering his 10th season with the team. "We had team meetings last year and we weren't just looking at each other. For the most part, guys took care of issues in-house."
Terry Mulholland, a 15-year veteran, defined the role of team leader.
"The manager sets the rules and expectations as far as what's expected from the players -- working hard, be on time," he said. "The other things in the clubhouse and on the field, it's pretty much up to us to make sure everybody is busting their butt working toward one goal.
"Once in a while, a guy puts himself ahead of the team. That's when a good leader steps in and explains how things are supposed to be done, and how they're not supposed to be done. In my 15 years, I may have seen maybe a dozen times where something needed to be said. At times you have guys who feel they need to grab the spotlight and be the center of attention. That's fine off the field. But when it interferes with what's happening on the field, when somebody, say, is more concerned with his stats than winning and losing a game, that's when somebody has to step in."
Mulholland said the ideal team leader is an everyday position player. But from a personality and performance perspective, Brown is as likely as anyone to emerge as the leader of this team.
He showed why Thursday. When Hiram Bocachica slipped on the damp grass trying to field a bunt in Thursday morning drills, then because of it threw off-balance into the outfield, Brown barked: "That's why we wear spikes out here."
Said Mulholland: "It's Brownie's desire there to right a wrong, to cut off a possible problem. The last thing we want doing drills is to get a guy hurt because he's not wearing the proper equipment. We had enough guys on the disabled list last year. It was a simple bit of advice. That's what a good team leader will do. You make the point without embarrassing your teammate. It's a fine line there, but you have to make the point so it doesn't happen again. Sometimes you approach it privately, but sometimes you can make a point to everybody."
In another era, the team leader often received the official title of team captain from the manager. Tracy said he has not considered naming one, but the Dodgers have had them in the past.
"The best team leader I ever managed was Reggie Smith, but the greatest I ever played with was Pee Wee Reese," said vice President Tom Lasorda, a Hall of Fame manager and former player in the 1950s. "He was always the captain. He used to sit in his chair and the young players would come to him with all our problems. And he wasn't afraid to get in a teammate's face. You should have heard him get on Duke Snider."
After Reese, manager Walt Alston had three captains -- Snider, Maury Wills and, briefly, Willie Davis. Lasorda gave the job to Davey Lopes. Wills, the everyday shortstop and leadoff hitter, embraced the role on a team with superstar pitchers Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale.
"I was brash and I went at it," said Wills, now the Dodgers baserunning and bunting coordinator, and also a former manager. "I over-asserted myself, in the estimation of some of my teammates. But I took some of the weight off the manager. As a manager, you hate to have to discipline somebody every time. It's so helpful if the players can discipline themselves."
The best team leaders? Coach Manny Mota said Dusty Baker was "a guy who could wake everybody up," and his leadership skills have carried him to managerial success. Coach Glenn Hoffman said Don Baylor, another clubhouse leader who became a manager, brought stability to the 1986 Boston Red Sox, who nearly won the World Series. Hoffman added current Angels manager Mike Scioscia and 1988 MVP Kirk Gibson as impact leaders. Coach Jim Riggleman, who managed San Diego, nominated Tony Gwynn.
General manager Dan Evans acquired Jordan in the Sheffield trade to essentially replace the left fielder. Tracy believes Jordan can assume a leadership role.
"He brings a dynamic to the clubhouse we're anxiously looking forward to having in there," Tracy said of Jordan, a former NFL defensive back. "He can send a message into the clubhouse. He plays the game at one speed, full out, and he expects his teammates to play at the same speed. He's a winner."
For his part, Jordan quickly offered up the best leader he played with.
"Ozzie Smith," he said. "He knew how to win and what it took to win and he led by example. And when he spoke, you listened. You knew you were getting good, sound advice. I've always tried to emulate Ozzie, to lead by example. When I feel it's time for me to speak, I'll say what I think the team needs to know. It's not really a role you take, it comes naturally. Most of the time, you just play hard and you expect the same from your teammates. If I'm not doing that, I expect somebody to tell me to get it in gear, and I'd do the same."
Green, who hit 49 home runs last year, said Karros and Brown are his idea of leaders in the Dodger clubhouse, but he is ready to answer Tracy's call.
"I'm hoping I can be part of that," said the right fielder. "I don't know if anybody in here will wear the title alone, but I wouldn't shy away from the role. It would be an adjustment for me to be more vocal, but I can do it. From what I've seen in one day, everybody in here is on the same page and that's a huge step in the right direction."
Green said the best leader he played with was Carlos Delgado in Toronto.
"He commanded respect from just about the whole team," said Green. "Not only is he a bright guy, but he is bilingual, so he could relate to everybody on the team."
Like Green, Lo Duca said Tracy's challenge resonated.
"I would love to do it," said Lo Duca, who emerged as an all-around force in only his second season. "I consider myself that kind of player. I take pride in working hard and I'm not afraid to tell someone if they're going half-ass and not doing the job, just like I expect somebody to tell me if I'm not. I can take the criticism and I can dish it out. This team is like family to me."
Because starting pitchers are idle 80 percent of the time, it is rare when they are considered the soul of a ballclub. So it says a lot about Brown that many of his teammates consider him their leader.
"Brownie is one because of the fiery way he goes about his business," said Tom Goodwin. "It's tougher for a pitcher, but get by all the money, and nobody wants to win more than Brownie. He doesn't let guys get down on themselves. Between starts, nobody sees how hard he works in the training room. He's not only a leader for the pitchers, it also spills out to the position players."
Karros said the player that made the greatest impact on him was Tim Wallach who, like Karros, was a quietly confident veteran.
"He wasn't real vocal, but when he had something to say it meant something," said Karros. "A lot of guys talk to hear themselves talk. They are perceived as, quote, a clubhouse leader, or, quote, a presence in the clubhouse. Some guys like to talk, and the perception on the outside is that if you do interviews, that makes you a leader. I don't know what that makes you. But that doesn't make you a leader."
Ken Gurnick covers the Dodgers for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.