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Old-time sluggers talk about today's sluggersASSOCIATED PRESSHall of Famer Hanrnon Killebrew, shown here in his playing days, thinks even he could join the list of today’s sluggers, even though he retired years ago.COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. lt;AP) -Still muscle-bound more than 20 years after retiring from baseball, Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew thinks even he could join the legion of hitters jacking balls beyond stadium fences this season.“If I was playing right now, I think I could probably hit 20 home runs, said Killebrew, whose 573 rank him fifth on the career list. “I could hit more, but you got to remember I’m 60 years old.”Killebrew and many other of the game’s old-timers were in Cooperstown for induction ceremonies earlier this month at the Hall of Fame. The principal topic of conversation was the longball.Players and experts have floated around reasons ranging from the decline of pitching to smaller ballparks to a livelier baseball. Others simply say there are just bigger, better hitters at the plate now, “Everywhere we go, people are talking about it and asking about the home runs, said the former first baseman, who spent most of his career with the Minnesota Twins.The numbers are staggering. As of Sunday, the 30 major league teams have combined to hit 3,660 home runs. There already are 14 hitters with 30 or more home runs, and at this pace all would finish with at least 45. The greatest number to reach that level in a single season was six, in 1961.Oakland first baseman Mark McGwire and Chicago Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa are tied for the major league lead in homers with 39, and both are capable of coming close to Roger Maris’ 1961 record of 61.Even the annual Hall of Fame exhibition game was not immune to the power surge. California Angels bullpen catcher Mick Billmyer — without an at-bat in three seasons — reached the seats. A record 10 home runs were hit in the game last week between the Angels and MontrealExpos.Former Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Ralph Kiner was one of the old-timers in attendance at the game. He thinks there are several reasons for the increased offense.“There’s no question about the bail being live, but it’s been live for quite some time,” said Kiner, a Hali-of-Famer who had 369 homers in 10 big league seasons. “Also, there are reallybig, strong hitters who really know how to play.”Those players and home runs bring excitement to the game, said Hall of Flame second baseman Bobby Doerr. He hit 223 home runs over his 14-year career with the Boston Red Sox.“There's more good young ballplayers coming in now, Doerr said. “Good young talent like Hemy Rodriguez, Frank Thomas, Chipper Jones andAlex Rodriguez are exciting.But along with the better hitters comes inferior pitching, Kiner said.“Expansion has created more jobs for pitchers that wouldn’t have been in the majors if there were less teams,” he said.Cleveland Indians Hall of Famer Bob Feller was highly critical of the state of today’s pitching. “The pitching now, especially in the American League, is the worst I’ve seen it since I got into baseball 60 years ago,” he said. “It’s very pathetic,Feller said pitchers can’t find the smaller strike zones, while players in general lack fundamentals.“They don’t hit behind the runner much, they don’t bunt or sacrifice, Feller said. “There are some fellows who are good bunters and good team men, but in general it's ‘hurray for me and my home run and my big contract.' ”Pete Rose, the game’s greatest hit maker, disagrees with Feller. He said smaller ballparks, not pitchers, are to blame for more home runs.Rose cited parks in Baltimore, Detroit, Boston and Cleveland as hitter-friendly, and even called Seattle’s Kingdoms “a joke.”“The owners say they want fast games, but you can’t have slugfests and fast games at the same time,” said Rose, who had a .303 lifetime batting average but hit only 160 home runs in his 24 seasons.Former Minnesota Twin Tbny Oliva thinks baseball is doing fine despite all the controversy about homers.“Teams are a little bit weaker in different spots, but in general baseball is baseball,” he said. “You have to play nine innings no matter what.” In 15 seasons with the Twins, Oliva finished with 220 homers. And like his former teammate, Killebrew, the outfielder thinks he, too, could hit some balls out of the park.“Hey, if Killebrew can hit 20,1 can still hit 15,” Oliva said.
Newspaper Details
The Hays Daily News
Hays, Kansas, US
Tue, Aug 13, 1996
Page 22
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