COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Goose bumps don’t come easily in 85-degree heat and humidity. But as I drove by the National Baseball Hall of Fame for the first time Friday, chills bubbled my skin.
My love affair with the game began in T-ball when — trusting my parents’ memories here — I recorded an unassisted triple play. It ended with a tag on an unsuspecting kid who was already comfortably seated in the dugout.
Journeying into this hallowed ground flooded me with memories of my father, my brother, my sons. That, in essence, is baseball’s connection. People who can’t say two words over dinner can become friends over catch. The “Field of Dreams” moment, which seems a corny script, plays out beautifully across the country every day.
It brought to mind the Texas Rangers’ Milton Bradley.
I recently interviewed probably 30 all-stars in New York. None stuck with me as much as Bradley. He was playing in his first Midsummer Classic, starting as the designated hitter.
The last time I saw Bradley was at Petco Park. The Rockies were sprinkling magic dust on their season, sweeping the Padres on Sept. 23. Bradley was a fountainhead of emotion, spilling angry tears after he tore his ACL in one of the most bizarre incidents in baseball history. Umpire Mike Winters baited him, Bradley argued, well-intentioned manager Bud Black arrived on the scene and in breaking up the confrontation, Bradley landed awkwardly. It was his last moment as a Padre.
It fit neatly into sports stories about Bradley: volatile temper, unreliable, brooding troublemaker. The perception, however, doesn’t necessarily intersect with reality.
“I’m not really interested in changing how I’m perceived,” Bradley said. “If people are going to hate, they’re going to hate. But you’ve got to keep being who you are.”
Bradley has issues. Who among us doesn’t? He signed with the Rangers last winter in a deal that drew collective shrugged shoulders.
But with Texas, Bradley has found a home, blooming under the support of manager Ron Washington. Which brings me back to Cooperstown.
Bradley told me Washington has been a “father figure” for him. He’s never had a close relationship with his own dad. Former business advisers have ripped him off. That bred a lack of trust in people, the media. In Washington, Bradley has found a rudder.
Former teammates have always raved to me about Bradley’s intensity, a desire so strong they could feed off it. Washington has helped channel that passion, cultivating his talent.
As I looked over Lake Otsego, Jack O’Connell, the man who informs players they have been inducted, recalled a favorite Cooperstown moment.
In 1984, Minnesota Twins slugger Harmon Killebrew told the audience how he remembered playing catch in the front yard with his brother and father in Idaho. Mom would come out and shake her head about them killing the lawn.
Replied Dad: “We aren’t raising grass, we are raising sons.”
Even if for only this year, Bradley has discovered this bond with Washington.
Footnotes.
According to multiple National League executives, the Rockies have a lot of oars in the water regarding trade discussions. They are prepared to buy or sell. The Yankees’ acquisition of left-hander Damaso Marte should help clarify and narrow the market for Brian Fuentes. Rockies’ GM Dan O’Dowd is not operating with urgency. But if a team overpays — offers a premium young starting pitcher — the left-hander is likely gone. Given the impact that pitchers can make on a pennant race, it will be a surprise if one of the suitors — Tampa Bay, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Boston or the Mets — doesn’t blink. St. Louis appeared to be shifting its focus to Atlanta’s Will Ohman. . . . A good stretch in Cincinnati makes it more likely the Rockies will acquire a fifth starter, someone like Josh Fogg or Washington’s Tim Redding, whom the team nearly acquired from Houston years ago. . . . Manny being Manny could result in Matty being Matty in Boston. The Red Sox appear to have reached their breaking point with enigmatic left fielder Manny Ramirez after he scratched himself from Friday’s lineup over a sore knee. This season, he slapped first baseman Kevin Youkilis in the dugout, was shown talking on a cellphone in the Green Monster and questioned the integrity of ownership regarding his contract situation. It all increases the likelihood that the Red Sox won’t pick up Ramirez’s $20 million option next season, motivating a pursuit of Matt Holliday. . . . The Angels are prepared to stand pat this week. They would be a good fit for Holliday, but a blockbuster deal doesn’t make a lot of sense at this point. As pointed out by ESPN’s Buster Olney, they would be acquiring him for roughly five critical playoff at-bats since the division race is all but over.
EYE ON
Jon Rauch, RHP, Diamondbacks
Background: Rauch was a double major at Morehead State, dabbling in physics and business. The White Sox drafted, developed and gave up on the right-hander, trading him to the Expos. At 6-feet-11, he’s the tallest major- leaguer ever.
What’s up: The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired Rauch last week for speedy Triple-A second baseman Emilio Bonifacio. Bonifacio is an intriguing prospect. But you can’t steal first base, and there’s growing concern that he might not hit in the big leagues. Landing Rauch is a bold stroke by the Diamondbacks, who are white-knuckling the division lead in the National League Worst.
What’s next: In talking to multiple Diamondbacks executives, they were motivated to acquire Rauch for two reasons: It gives them versatility and can ease the burden on a tired bullpen that has failed to protect 16 leads after the sixth inning. Teaming Rauch with Randy Johnson does more than make the Diamondbacks the prohibitive favorite in any pickup basketball game. Rauch has a rubber-band arm, never refuses the ball and can smell the “coughing up fumes” duo of Tony Peña and Chad Qualls.
Renck’s take: It was just two years ago that a traded reliever influenced the fate of the NL West — the Padres nabbed Cla Meredith. He turned into Dan Quisenberry-lite, helping San Diego to the division crown. The Rauch issue is simple: How will he respond to pressure? That he was working as a closer for the injured Chad Cordero is reassuring for the Diamondbacks. He’s walked into the burning building. Doing that in meaningful games is a different animal. If Rauch becomes a reliable bridge to Brandon Lyon, that could be the difference in three wins — and ultimately a playoff berth.
AT ISSUE
Ultimate fan prize: No Rockies player giveaways this month
What: The nonwaiver trading deadline is Thursday, with contenders doing last-minute Christmas shopping for a playoff run. The problem is some teams can’t decide whether to add or subtract players, with the mediocrity of the National League West and the wild-card tease complicating matters.
When: By Monday, the picture will crystallize. Clubs straddling the fence, such as the Rockies, should know whether this season is salvageable or best served to acquire extra parts from the junkyard.
Renck’s take: As late as the all-star break, having watched the team’s most disappointing first half, I was fully in favor of the Rockies shipping out closer Brian Fuentes and promoting prospects Dexter Fowler and Casey Weathers. So what changed? The attendance. The fans’ affection for this team — even against the sobering math required for a September run — has been striking. They should draw well over two million. What this screams is that this organization should buy at the deadline, acquiring a fifth starter to stabilize the rotation — Josh Fogg makes a lot of sense, as does Paul Byrd. The division stinks. An opportunity exists to sneak into the postseason. Get under the velvet rope and who knows who you’ll meet in the club. The Cardinals were wildly pedestrian two years ago, and went 11-3 in the playoffs to win the World Series. With a caffeinated lineup suddenly functioning like human Red Bull and the starting pitching functional, the Rockies have a realistic shot to hang around. The odds improve dramatically if the real Jeff Francis shows up after his disabled list interruption. Even if the Rockies don’t get in, the fans deserve another meaningful September. It shows ownership cares, a perfect antidote to last October’s cold-hearted World Series ticket fiasco.
THREE UP
1. Yankees: Acquire Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte while playing best ball.
2. Brewers: CC Sabathia best acquisition since Astros landed Randy Johnson.
3. Mets: Survive bullpen collapse, showing resolve absent under Willie Randolph.
THREE DOWN
1. Orioles: Warm and fuzzy story turning cold and prickly as summer wears on.
2. Twins: Continue playing role of Washington Generals at Yankee Stadium.
3. Mariners: Trade Raul Ibañez and Adrian Beltre and let the rebuilding begin.
