Golden Players — Baseball Bench Coach

I am writing this blog post on the day we laid to rest our beloved dog. She too was a baseball fan. I guess she had to be. Many mornings on our walks I would listen to baseball commentary and update her. She would smile and sniff every blade of grass, just glad to be with me. Most summer nights after dinner she would beat me to the family room in anticipation of the baseball game we would watch together. She was always there for me – loyal, dependable, the ultimate team player in life. In baseball terms, she was not the star player, but rather the utility player, the underrated player, or simply a wonderful teammate. I asked some of the blog followers to offer names of underrated players on their favorite teams. We came up with a Top Five:

Cesar Geronimo, Cincinnati Reds. This centerfielder for the Big Red Machine was the least known of that formidable lineup, but truly valuable. Cesar came to the Reds in 1972 as part of the Joe Morgan trade with the Astros. Geronimo’s defensive skills were phenomenal – speed, range, and an outstanding arm. Known as the “Chief”, he won four consecutive Gold Gloves (1974-1977). In 1976, his best offensive year, he batted over .300 with 149 hits in the eighth spot in the Cincinnati lineup. My favorite image of Geronimo was his catch of Carl Yastremski’s fly ball as the final out in Game 7 of the 1975 World Series. Hail to the Chief!

Glenn Beckert, Chicago Cubs. I remember as a young boy watching Cubs games and their star players like Banks, Williams, Santo, and Jenkins. My favorite player was Beckert, Chicago’s second baseman for nine years, 1965-1973. Beckert was consistent on the field and at the plate. In his rookie year, he led the National League in assists and in 1968 captured his only Gold Glove. He was a tough out, leading the NL five times in fewest strikeouts per at bats. While he led the league in runs scored in 1968, his best offensive year by far was in 1971 when he hit a remarkable .342 and finished third in the batting race. Kessinger to Beckert to Banks!

Jose Oquendo, St. Louis Cardinals. Oquendo played in the shadows of some of the great Cardinals stars in the 1980s – Ozzie Smith, Hendrick, Herr, and Coleman. Deemed the “Secret Weapon” by manager Whitey Herzog, Jose filled the gaps at the key infield positions. Indeed, he made at least one appearance at every position during his MLB career. Oquendo still maintains the second-highest career fielding percentage for second basemen at 99.19%. After his playing career, he served a long tenure (2000-2015) as the St. Louis third base coach, helping the club achieve 11 playoff appearances and two World Series titles (2006 and 2011).

Wilbur Wood, Chicago White Sox. While Wood also pitched for the Red Sox and the Pirates early in his 17-year MLB career, I think of him as the workhorse for the Sox (1967-1978). His career took off as a Sox pitcher when Hoyt Wilhelm taught him the knuckleball. In 1968, he was named the American League Fireman of the Year with 88 games pitched. In a starting role, he led the AL in games started from 1972 to 1975. In 1972 alone, he started 49 games and pitched in 376 innings. He won 20 games in all four years. And in 1973, he became the first pitcher since Walter Johnson in 1916 to win 20 and lose 20 in the same year. Talk about Mr. Dependable!

Hal Lanier, San Francisco Giants. I recall as a boy getting duplicates of Hal Lanier baseball cards. I placed them in the spokes of my bicycle tires so I sounded like a motor racer. What I didn’t know then was the role Lanier played for those Giants teams of the 1960s with marquee players like Mays, McCovey, Marichal, and Perry. Lanier was the steady, defensive specialist on the team. In 1968, he led NL shortstops in putouts and fielding percentage. With a lifetime batting average of .228, he wasn’t much of a hitter, but he was definitely a heady player. Mays called him the captain of the infield. Lanier took that steadiness to the managerial ranks, as he was named the 1986 NL Manager of the Year in his first season at the helm of the Astros.

I’ll never forget my golden retriever sunning in our yard, swimming in the park, relaxing in our home, and enjoying life. She loved being with people, especially her family but truly anyone she met. Everyone wanted her to be on their team in life. She made everyone better. I miss you girl. This blog post is dedicated to you.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach