Rhodes has spring in his step once again
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PEORIA, Ariz. - For Mariner pitcher Arthur Rhodes, it was an offseason of mixed emotions, starting out as low as a player can feel and ending as high as a man can feel.
His winter began Oct. 17 - much earlier than he wanted - after he failed to hold a late lead for the second time in the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees. It climaxed Jan. 29 when his wife, Leah, gave birth to Faith Anabella, the couple's second daughter.
"It wound up a great winter for me and my family," the left-hander said. "It didn't start out so great, though. It was a tough way to go into the offseason."
For Rhodes, it was as tough as pitching to David Justice in the ALCS. In to start the eighth inning of Game 2 with the Mariners holding a 1-0 lead, Rhodes gave up a leadoff double to the Yankee outfielder, and New York went on to score seven runs in the inning and run away to a win.
In Game 6 of the series with the Mariners ahead 4-3, Rhodes gave up a leadoff home run to Justice, and the Yankees scored six runs and went on to a 9-7 clinching victory that put them in the World Series against the New York Mets.
"It took about a month to get over it. I was really upset," Rhodes said. "After what happened I couldn't watch the World Series. I tried one game and turned it off. We should have been there ... if we had the right umpire."
In that last game, Rhodes had a 1-1 count on Justice and threw a pitch he thought was a strike. Umpire John Hirschbeck called a ball, putting Rhodes behind 2-1. The next pitch was also close, also called a ball, and Rhodes was in a 3-1 hole.
"I saw that pitch over and over for weeks after that," Rhodes said of the 1-1 pitch he thought should have put him ahead 1-2, and in a much more favorable position. "I was the one on the mound when the guy decided to change the strike zone on us. ... Ask Nellie, he was there."
Reliever Jeff Nelson, now next to Rhodes in the Seattle training camp clubhouse, was in the Yankee bullpen that night. He was having no part of this discussion, however, saying, "I was too far away."
That he would have trouble with Justice, a solid hitter from the left side, might have been surprising. Prior to those at-bats, the outfielder was only 1 for 6 off Rhodes.
But it wasn't so shocking after Justice was traded in midseason from the Cleveland Indians to the Yankees, against whom Rhodes had a 7.14 career ERA, his worst by far against any AL team.
"It's always been that way for me," he said. "If I pitch well against them in one game (as he did in helping Seattle hold a 2-0 lead in Game 1 of the ALCS), then it's always bad the next game. I can't explain it."
Like the rest of the Mariners, the reliever went home after Game 6 and brooded over the outcome.
"It was so close," he said, "so close."
But his family's needs took over, and time did the rest as Leah's delivery date approached.
"I stayed at home, and the baby and my wife took my mind off what had happened," Rhodes said. "It all helped me put that other stuff in perspective."
Rhodes has had two weeks of excellent preparation for the games that start tomorrow with the annual charity game against the San Diego Padres.
However, at times during yesterday's bullpen workout, he got a bit frustrated with his control.
"I feel great, but this time I wanted to be sharper," he said. "All my pitches are coming along - fastball, slider, changeup."
What changeup? As a late-game reliever, Rhodes does not throw one as he did in his earlier years as a starter with the Baltimore Orioles.
"I've been working on my change," he said. "I want something offspeed to get batters off my hard stuff. It's a good one, too."
He never looks better here than when the family comes to the camp to pick him up after a workout, Rhodes brings Faith into the clubhouse, the beautiful bundle with the mass of black hair.
"The baby is wonderful," he said. "Her coming along when she did took my mind off what had happened, and got me ready for camp, ready for baseball again."
Mr. Mariner drops by
The Seattle camp had several notable visitors yesterday, including former Mariner Alvin Davis, who as usual was greeted with great affection by everyone. In addition, Ichiro's wife, Yumiko Suzuki, stopped by for the first time.
Nobuosh Tsubota, well-known in Japan for crafting gloves for players, also was on hand. Tsubota said Ichiro likes his gloves made differently than most players, preferring his fingers be made loose for a better grip on the ball.
Cutoff policy
The Mariners worked on cutoffs and relays, and for the second year will incorporate the use of pitchers as cutoff men on certain plays.
As explained by infield coach Dave Myers: "On the short popups down either line with runners on first and third, we'll have the pitcher move to positions near first or third, depending on which side the ball is hit to, to prevent the runners from getting too far off the bag."
On the popup that travels a short distance, the infielders from the far side of the diamond don't have time to get into a cutoff position, so the pitcher will be utilized as an infielder on the plays.
Notes
- Pitchers Freddy García and Jordan Zimmerman signed, putting 34 of 40 roster players under contract.
- Seattle has designated Friday as renewal day, the day unsigned players will be unilaterally signed to 2001 contracts.
- Don Fehr, head of the players' union, is expected in camp today.