Giants count on Ortiz -- and their good-luck charm
By BEN WALKER
AP Baseball Writer
October 26, 2002
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) -- Funny how a little boy can mean so much to a bunch of big leaguers. Especially grown-up guys trying to win the World Series.
So when Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants try Saturday night to win their first title, they'll have their good-luck charm in the dugout -- 3 1/2 -year-old bat boy Darren Baker, son of manager Dusty Baker.
Darren made the trip to Anaheim, and is all set for Game 6 against the Angels. The Giants are 8-0 when he's in the dugout, but when he runs off the bench, the adventure really begins.
He broke loose Thursday night in a 16-4 romp over the Angels at Pacific Bell Park, heading out to retrieve Kenny Lofton's bat. Trouble was, three Giants were running the bases at the time.
Quick thinking by J.T. Snow, who scooped up Darren by the collar of his black jacket, prevented the wobbly boy from being run over at the plate by David Bell.
``My wife was a little upset last night, not terribly upset,'' Baker said Friday. ``It was a strange situation. It's not going to happen again.''
``I'm hoping they don't come up with a Darren Baker rule that prevents kids from being in the dugout. I'm not proud of it. I don't like seeing my son all over TV in that light. Some people think it's cute, but I don't.''
Baker said he got a call from Sandy Alderson, executive vice president of baseball operations in the commissioner's office, saying Darren could keep his job.
``He's going to be allowed to be bat boy this weekend. (Alderson) said he realized the importance it is to our team, to everything else, my family, my son,'' Baker said. ``I just have to monitor him a little closer.''
Said Alderson: ``There is no prohibition, no directive or major league rule which prohibits someone that age serving as a bat boy.''
``We don't intend to prohibit it. But, on the other hand, I'm sure even Dusty would agree great care is appropriate for someone of his age under those circumstances. I'm sure that care will exist and had been arranged, and last night was a one-time occurrence.''
Momentum now back on its side, San Francisco hopes Russ Ortiz can win the franchise's first championship since 1954. He'll take on Kevin Appier, the Rally Monkey and those thumping ThunderStix.
Bonds was not at the ballpark on a drizzly Friday as the Giants and Angels took a break. Both teams deemed rest more important than a final workout.
``At this stage, everybody's exhausted. Our families are exhausted,'' said Angels outfielder Tim Salmon, who stopped by for treatment. ``A day off is good.''
Despite light rain in the late afternoon, the weather was supposed to clear up by Saturday. The chance of a rainout was remote -- since opening their Anaheim stadium on April 9, 1966, with an exhibition against San Francisco, the Angels have had only 10 home rainouts, and never once on a Saturday.
Resilient all season, Anaheim realizes one more comeback can happen. In fact, seven teams in the previous 23 seasons have overcome 3-2 deficits to win the World Series. Arizona did it last year against the New York Yankees.
``Yeah, maybe that adds a little bit more to it,'' Appier said. ``Obviously, we think that it's quite possible for us to still be able to pull it off.''
Appier faces the daunting task of stopping Bonds and the Giants, who broke loose in Game 5. Jeff Kent homered twice and scored four times and Bonds doubled twice and singled as San Francisco tied for the second-highest run total in a Series game.
The Angels and Giants already have combined for 17 home runs, matching a Series record. Anaheim is batting .328 through five games and San Francisco is at .308.
``I think the hitting in this Series has probably exceeded what I imagined coming in because of the type of pitching staffs that both clubs have,'' Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. ``That's baseball. You're going to find stretches like that.''
Bonds' three hits made him 6-for-12 with three homers in the Series. He also has drawn 10 walks, six of them intentional -- and that's against a team that issued only 24 intentional passes all season, tied for the fewest in the majors.
Appier hasn't exactly had much luck with Bonds, either. Bonds was 4-for-7 with two home runs and two walks lifetime against Appier going into Game 2, then drew two more walks.
Game 2 was a matchup between Ortiz and Appier, and it turned into a slugfest. The Angels wound up with an 11-10 win, with Ortiz lasting just 1 1-3 innings.
``I don't think I pumped myself up too much or anything like that,'' Ortiz said. ``I had a bad game, plain and simple.''
Appier was chased after getting only six outs.
``I wasn't as familiar with them as I was with other teams that I had faced during the year,'' he said. ``They confirmed that they're really good.'' |
