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Lack of Force x Mass = Marlins' Acceleration

 

About three hours before game time, Florida Marlins Manager Jack McKeon made his way through the Pro Player Stadium clubhouse as center fielder Juan Pierre sat on a chair by his locker, lacing up his shoes and talking about the old man who runs the team. Pierre prattled on unaware as McKeon, who is 72 and has nine grandchildren, approached from behind and listened in.

 

"He's young at heart," Pierre, 26, said. "He's always talking to you, and he walks and exercises like a maniac. I used to tease him, tell him he's got to slow down.

 

"He's one of the few guys I've seen walk for exercise while smoking a cigar. He has his own style, that's for sure."

 

McKeon, the third-oldest manager in major league history (behind Connie Mack and Casey Stengel), suddenly appeared in Pierre's field of vision, standing over him as menacingly as a short, gray-haired, septuagenarian in wire-rimmed glasses can.

 

"Are you talking about me?" McKeon said, then grabbed Pierre's head with his palm, gripping it like a basketball. As Pierre broke into a grin, attempting to wriggle out of his manager's grasp, McKeon tousled the hair on his closely shaved head as best he could.

 

"This guy is one of the best," McKeon said finally, giving Pierre a slap on the back and walking away.

 

The head-grabbing aside, the Marlins say McKeon's approach is hands-off: He gives them freedom on the field, and the philosophy has worked wonders. The Marlins, tied with the Philadelphia Phillies for the National League wild card, have the best record (60-36) in baseball since May 23, 12 days after McKeon was hired to replace the fired Jeff Torborg.

 

"Back then, we were struggling, losing games night after night," catcher Ivan Rodriguez said. "He took over and everything changed. He's a great person, a great human being around the clubhouse. He doesn't step in your way as long as you're ready to play the game."

 

It's been an astronomical turnaround for the beleaguered and youthful franchise, in the playoff hunt for only the second time in the team's 11-year history. McKeon, who had been out of baseball for two years when Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria summoned him from his ranch in Elon, N.C., performed similar magic during tenures with the Cincinnati Reds, beginning in 1997, and the San Diego Padres, starting in '88.

 

"I love taking over these kinds of clubs," McKeon said. "I love a challenge. I love when people say it can't be done, doing my best to prove them wrong."

 

An incongruous mix of salt and sweetness, McKeon said he treats his ballplayers no differently than his four children, feeding them equal doses of love and discipline. The manager who erupted with "get the [expletive] out of here" after finding several ballplayers reclining in the air-conditioned comfort of the Marlins' clubhouse during a game earlier this season -- then ordered that the clubhouse be locked during games -- referred to Pierre as a "sweetheart" and second baseman Luis Castillo as a "doll" during a recent interview. One minute, he is Vince Lombardi, the next, he is Henry Fonda.

 

The day McKeon showed up for his first game during a road trip in Los Angeles, he held a team meeting.

 

"I said, 'I'm not running a babysitting service,' " McKeon said. " 'I'm going to be firm. . . .' I said, 'Boys, I don't need this job. I'm here to help you.' "

 

McKeon realized from the start that he couldn't dig the team out of fourth place on his own. His arrival closely coincided with that of rookie left-hander Dontrelle Willis, who was called up from the minor leagues on May 9 and has since posted a 12-6 record and 3.28 ERA. It has been a breakout season for Pierre, who is batting .302 with 58 stolen bases; a superb year for Castillo, who is hitting .325; and another stellar season for third baseman Mike Lowell, who is on the disabled list but has hit 32 home runs and driven in 105 runs.

 

The entire roster has the green light to steal. Nobody gets admonished for aggressiveness. McKeon said he wants his players to be creative and expressive, using their imaginations on the field. They say they feel uninhibited.

 

"For the most part, he just tells guys to go out and do their jobs," said right-hander Rick Helling, acquired from the Baltimore Orioles last month. "He doesn't try to control guys too much. He doesn't try to take away their natural ability. There's a feeling in this clubhouse that he lets guys do what they do."

 

McKeon occasionally seeks help from well beyond the outfield fences to aid in his baseball ministry. He resides in a condominium across the street from the ocean, but confesses to having stepped on the sand just once since his arrival. Every morning, however, he finds time to fit in daily Mass, whether the team is home or on the road. On a recent weekday, McKeon sat in his white sedan in the parking lot of a Catholic church near his condo, sucking on a cigar. Finally, a few minutes before the start of the 8:30 a.m. service, he emerged, walking swiftly across the parking lot in a cloud of smoke. He discarded the stogie at the door.

 

He later left the palm tree-shrouded church with a wide grin. "Isn't that a great way to start the day?" he said.

 

He drove straight to Pro Player Stadium, soaking in the solitude of the ballpark hours before anyone else arrived. He walks and jogs five miles daily in the outfield, though his exercise has been restricted recently by a bad back, which he injured while attempting to run sprints in center field -- a decision he cannot explain and now sorely regrets. After his workouts, whatever shape they may take, he grabs the newspaper and a handful of cigars -- he prefers Padron and Arturo Fuente -- and heads to the Jacuzzi in the party area behind the Marlins' bullpen.

 

There, he relaxes before diving into his workday. As he fashions the lineup card in his office, a picture of St. Theresa of Lisieux, known to Catholics as the Little Flower of Jesus, looks down upon him. Once dressed, he stuffs a small crucifix and guardian angel medallion in his pants pocket, along with, of course, his cigar lighter. He is serious about his religion, volunteering details on the short life of St. Theresa, but says he is not a preacher.

 

And, unlike with the cigars, he clearly doesn't leave his sense of humor outside the church. After a loss on Aug. 28 to the Pittsburgh Pirates, a reporter asked McKeon if he had gone to Mass that day.

 

He said he had.

 

Then, he added: "I'll try going twice tomorrow."

 

He didn't, actually, go twice the next day, though the Marlins ended up winning four straight games against the Montreal Expos. McKeon merely kept his grip on the team as loose as always. The fact that he trails in age only Stengel, who retired at 75, and Mack, who managed until he was 87, seems irrelevant to his players, who prefer to focus on the fact that he has been involved in the game for more than a half-century.

 

"To me, age is a non-factor," Helling said. "He's seen this game evolve a lot longer than anyone in this clubhouse has."

 

Some players -- only five on the Marlins roster were born when McKeon managed his first team, the Kansas City Royals, in 1973 -- aren't exactly sure how far into senior citizenship McKeon is.

 

"How old are you?" Castillo said as McKeon walked past his locker stall.

 

"Fifty," McKeon lied, putting both hands on Castillo's shoulders.

 

"Fifty?" Castillo said dubiously. "You feel like 50."

 

"I feel," said McKeon, "like 45."

Great article!

 

McKeon is a great Manager. Thats impossible to go with a losing record of like 8 games under .500 and now we are 10 games over and 1st in the WC. What an Amazing job he has done.

10 games under

 

14 games over

After his workouts, whatever shape they may take, he grabs the newspaper and a handful of cigars -- he prefers Padron and Arturo Fuente -- and heads to the Jacuzzi in the party area behind the Marlins' bullpen.

 

That's great.

 

He must give the best sound bytes, too.

I'm not ashamed to say that....................I love Jack McKeon Dammit

...and yet like during his previous turnaround jobs, I get the feeling in the long run he'll still be underappreciated and lose his job. They all do eventually though, and I don't think praise & accolades are what McKeon coaches for anyway. He seems to genuinely love just being around the game and helping young guys realize their potential and develop into solid baseball players.

 

Plus it just gives him more stories to tell. :thumbup

A terrific piece that just reminds the reader of how pathetically bad baseball coverage is in our own backyard. The absolute lack of excitement that the two local papers (Sun-Sentinel and Herald) are showing about this team and their fight for the wildcard is appalling. They of course would say they don't want to be accused of cheerleading ("that's not our job" I can almost hear Richard Bush and Clark Spenser at the Herald mumbling in unison) but their lack of enthusiam and minimalist approach to Marlins coverage this far into the season with the Fish tied for the lead in the wildcard is a disgrace.

 

Thanks to the Washigton Post for the best piece to date on Trader Jack. It was, as they say, "a good read".

They have some good columists out there in Washington between Kornheiser and Wilbon.

They have some good columists out there in Washington between Kornheiser and Wilbon.

isnt Wilbon Chicago?

isnt Wilbon Chicago?

I know he's a Chicago fan, didn't know he wrote for them. Isn't the show taped in Washington D.C.?

 

I don't know. lol.

yea its taped in DC...

 

but im pretty sure he writes for ChiTown

yea its taped in DC...

 

but im pretty sure he writes for ChiTown

Was this piece writen by Kornheiser, or someone else?

Amy Shipley

Amy Shipley

She's good... :thumbup

It actually made the headline briefing and was the cover story on the sports page here in DC On first page of sports, article takes up 1/4 of the page and in the middle section, about 1/2 a page.

 

Great article for the marlins

I agree, great article. The relationship he has with JP and Luis is almost father-son...its kinda cool.

Great article. Instead of writing columns about how Jeff Torborg was screwed ("he's a nice guy, honest!"), Berardino could write an article like this.

It actually made the headline briefing and was the cover story on the sports page here in DC On first page of sports, article takes up 1/4 of the page and in the middle section, about 1/2 a page.

 

Great article for the marlins

 

Nah, geemoney for the local hacks to praise McKeon they'd have to go back 180 degrees from when they ripped the decision initially & made lots of old-man jokes. so now they just keep saying "well the players insist they could've made this same run under Torborg."

lol, that's more front page coverage than the Herald & Sentinel have given them all season.

10 games under

 

14 games over

I know i just trying to say how Jack Improved the team...i wasnt trying to be exact.

I love the Washington Post.

That is the best part about living in a really big city . . . and a city where the majority of the people speak English: Great newspapers.