Content provided in partnership with

Match game: Mike Hampton, Juan Gonzalez and Hideo Nomo are working with old friends this spring, and the success of the renewed relationships could shape their teams' seasons

Sporting News, The, March 11, 2002 by Matt Crossman

Spring is a time of renewal, and that's as true in baseball as it is in anything else. Across Florida and Arizona, players are trying to renew their careers. Others are renewing old working relationships in camp. Thanks to free agency, there are numerous examples of players trying to do both.

Lefty David Wells is getting all the hype for reigniting his love affair with the Yankees, but his presence almost is irrelevant as far as prognosticators are concerned. With him or without him, the Yankees are considered World Series-bound. Still, there are some important spring reunions that could shape the way this season plays out.

Most Popular Articles in Sports: The first family: Archie, Peyton and Eli are incredibly famous, immensely ...; The growing gap: driving distances are skyrocketing on the PGA Tour. So why ...; Which pistol caliber for self defense? Four different people come to four ...; Drag racing - National Hot Rod Association; The world's most popular .22: the Marlin Model 60 just keeps on ticking; More »

In Colorado, lefty Mike Hampton has a chance to throw pitches again to catcher Tony Eusebio, who help Hampton win 22 games in 1999. Last summer after a hot start, Hampton fell apart. Without a strong rebound from him, the Rockies could be in for another long summer.

In Texas, attention is focused on John Rocker and Carl Everett. But more important to the team's success is the return of slugger Juan Gonzalez, who will work again with hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo. If the outfielder's offensive support is as potent as it appears on paper, Gonzalez should have a huge year.

In Los Angeles, Hideo Nomo is back for another run with the Dodgers. Another Japanese pitching sensation, Kazuhisa Ishii, is in the spotlight. But with the starting rotation in flux, Nomo will be counted on heavily. In his corner will be former Dodgers pitching coach Dave Wallace, now a club vice president, who helped Nomo make the adjustment to the majors in 1995.

The reunion theme works well at the beginning of the spring, when reporting is more NBC Olympic fluff than hard-hitting analysis. But when spring training ends and the buzz of reacquaintance wears off, Nomo, Hampton and Gonzalez will be under intense scrutiny. Though none of the three is on a legitimate pennant contender, each must play a crucial role for his team to succeed.

Battery mates

Hampton's once-promising 2001--he was 9-2 with a 2.98 ERA on June 10--disintegrated. His final stat line: 14-13, 5.41 ERA.

Theories about the collapse abound. He was hurt. He was in a hitters park. The team was bad. All are partially true. Hampton tweaked a groin injury that had landed him on the D.L. in 1998. Later in the summer, he said he didn't feel strong. That often limits a pitcher's control, which means trouble at Coors Field. But Hampton's road record (6-7) was worse than his home record (8-6), and his 5.10 road ERA was unseemly.

It would be ridiculous to suggest everything will change with Eusebio behind the plate. But there's no overlooking Eusebio's work.

"When Darryl Kile won 19 (in 1997), Eusebio was his primary catcher," Hampton says. "When Shane Reynolds won 19 (in 1998), Eusebio was his primary catcher. When I won 22 games, Eusebio was my primary catcher."

Even with their past success, there's no guarantee the two will work together every time Hampton takes the mound. Rockies manager Buddy Bell doesn't like the concept of personal catchers. He prefers to pick his starting catcher based on the opponent's pitcher. And Hampton wants it known he does not have a preference.

Pitchers win with Eusebio because he keeps it simple, Hampton says. Eusebio lets the pitcher be in charge. "When I call a game, I go with what the pitcher wants," Eusebio says. "If I put a sign down and the pitcher doesn't like it, I'll let him throw the pitch he wants. I don't get stubborn about it"

Phillies pitching coach Vern RuNe, who was the pitching coach in Houston in 1999, says one key to the relationship is that Eusebio knows when to call for off-speed stuff, and Hampton has confidence in those pitches. "Tony allows Hampy to stay back and throw that sinker-slider to a lefty, down and away, and he gets a lot of double-play balls," Ruhle says.

Perfect timing

Gonzalez and Jaramillo met in 1986, when Gonzalez was 16 and in his first year of professional baseball. He was playing for the Rangers' Sarasota club in the Gulf Coast rookie league, and Jaramillo was the manager. Gonzalez didn't speak a word of English, but Jaramillo could speak to him in Spanish. The seeds for a fantastic relationship were planted.

"I think he trusts me," Jaramillo says. "We have mutual respect for one another. We started the foundation from the very first moments he was in pro ball. You get a guy at that age, and you learn what drives him, what pushes him, how to really reach him."

After that first season, Jaramillo didn't work with Gonzalez again until 1995, when he was hired as the Rangers' hitting coach. Back then, Jaramillo preached his theory of "separation" to Gonzalez. Jaramillo stresses the importance of getting the front foot down before starting the hands on a swing. With Gonzalez's high leg kick, the timing of that sequence is crucial. Teammate Alex Rodriguez's swing is similar, and Jaramillo offered the same advice to A-Rod last year.

Match game: Mike Hampton, Juan Gonzalez and Hideo Nomo are working with old friends this spring, and the success of the renewed relationships could shape their teams' seasons

Sporting News, The, March 11, 2002 by Matt Crossman

Find Research Guides for:

Find Featured Titles for: Arts

Most Popular Articles in Sports

Most Popular Publications in Sports