Sports: Staying put and glad to do it

Staying put and glad to do it

Ben Grieve aims to prove his first season as a Ray was atypical.

By MARC TOPKIN, Times Staff Writer

ST. PETERSBURG -- When it was finally over, Ben Grieve didn't know what to think about his miserable 2001 performance.

Was there something about leaving Oakland? About coming to Tampa Bay? Was there something wrong with his swing? Something else physical?

Unable to decide on a specific reason, Grieve instead spent the winter trying not to think about it at all.

"The more I thought about it, the more depressed it made me feel," Grieve said Monday. "It was a bad year. So I tried not to think about it, because there's nothing good when you think about it. Nothing positive."

Grieve knew something wasn't right. He took plenty of advice and made repeated adjustments, but could never pinpoint the reason for the huge statistical drop-off, from an average of .278, 24 home runs and 93 RBIs over his three full seasons with the A's to .264 with 11 homers and 72 RBIs for the Rays, plus a team-record 159 strikeouts.

What he didn't do was let too many people know how much it bothered him.

"I felt bad, bad for myself and bad for these guys for trading for me and not getting anything out of me," Grieve said. "You look at me and it looks like I don't care. That's what people, fans in particular, get on my case about: "Why doesn't this guy care? When he strikes out it looks like he's just walking back to the dugout like he doesn't care.'

"But different people show their emotions different ways, like some guys who throw their helmets. I think inside I'm the same as everyone else."

Grieve said he felt so badly about his performance that he was glad a rumored deal with the Mets didn't work out because he didn't want to leave players and fans here with such a bad impression.

First baseman Steve Cox, Grieve's closest friend among the Rays, said he could sense his buddy's frustration.

"He'd make little comments here and there, but he's the kind of guy who doesn't want to talk to you about his problems," Cox said. "I'm sure it really bothered him, but he doesn't want anyone else to know it bothers him so you never see him throw a helmet or get all p----- and mad and yell or anything, but inside he's mad."

Grieve reported to camp Monday quietly optimistic, hoping a simple approach will produce markedly better results.

"What I've done in the past, what good hitters do, you just go out and do it," he said. "You don't think about, "Well, maybe I should be doing this, maybe I should be doing that.' You just do it. It's instinct, almost.

"That's what I want to get back to doing instead of, "Hey, maybe I'm not doing this or maybe I'm not doing that.' Just do it. Whatever feels good, just do it. And if you don't feel good, keep trying until you do."

Manager Hal McRae said he too was confident of a comeback. The key?

"Ben," McRae said.

"I'm optimistic, being this is his second year removed from Oakland, and I think he's more familiar with the ballclub and he's more relaxed and he knows I'm not going to (take him out for defensive purposes) and he knows I have confidence in him and he's going to play every day. Last year was tough, leaving Oakland probably was tough.

"I don't think it's physical. I think he needs to be aggressive, and I think if he's aggressive we'll see the Ben Grieve of two-three years ago. I don't think there's anything wrong with his swing."

At 25, Grieve is younger than some of the players, such as Toby Hall, the team is promoting as its future. But because he has played four full seasons in the majors, and because he'll make veteran-type salaries of $4-million this season and $5.25-million next year, he is expected to do more.

"He's 25 years old in, what, his fifth year in the big leagues and he has one bad year and you hear all this crap about how he's lost it," Cox said. "Has he seen his best times? C'mon, he's 25 years old."

"I hope my best years are coming up," Grieve said. "I definitely don't want to peter out after four years of baseball. So this is a big year. I don't want to put any pressure on myself, but I definitely want to prove myself."