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Yankee in grand company

Robin Ventura ties a pair of legends (plus one sub-legend) with his 16th career grand slam and first with New York.

By BRANT JAMES, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published July 29, 2002

ST. PETERSBURG -- Robin Ventura is unlikely to hit the 465 home runs he needs to catch all-time leader Hank Aaron. Babe Ruth is pretty safe with a 424-homer cushion on the Yankees third baseman, too.

But Ventura assured himself at least a share of a line in the record books with those immortals, and Dave Kingman, Sunday when he hit his 16th career grand slam to move into a tie for sixth on the all-time list.

Ventura, 35, the active leader in the category, was not aware of his historical footnote until after the game. It's not easy to discern emotion in his staid demeanor, but he seemed appreciative.

"I don't care what category it is," he said. "When you get mentioned in with someone like Babe Ruth, that's nice."

Ventura, who homered in every game of the three-game set with the Rays, sent a two-out, 3-and-1 pitch from Tanyon Sturtze deep into the rightfield stands in the third inning to give the Yankees a 4-0 lead.

"(Hitting with the bases loaded) creates a different situation with the pitcher," Ventura said. "Especially with two outs, the pitcher doesn't want to walk you in.

"He kind of got behind a little bit and I eventually got a good pitch to hit."

Ventura is batting .358 in 162 at-bats with the bases loaded. Of his 1,158 career RBIs, 192 have come in those situations.

The grand slam was his first since joining the Yankees this offseason.

"I told him, 'I keep reading about all these grand slams, and now I see what they're talking about,' " Yankees manager Joe Torre said.

Torre said Ventura already has reached the wish list of statistics he had for him when he was acquired from the Mets in December for Dave Justice. A six-time Gold Glove winner and a steady, if not spectacular, run producer, Ventura was to be the bridge to top prospect Drew Henson.

Instead, Ventura has become a major part of the lineup, ranking in the top 10 in the American League in RBIs (79) and walks (61).

Ventura, a 14-year veteran with 290 career homers, could join some other illustrious figures if he maintains his bases-loaded productivity. Lou Gehrig is the all-time grand slams leader with 23. Eddie Murray is second with 19, Willie McCovey third (18) and Ted Williams and Jimmie Foxx tied for fourth (17).

Ken Griffey and Manny Ramirez are tied for second among active players with 14.

"I've been lucky I've been on some teams with good hitters in front and behind me," said Ventura, who was in an order with Frank Thomas in Chicago and Mike Piazza with the Mets. "That helps put you in the position to come up with the bases loaded."

Torre, whose statistics with the bases loaded were not glitzy enough for instant recall, said Ventura's approach begets such success in those situations.

"When you're up there with the bases loaded you know (the pitchers) are on the hot seat," he said. "It makes it much less complicated because you know they can't trick you.

"You look for a pitch in a zone, and don't foul it back."

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