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Baseballs get American touch

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 26, 2001

Special balls with a red, white and blue Stars and Stripes bunting pattern included as part of the World Series logo will be used.

"These baseballs were designed to reflect the patriotic mood in America since Sept. 11," Howard Smith, senior vice president for licensing for Major League Baseball Properties, said Thursday.

In addition to manufacturing the balls, Rawlings Sporting Goods also made balls with American flags to be used for the ceremonial first pitches before Saturday's opener in Phoenix and Tuesday's Game 3 in New York.

Both balls will be distributed for sale, with portions of the revenue to be donated to relief organizations and charities.

WARM WELCOME: The Yankees landed in Phoenix on Thursday, dropped their bags at the team hotel and went to Bank One Ballpark for a practice. The stadium was empty, except for a few dozen fans who watched from a restaurant balcony above the leftfield wall.

Many yelled, "Let's go, Yankees!" and "Go, New York!" and the team tossed several balls to them. Shortstop Derek Jeter, however, wasn't sure those were all Yankees fans.

"No, I think they just wanted to get a ball," he said. "I don't know if they'll be rooting for us on Saturday night."

PAYING RESPECT: Bob Brenly will look across the field and see a man to admire in Yankees manager Joe Torre.

"Joe is a master of putting his attitude onto his ballclubs," Brenly, Arizona's manager, said. "Joe is always very much in control, seems to very confident, very relaxed. That's something we've tried to sell our ballclub all year. That's how you succeed in anything you try to do in life."

When Brenly was working for Fox network as an analyst, he got to see Torre up close in the World Series.

"Because of the way Joe carries himself, I think it's very easy for his players to reflect that same attitude as well," Brenly said.

Asked how his work in television -- for Fox and the Diamondbacks -- helped prepare him as a manager, Brenly singled out his access to managers before each game: "Just the opportunity to sit in the dugout with Bobby Cox for a half-hour before a Tuesday night game and talk about any number of subjects. Same thing with Tony La Russa, Bobby Valentine, Joe Torre in the postseason."

HELPFUL CALLS: Brenly was asked how he was preparing for an opponent the Diamondbacks never have faced. He ran down the usual sources: extensive, detailed reports from his scouts and recollections from Arizona players who have faced the Yankees.

Then he added another unexpected source: "We've had a lot of unsolicited offers from other teams to volunteer some of their scouting reports on the Yankees."

American League teams?

"Some were and some weren't," he said.

Did he use the information, and why would the teams make such an offer?

"Yes," he said, smiling, "and I don't know."

SOMETHING DIFFERENT: Jeter likes the fact that the Yankees have never played the Diamondbacks: "We're going to a field we've never been to before, so it's almost like the old World Series where you haven't seen the other league. It's a whole new environment. Any time you have something that's new, it's going to be fun." The Yankees will try to win their fourth successive World Series. In 1999 and 2000 they played the Braves and the Mets, teams they met in the regular season in interleague play, introduced in 1997.

POOL PARTY: There are sure to be plenty of camera shots from the pool at Bank One Ballpark. A few details about the water beyond the right-centerfield fence:

The main pool is 4 1/2 feet deep. There also is a hot tub.

The area rents for $7,000 a game during the season and accommodates 35 people.

It is about 405 feet from home plate to the pool.

Mark Grace hit the first home run into the water, doing it when he played for the Cubs.

Among the rules, printed near a life preserver: "Guests wearing obscene or indecent clothing will not be allowed into the pool area. Example: Thong style swimming suits."

Saturday's predicted high in Phoenix is 92, the low 66.

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