Rick Sutcliffe sat at his favorite table at Tim’s Pizza.
He was having a heart-to-heart session with a young man who struggled this past season as a professional baseball player and the big redhead with the biggest heart in the history of Major League Baseball, wanted to let him know things would be all right.
They worked on his delivery, a pick off move, the slide step, confidence – you name it, they worked on it in a private dining area, away from a restaurant full of hungry afternoon regulars.
After the pep talk, they exchanged phone numbers and the young man promised Sutcliffe he would send him some photos from a hunting trip he plans on taking this weekend.
“Man, I love working with the young guys,” said Sutcliffe, who recently returned to his Lee’s Summit home after broadcasting the playoffs and World Series. “When I was growing up in Sugar Creek, I didn’t have anyone I could really talk with. I just had to kind of pick up everything myself.”
He did a great job on his own, as he was the No. 1 draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the 1979 National League Rookie of the Year and the winner of the 1984 National League Cy Young Award.
Soon, the conversation turns from pitching to Kansas City Royals right-hander Zack Greinke, who was named the American League Cy Young Award winner earlier in the afternoon.
“Zack Greinke is going to find out how the Cy Young Award changes your life forever,” said Sutcliffe, leaning back in a chair, placing hands behind his head and taking a look back at a memorable season that took place 25 years ago.
“For one year – one magical year – I was the best,” said Sutcliffe, who was traded from Cleveland to the Chicago, where he responded with a 16-1 record and 2.69 ERA – leading the Cubs to the National League Championship Series.
“I look back at my career and gosh, it all started meeting a scout in the stands in Sugar Creek,” said the Van Horn High School graduate. “Then, you get drafted. Then, you go to minors, where everyone throws as hard – or harder – than you do. Then you get the ball to the bigs, then you have that one big game where you think, ‘I belong here.’
“Then, if you work hard and you’re lucky, you win something like the Cy Young Award. I won it in 1984 – but I would trade it, and any other award I ever won (and he has a wall full in his Lakewood home) for one more win in that National League Championship Series (which the Cubs lost to the San Diego Padres in five games).
“The Cy Young Award does change your life. From here on out, every time Zack is introduced, he will be introduced as ‘2009 Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke.’
“I know from what you’ve told me about his news conference, he doesn’t enjoy the limelight. He could never go to New York or Boston or one of those cities where you’re always under the microscope.
“He’s a perfect fit in Kansas City. I just hope they give him some help, because he could have won 25 games if he’d have had some offensive support.
“But you know what? Today is a good day to be a Royals fan. We can thank Zack, and some knowledgeable baseball writers, for giving Royals fans something to cheer about.”
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Rick Sutcliffe sat at his favorite table at Tim’s Pizza.
He was having a heart-to-heart session with a young man who struggled this past season as a professional baseball player and the big redhead with the biggest heart in the history of Major League Baseball, wanted to let him know things would be all right.
They worked on his delivery, a pick off move, the slide step, confidence – you name it, they worked on it in a private dining area, away from a restaurant full of hungry afternoon regulars.
After the pep talk, they exchanged phone numbers and the young man promised Sutcliffe he would send him some photos from a hunting trip he plans on taking this weekend.
“Man, I love working with the young guys,” said Sutcliffe, who recently returned to his Lee’s Summit home after broadcasting the playoffs and World Series. “When I was growing up in Sugar Creek, I didn’t have anyone I could really talk with. I just had to kind of pick up everything myself.”
He did a great job on his own, as he was the No. 1 draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the 1979 National League Rookie of the Year and the winner of the 1984 National League Cy Young Award.
Soon, the conversation turns from pitching to Kansas City Royals right-hander Zack Greinke, who was named the American League Cy Young Award winner earlier in the afternoon.
“Zack Greinke is going to find out how the Cy Young Award changes your life forever,” said Sutcliffe, leaning back in a chair, placing hands behind his head and taking a look back at a memorable season that took place 25 years ago.
“For one year – one magical year – I was the best,” said Sutcliffe, who was traded from Cleveland to the Chicago, where he responded with a 16-1 record and 2.69 ERA – leading the Cubs to the National League Championship Series.
“I look back at my career and gosh, it all started meeting a scout in the stands in Sugar Creek,” said the Van Horn High School graduate. “Then, you get drafted. Then, you go to minors, where everyone throws as hard – or harder – than you do. Then you get the ball to the bigs, then you have that one big game where you think, ‘I belong here.’
“Then, if you work hard and you’re lucky, you win something like the Cy Young Award. I won it in 1984 – but I would trade it, and any other award I ever won (and he has a wall full in his Lakewood home) for one more win in that National League Championship Series (which the Cubs lost to the San Diego Padres in five games).
“The Cy Young Award does change your life. From here on out, every time Zack is introduced, he will be introduced as ‘2009 Cy Young Award winner Zack Greinke.’
“I know from what you’ve told me about his news conference, he doesn’t enjoy the limelight. He could never go to New York or Boston or one of those cities where you’re always under the microscope.
“He’s a perfect fit in Kansas City. I just hope they give him some help, because he could have won 25 games if he’d have had some offensive support.
“But you know what? Today is a good day to be a Royals fan. We can thank Zack, and some knowledgeable baseball writers, for giving Royals fans something to cheer about.”
