Michael Jordan, the celebrated rookie, will be leaving for spring training in a few days. And so, hopefully, for the last time, I will field some of the many questions thrown my way:
Q-I noticed after his workout Monday at Illinois Tech you didn’t say how he looked-at the plate, catching and throwing and so on. Can he help the White Sox?
A-I was trying to be kind. It was a nothing workout, pattycake stuff. Any good high school player could have done what he did, maybe better. And no, I don’t think he can help the White Sox.
Q-But we keep hearing he is very coachable and has made tremendous improvement. Do you agree?
A-I, too, have heard the encouraging words of General Manager Ron Schueler and Bill Melton, who has emerged as Jordan’s primary instructor. More than likely, Jordan has made significant strides, but I look at this way: He started from zero; on a scale of 1 to 10, he’s probably up to a 2. And the degree of difficulty constantly increases. By the end of the year, assuming he plays a full season in the low minor leagues, he might, at most, be up to a 3 1/2.
Q-Do you think he should quit now, while he’s ahead?
A-I never tell anyone to quit. That’s his decision. If he wants to try, fine. But it’s apparent he doesn’t understand the difficulties ahead. Frankly, I would be surprised-very surprised-if he hit .300 in a Rookie League.
Q-Is it a sham, nothing more than a circus?
A-Definitely. As I’ve said it’s the biggest hoax since the Cardiff Giant. It proves two things: the grip Jordan has on the so-called sporting public; also, how hard up the media is for a story. As the late Jimmy Cannon once observed, “If someone calls a press box, sportswriters will go to Brooklyn in a blizzard for a meatball.”
Q-What about the White Sox players? They’re all saying they would welcome him as a teammate.
A-They’re bull-jiving. With the possible exception of the innocent Joey Cora, they know it’s a joke. They would welcome him if he could help the club, but they know better. Anyway, the professional athlete rarely, if ever, publicly criticizes a fellow professional.
Q-Are you saying they don’t want him around?
A-Not now, but down the line, yes. Some of them already resent the fact that he’s being giving a tryout.
Q-Why is that?
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A-Because they know of scores of more deserving players who never got this kind of opportunity.
Q-What about Jordan’s athleticism? Isn’t this a big plus?
A-In baseball, the only real athletes are the shortstops and second basemen, and possibly the center-fielders. As a general rule, pitchers are not good athletes. If athleticism is crucial, John Kruk of the Phillies wouldn’t have been hitting .350 much of last season. Ted Williams was a great hitter, but I’m certain he would have been a flop in every other sport, except fishing. Same for Babe Ruth and almost all the other great hitters.
Q-If this is so, why are so many athletes three-sport stars?
A-This happens only at the amateur level. There is an enormous difference at the professional level. I can’t think of anyone who turned pro and excelled in more than one sport.
Q-What do you think will happen in spring training? Will the pitchers throw at Jordan?
A-The White Sox pitchers aren’t likely to throw at him in an intrasquad game. They’ll probably hold back. I doubt that Jason Bere or Alex Fernandez would bear down. But everyone else will. From what I hear, Roger Clemens can’t wait. And just think of all the rookie pitchers who will delight in striking Jordan out.
Q-Do you think he’ll take a few in the ribs?
A-I don’t know if it will be in the ribs, but you can be sure he’ll be brushed back and knocked down. He will be fortunate if he doesn’t get hurt.
Q-But he’s an old pro. He has been injured before.
A-True, but I’ve never heard of anyone getting hurt by a basketball. There is absolutely no comparison. A baseball can be a lethal weapon. Jordan could suffer a fractured leg or hand; it could put him on the shelf for weeks, maybe a month. I totally agree with Ryne Sandberg, who says years of experience are needed merely to get out of the way of an inside fastball. I just hope he doesn’t get hurt.
Q-Everybody is saying Michael Jordan will be a good for baseball. Won’t he give the game a shot in the arm? Won’t his presence increase attendance?
A-In the beginning, he will be a curiosity. But I wonder how many people will come back. Unless they want to see him strike out again. Maybe that will be thrill enough.
Q-If this is a farce, as you say, why doesn’t Bud Selig, the interim commissioner, stop it?
A-The White Sox are not in violation of any rule. They can sign and play whomever they want. I do have a suggestion. To diminish the necessity of revenue-sharing, Selig should have Jordan rotated among the small-market clubs-San Diego, Pittsburgh, Minnesota and Milwaukee, all of which are in supposed financial distress. He could be used as a ninth-inning pinch-runner.