from the New York Daily News
Tuesday, July 10, 2001
By LISA OLSON
Daily News Sports Writer
In a room full of disappearing acts, Mike Stanton is in front of his locker day in and day out, good outing or bad — though the latter is quite rare. Joe Torre chose Stanton for his first All-Star Game because of his numbers — 6-2, 1.89 ERA, 50 strikeouts and only 16 walks through 472/3 innings — but also because of Stanton's yeoman work and his willingness to be what Torre calls "a stand-up guy."
Yankee fans know Stanton has never been afraid to challenge hitters with his fastball, but not much else. Who knew middle relievers could be this interesting?
Q. While most relievers come armed with two pitches, you've added a curveball and a slider to your split-finger fastball. Were these additions born out of a 34-year-old's survival instincts?
A. It never got to a situation where I felt I needed something else to be successful. I knew I had other quality pitches but coming from the Braves organization they really harped on a relief pitcher having two quality pitches rather than three or four mediocre pitches. So I didn't throw either of my breaking balls — I have one that's kind of in between — but the older I got the more I realized I could make them both work. Only experience teaches that.
Q. You had a memorable postseason last year, especially in Game 5 of the ALDS in Oakland when all you did was save the season, and then in the World Series against the Mets when you retired all 13 batters you faced. Were these your defining moments as a pitcher?
A. No, but only because I'm a perfectionist — I expect to get everyone out. If I give up a hit, I look at it as kind of a failure. I know I'm not going to get everyone out but I strive for that perfection. I still haven't reached it. I'm still waiting for that defining moment.
Q. The young pitchers in this room gush about the influence you've had on them. After Randy Choate had that meltdown in Boston, you followed him onto the elevator at the team hotel, got off on his floor and wouldn't let him in his room until you were sure he was OK. Did you have mentors when you were starting out?
A. No, I didn't. Maybe that's why I do what I do. This was a situation where I wanted Randy to realize that outing didn't have to grow into anything more. I've had situations (where) one outing has influenced my next outing, or maybe my next week. I wanted him to grasp the context of turning a bad outing into growth and maturity instead of letting it tear him down.
Q. Your fellow Texans, Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte, follow ridiculously stringent fitness regimes. You, on the other hand, will never be asked to pose for a fitness magazine, so why is your nickname "Shredded"?
A. I wouldn't say they work harder than I do. It's just different. They're able to lift weights, like lift legs heavily. I can't do that because I have to be able to pitch (every day). I need a different type of strength and different type of endurance than they do. Shred, that actually came from a T-shirt a couple years ago. It is a joke — I'm not exactly cut to death. But I don't look in the mirror and go, 'Oh I'm so fat,' either.
Q. Three hitters you'd rather not see come to the plate?
A. There's not a hitter that I wouldn't want to face. There are hitters where I say I have to be careful with this guy. Obviously, the number one in the league now would be Manny (Ramirez). Lefty, righty makes no difference — he's killing everybody. Juan Gonzalez, you can't throw the ball far enough out of the zone so he can't get to it. And Edgar (Martinez), you can't make the ball break big enough when he's swinging well.
Q. You're no Mike Hampton, but you're not a bad hitter, if that's what we can call 7-for-14 with two RBI across 13 years. Do you practice taking cuts when no one is looking and fantasize about 'What if?'
A. I've always said I was a hitter before I was a pitcher. I didn't pitch until I got in college. I was All-State center fielder my senior year in high school (in Midland, Tex.). But yeah, every pitcher wants to be a hitter, just like every catcher wants to be a pitcher. (He shoots a knowing glance at Jorge Posada, eavesdropping from the locker next door.)"
Q. Pettitte and Clemens insisted they be in the room when Joe Torre gave you the All-Star news. They wanted to see your expression. Were you really that shocked?
A. The media had been talking about it for two months, so it wasn't something totally unseen. But a couple days before (the announcement) I told Deb, my wife, I didn't think it was going to happen. Not that I didn't think I had the numbers, but I was a setup guy. When it happened, I called her, we talked about the kids a little bit, I let it build up, then said I made it. She was stunned. She called my parents and said my mom almost cried. I guess it really touched us all.
Q. You are so Texan, down to the cowboy boots sitting here in your locker. And yet you, Debbie and your three children (Mitchell, 8; Cameron, 7; Karli, 5) live year-round in New Jersey. Why?
A. We have such a hectic schedule, children need some sort of uniformity and it's very hard for us, as baseball players, to give them that. I'm a husband, I'm a father and way down the road, I'm a baseball player. I don't want to keep uprooting them, especially since I feel strongly that children need a father figure. I'm pretty strict, we have our rules. Number one is just listening. That's a tough one for kids to follow. I say I want something done, it better get done. I got spanked as a kid so yeah, oh yeah, I spank. It's not something I like to do or something I do a lot. It says in the Bible spare the rod, lose the child. Punishment is something that has negative connotations like revenge, whereas discipline is more of a positive approach.
Q. You never bring up religion unless asked, but everyone who knows you mentions how strong you are in your faith. How does it fit into your world?
A. As a child we were not considered a religious family. We did go to church but that was about it. I accepted Christ in '92 and since then it's been a big part of my life. I play baseball because God has given me a talent and God has put me in this position. He calls me to be competitive, to do the best I can, but my true audience is Him. I play for Him, I play for my family, then I play for the Yankees.
Q. What is one thing we don't know about your pal Clemens?
A. There's probably a lot you guys don't know about Roger. People don't understand how much he cares for the guys he plays with. He's the type of guy if you have a problem — if you can bring yourself to ask — he'll go out of his way, he'll do anything he can to help. It's pretty sad that last year's World Series, as good as he pitched, that the thing with Mike (Piazza) is what people will remember. The guy was lights-out in a World Series game, that's what he should be remembered for.
