OPINION |
It seemed fitting that one of the greats in St. Louis Cardinals history paid a visit to Springfield earlier this week to help celebrate and raise funds for the Missouri State baseball program.
Baseball Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith regaled a sold-out audience at the Bears’ annual Step Up to the Plate fundraiser at The Old Glass Place downtown with stories of his playing days, including a long-ago time when he crossed paths with Keith Guttin in a small Iowa city.
It was 1975 in Clarinda, Iowa, when Smith and Guttin’s respective teams played in a summer college tournament. Guttin had heard of Smith as a dynamic defensive shortstop and recalled that Smith lived up to the billing.
Smith went on to a great playing career and Guttin proceeded to become a Hall of Fame coach. This will be his 42nd and final season leading Missouri State, with 1,373 wins under his belt when the games begin on Feb. 16 at Louisiana-Monroe.
“We’re the same age,” Guttin, 68, said of Smith. “I saw him in action in amateur baseball and you could tell then that he was going to be special. It’s really special that he’s here to help our program.”
Hard work, dedication key to his success
“The Wizard” spoke about the hard work and dedication that he put in, with that stop in Clarinda as a 19-year-old, as a key to his success. During 19 major league seasons, Smith won 13 Gold Gloves and turned himself from a one-dimensional player into an all-around threat with the glove and bat.
Smith said young baseball players — or anyone seeking success in life — can follow his blueprint.
“I didn’t get drafted out of high school,” Smith said. “I did some soul-searching before going to college and realized that baseball is what I really loved. Went to Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo. They sent me out to play in Clarinda, Iowa, and in ’76 I got drafted by the Detroit Tigers.
“They offered me $8,500 and in my infinite wisdom I said if they don’t give me $10,000 I wasn’t going to sign. They said they didn’t have it in their budget. That’s the first time I gambled. I gambled on me and the fact that I was good enough to at least have a shot at playing professionally.
“So in 1977, I got drafted by the San Diego Padres. I signed for $5,000 and a bus ticket to Walla Walla, Washington. I ended up playing 68 games in the minor leagues and 1978 was my rookie year with the Padres.”
Whitey Herzog persuaded Smith to accept trade to St. Louis
The rest is history, of course, as Smith was traded to the Cardinals in the offseason of 1981. He was embroiled in a contract dispute with the Padres and young shortstop Garry Templeton wanted out of St. Louis. Smith initially balked at the trade.
Whitey Herzog, who served as both Cardinals’ manager and general manager, flew to San Diego to negotiate with Smith. It started a loving relationship with Herzog that remains today.
“Whitey said, ‘If you come play for the Cardinals, there is no reason why we can’t win it all.’ But I had a no-trade clause,” Smith said. “Whitey being the genius he is, he told me if I came over and played, if I didn’t like it, I could become a free agent at the end of the year.
“I came to a place that gave me the opportunity to do what I loved, it gave me a place to experience what winning was all about and got a chance to play in front of the best fans in the world.”
Becoming more than just a defensive star
The Cardinals won the 1982 World Series and two more National League pennants in that decade. As he excelled at shortstop, Smith worked diligently to become known as more than simply a defensive star. He did so by working with third-base coach Chuck Hiller to hit down on the ball on Busch Stadium’s old Astroturf, to use his speed to get on base.
Smith and Herzog made a bet. Smith would give Herzog $1 every time he hit a fly ball and Herzog gave Smith $1 each time he hit the ball on the ground.
“Midway through the (1982) season, that bet was over,” Smith said, with a laugh. “I concentrated on keeping the ball out of the air. It all worked out. The thing I’m very proud of, I finished my career with 2,460 hits.
“Not bad for a guy who was known as a defensive player.”
‘You have to enjoy the process'
The commitment to defense didn’t wane. Smith said he took ground balls every day, from spring training until the season’s final game.
“I did that because I knew that it could be taken away at the drop of a hat,” he said. “I never wanted to look back on this game and say I wish I would have worked a little harder.”
Hard work is the common bond to success, for baseball players at any level.
“Anything that you do, if money is your driving force, you’re never going to get the most out of yourself,” Smith said. “No matter what it is you choose, you have to enjoy what it is you do and you have to enjoy the process. When I say process, you have to enjoy practicing. No success comes without some blood, sweat and tears.”
Walker, Winn impress the Cardinals great
Smith said he’s impressed by a pair of 22-year-old Cardinals who spent the 2022 season at Hammons Field, shortstop Masyn Winn and outfielder Jordan Walker. Both debuted in the big leagues last season and, while they struggled at times, Smith said that’s part of the process.
“When you have players like Masyn Winn, if you just leave him alone, he’s gonna be a great player,” Smith said. “He and Jordan Walker, those guys just have to go out and learn. They are going to make mistakes and you have to hope they learn from their mistakes.
“When I go down (to spring training), if they have things they want to talk to me about, I’ll talk to them. But I encourage them to use what they’ve been doing with (minor-league instructor) Jose Oquendo. They’re pretty good and … I think they’re gonna be around a long time.”
Baseball isn't rocket science
Near the end of the program, Smith was asked about some of the changes in baseball and the emphasis on analytics. Smith said there is a place for the metrics in the game — to a point.
“I’m not totally against it, but you have to use it in the right place,” Smith said. “Analytics don’t hit, don’t run, don’t throw and don’t catch.
“We know as a team that if I catch it, I throw it, I run and I pitch better than the opposition then we have a chance to win. It’s that simple and we’ve gotten away from that philosophy. It’s not rocket science. That was Whitey’s approach to the game.”
