Henry Schulman. San
Francisco Chronicle. Tuesday, February 20, 2001.
Scottsdale, Ariz. -- As The Chronicle's Lewis Dolinsky reported last month,
the Giants would like to host the Cuban national team at Pacific Bell Park next
year, possibly as part of a home-and-home exhibition series similar to one
involving the Baltimore Orioles two years ago.
That the Giants are considering a trip to Cuba surprised pitcher Livan
Hernandez, who defected in 1995. He declined to comment but seemed anything but
enthusiastic.
If such a trip occurred -- and it still is a longshot -- Hernandez
undoubtedly would have the option of not going. Administrative coach and video
coordinator Carlos Alfonso, who was born in Havana, would like the same
consideration.
"I've thought about it," he said. "I've actually applied to
go down several times. I applied for a visa twice, and they denied it both
times. Right now, if relations stayed the same, I'd ask not to go. Who knows? A
year from now, things might be different."
On the other hand, catcher Bobby Estalella would love to go. Both his
parents were born in Cuba and his late grandfather, former major-leaguer Roberto
Estalella, was a legend in Cuba.
"I have a lot of family down there that I've never met or known, mainly
on my father's side," he said. "I know my family down there has a lot
of mementos of my grandfather that I'd like to get ahold of. Pictures, art
stuff, sculptures. They can't send it by mail. It would never get here."
HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF: Retired catcher Kirt Manwaring arrived in camp
yesterday, to be joined today by former teammate and outfielder Willie McGee.
Manager Dusty Baker brought them in as instructors.
They won't be instructing just the minor-leaguers, either. Baker believes
his big leaguers can benefit from Manwaring's and McGee's expertise.
"Both of our catchers are young. Even our starting catchers are young,
either in age or in experience," Baker said. "Kirt was a Giant. Kirt
was a Gold Glove man. They didn't call him 'Money' for nothing. Ernest Riles
named him 'The Money Man,' not because he was making so much money but because
you could count on him."
One could always count on McGee to run the bases well. He was quick and
smart on the basepath. The Giants are neither, so they could certainly benefit
from his counsel.
Baker called running "one of the most under-practiced, overlooked thing
in the game. If we're going to play closer games, we've got to be the best base-
running team. I talked with Maury Wills before I got down here. The Dodgers have
Maury Wills, and we've got Willie McGee. We've got to improve. We don't have the
greatest speed, but we can improve our judgment."
BAKER REMEMBERS MATHEWS: Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews, who died Sunday, was
Baker's second big-league manager with the Braves.
"He was hard on me," Baker said. "I didn't think he liked me,
but I found out later he liked me a lot."
Mathews made an impression. Once after a Giants exhibition loss, Baker
thought his players were partying too much on the bus ride back to Scottsdale
and told them so.
"Then I remembered that Eddie did the same thing once," Baker
said. "You know how you don't want to be like your father sometimes, but
you end up sounding like him? That's how it was."
MISCELLANY: Baker said Hernandez felt a little "tight" while
throwing on Sunday, his first day in camp, but looked much better yesterday. . .
. Barry Bonds is expected to report today. His cars, which were shipped down,
reported yesterday. . . . Blame Woody: Pitcher Kirk Rueter, the biggest North
Carolina basketball honk who has no actual connection to the school or the
state, said Saturday he would feel better about the Tar Heels' chances in the
NCAA Tournament if they lost once more before they got there. Clemson, which was
1- 10 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, obliged Rueter by knocking off then-No.
1 North Carolina the next day.
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