Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.sports From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Perez faces difficult challenge as untested manager of Reds Date: Sat, 31 Oct 92 14:00:15 EST Message-ID: \SE D;SPORTS;BASEBALL \SS (WS) \HD Perez faces difficult challenge as untested manager of Reds \BY ASSOCIATED PRESS \DT CINCINNATI CINCINNATI (AP) - With one word, Tony Perez went from low-profile coach to manager in one of baseball's toughest organizations yesterday. He said "yes" to the chance to manage the Cincinnati Reds. With that came the ultimate challenge: win in his adopted hometown despite a lack of experience and a lot of reservations, even among the front office. "A lot of people think I'm a sleeping dog, but I'm not a sleeping dog," said Perez, 50, whose nickname is Doggie. "I don't know if you know much about me. I don't talk much, but I can act. I think you'll know a different Tony Perez as manager." He brings an impressive resume as a player but not much of a track record as a coach. Perez, an important member of the Big Red Machine that won consecutive World Series titles in the 1970s, has worked quietly the past six years as a first-base coach and batting instructor. He's an unknown quantity as a manager, leading the club to give him just a one-year contract instead of the three-year deal Lou Piniella received in 1990. "I have to prove myself," he said. It's a lot like the first time he left his native Cuba at 17 to seek his fortunes in baseball. He started with Geneva of the New York-Penn League in 1960, teaming up with another newcomer to the Reds' organization: Pete Rose. It was a new land, a new language, a new level of baseball. And he was scared. "I didn't even know the word for scared," he said. "I had to say scared in Spanish." He learned the language - although his thick accent sometimes makes it hard to understand him - and how to handle pressure as well as any hitter. The first baseman appeared in six league playoffs and five World Series, helping lead the Reds to consecutive World Series titles in 1975-76. He was known as their best clutch hitter, driving in more runs than any other major leaguer from 1967-76 (1,028). The Reds traded him to Montreal after the 1976 season to open first base for Dan Driessen - a move former club president Bob Howsam soon regretted. The Reds didn't return to the World Series until 1990. Perez completed his 23-year career in the major leagues by hitting his 379th home run on Oct. 4, 1986, one day before he retired from the Reds as a player. The home run enabled him to tie Orlando Cepeda for the career record among players from Latin America. Because he doesn't have any managerial experience, he's going to have to draw upon his playing days a lot for strategy. "As a hitter, you try to beat the pitcher any way possible," he said. "You know every aspect of the game. For nine innings, you keep yourself in the game and do whatever it takes to win the game. That's what I'll do as manager." The Reds will surround him with other managerial candidates who also lack major league leadership experience. Ron Oester will be first-base coach, Dave Miley will be bench coach and Don Gullett bullpen coach. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM