Don Gullett---1978--- Part 2
DON GULLETT-PART 2
Prior to being one of baseball’s most
respected pitching coaches during the
1990’s with the Cincinnati Reds, Don
Gullett fine-tuned his craft in the
minors. The Reds lured Gullett away
from his Kentucky farm to serve as
their pitching coach for Double-A
Chattanooga in 1990.
As the Assistant Farm Director for the
Redlegs, it was early April 1990 and I
closed up the offices at our Plant City,
Florida Spring Training facility. Most
major league executives fly to Spring
Training and rent a car for the six
week stay. As one of the secondary
executives, I drove and was faced with
a 915 mile trek home from Plant City
to Cincinnati--- courtesy of Marge
Schott’s modus operandi.
Prior to being one of baseball’s most
respected pitching coaches during the
1990’s with the Cincinnati Reds, Don
Gullett fine-tuned his craft in the
minors. The Reds lured Gullett away
from his Kentucky farm to serve as
their pitching coach for Double-A
Chattanooga in 1990.
As the Assistant Farm Director for the
Redlegs, it was early April 1990 and I
closed up the offices at our Plant City,
Florida Spring Training facility. Most
major league executives fly to Spring
Training and rent a car for the six
week stay. As one of the secondary
executives, I drove and was faced with
a 915 mile trek home from Plant City
to Cincinnati--- courtesy of Marge
Schott’s modus operandi.
Despite the arduous task of a two-day drive, I was looking forward breaking up the trip
by dropping in on the Chattanooga Lookouts Opening Day. Especially since the
previous few seasons had proven to a challenge, as an aged Engle Stadium had a poor
playing surface due to drainage problems. Fortunately, that was not going to be a
problem, as the Lookouts hired a landscaping firm to redirect the water flow and re-sod
the infield during the off-season.
With perfect timing to arrive in Chattanooga for batting practice, I was bewildered as I
walked into Engel Stadium. Expecting to hear the sound of cowhide meeting ash; all I
was treated to was muffled banter. As I walked up the stadium ramp, I was confronted
with the most unusual site as I looked down onto the field. There on his hands and
knees was Chattanooga manager Jim Tracy adjusting home plate.
I walked out onto the field to ask Trace what happened, to be greeted with a shake of a
hand and a shake of his head. The grounds crew had reset home plate cock-eyed to
the pitchers rubber, close to eight inches off-line. I asked Jim what I could do to help and
he told me to go help Gulley in the bullpen.
Not knowing what to expect, in the bullpen stood Gullett and one grounds crew assistant
looking at two rubbers that didn't line up. It would not take a rocket scientist to figure
out that one of the rubbers was wrong. Five minutes later I was helping Don measure off
the sixty-feet six-inches required. Low and behold, we discovered that both rubbers
were off and we had to reset the two slabs.
It’s not easy being a former big league player who returns to the minors as a coach. To
go from charter planes, delicious clubhouse spreads and the amazing cathedrals of
baseball; to the reality of buses and older parks had to be difficult for both Don Gullett
and Jim Tracy. Yet, they survived (as many do) and earned tickets to coach and
manage in the major leagues. For years to come, the day did provide us with a laugh,
especially for Gullett since it was his first day of being a pitching coach in the minor
leagues.
by dropping in on the Chattanooga Lookouts Opening Day. Especially since the
previous few seasons had proven to a challenge, as an aged Engle Stadium had a poor
playing surface due to drainage problems. Fortunately, that was not going to be a
problem, as the Lookouts hired a landscaping firm to redirect the water flow and re-sod
the infield during the off-season.
With perfect timing to arrive in Chattanooga for batting practice, I was bewildered as I
walked into Engel Stadium. Expecting to hear the sound of cowhide meeting ash; all I
was treated to was muffled banter. As I walked up the stadium ramp, I was confronted
with the most unusual site as I looked down onto the field. There on his hands and
knees was Chattanooga manager Jim Tracy adjusting home plate.
I walked out onto the field to ask Trace what happened, to be greeted with a shake of a
hand and a shake of his head. The grounds crew had reset home plate cock-eyed to
the pitchers rubber, close to eight inches off-line. I asked Jim what I could do to help and
he told me to go help Gulley in the bullpen.
Not knowing what to expect, in the bullpen stood Gullett and one grounds crew assistant
looking at two rubbers that didn't line up. It would not take a rocket scientist to figure
out that one of the rubbers was wrong. Five minutes later I was helping Don measure off
the sixty-feet six-inches required. Low and behold, we discovered that both rubbers
were off and we had to reset the two slabs.
It’s not easy being a former big league player who returns to the minors as a coach. To
go from charter planes, delicious clubhouse spreads and the amazing cathedrals of
baseball; to the reality of buses and older parks had to be difficult for both Don Gullett
and Jim Tracy. Yet, they survived (as many do) and earned tickets to coach and
manage in the major leagues. For years to come, the day did provide us with a laugh,
especially for Gullett since it was his first day of being a pitching coach in the minor
leagues.
