ADVICE FROM BASEBALL LEGENDS HELPS ALUM MANAGE IN THE ‘BIG SHOW’
FROM LINE DRIVES TO LINEUPS Terry Collins (BS71) played shortstop for Eastern from 1968- 1971. He led the team in hiting as a freshman (.354) and a senior (.317). He also led the team in stolen bases all four years. Collins was a key member of the 1971 team that won the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national championship. Aſter a 10-year minor-league playing career in the Pitsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers organizations, Collins became manager of the Dodgers’ Class A affiliate. His big break came in 1994 when he was named manager of the Houston Astros. Collins remained with Houston through 1996 and moved to the Anaheim Angels for the 1997-98 seasons. Aſter brief managing stints in Japan and in a summer collegiate league, Collins, 62, signed a two-year managerial contract (with a club option for a third) with the New York Mets in 2010. He was inducted into the E-Club Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994.
LEARNING FROM LEGENDS Tere aren’t any textbooks entitled “How to Manage a Professional Baseball Team.” So how did Collins learn the managerial ins and outs? By hanging with some Hall of Famers. When Collins began his managing career in 1981, he got to know former Dodgers skipper and 1983 Hall of Fame inductee Walter Alston. “Alston was a tremendous believer in his players,” Collins says. “One thing he taught me was the importance of not blowing out your bullpen in a lopsided game.” As director of player development for the Dodgers from 2005-2006, Collins also spent time picking the brain of another Hall of Famer, former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda. “He was one of the greatest motivators of all time, but also a great student of the game,” Collins says. For ongoing managerial inspiration, Collins refers back to one of his first baseball mentors, legendary EMU baseball coach Ron Oestrike, who taught him about integrity. “I called him earlier this year,” Collins says.
MANAGING THE MEDIA Like every big-league skipper, Collins meets with the media before and aſter every game, home and away. And as media markets go, New York is among the most intense. Collins constantly receives interview requests, ranging from tabloids
Opposite page: Photo of Terry Collins. AP Photo/Jeff Roberson
and big-market television to publications like Eastern Magazine. Collins relies on Mets Vice President of Media Relations Jay Horwitz for help in managing his time with the media. “[Media interviews] can be overwhelming,” Collins says. “Tey all want a piece of your time. Jay says the main thing is to keep it short and honest. You can’t hide anything from those guys.” Collins also keeps things lively by interjecting humorous asides during interviews.
PLAYER RELATIONS One of the keys to Collins’ success is his ability to handle professional ballplayers. It’s one thing to work with minor- league talent fresh out of high school or college. It’s quite another to manage multi-million-dollar athletes. Collins says current Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland taught him how to work with players one-on-one. Collins worked under Leyland, who managed the Pirates. Collins served as Pirates bullpen coach from 1992-1993. “Leyland taught me how to deal with each player and how to budget your time,” Collins says. “When I first got to the major leagues, I thought that everyone had the same goals. I realized I had to treat players differently. Each guy has to be treated as an individual.” Mets right-hander Taylor Buchholz, who also played for the Colorado Rockies, Houston Astros and Toronto Blue Jays, says he’s never seen another manager who spends as much time with his players in the clubhouse. “He expects a lot of us, which is a good thing,” Buchholz says. “He will talk with the players during bating practice. He’ll let you know where you stand.”
COOL AS A CUCUMBER Former ESPN baseball analyst Joe Morgan once criticized Collins for allegedly exerting too much pressure on his players while managing the Houston Astros. So when the Mets got off to a 5-13 start in 2011, how did he handle it? “Collins stayed positive—he doesn’t throw guys under the bus,” says Mets pitcher Mike Pelfrey. “He has a strong presence about him. He stayed calm and didn’t panic.” It seems that Collins’ patience paid off. Aſter the slow start, the Mets went on a 14-8 run to remain in the National League East race. 3 —David Driver, Jeff Samoray
Eastern | SUMMER 2011 27
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