Boone’s defense rests

  • Saturday, May 4, 2002 9:00pm
  • Sports

For three weeks, Bret Boone couldn’t hit a beach ball out of a backyard kiddie pool.

Since April 11, the day Edgar Martinez went down with a ruptured tendon, Boone swung the bat like all the pressure to produce offensively fell only on his shoulders. His batting average tumbled 46 points the rest of April, and the only thing that seemed to rise was the veracity of Boone’s attempt to make contact.

As his average spiraled to its bottoming-out point – .214 after an 0-for-4 night Wednesday at Chicago – one thing never changed. His defense.

Boone is playing second base like a veteran who knows how to leave his hitting troubles in the dugout.

He has two errors this season, both within a three-game span in the days just after Martinez went down, and he has played the past three weeks like he may not make a mistake afield the rest of the season.

No ball in the hole between first and second or up the middle seems out of Boone’s range and if he can get a glove on it, it’s usually an out.

If a hitting slump does anything to Boone, it motivates him.

“If you’re not getting hits, then go out and take them away,” he said. “With hitting, it’s tough to be consistent. Defensively it’s easier to be consistent.”

Defensively, Boone has been as consistent as anyone but, surprisingly, he has won only one Gold Glove in his career.

He made just four errors in 1995 with the Reds and didn’t win it; he led National League second basemen in fielding percentage (.991) in ‘96 and didn’t win it; and in ‘97 he made just two errors in 607 chances. He didn’t win a Gold Glove that year, either, although the glove he used all year wound up in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The following year was a defensive downer by Boone’s standards, nine errors and a .988 fielding percentage. So guess what he won? The Gold Glove.

Go figure.

All Boone knows is that hitting comes and goes but defense is one element that a player can bring to the park every day.

“I’ve never had a problem separating the two,” he said “Maybe early in my career, but in the last six or seven years, when I struggle offensively it makes me want to do even more defensively. That’s one thing you can be very good at all the time.

“Over my career I’ve had a lot of ups and downs. But defense is one thing that’s not going to go away.”

Norm Charlton says you wouldn’t be impressed with his workouts as he strengthens the left shoulder that was surgically repaired in January.

He exercises about 45 minutes a day and works out in the Mariners’ pool at Safeco Field.

“I finally get to go into the weight room and lift little baby weights that make me look like I’m doing Jane Fonda aerobics,” Charlton said. “It’s not much, but it’s a step forward and it’s better than no weights.”

Charlton, the invaluable second left-hander in the bullpen who won’t pitch again until next year, says it could be August before he picks up a baseball again.

He says the only reason he isn’t going stir crazy waiting until then is because he reached that point long ago.

“I’ve been going stir crazy since the day they cut me open,” he said. “Stir crazy is Norm Charlton spending three weeks in a sling.

“I still can’t do things for myself. If the fence needs to be fixed, I can’t pick up a hammer and go fix it. My refrigerator is leaking again and I can’t pull it out from the wall and look back there to see what’s wrong. I’ve got to call somebody for a simple task.”

One of Charlton’s disappointments over being injured is that he missed the Mariners’ trip to New York. There’s no place, or team, he’d rather play.

“I love Yankee Stadium. If you can’t get up to play there and get excited about playing those guys, you can’t get excited anywhere,” Charlton said. “The teams they’ve put together and the things they’ve done year after year after year is phenomenal. I’ve got a lot of respect for them.

“They’re not cocky. They’re not jerks. Individually they’re great. Can you get a better guy than Tino (Martinez, now with the Cardinals)? Can you get a better guy than Bernie (Williams)? David Wells? Roger Clemens? Individually, they’re good guys and almost all of them would fit in this clubhouse very well.”

Charlton also respects the Yankees for the moves they make to improve their team, regardless of what it costs.

“They go out and get the parts they need,” he said. “They’re not afraid of making a wrong move. If they make a wrong move and it doesn’t work out, they just go out and get somebody. That might be a checkbook luxury that a lot of other teams don’t have. Whether they have the money to do it and other teams don’t, that’s irrelevant.”

Ryan Franklin has Bryan Price as his pitching coach in Seattle. Back home in Spiro, Okla., Ken Franklin serves the same self-appointed duty, the Mariners’ right-hander said.

“He was always, I don’t want to say hard on me in baseball, but he always wanted me to do well,” Franklin said of his dad. “He still today thinks he’s my pitching coach. It bothers me sometimes that he’s still like that. He still thinks I’m a 15 or 16 year old. But it’s just because he cares.”

After Franklin stopped the Angels on just three hits in 5 2/3innings 11 days ago in his first career major league start, Dad called with words of congratulations, among others.

“He was still coaching me,” Franklin said.

Someone suggested to Aaron Sele, the former Mariner who now pitches for the Anaheim Angels, that the sunny weather in Southern California must be a welcome change.

“Hey, I like gray,” said Sele, a Poulsbo native who lives in Bellevue in the offseason. “I’ve been here for 26 years and I’ve got webbed feet like everyone else.”

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Mountlake Terrace’s Svayjeet Singh leaps in the air after the basketball during the 3A district loser-out playoff game against Snohomish on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish upsets Mountlake Terrace for first playoff win in 11 years

Bryson Wheat scored 25 in Panthers’ 49-43 win to advance to the District 1 Boys 3A quarterfinals

Marysville Getchell junior Bubba Palocol reverses directions while dribbling against Arlington during a playoff matchup at Arlington High School on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, in Arlington, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Prep basketball roundup for Thursday, Feb. 13

Marysville Getchell, Lakewood boys each earn district wins

Vote for The Herald’s Prep Athlete of the Week for Feb. 2-8

The Athlete of the Week nominees for Feb. 2-8. Voting closes at… Continue reading

Kenneth Walker III runs with against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Dec. 1, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the Seattle Seahawks)
Seahawks hire run game coach

Justin Outten added to staff as Mike Macdonald continues attempts to bolster rushing attack.

Balanced scoring attack leads Gonzaga

Zags take over second place in WCC with 88-77 win over USF.

Shorewood senior Bridget Cox (11) elevates to get a shot over Everett senior Aimelie Hovde-Girard (21) in Shorewood's 41-30 win in the opening round of the District 1 3A Girls Tournament on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025 in Shoreline, Washington. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Shorewood girls basketball avoids Everett upset bid in 41-30 win

Glasser’s ‘dagger’ 3 caps second-half run, pushes No. 5 Stormrays to 3A District 1 Quarterfinals

Prep roundup for Wednesday, Feb. 12

Terrace, Monroe girls advance in district hoops tournament.

Kimberly Beard, a Mukilteo resident who attends King's High School, prepares to release a throw during the 20-pound weight competition at George Fox University in Newberg, Ore. on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Donna Beard)
Mukilteo’s Kimberly Beard wins throwing event

The King’s High School junior won the 20-pound weight throw at a George Fox indoor meet.

Seahawks right tackle Abraham Lucas (72), who will be coached by his third offensive line coach in three seasons in 2025, lines up in Seattle's 20-17 win over San Francisco at Levi's Stadium on Nov. 17, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Edwin Hooper / Seattle Seahawks)
Seahawks hire shows they’re serious about offensive line

New offensive coordinator bringing in veterans with hopes of improving front.

Stanwood High School football coach Jeff Scoma talks with the referees during the 3A quarterfinal game against Odea on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Former Stanwood football coach lands new Gig

Jeff Scoma, who resigned midseason in 2024, will coach Gig Harbor H.S. next season.

Mariners among biggest offseason losers

Juan Soto, LA Dodgers are among winners as baseball begins.

High schoolers challenge Trump’s ban of trans athletes

Two transgender high school students have challenged President Trump’s executive order barring… Continue reading

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.