SIGMA I N V E S T M E N T C O U N S E L O R S Sigma Summaries Vol. 31, No. 10 October 2004 The Building of a Team On a beautiful day in August, I was invited to play golf with some great friends and clients, Lance Parrish, Bill Adlhoch and Alan Trammell. My golf game was somewhat muted by the fact that I had some questions I wanted to ask Alan. On about the third hole, I asked Tram if he would mind talking about his life in baseball in between some of his shots. As is always the case with Tram, he obliged. There were times that we talked under a tree What made you decide to stay in together as a team and really learn to see those players get beat on day baseball after your playing days to respect one another. Sparky taught in and day out, but I knew there were were over? There was never a doubt me the right way to go about your some potential major league players in my mind that I wanted to be a job. I could go on for hours on what on that team. Many of those players baseball “lifer”. As a kid, I thought that man taught me, but back to why got the opportunity to play in the big about baseball from the time I woke I wanted to stay in baseball. leagues and I can assure you they up until I went to bed. Through high liked it. That being said, competition school, I would dream about being a As an everyday player who played at the major league level is very cruel great player in the major leagues. I in All Star games and a World Series, and many of those players will never suppose many kids dream about this I felt I had the knowledge of the see the major leagues again. The type of life, but I was fortunate that game. My only concern was my ones that survived, like Mike Maroth my dream turned into reality. I don’t ability to relate to the players. My and Brandon Inge had a learning want to bore you about my high personality is somewhat laid back, experience they will never forget. school career, even though I was a but when I have to I can turn it up a They know what it is like to go to pretty good basketball player as well, notch and be firm. Patience has the ballpark and hope that they can so I will jump to the Detroit Tigers always been an asset, and my ability win versus going to the park and where I spent my entire professional to learn from mistakes has always feeling like they have a real good career. been part of my repertoire. Now the chance of winning. We still aren’t question was, could I be the “captain where we want to be, but I can assure My first year was a year of of my ship” (Sparky phrase)? Many you the clubhouse mood is night and adjustments, and then along came of my teammates and coaches day from last year. Sparky Anderson! He taught me encouraged me to give it a shot, and how to play the game and what it I did. Now to the most obvious reasons we took to be a winner. That included are better, Pudge Rodriquez, Carlos your field presence! We were to act What has been the biggest Guillen, Jason Johnson and Rondell like professionals and if you didn’t difference between this year’s White! Those free agents are the like what he had to say he would team and last year’s team? cores of our new team! From there have you out the door in a heartbeat. That is an easy question to answer. we can continue to build. I almost As Sparky would say, my way or the The players!!! Last year, many forgot about the Fernando Vina highway! We thought it best to do it people felt we had a minor league signing. Without his commitment, his way. team. I would suggest many of our it is possible that none of the other players needed to be playing in the signings would have taken place. I As it turned out, he was the master minor leagues to gain more tip my hat to him for getting the ball at getting his players to work confidence and experience. It hurt rolling. I am hopeful he can recover 26261 Evergreen • Suite 455 • Southfield, Michigan 48076 • (248) 223-0122 • Fax (248) 223-0144 from his injuries, but from what I am These situations can really cloud ship! She has tolerated my dreams hearing it is a long shot. your mind from week to week on for many years. Our three children what needs to be done for next year. have adapted well to our baseball With the new additions to our team, I suppose, if I had to, I would love life. Like all families, there were we were able to have a quarterback for us to get a solid starting pitcher. times where it would have been nice behind the plate, a quarterback in the Jeremy Bonderman has the potential if Dad were home, but my job is what middle of the infield and a very solid to be our number one guy, but I it is. It requires me to be gone for outfielder to strengthen our team. would really like for him to be a most of the year. My family now is This new backbone allowed the number three or four starter so he can older and I see them often. My son younger players to learn, relax and just go out there and pitch without is actually working here in Detroit just play the game. Pudge took over all of the added pressure of being our and that has really been nice. He is the pitching staff and the young number one guy. Jason Johnson has living with me and that is cool pitchers have responded to his done a nice job of taking over our because I just sleep there when I am authority. It only makes sense number one starter position, but in in town and when I am gone, he is because he may be the best catcher my mind he would be better off as on his own. My two other children that has ever played the game! our number two or three starter. Our are still in school back in California, Carlos Guillen has had a year like infield is in pretty good shape so I but old enough to take care of he has always thought he could have, don’t feel anything dramatic will themselves so Barb can spend some but has been bit by the injury bug take place there. Our outfield is still time with me when she can get away. for most of his career. This year he kind of up in the air so there could has been able to stay healthy for most be some changes out there. My life is baseball and that is all that of the season and the numbers he has I know and love. I have tried some put up have certainly been The biggest change that I would like other jobs, but every minute I was impressive. What I admire about to see going into next year, is for our doing non-baseball work, I would be him the most is his ability to talk to players to believe in themselves and thinking about what I needed to do the young players and lead by their teammates. We have lost too to prepare myself for my current job. example. He has taken Omar Infante many games because we just didn’t Sparky always told me that managers under his wing and to a new level of make the necessary adjustments to are hired to be fired and my goal is play that even Omar couldn’t have win. We talk so much about hitting to make it really tough for them to imagined. All in all, we have a good the fastball, but there are times when get rid of me! I have passion for my mix of young players along with a we have to look for a breaking ball job and I am going to work as hard good mix of older players. and crush it! We still are a young as I can to bring Detroit another team and I am hopeful that our young World Series Championship team. I What needs to be done with this guys are starting to learn what it also want you to know, that I love team to get them into a position of takes to win. The thing that really my family dearly and I make a competing for the divisional crown confuses me is there have been times conscious effort to spend quality next year? this season, when I feel we are time with them when they are here That is a tough question because we starting to “get it” and then all of a or during the off-season in have some young players that have sudden it is gone! This is what California. I love taking my really started coming on since the All makes managing so difficult. daughter to school, stopping to get a Star break. I was concerned with bagel and just talking with her. I am Carlos Pena, but all of a sudden he How has your position of so lucky to have the family support has really shown he can play at this managing the Detroit Tigers that I have because there are so many level.