Earlier than Mets legend, 1986 World Collection champion and present SNY analyst Keith Hernandez will get his No. 17 jersey retired by the Mets on Saturday at Citi Discipline, the previous first baseman takes a swing at some Q&A with Put up columnist Steve Serby.
Q: What’s it like at the moment being Keith Hernandez?
A: Nothing actually completely different. My life’s regular, like anyone else. I simply have, I suppose you'd name, a high-profile job. I’m recognizable right here at Citi Discipline.
Q: You’re recognizable all over the place.
A: Properly, that's form of light a bit of bit, however within the baseball world I’m positively recognizable. However I feel my life’s pretty regular. I really feel fairly blessed that I’m nonetheless doing what I’m doing.
Q: There was a time in your life I used to be studying if you actually didn’t like your self. Have you ever ever favored your self greater than you proper now?
A: I can’t say I didn’t like myself. I didn’t like what I used to be turning into, and that’s a really private, non-public matter. All in all although, I feel I’m principally a superb particular person. I can are inclined to form of beat myself up a bit of bit, just about my total life, and even once I performed.
Q: Why do you suppose that was?
A: I don’t know. Some persons are extra constructive. Some individuals simply react otherwise. I used to be at all times somebody I feel that was a motivator for me. By no means being happy.
Q: What would you say you’re most happy with about the way in which you performed the sport?
A: I feel I’m most happy with what I completed with the Mets. After I was with the Cardinals, we’d all form of come up collectively within the minor leagues and I used to be form of one of many youthful guys. And there was the growing old Bob Gibsons and the Lou Brocks, they had been form of transferring out, however they had been nonetheless there. However once I got here right here, it was a younger staff, and swiftly it was a task reversal.
Q: That’s why you had been named Captain to convey the youthful guys below your wing. However on the sphere, the way in which you performed the sport, what are you most happy with?
A: My depth, what I introduced. … I got here and performed day-after-day, I by no means obtained damage for the primary 13 years of my profession. You would at all times rely on me. I prided myself on enjoying 150-plus video games a 12 months, and I used to be ready to try this the primary 13 years. I simply suppose popping out right here and setting the instance as older gamers did for me once I was younger. And I used to be simply surrounded by youth, and I knew they had been watching me. The teachings that I discovered once I was in my early 20s they had been gonna come out and translate into [what] I can do right here.
Q: What made you so clutch?
A: I feel you simply gotta need to be in that state of affairs. You need to hit with males on base. It was drilled in my brother and I by my father, he would throw BP, the final 10 swings had been at all times backside of the ninth, you’re dropping by a run, bases loaded, two outs, and he would throw tougher. And we’d get 10 swings, and the final swing … it will at all times have to finish with a line drive. So if the tenth swing you flew out, we wouldn’t finish that final 10 swings except we hit a bullet, base hit.
Q: What’s essentially the most gratifying factor you've obtained from a former teammate?
A: I feel Darryl’s [Strawberry] been effusive together with his reward, how I helped him. The best praise I had was the New York Ballet troupe was run by an aged man, he was in I’d say his mid-60s, very elegantly dressed. And I used to be at a cocktail social gathering in Lincoln Heart, and I used to be enjoying … offseason. … He mentioned, “You play first base like a ballet dancer.” That was the best praise I’ve ever had.
Q: For those who may choose the mind of any first baseman in MLB historical past, who wouldn't it be?
A: Oh, gosh … once I grew up, first base was a place the place you place your growing old veteran, your energy hitter, they thought they might disguise him there. I may by no means perceive that as a result of nobody will get extra motion in a recreation than … effectively catchers and the pitcher are extra concerned … however out on the sphere, you'll be able to win or lose a recreation at first base.
Q: You'll be able to solely choose one man.
A: Gosh … I’d need to go along with most likely Wes Parker.
Q: For those who may face one pitcher in MLB historical past?
A: [Sandy] Koufax. … ’Trigger he was such a terrific pitcher. There’s an entire bunch extra. … Lefty Grove, I’d like to face him, one other nice left-hander.
Q: You don’t thoughts going through left-handers?
A: I at all times hit lefties good. Whitey Ford, I’d like to face Whitey. … You need to face … Warren Spahn, there’s so many, guys that I grew up, which can be nice pitchers.
Q: The opposite Mets who've had their jerseys retired: What made Tom Seaver so nice?
A: He was the linchpin of that ’69 staff, that first one, they had been the laughable Mets. When Gil [Hodges] got here in and took over, they turned it round just about in two years, and Tom was the best pitcher. I bear in mind a recreation, Tom was with Cincinnati after the commerce, he was forward 3-2 and I had three actually good at-bats off him. And he was throwing so exhausting, and I got here again within the dugout after the third at bat. And I sat down subsequent to Lou and I simply mentioned, “Rattling, he’s throwing exhausting!” Lou mentioned — that is like most likely 1979, ’78 — and Lou mentioned below his breath, “It is best to have seen him in ’69.” (giggle).
Q: What do you bear in mind concerning the day he was traded?
A: I don’t bear in mind a lot. [1977] was when he was traded, I do know that was a giant controversy occurring, loads of exterior influences there. And Tom, I bear in mind him watching the information being so emotional. It was a shock, however I didn’t actually pay it a lot thoughts, however it was surprising, he was a fixture right here.
Q: Mike Piazza’s 9/11 house run, what do you recall about that?
A: That was simply … I imply, it’s identical to: There's a God. Town wanted it so badly. And that’s what Mike did so effectively. Mike was one other nice clutch hitter, and I coated him. However the one factor, he was one of many gamers that he drove within the runs late and shut. … He did it with house runs. He hit loads of house runs late, that’s not a simple factor to do. … However that individual house run … it was gorgeous. It simply was like all people embraced one another.
Q: Do you bear in mind watching Jerry Koosman?
A: After all, I confronted him.
Q: What was that like?
A: Not enjoyable. I wouldn’t suggest it.
Q: However you hit lefties effectively, you mentioned?
A: He was nasty. He had a giant curveball, exhausting sinker. When he gained his twentieth recreation in September in opposition to us, I feel it was ’76, and I used to be having a superb second half, I used to be actually beginning to come round as a serious leaguer, and he was throwing a shutout and he was successful 3-0, I consider, and I hit a house run off of him to interrupt up his shutout. And he gained 3-1, however I do know he needed that shutout. And I bear in mind operating across the bases, I’m 22 years outdated, I’m going, “I hit a house run off Jerry Koosman, and he’s throwing a shutout.” So I couldn’t wait to get house to the lodge — earlier than the cell telephones, we referred to as it Black Wire Fever — I obtained on the cellphone, I referred to as my brother and my father instantly: “I simply hit a house run off Jerry Koosman!”
Q: Which of the present Mets may have performed in your ’86 staff?
A: [Francisco] Lindor would have began on our staff … Come on, the place are you gonna put Pete [Alonso]?
Q: How about first base?
A: Properly, possibly if now we have a DH we may DH him (giggle).
Q: Anyone else?
A: [Starling] Marte can be in there. I don’t need to put anyone else down. I might say these three for certain.
Q: What a couple of wholesome Jacob deGrom?
A: Oh, completely … [Max] Scherzer. They’re the premier pitchers of their era.
Q: What do you consider Edwin Diaz closing?
A: I’ll take him. In a heartbeat.
Q: Alonso appears to be like like in the future he may very well be a Captain right here.
A: Don’t rush it. Let him change into extra of a veteran, extra of a presence. That is solely what, his third 12 months, is that what it's, third or fourth 12 months? Just a little extra time, a bit of extra time. However sure, positively, he has that potential.
Q: Other than Rusty Staub taking you below his wing if you obtained right here, how did you adapt so simply to New York Metropolis?
A: I bear in mind I rented on the Dag Hammarskjold constructing. Rusty informed me you gotta keep on the East Facet ’trigger you don’t need to go crosstown by site visitors for an evening recreation in Manhattan, and simply lease the primary 12 months. So I rented at Dag Hammarskjold on forty seventh and Second. I gotta say it was most likely made the transition simpler. He took me to eating places … Ed Lynch was staying on the town then, and he was single. Ron Darling and Danny Heep, we had been the one ones staying within the metropolis. … I wasn’t alone within the metropolis. It may very well be a lonely place. It may be robust. However I feel due to Rusty I tailored. It took me round three weeks, round two homestands, I suppose. … Then I spotted, “Boy, this city’s form of good.”
Q: The ’86 Mets versus the ’98 Yankees: Who wins?
A: Oh, brief sequence you'll be able to by no means … They had been a terrific staff, we had been a terrific staff. That’s a good suggestion, possibly on my Strat-O-Matic I’ll play ’em in Strat-O-Matic a seven[-game] sequence and sees the way it comes out.
Q: You’re actually dodging the query.
A: I performed the ’86 Mets and the ’69 Mets in Strat-O-Matic. … Thrice. … They beat us all thrice.
Q: Properly then I might suppose the ’98 Yankees would be capable of beat you additionally.
A: Properly, we’ll see. We’ll by no means know!
Q: What do you suppose the probabilities are of a Subway Collection?
A: Properly, it’s a protracted season and also you don’t find out about accidents and the Yankees are simply enjoying phenomenal. [Aaron] Choose is having a terrific 12 months — MVP 12 months.
Q: So it’s a superb likelihood, you suppose?
A: There’s an opportunity. Completely.
Q: DeGrom going through Choose, Scherzer going through Choose … how a lot are you trying ahead to these matchups if we get an October or November Subway Collection?
A: What do you suppose? It’s be nice. … I might watch very carefully how they assault Choose. I feel I understand how they might.
Q: How would they?
A: I’m not gonna reveal.
Q: How about Gerrit Cole going through Pete Alonso?
A: That’d be a tricky one, too. The groups that get there — I bear in mind my first supervisor, [the Cardinals’] Purple Schoendienst, once we obtained into the [1982] World Collection, he was Whitey’s [Herzog] bench coach. He mentioned, “, ultimately, it’s the 2 finest groups in baseball. The opposite staff’s good, too. They didn’t get there by a fluke.” … The Purple Sox in ’86, that was a really proficient staff, they'd a terrific lineup, that was no straightforward mark.
Q: How would you describe the on-field mentality of these ’86 Mets?
A: All people got here and performed exhausting. I feel the followers liked us, we gained, it was essentially the most successful decade in Met historical past, However all of us obtained soiled. … Lenny [Dykstra] was at all times sliding headfirst, Wally [Backman] was a scrappy participant. … I feel it appealed to the grittiness of New York, the metropolitan space, the encompassing space.
Q: Did you get pleasure from being a villain on the street?
A: I at all times liked enjoying on the street.
Q: However that Mets staff was despised?
A: Solely in St. Louis was it actually, ’trigger that was the competitors. However that’s all nice. It’s like once they boo one of the best participant. They boo the All-Star, the visiting groups, as a result of he’s one of the best participant. So actually it’s a badge of honor. I at all times felt, I bear in mind as a child, Dad taking us to Candlestick Park, and he would purchase field seats on the primary base aspect, and would have us watch the primary baseman — it was Invoice White once I was a child. I bear in mind particularly, “Watch his footwork.” So I at all times felt on the street that there was a father or a mom on the market with a daughter or a son, and saying, who was sitting down, and left-handed, “Watch that man play first base. Watch him hit.” Which is what my father did. So I simply at all times thrived on the street.
Q: How would Buck Showalter have dealt with your ‘86 Mets?
A: He would have been effective. He would have been identical to Davey [Johnson]. … A supervisor has to know his gamers, and has to mingle together with his gamers, but in addition command respect. I’ve noticed Buck … you at all times see Buck prior to now, that is the primary time I’ve actually obtained to know him. … He’s at all times obtained that scowl on his face, and I mentioned he’s a bitter man. He isn't. He's a personality!
Q: What number of video games do you suppose a supervisor like Buck is price?
A: He’s not gonna get outmanaged, that’s for certain. I can’t put a determine on it, however a foul supervisor will lose you extra video games than a superb supervisor will win you video games. Whitey Herzog informed me that.
Q: What is exclusive concerning the SNY sales space?
A: I feel we obtained one of the best play-by-play man in Gary [Cohen]. I feel that he's just like the maestro, and he brings us in, and I feel the truth that we’ve obtained Ron [Darling] who is aware of pitching — I don’t know the main points and the mechanics of pitching — and you bought me. So that you’ve obtained two guys that may convey each facet of the sport into the dialog.
Q: In ’86 you had been on the duvet of GQ, right?
A: Sure.
Q: How come it’s been 36 years? Why has it taken so lengthy to get again?
A: ’Trigger I’m most likely round 30 kilos heavier, that’s why (smile).
Q: And I feel Ronnie was additionally that 12 months?
A: I feel he was.
Q: How come Gary Cohen has by no means been on a GQ cowl?
A: That’s a superb query. … They shoulda had him when he was at Columbia and he had the lengthy hair … that’s gone (giggle).
Q: Have you ever ever been noticed on the similar social gathering with John Stossel?
A: No, however I used to be on an airplane with him. He was sitting one row on the alternative aisle. We glance alike. … And we had a giant giggle about it.
Q: When did you truly develop your first mustache?
A: I began attempting to develop it once I was out of highschool. In A-ball, it was chocolate milk, and I might simply develop it and shave it, develop it and shave it, develop it and shave it, so it will come sooner. Finally it matured. However I’ve at all times had it, and I shaved it off possibly two or thrice in my life. … [Luis] Guillorme, he shaved the beard, and he grew it proper again.
Q: Wasn’t there a time you shaved it and mentioned you’d by no means develop one again?
A: I’m unsure. … I don’t bear in mind saying that.
Q: Alongside those self same strains, does Keith Hernandez have extra groupies now or when he performed?
A: (Chuckle) I didn’t have groupies.
Q: What would you name them?
A: One-night stands (giggle). Simply kidding (giggle). I at all times had a girlfriend once I performed, at all times. However on the street, you’re in three nights in a metropolis. You’re gone. So typically you struck out, typically you didn’t.
Q: Yeah. You had been at all times a clutch hitter, although.
A: Properly, the present, that individual [“Seinfeld”] episode which I assumed was very, very intelligent with the JFK form of the theme there and all the varied subplots … I don’t know, I simply thought it was form of a genius present — it’s referred to as “The Boyfriend” —you recognize, Jerry’s a fan. Lots of people may relate to that ’trigger they idolize gamers, whether or not they’re a male or a feminine or tennis or soccer or basketball or baseball. So I feel it appealed to that. The writers had been so good in that present.
Q: What was it like filming that Simply For Males industrial with Clyde Frazier?
A: That was loads of enjoyable.
Q: You guys had been two of the best guys in New York.
A: Walt, he was doing (chuckle) all of the poetry, which he does on the air, he’s such a beautiful man. “No play for Mr. Grey,” and who would have ever thought that that might change into one among these strains that folks would bear in mind? We did that industrial for eight years.
Q: Getting again to the groupies for a second …
A: (Snicker)
Q: How does the one you love cat Hadji really feel about your previous?
A: Properly, Hadji’s a male. … He form of likes the concept that I, you recognize, I made him a star.
Q: He gained’t be on the ceremony?
A: Nooo, I want he may.
Q:. Who takes care of him?
A: I've a neighbor buddy that watches after him.
Q: What's going to or not it's like to your brother watching the ceremony?
A: Gary, I feel, is gonna get emotional. My alternative, once I throw out the primary pitch? He’s gonna be the catcher. I’m gonna throw to him.
Q: And what do you think your father can be considering on a day like this?
A: Oh, my father and mom, they’d be in hog heaven. I actually want they may very well be right here.
Q: Are you extra like your mom or father?
A: I’m the brooder. I’m my father. Gary’s the exuberant, the gregarious one. He’s my mom.
Q: You’re not a brooder any extra, I don’t suppose …
A: I can brood. I solely present my vibrant aspect right here.
Q: And the place can I get a Keith Purrnandez T-shirt?
A: I form of like that. That was a terrific thought. I don’t know the place to get it. SNY?
Q: How emotional will the entire weekend be for you?
A: The weekend’s gonna be enjoyable. We’re gonna begin out with a giant dinner with all my family and friends within the metropolis. … After I exit on the sphere, it’s gonna be surreal. I’ve at all times been form of a procrastinator, so I’m form of blocking it off. I feel when the second comes and I’m there with my children, and my grandkids and my brother, members of the family, they usually pull the canvas off the quantity, it’s going to be … it’s exhausting for me to fathom. As I’ve mentioned, you develop up as a child, you need to be a serious league participant. You watch Willie Mays like I did, be an MVP. You need to be a batting champion. You need to be an All-Star. However you by no means dream of getting your quantity retired. It’s actually the final word honor that a corporation can bestow on a participant. And what makes it so a lot better is that I’ll be the sixth particular person, solely the fourth participant. I’ll be up there with, my goodness, Casey Stengel, Gil after which, in fact, I’ll be the fourth participant with Seaver, Koosman and Mike … in 60 years of baseball right here with the Mets, It’s a choose few.
Q: What do you hope Mets followers bear in mind about Keith Hernandez the participant? And, what do you hope Mets followers take from Keith Hernandez the broadcaster?
A: Those who noticed me play, they at all times come up and are very complimentary. Those who didn’t see me play, they will solely hear what their dad and mom say or what they see on movie. However I suppose the truth that I got here to the park day-after-day and I gave it my finest … to win. As a broadcaster? I’m not accomplished broadcasting. So hopefully I’m gonna be right here quite a lot of extra years.
Q: After they’re watching you and Darling and Cohen, what do you hope that they are saying about you?
A: That I’m educated of the sport and I’m a bit of goofy. … I’m a bit of off the wall, I’m up there. I can get a bit of goofy up there.
Q: You’ve at all times been goofy?
A: I've. It’s humorous ’trigger once I performed, individuals thought I used to be so intense, and once I get within the sales space, individuals come as much as me and say they didn’t know that aspect of me, they thought I used to be an intense particular person 24/7, and I actually wasn’t within the clubhouse, I used to be like I'm within the sales space.
Q: Had been you a superb sensible joker?
A: I used to be not a sensible joker.
Q: What’s one of the best sensible joke you ever noticed performed?
A: The clubhouse man in Cincinnati once I was a rookie, all of the rookies, he had a cage, with a bit of tail protruding they usually mentioned it was like a woodchuck or one thing. They usually get the rookie to go look, after which they'd the entice door, and it will come up and hit him within the face. I’ve seen that like 5 instances. … They tried to do it to me and I wouldn’t go close to it. I knew one thing was up.
Q: One final thing concerning the ’86 Mets: Why did you solely win one World Collection championship?
A: Properly, there’s loads of causes. The ’87 staff, I felt we had accidents, however St. Louis had accidents that 12 months, too. We left spring coaching, and we didn’t have Roger [McDowell] for a month as a result of he had an emergency appendix operation, so we misplaced him. And Doc [Gooden] didn’t come out with us, missed the primary month. And in the middle of the season [Bobby] Ojeda solely began in seven video games that 12 months, he had a foul knee. Sid [Fernandez] had a balky knee, and down the stretch run, Ronnie, that essential recreation we misplaced to the Cardinals in September right here, went down to choose up a bunt, and tore his ligament in his thumb, he was our greatest pitcher down the stretch. I actually felt that ’87 we had been gonna repeat, at the very least go win our division over the Cardinals. And that’s the 12 months that basically bothers me. ’Trigger in ’88 we come again and win the division — we win 100 video games.
Q: The December 1986 Kevin McReynolds commerce, did you suppose that disrupted chemistry a bit of bit?
A: No, I didn't. I feel the proper choice was to let Ray [Knight] go. Ray was form of the unsung hero, he was the veteran man, a right-hand hitter that hit seventh in our lineup, and was an ideal seventh hitter, a veteran, had a superb 12 months, however he was older. You had Howard [Johnson] and Kevin Mitchell ready within the wings. They made their alternative on Howard, and traded Mitchell, which was a shock. At that time, Howard early in his profession was not an excellent right-hand hitter. And he discovered to change into a superb right-hand hitter as he obtained older, however that ’87 12 months, and ’88, he was a better out, so it made us extra weak in opposition to left-hand pitching, the place we had Kevin and Ray, right-handed bats, in the event that they threw a left-hander at us in ’86, we had a counter for it, and we misplaced that.
Q: Are there first basemen at the moment who you get pleasure from watching play the place?
A: I like [Eric] Hosmer with San Diego. I like him quite a bit. I feel he’s one of the best fielder within the league.
Q: Does he remind you of you?
A: No, probably not. He’s good and strong. He’s not as agile as I'm — as I used to be, I’m definitely not agile anymore. However he’s actually a superb fielder, obtained good fingers.
Q: What would you inform these present Mets about how New York Metropolis embraces its champions?
A: I feel that they’re going to see it on July 9, how the town embraces, the followers embrace the winners, their gamers — they don’t neglect. Any staff, it’s their goal simply to win. However to win right here — it’s been what, like 36 years now — and I nonetheless get people who come as much as me if I’m in Manhattan, cab driver or no matter, they usually nonetheless bear in mind ’86. So it’s time for an additional one.
Q: What's your fondest reminiscence of the ticker tape parade?
A: That Bobby Ojeda and I virtually didn’t make it. We had been up all night time then we fell asleep, once we wakened, we didn’t bathe, and we took a cab downtown to Battery Park the place it began. After which there was a sea of individuals, and we’re going, “Oh, my God, we’re not gonna be capable of get by this.” So it was like Moses parting the Purple Sea. They allow us to by. Then there was this wrought-iron fence, and was pointing up within the air, and the individuals lifted Bobby and I up and over the gate and on the opposite aspect they had been there to seize us and put us down, we went proper to our vehicles (giggle).
Q: What did you guys do this night time?
A:. We had been all over. … We had a few locations that I’d frequent … bear in mind Columbus on 69th and Columbus? That was the new spot. … It wasn’t a disco. … My brother was with me. He regrets, he didn’t get away from bed.
Q: The place had been you guys staying?
A: My condominium.
Q: And Ojeda was there, too?
A: I don’t know the way he wound up with me that night time (giggle).
Q: You would say that about loads of completely different individuals over the course of your life.
A: (Snicker)
Q: You’re Keith Hernandez, and it’s my honor. Congratulations.
A: Thanks a lot.
Q: No person deserves it extra.
A: Thanks. I respect that.
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