If you have good players, and you keep them in the right frame of mind, then the manager is a success. M ike Hargrove hit .290 over 1,666 games in the major leagues and has done everything as manager of the Cleveland Indians except win the World Series. Clubhouse leadership is one thing he doesn't have to worry about. He starts his list with the two Alomars, Sandy and Roberto, and continues with David Justice, Travis Fryman, Mark Langston, Mike Jackson, Jim Thome. It's a group of eight to 10 guys who do that.
Leadership can take place in the smallest of instances.
Say, card games are supposed to be over at a certain time, or the TVs are supposed to be turned off at a certain time. Players are wont to push the rules. We all do that. Leaders on a ball club will walk by and say, 'Rules are rules. Players police themselves that way.