If they need a buddy, let them buy a dog. Maybe we can be the bench jockeys. Former manager of the Royals, Angels, and Cards, Herzog is one of baseball's great tacticians and blue-collar philosophers. For the fan, the color is less rosy. From Herzog's knowledgeable vantage point, baseball's integrity, despite a marvelous '98 season, is very much on the line these days, in danger of striking itself out as it loses touch with its fundamentals.
Power is in, and subtlety's out.
Singles hitters swing for the fences. Finesse, like bunting, is on the verge of extinction. Small-market teams can't compete. Free agency destroys loyalty. The wild-card, six divisions, and the extended playoffs undercut the pennant races.