He has taken his share of hits on this, from current and former players, from writers, from broadcasters, from bartenders.
But this was Chicago White Sox rookie Michael Jordan, on his 31st birthday, generously sharing his thoughts with media people, many of whom have not been generous at all.
It was Michael Jordan trying to make them understand-that he knows what he’s trying to do isn’t going to be easy, that he means no disrespect to the game or the people who play it, that this isn’t something he’s taking lightly.
“It seems to be impossible,” he said Thursday. “But I don’t think anything’s impossible if you put the work out there, and you believe in yourself and you believe in your skill.
“I’m not saying that it’s easy. I know that it’s hard. I’m not demeaning the game at all. I still think the game is America’s game, and it’s very tough, and you have to know how to play the game.”
Which, right now, he doesn’t.
“I don’t really know what I’m doing sometimes,” he said. “I’m a student of the game right now. I’ve got to learn what I’ve got to do with runners on first and second and no outs, those types of game-type situations. I’m learning.”
It’s showing. The Michael Jordan who hit Thursday wasn’t the same guy who looked so foolish last week at the Illinois Institute of Technology. Thursday-only in flashes and still against compliant pitching-there were signs. One liner just missed the warning track but skipped hard against a billboard.
The billboard, for an air-conditioning company, read “Unique Air.”
He had picked up something from Walt Hriniak, the hitting coach.
“I was dragging my foot,” Jordan said. “I was losing my power in my legs, and he got me to the point where I can use my legs for the power.
“I watch other players do it. I saw Frank Thomas do it. They were all doing it. I just have to learn the technique.”
Regulars are drifting into camp. Julio Franco made his first appearance Thursday. Monday, everyone will be in camp. Jordan is, he said, conscious of that.
“I’m a rookie, and I’m willing to take the necessary steps to getting their respect,” he said. “I’m not coming in trying to steal the show from them.
“I just want to fit in as one of the team. Hopefully, the players can see once they get here that aside from all this media hype, I’m out there sweating and doing my part to try to improve my game.
“It’s not for the money. It’s for the dream.”
It’s still only that. He’s better, but he isn’t close, and he knows that.
“I knew it was going to be a slow and tedious process,” he said. “I just had to stay focused. No matter what negative things I was hearing from people . . . “
He was hearing that. And he was hearing other things.
“I’ve been getting some very good, positive fan mail,” he said. “I’ve gotten good support from the fans-a lot more support from the fans than from you guys, which makes a difference.
“Every one that I’ve read has been saying, `Continue on. It’s a dream. There’s nothing wrong with trying to achieve a dream.’ “
