Baseball players generally are very territorial about their equipment.
They covet their favorite bats and gently mold and caress their personal gloves and mitts. The constant refrain is: “Don’t touch my stuff.”
Consider, then, the expression of amusement on the face of Geovany Soto on Monday night when White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen kicked the mask of the Cubs catcher during an argument with plate umpire James Hoye. Soto took the incident without rancor.
“I probably would have done the same thing as Soto did, especially after seeing that it was Ozzie who kicked the mask,” said WGN-AM 720 Cubs analyst Keith Moreland, who mainly was an outfielder but occasionally caught and played third base in the majors.
Cubs TV analyst Bob Brenly, a former big league catcher and manager, agreed with Moreland.
“I threw my mask a lot farther than Ozzie kicked that one,” Brenly said. “I don’t really think there is much to be made of it. Obviously Ozzie was upset. He kicked the first thing he saw. It could have been a bat, could have been the batter’s helmet, could have been a catcher’s mask or it could have been the home plate umpire’s butt. He wanted to kick something and it just happened to be lying there.
“I think Geovany and the rest of the guys took it in the right light, had a little chuckle about it and moved on. I don’t think it’s that big a deal.
“I tell you, if he had kicked his mitt … that would be a different story, because it takes a long time to get that glove exactly the way you like it. You don’t like anybody to mess with it, especially somebody from the other team.”
Word on the street: Cubs manager Mike Quade, who routinely rides the L to the ballpark, said he often is recognized by fans in public and does not mind talking baseball with them.
“Very seldom does that conversation happen, but if I’m having dinner or I am in a situation where people feel comfortable, then occasionally. People around town, especially in the neighborhood where I live around Wrigley, they are friendly and they are respectful. And in the right environment, they know I will talk baseball all day. It’s OK.”
Sight seen: Tuesday night’s rain delay allowed Sun-Times sports columnist Rick Telander to devour his ninth hot dog in the press box. His personal record is 12.
“When I was a lot younger,” he said.
