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Sunday, June 29, 1997

Rookie manager believes he's doing about average

By MICHAEL A. LUTZ / AP Sports Writer

HOUSTON (AP) - It's pregame and Larry Dierker is slouching on the dugout bench, legs extended, chewing tobacco and chatting with a television reporter as if waiting for a picnic to begin or a relaxing bus ride to the beach.

Then a reporter wanders up and asks a question that would put many major league managers into a full karate defensive position: "How do you rate yourself so far as manager?"

The body language doesn't change. Dierker, rookie manager of the Houston Astros, shifts his gaze and answers in a candid way that even fewer managers would reveal.

"I guess you'd could say I'm doing average for a rookie manager," Dierker said.

Average? Really, Larry, do you want your bosses to hear that you rate yourself average? But that's vintage Dierker, shooting straight from the hip.

"I think there are guys out there who probably could get more out of this team than what I've gotten but there's also guys that have been doing it for years that couldn't have gotten as much," Dierker said.

"Managing is very subjective. I've only done three or four things that clearly were wrong, everything else is a judgment call, it's a guess. I'm not going to be too hard on myself but at the same time, I think I can get better."

The clubhouse chandeliers never rattle with Dierker directing the show. Whether the 'Stros are three games up on their Central Division rivals or struggling to get back to .500, Dierker's demeanor stays within the calm range.

It's been a mostly appreciated change for the players, some of whom chafed under the fiery approach by former manager Terry Collins.

"He's a player's manager," outfielder Luis Gonzalez said. "He gets along with all the guys. He's been around most of the guys all our careers from when he was an announcer. I think he's finding out the challenges are a lot different, but he's done a really good job."

Not everyone thought the Astros were doing the right thing last December when they dumped Collins and brought Dierker down from the broadcast booth as field manager.

Although a former major league pitcher and an astute student of the game, he'd never coached or managed at any level.

But it didn't take long for the Dierker serum to take effect with the players.

"At first, it kind of shocked everybody but it's been fun," Gonzalez said. "He's a different kind of manager. He's not vocal. He doesn't come in raving and yelling. He pretty much leaves the game up to us. He knows we're grown up and we know our jobs."

The Astros have led the weak NL Central Division much of the season but they've struggled because of injuries and disappointments at several key positions.

Dierker takes his lumps and admits his mistakes.

"Once I didn't make a double-switch when we were short on pitchers but it didn't matter because the guy I brought in pitched the rest of the game and did a fine job.

"The other day I went out to change pitchers and didn't make sure the pinch hitter had been announced. I lucked out on that, too, because the pinch hitter had been announced, I just hadn't consciously made sure. That's something I should have been aware of."

Dierker would have liked to make fewer personnel decisions but slumps and injuries have left third base, shortstop and center field positions in transition.

The Astros started the season with Sean Berry at third, Pat Listach at shortstop and Derek Bell in centerfield. They played Pittsburgh with Bill Spiers at third, Tim Bogar at short and Thomas Howard in center field.

"You just try to do the best you can and get the weaker positions covered each night and get the guys who play those positions to play well coming off the bench," Dierker said.

And he does it without rattling the chandeliers. Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
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