Madlock Has Developed Into Detroit’s Designated Bargain

While the Dodgers sink rapidly in the West, a star is reborn in the East.

Since releasing Bill Madlock on May 29, the Dodgers have lost 23 of 37 games and are nine games behind Cincinnati, which leads the National League West. Since signing Madlock on June 4, the Tigers have won 21 of 31 and are five games behind the Yankees, who lead the American League East.

Does this bring a smile to the face of the four-time National League batting champion? Well, no and yes. Madlock is glad the Tigers are winning. But, he really doesn’t care what happens to the Dodgers.

You see, Madlock started his baseball career 18 years ago in the Washington Senators’ organization. He has played for Texas, the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh, among others. Let’s just say he has spent enough time in the slums of baseball to appreciate the view from the penthouse.

“At my age (36), there’s only one thing left to do and that’s win,” Madlock said. “I’ve won the batting title, I’ve been named Most Valuable Player, I’ve won a World Series . . . there’s nothing left but to win again.

“I don’t have time to even think about how the Dodgers are doing. We’ve got the third-best record in the league and we’re fourth in our division . . . well, not really (Detroit is third), but we don’t want to blow our chances. I haven’t got time to worry about how the Dodgers are doing.”

Meanwhile, the Tigers and Madlock are doing just fine. Madlock is hitting .292 with 8 home runs and 18 RBIs in 103 at-bats with Detroit.

“They seem to throw more breaking balls for strikes over here (in the American League),” Madlock said. “And when you make a mistake with a breaking ball, it’s usually up. In the National League, they throw more forkballs, and a mistake with a forkball is usually in the dirt.

“And (batting) average doesn’t mean as much over here. Here, we’re talking home runs and RBIs. I’ve messed myself up a few times swinging for the fences already. I’ve been up and down because of it. I went 0 for 19 over one stretch.”

Madlock--the man with the short and sweet swing that produced batting averages of .338, .339, .341, .351 and .354 in the National League--has been able to concentrate lately on what made him one of the most-respected batters in baseball. He’s 11 for 34 in his last nine games with 6 homers and 13 RBIs.

“I don’t think anybody expected this much,” Detroit Manager Sparky Anderson said. “But I knew he could still swing the bat. The first question my people asked me before we signed him was what kind of person he was. I told them he was an outstanding professional and a great guy.

“I said I couldn’t guarantee how well he could play, but I figured he could still hit. He had four homers with the Dodgers (this season), and if he could still reach the seats in that league, he can reach these porches over here.”

Madlock had decided to go to Detroit about “four minutes” after the Dodgers released him because he figured that the Tigers would offer him the most opportunities to play.

This is a man of simple needs. He likes to say he needs just two things to be happy: “four at-bats and three meals a day.” Some might argue that is really seven things, but it still doesn’t sound as if he’s asking for too much. At least not for a guy who began the 1987 season with a .307 career batting average.

“I just like to go out, play and have fun,” he said. “L.A.’s not the easiest place to do that. There’s a lot of pressure put on the players and the whole organization to reach perfection. It’s tough on a player’s mental outlook, especially the young ones. Look at Candy (Maldonado) and (Greg) Brock and (Sid) Bream and R.J. (Reynolds). The talent was always there with those guys, and now look at what they’re doing when they can just relax and play.

“I knew I just didn’t fit into the Dodgers’ plans anymore. It had nothing to do with my talent, and there were no hard feelings. They told me I wasn’t going to (start), and I asked them to trade me, even before the winter meetings. I asked again in spring training.

“Hey, I could have saved them a lot of money if they would have listened.”

The Dodgers will end up paying about $810,000 of Madlock’s $850,000 salary this year. The Tigers, needless to say, have already gotten their money’s worth.

The rejuvenated Madlock has been playing mostly first base and designated hitter--and even third on a couple of occasions. He’d rather play in the field than just DH (“That way, if you’re in a slump, at least you have a chance to make an error and really feel lousy.”) But since undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder on the second day of the season, Madlock prefers any position where he doesn’t have to throw the ball more than, say, 15 feet.

“It’s a new challenge, just playing first base and hitting,” he said. “It’s great for what I can do now. I don’t have to throw anywhere but to first, and I can toss it to the pitcher (covering first) with the best of them.

“And DHing is great, too. I can come out to the park and work out in the afternoon on the days I DH.”

Vada Pinson, the Tigers’ batting coach, standing nearby, laughed and shook his head. “Yeah, I can vouch for that. He drags me with him when I could be in my hotel room having room service.”

Madlock, or Mad Dog or just plain Dog, is already one of the most popular players in the Detroit clubhouse. But he certainly wasn’t a crowd favorite at Dodger Stadium after asking to be traded. He was booed soundly on occasion.

“When you’re young, that bothers you,” said Madlock, who plans to play one or two more years. “When you’re old, you just want to play out your time and say goodbye.”

But there’s nothing wrong with a farewell with a flair. And don’t be surprised if Bill Madlock leaves ‘em cheering.