Schmidt makes visit to Phillies' camp

02/27/2006
CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Mike Schmidt arrived in Phillies camp on Monday, beginning his annual stint as a special hitting instructor. That also meant an early-morning "all things Schmidt" session with the media, where the Hall of Fame third baseman provided updates on what he's been up to the past year.
On this day, the topics ranged from his managerial interview with the Devil Rays and next month's release of his book, "Clearing the Bases," to Mark McGwire and Pete Rose.
Schmidt joked that his book was a "three-hour read" and admitted the first three chapters retold a lot of familiar stories. The meaty part is in the middle.
"It's not a Jose Canseco tell-all book, but I go right up to the line a little bit," Schmidt said. "There are a few hard-hitting points in there that will create some discussions."
Schmidt discusses his views on substance abuse and the congressional hearings from an insider's perspective.
"There are a lot of sociological implications," he said. "It's sort of a study in the human nature of how things like this can happen and how turning a blind eye on the subject allowed baseball to recover in the late '90s and 2000 with the offensive explosion. And now, how the right steps have been taken by the [Major League Baseball] Players' Association and the Commissioner's office to totally cleanse the game."
Schmidt said he would cast a Hall of Fame vote for Mark McGwire, who is eligible in January. He wasn't as emphatic about Rafael Palmeiro, who actually tested positive for steroids last year.
"Unlike Pete Rose, who admitted to gambling on baseball, there's no set rule," Schmidt said. "These guys haven't been banished from the game. Their accomplishments on the field stand for themselves. I think Palmeiro is a stronger issue. I think what he's gone through in the past year and half may have hurt his chances altogether."
From there, the 56-year-old elaborated on his good friend Rose, who seemed close to reinstatement, but now is stuck in what Schmidt called, "baseball purgatory."
In discussing his Devil Rays interview, Schmidt said his managerial juices flow every fall -- when he sees friends trying to guide teams to the playoffs -- but subside around this time of year, as he looks forward to a summer of golfing, fishing and family life.
From his home in Jupiter, Fla., Schmidt followed the Phillies' quest for their first postseason berth since 1993. He had high praise for first-year manager Charlie Manuel, who replaced his former teammate, Larry Bowa.
"When you're only two or three swings of the bat, or two or three outs by a pitcher of being in the playoffs, that's pretty close," he said. "For me, the grade would be A-minus. Charlie brings some great qualities to the job. He brought the quality I think everyone thought the Phillies needed in a manager and it was less pressure. The players felt loose and relaxed and Charlie created that atmosphere. I'm a Charlie Manuel guy."

Source: http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/