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Show Page HERALD, Provo, Utah, Thursday, March 24, 1977 HK Aaron Doesn't Miss Playing Days Because He's Too Busy WKST PALM BKACH, Fla. (UPI) -It seems a bit strange seeing Hank Aaron sitting behind a desk. But baseball's home run champ insists the itch to get out on the playing field "hasn't hit me yet. Maybe later I'll yearn to take a bat in hand and take a few swings. But not now. I'm keeping too busy to dwell on that." of age than the Hammering Hank" of his glory days. "I figure if we can turn out just one major leaguer a year, one man who can really help the club, we will have done our job " Aaron has been a Brave a quarter of a century minus the two years he was a designated hitter for the Milwaukee e Brewers. "Those were a difficult two years," said Aaron. "I never realized what a mental strain that is. If the National League had gone to the designated hitter 2 years ago, I would not, knowing what I know now, have wanted that Hank Aaron's "busy" work is directing the Atlanta Braves farm system His responsibility no longer is hitting home runs. It's trying to find a few gems among the minor leaguers who might help the Braves. "We've got 107 in camp," said Aaron, a bit heavier at a 43 years 10-1- job. "When you are playing both ways and you pop up with the bases loaded, you go back out to the outfield and have other things to think about. But, when that happens to a designated hitter, he's got an awfully long time to just sit there on the bench and fret about it. It's not a pleasant feeling." Aaron left the Braves after the 1974 season because they wouldn't give him the front office job he wanted. He had planned to retire then as a plaver, but the Brewers offered hirr. $200,000 a year to be thir designated hitter for '75 and '76. "It was a bad decision on my part." said Aaron. "The fans were looking for the Hank Aaron of 10 years earlier. He got to hope that the caliber of college play continues to improve so that we can count on the colleges to take the place of our lower farm clubs. "The big problem right now with the colleges is that the players aren't getting quality coaching. A lot of the bigger schools might have one good coach, but that's as far as it goes. We see a lot of outstanding college players who come into the pros still weak on some of the fundamentals. "This is especially true of pitchers. They can pick up a lot of bad habits when they don't get proper coaching." just wasn't there. Adjusting to a dif- wrong direction." ferent league, being constantly in the Aaron recalls that the Braves, then in spotlight, being on the bench for such Milwaukee, had a strong farm system long stretches between bats they when he joined the organization back in were all handicaps." 1952. "We had more than 200 players at the Aaron, who had a .310 batting average and 733 home runs during his Braves' minor league camp at 21 seasons in the National back in '52." said League, hit Waycrnss. Ga only .232 with only 22 home runs during Aaron. "We had quite a layout there. his two seasons with the Brewers. All the players were housed and fed at "I had no hesitation about retiring the camp, there was more competition after that." said Aaron. "I'm just then, more people competing for jobs. thankful that (Braves owner) Ted "I don't really knew when it actually Turner gave me this opportunity." started going downhill. But it seemed Turner had already promoted the to me that our minor league system former farm director, Bill Lucas was nowhere near as strong after our to championship years at Milwaukee (Hank's former brother-in-lawIt has" only started to climb general manager. So the position was sitting open when Aaron laid down his back up since Bill began running bat things." "Bill did a good job during the five Lucas said the Braves let a lot of years he ran the Braves' farm bright prospects get away during the system," said Aaron. "That had been 'Ms because top management in those the Braves' weakness for a long time. years was unwilling to spend money. But Bill had it turned around. He "I remember one time when we were turned a good program over to me. discussing a couple of good prospects, "This is where it all begins," said people who later starred in the majors, Aaron. "If you don't get quality here, and our attitude was that we weren't you don't get it later." willing to pay them the sort of bonuses The Braves have really stepped up thev got elsewhere. At a time a top their minor league camp this spring. prospect was getting $50,000 to $00,000, They have increased the coaches from we were spending only $60,000 on our the usual three or four to about a dozen. entire draft. "We're going to carry that concept "The way I look at it." said Lucas, over to the minor league season," said "is if one of our No. 1 choices is willing Aaron. "This year, our scouts are going to sign for as little as $15,000, we should to serve in the dual capacity as minor pass him by. He's too dumb." "This money thing is putting all clubs league instructors as well." Hank Aaron has been given the in a bind," said Aaron. "Kids today responsibility, and the authority, to hear about the big money being thrown direct the Braves' minor league around and they want their share now. program. But Bill Lucas is the man They aren't willing to wait and see if who laid out the blueprint. they earn it. I can see the day coming "As you know, this is all pretty new when we're going to have to go with to me," said Aaron. "If Bill hadn't even a smaller group than now. "When that happens, the colleges are planned so well beforehand, I'd have probably spent a lot of time in the going to be our best hope. We've just Aaron, who hit a lot of home runs over a lot of years before getting the sort of money that many major league players now get and less than some of the ones who capitalized on the free agent clause to sign contracts says he doesn't blame the players for seeking as much as they can get. "But, anyone can see that it can't go on. There's only so much coming in and there has to be a limit." Aaron said he doesn't believe that he would have played out an option with the Braves, "just to get more money." "Not if Ted Turner had been the owner then. He really is concerned about his players, and about winning a championship. This wasn't as true of the previous ownership. Under the conditions of a few years ago, I might have played out my option. But money would not have been the only reason." That, noted Aaron, is all behind him now. There is still instant recognition when he appears in public. But Hank is now behind the scene. "It's others' turn now," said the man 41 more than who hit 755 home runs Babe Ruth. "My job is to help find ), 11957-58- Bosses Excited About Angel Prospects PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (UPI -Norm Sherry is excited and so, too, is Harry Dalton, and neither the manager nor general manager of the California Angels ever has been known to raise his temperature anywhere near the boiling point But after Dalton signed free agents Joe Rudi, Don Baylor and Bobby Grich and picked up the veteran Mike Cuellar for free after being released by out on a limb by predicting we will be a lot stronger this year with them. Kansas City, as the defending champion, is the team to beat and Texas is strong, but I feel we are right there with those two clubs." Sherry, who replaced Dick Williams in last year and was in the second half, is a strong believer in hard work and dedication, and to this point in spring training he says he never has seen a team put out as much as his Angels. "Reporting time each day," says Sherry, "is 9:30, yet we have some fellows running and exercising as early as 7 o'clock. Now, that's the kind of dedication that makes for a winning attitude, and that's what I feel around I mid-strea- Baltimore, there certainly was justification for Dalton and Sherry to get excited, and they did. "I honestly feel we have a legitimate shot at the division title," says Dalton, meaning the American League West. "Sure, we have some holes, but I don't think we have any problems we can't solve with the people we already have. It's been a long time since I felt this confident about a team." "We didn't do all that bad last year without these new players," says Sherry, "so I don't think I'm going too far this club this spring. 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Outlook Pitching could be a problem season long, unless Cuellar and Simpson stage comebacks, but solid hitting will make up for the OPEN WEEKDAYS 9:30 AM TO 9:00 PM OPEN SATURDAYS 9:30 AM TO 7:00 PM CLOSED SUNDAYS |