Ex-Mariner Boone makes most of new chance
PEORIA, Ariz. – Seattle Mariners manager John McLaren smiled Tuesday when heard that Bret Boone had overcome the demons of alcohol.
“I’m very proud of Bret. I think a lot of Boone,” McLaren said. “I’ve been in touch with him a lot and I knew exactly what was going on. For him to admit he made a mistake and to deal with it, he’s doing the right thing.”
Boone, promoted to the Washington Nationals major league camp early this week, told reporters Monday that he had undergone treatment for a drinking problem that went back to his time with the Mariners. He played in Seattle from 2000-2005 and, after a failed attempt with the New York Mets last spring training, is back again trying to make the Nationals.
McLaren said he wasn’t aware that Boone had a problem with his drinking when they were together with the Mariners, but he came to realize the depth of his problem in recent conversations.
“I don’t know how things happen sometimes, but they do,” McLaren said. “He looked himself in the mirror, knew he had a problem and he took care of it. I support him totally.”
Any talk about Boone rekindles memories of a player who had fun in the clubhouse, played hard on the field and carried himself with a swagger at all times. A few of McLaren’s favorites:
“”He came to camp one year and announced, ‘Don’t call me Bret, call me Boone.’ To this day I call him Boone.”
“”I’m in (manager Lou Piniella’s) office one day and Lou says, ‘Go tell Boone to take ground balls at third base because we need to go that direction.’ I go out and tell Boone, ‘Go mix in some ground balls at third base.’
“He’s sitting there pounding his glove, saying, ‘You’re going to take a Gold Glove second baseman and have him take ground balls at third base? You telling me this right Mac?’
“Next thing you know, he’s talking to Lou and Lou’s got his arm around him. Then Lou says, ‘Forget about the ground balls at third.’ “
“”Lou had him bunt one time, and he laid down a beautiful bunt and we won the game. Boone called me over and said, ‘Boone don’t bunt.’
“Lou’s superstitious and the next night, we had the exact same scenario. Boone fouls it off, strike one. Fouls it off, strike two. Pop fly. He comes in and throws his bat and helmet.
“After the game he says, ‘Come here, Mac. Boone doesn’t bunt. Boone gets paid to drive in runners. What are you people thinking?’
“I said, ‘You’re talking to the wrong guy. You need to talk to 14.’ We were debating about whether he should talk to the manager and it just so happened that here comes Lou.
“I say, ‘Hey skip, got a minute? Boone wants to talk to you about strategy.’
“They start talking and I peel off. I come back 20 minutes later and they’ve both got a beer in their hands and laughing.
“I was just chaffed. I’m sitting there defending Lou and the next thing you know they’re making me look like I made the decision and I’m the idiot.”
“”I used to always kid him about different second basemen in the league. Roberto Alomar always won the Gold Glove every year but one year he signed with the Mets.
“I told Boone, ‘This is going to be a good year for you. There’s a couple reasons why.’
“Boone said, ‘What are you getting at?’
” ‘Well, Mr. Alomar is in the other league now and you won’t panic when you go into Cleveland, and you’ll have a chance to win a Gold Glove.’
“I think he aired me out for five minutes.”