All about respect

On June 11 the Giants hosted the Santa Monica Suns. This team, perhaps my favorite, has been coming up from Los Angeles for several years. Bob Sharpa is the manager, and most of the players are involved in some way with the film industry. Once I looked out at the mound and saw a face I knew, I thought, and it took awhile until I realized I had seen him a number of times in movies.

            The Suns arrived on Friday, the day before the game, stayed at local hotels, and were scheduled to play a double header Saturday then head for home on Sunday morning. This year they would play the Giants in the morning and the A’s in the evening. I would have preferred two games with the Giants but now we have the B team, the A’s, and if I tried to take their Saturday evening field time away from them there might be a riot.

            The way it has worked when the Giants played the Suns both in the morning and evening, even if the Suns would win in the morning, we can usually get them in the evening because I take them to the Marin Brewery in Larkspur for lunch, which consists of heavy food and pitchers of beer. They aren’t worth much afterwards, so everyone wins.

            We all love these guys. They are so much fun to have come in and the lunch time is the best.

            Guillermo, a young Mexican stud pitched for them, eight good innings then they brought in Jacob, their closer. (Guillermo also hit the games only home run.) Sharpa played first base, and well, and got a hit. Not bad for an old guy. The team is a mixture of young and middle aged guys and they worked together well. My wife Katie got a photo of the team, with me in it, at the East Gate, which I just sent along to Bob.

            Tie game ended in a tie, 8 to 8. We had to stop due to the soccer players who however did let us go a half hour longer since the visiting team had come such a long way. I think the fact that half the Suns were Latinos made a difference, too.

            Unbeknownst to the San Quentin ball players, I often will email the managers of the teams that come in and get a debriefing. This has proved helpful over the years as I was able to stop some rather illegal activities from taking place, things like the cons asking the visitors to call, write, email, or otherwise contact various friends and family members. Then I have found that visiting players have given inmates batting gloves, baseball gloves, cleats, and even clothing items. A lot of times I will catch this when it is happening and ask Stan Damas, the enforcer, to take care of the problem.

            Stan, ex San Francisco cop, ex head of security for Bill Graham presents, mid-seventies now, handles all problems. He roams the lower yard doing business. My old friend, he makes all the difference.

            Bob and I talked Sunday, the day after the game. What he told me I should have been prepared for, but I wasn’t. Well, I had suspected but I really thought the A’s players would be above such things. They are not, they are the B team and they proved it again. Several A’s players, and though Bob did not know their names, I knew of course as I at least was watching what was going on behind the visiting dugout during the game.  The Suns got a complete running account of which Giants liked what pitches and how to defense the various hitters. Bob did not say if they were giving the Suns Giant’s signs, but my guess is they did try.

            The Suns would have none of it though. They were offended and disappointed. They agreed these guys were the B team. No respect was the consensus.

            Respect is a big deal in prison like anywhere else, but in prison it looms larger. To give respect is to honor and value. Where there is no respect a dangerous environment is created and anything can happen.

            The A’s did not respect themselves. They did not act honorably. The A’s did not respect the Suns; the Suns would not take advantage of the Giants by listening to the A’s information. The A’s did not respect the game, either. The A’s once again proved they were the B team.

            Hoping the Suns would beat the Giants, the A’s players thought this would elevate them as a team.  I would like to be able to sit down with the A’s players and talk to them about this. It would not be a good idea as an argument would likely break out. At least I will gather the Giants together tomorrow night and talk to them about it. I am hoping that no Giants players did the same during the game that evening. Bob did not say there was a problem, and I would be surprised if any Giant attempted to pass along information about the A’s. 

            To respect the game of baseball means respecting those who play the game, watch the game, love the game. It is not small thing.

            One other thing Bob told me–the A’s beat the Suns, 6 to 5. He said that once the A’s got ahead they stopped the game though there was plenty enough time for another inning. He said, “Oh well.” And I said, “Yes, the B team.”