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Peter Gammons: The first tenet of leadership is authenticity
March 23, 2014 by 1 Comment
Mike Matheny, Jim Leyland and Brad Ausmus before a game this spring.
In Matheny’s office in St. Louis, he has a simple sign that reads, “To Thine Own Self Be True.” “I am who I am,” says Matheny, which is why one spring training, while doing a television interview, he diverted the discussion to a stirring defense of teammate Scott Rolen, who had been the subject of unattributed criticism. “I am not surprised to hear Mike did that,” says Holliday. “Teammate, friend, great man.”
There is an adage in the psychology world that the first tenet of leadership is authenticity. It applies to the President of the United States. Or why Tim Russert was who he was, Mariano Rivera, Eddie Vedder, Russell Wilson. It is, as Matheny believes, being who one is. “Authentic is the perfect word to describe Mike Matheny,” says Holliday. “Players respect managers who command respect because they are who and what they really are.”
Managing in 2014 is totally different than it was in the Forties, Fifties and Sixties, when the owners took all the profits, players had no rights, much less the right to an agent who might question a Gussie Busch. It is different than it was in the Eighties. Today, it is about Joe Maddon finding a way to communicate with Yunel Escobar, convince him he is a Gold Glove shortstop and get the best out of him. It is about understanding, about John Farrell being able, as Dustin Pedroia says, to look every Red Sox player in the eye the way he does his three sons, who happen to all be remarkable individuals.
It is, as Brad Ausmus says, Bud Black always being the same person, “completely authentic,” really the same guy he was when he pitched. It is why Bob Melvin is who he is, and why Bryan Price will establish his leadership, why Ausmus already has. The job is no longer about strategy, except handling bullpens, and modern teams have enough intellects and information and coaches to make shifts and defenses a routine part of a (modern) organization. “Hang around the Giants for a while,” says one baseball man, “and you realize Bruce Bochy and Dave Righetti never change. They never try to con anyone. They are both very smart, but they can relate to any player because they care enough to do so. The same applies to Don Mattingly, although his situation is obviously far more complicated because of all the egos on so many levels.”
“Managing,” says Matheny, “is not about self. It’s about the team, the franchise, the organization and all the people who work in it.” The Cardinals are arguably the sport’s best example of an organization. They have had great scouts, who could get a Michael Wacha sliding and overcome glitches like Tyler Green and Derek Wallace. They have great development people; now it’s Gary LaRocque in the George Kissell tradition, which is why they can draft players with position questions like Matt Carpenter, Allen Craig, Matt Adams, Stephen Piscotty—and prepare them to play other positions in St. Louis.
“It’s about never forgetting how difficult it is to play this game,” says Matheny. “That’s respect, for the person and for the game. Mistakes will be made. They are human.”
Holliday says, “Mike is a very strong person, a very strong family person with five kids and respects that part of his players’ lives.” Holliday is out throwing to his boys every day in spring training. He points out to Chris Carpenter’s son shagging in the outfield, and loves the fact that when his son isn’t in school, he, too can be on the field.
“We recently had a day off, and the players were told not to come to the park,” says Matheny. “They understand that I feel that it is a long season, with a lot of stress on families, and it’s difficult for everyone not to keep the families together as much as possible. It’s more important on a day off in March to go to the beach with one’s wife and kids than hit in the cage or lift weights.”
Holliday knows there is no hidden agenda in Mike Matheny, and so do the players. That’s why the young pitchers respect the fact that Carpenter and Adam Wainwright insist all starting pitchers be on the bench during games, rooting for their teammates. “It’s why Matt Holliday doesn’t have to say a thing,” says Matheny. “He simply goes about being Matt Holliday and every young player respects him, and follows his example.”
This is all part of what makes the Cardinals such a significant part of one of the great traditions in sports. Few pitchers have ever been more authentic than Carpenter and Wainwright. Few players are more authentic than Holliday.
Thus when John Mozeliak hired Mike Matheny, he hired the perfect person to lead this team in this city, because the first tenet of leadership is authenticity.
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