Power of Caring
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Cal's back, and so are the O's

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Posted: Wednesday June 23, 1999 06:25 PM

The Baltimore Orioles are finally starting to play like a team with an $84 million payroll, and look who's leading the way. It's not one of the high-price free agents they've signed. It's the same guy who's been their heart for 18 seasons -- Cal Ripken Jr.

Ripken struggled with a bad back at the beginning of the year and was hitting just .179 before going on the disabled list in mid-April. It got so bad that there was talk that Ripken should retire.

But since returning in mid-May he's looked more like the Cal of old than an old Cal. He's hitting at better than a .350 clip, pushing his season average over .330. And after doing some tinkering earlier in the year, he's gone back to a more familiar batting stance. In fact, his hitting coach and former teammate Terry Crowley says Ripken's stroke reminds him of the way it was 17 years ago.

Cal started the year needing just 122 hits to reach the 3,000 mark and 16 homers to reach 400. That's a feat only six players have ever accomplished. In April, it seemed like both records were out of reach this season, but the way he's playing now Cal should break both by mid-August.

Ripken says the disabled list was good for him because it gave him the time to get healthy physically. But perhaps more importantly, it gave him time to heal mentally, something he admits he needed to do after the death of his father. And right now, he's using the same drive and determination that kept his consecutive game streak going to prove wrong all those who thought he was washed up at age 38.

The Orioles have the option of picking up Ripken's contract for next year for $6.3 million, which would have been a tough call for management had Cal continued to struggle. I think they should re-sign him just because of the presence and leadership he brings to the team. And with the way he's playing now, the decision is a no-brainer.

 

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