Sussex County Sports Blog

By Dan Cleary

6/22/2008 - Lanier Right Man For Skyhawks

Hal Lanier gave a knowing nod and a little bit of a forced smile when the subject of Willie Randolph’s ouster from the Mets came up.

The veteran baseball man and manager of the Sussex Skyhawks of the Can-Am League knew exactly where the conversation was going and the former major league manager was ready to give an answer.

“Willie had a good run with the Mets,” said Lanier from his manager’s office at Skylands Park last week. “I don’t know him personally, but he is a good baseball man. You accept that responsibility when you take a manager’s job. I did the same thing with the (Houston) Astros from ’86-to-’88. I was 22 games over .500, won the first year, but ownership decided to go in another direction and that’s their belief and you don’t have anything to say about it.”

Lanier was upset that he was relieved of his duties, and rightfully so. All he did was guide Houston to the playoffs for the first time in six years in 1986 when they lost a heartbreaking six-game series to the eventual World Series-champion Mets.

He finished his three seasons with a very respectful 254-232 record, but that wasn’t enough for then-Houston owner John McMullen, who some fans may remember as the former owner of the New Jersey Devils. McMullen, a Jersey guy from Montclair, was also a one-time limited partner of the Yankees when George Steinbrenner purchased the team in 1973. He channeled his “inner-Steinbrenner” when he canned Lanier, telling the New York Times in October of 1988, “It is best to wipe the slate clean and start over again.”

How did that work out? The Astros did nothing in the postseason until winning the National League Championship in 2005, but by then McMullen had already sold the team to Drayton McLane in 1992 and was deceased by the time the Astros made the Series in 2005.

However, McMullen did own the Devils when they won their first two Stanley Cups and he will always be remembered for one of the best lines in baseball history when it came to Steinbrenner. He famously said, “Nothing is as limited as being a limited partner of George’s.”

Classic.

Anyway, back to Randolph. As Lanier said, “When you accept a manager’s job, sooner or later you are going to get fired unless you are very successful every year.” He added that last year’s monumental collapse by the Mets in September and their slow start this year didn’t help matters.

“It is always going to happen,” said Lanier of managers getting canned. “I’m surprised some other managers haven’t gotten the ax because expectations are so high in the wintertime and in spring training. And it is even tougher in New York because the salaries of the Mets and the Yankees are so high.”

Lanier proved to be prophetic as Seattle Mariners manager John McLaren and Toronto Blue Jays skipper John Gibbons received pink slips after I spoke with Lanier.

Every manager who is fired always hopes to get another shot. Lanier never did manage in the major leagues again. After a solid run with Houston and a great resume which included coaching third for the St. Louis Cardinals under Whitey Herzog in the early 1980s when the Red Birds won the Series in 1982 and the NL pennant in 1985, Lanier never got the call again.

It makes you wonder. When guys like Art Howe and Bubby Bell continued to get jobs, why a guy like Lanier was passed over? I didn’t ask Lanier that, but I will in the future. But by the looks of it, Lanier seems to be at peace with where he is right now.

In 12 seasons in independent baseball, the North Carolina native had a 523-360 mark before this season. He led the Winnipeg Goldeyes to the Northern League playoffs eight times in 10 seasons and he spent the last two seasons with Joliet.

And by no means does it look like Lanier has lost any passion for the game even though he is in his late 60s. Earlier in the season when Sussex got off to a slow start, he went on a profanity-laced tirade after a loss in an interview with the local paper.

Lanier needed to get through to his players and his message was loud and clear. Since that time, the Skyhawks have played better and are just a game under .500 (14-15). His passion was also evident in the Skyhawks’ wild 8-7 comeback victory over Nashua last week.

Sussex trailed by a run heading into the ninth, but scratched across two runs, including the game-winner on an errant throw by the Nashua catcher who was trying to pick the runner off at third. As Sussex pinch runner Nick Vardaro raced home, it looked like Lanier was going to beat him to home plate as he threw his arms in the air and started to charge home before pulling up.

It is times like that which make you realize that baseball really does bring out the kid in everyone. Here is a man who coached third base for a World Series championship club and was named National League Manager of the Year still getting riled up on a cold, Tuesday night in June.

It is that kind of passion that just might push the Skyhawks to the playoffs this season. Lanier has assembled a talented offensive club, and if the starting pitching rounds into shape, the Skyhawks will be a force to be reckoned with the rest of the summer.

And wouldn’t that be refreshing? There hasn’t been a winning ballclub at Skylands Park since its first season in 1994 when the New Jersey Cardinals took the county by storm and won the New York-Penn League.

Like Lanier told me, the manager can’t hit, pitch, or field, but if the Skyhawks are able to do those things on a consistent basis, then they have the right man sitting in the manager’s chair to lead the way.

FOOTBALL CIVIL WAR-- The 30^th annual North vs. South New Jersey All-Star High School Classic will be held Monday, June 30 at 7 p.m. at Rutgers Stadium.

Although this game may have lost some of its luster since the Governor’s Bowl was instituted a few years back pitting New York vs. New Jersey, it is still a great showcase for the outstanding football talent in the Garden State.

Two players from the Sussex County Interscholastic League have been selected to play and I couldn’t think of two finer young men to represent the county. Triple-threat quarterback and defensive whiz Kyle Hayes from SCIL-champion Kittatinny and bruising fullback and linebacker Mike Groome of Lenape Valley will carry the SCIL flag.

Hayes was the best all-around player in the league and was an opposing coach’s nightmare to prepare for as he could pass and run as he sparked the Cougars’ high-octane attack. He also kicked, returned kicks and was a ball hawk in the defensive secondary.

Groome was a punishing runner for the Pats, who made the state playoffs, with deceptive speed. He was also a monster on defense at linebacker.

I’m sure these two fine men will do the SCIL proud.

That’s it for now, see you on the sidelines.

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Sussex County Sports Blog

By Dan Cleary

6/22/2008 - Lanier Right Man For Skyhawks