Damn Yankees by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview

Damn Yankees

Page 279

The Twins started the 1968 season poorly and Martin was called into Griffith's office, expecting to be offered Ermer's job. Instead, the owner wanted to make Martin the manager of the Denver Bears, the Twins' top affiliate, at that time with an 8– 22 record. Martin was reluctant to accept, but did when his wife Gretchen told him that he needed to prove his ability as a manager before getting a job as one in the major leagues. By the end of the season the Bears had a winning record. Martin had stressed to the team that they were a single unit, with him as boss. He instituted the aggressive base running he had used in Minnesota, and focused on fundamentals. When the team lost, he told them, and anyone else within earshot, exactly why they had lost. Third baseman Graig Nettles, who would play again for Martin as a major leaguer, stated Martin made the players afraid

to lose. He defended them before the outside world, confronting umpires. He was ejected from games eight times. The team was 65– 50 under Martin, and by season's end there was widespread speculation that Martin would be a major league manager in 1969. The Twins gave Martin a one year contract as manager. Said owner Griffith; "I feel like I'm sitting on a keg of dynamite."

As Twins manager, Martin continued the aggressive baseball he had urged on the team as third-base coach. The team lost the first four games of the season, on the road, but came home to