Terry Kennedy knows a thing or two about what it’s like to be in a pennant race.
He knows the feeling of beating a division rival to inch another full game ahead of them in the standings.
He knows how important every at-bat, every pitch and every defensive play is to a team when it is involved in a division race in the latter parts of the season.
After all, Kennedy did play in the major leagues for 14 seasons and did appear in the World Series in 1984 with the San Diego Padres and in 1989 with the San Francisco Giants.
And as he will tell you, it doesn’t matter what level of play it is — from Little League on up to the big leagues — competition only makes the quality of baseball rise.
Kennedy was in Eugene Monday night for the series opener between the Emeralds and the division rival Portland Rockies, who entered the series only a half game behind the Ems for first-place.
Kennedy has spent the past three seasons as a minor league manager in the Cubs system and this is first season as the Cubs’ minor league field coordinator.
And this was also his first experience watching the Ems at Civic Stadium — an experience that he enjoyed as the Ems thumped the Rockies 6-2 to move 1 1/2 games ahead in the South Division of the Northwest League.
“I’ve been really excited to see these guys and I know that they’re playing well,” said Kennedy, who appeared in four major league All-Star games as a player. “This is an important series for them and it’s good at any level to be in a pennant race because then you know what it takes.”
Granted, it is only Aug. 1, but with the short-season Single-A schedule the way it is, the Ems (21-19) have only 36 games remaining. Of those 36, eight are against these same Rockies, who Eugene is now 3-1 against this season.
Eugene centerfielder Michael Mallory admitted that this game carried just a tad more emotion then your average NWL game.
“We try to take every team the same, but I think everybody wanted to turn it up a little more tonight,” said Mallory, whose RBI single in a three-run fifth helped extend Eugene’s lead to 5-1. “They are the team closest to us and with the crowd getting us pumped up, it all worked out.”
Eugene starting pitcher Mark Freed pitched five strong innings to record his league-leading 6th win opposed to zero losses. Kennedy was quick to point out that with young pitchers like Freed and Wilton Chavez — who sat near Kennedy in the first row behind home plate — the Ems have a great chance to win a title.
“They have some experienced pitchers which sort of counteracts the youth of their everyday line-up,” said Kennedy, who was joined in the stands by Chicago minor league pitching coordinator Lester Strode.
Kennedy was chosen as Baseball America’s 1998 Minor League Manager of the Year for leading Triple-A Iowa to a division championship, but says he’s thrilled with his new gig that has him seeing all different levels of minor-league ball.
“Oh yeah, I enjoy it a lot,” Kennedy said. “I’m really getting the chance to personally know every player in the organization.”
And spread some words of wisdom to a young group of ballplayers who are getting their first taste of a pennant race.
“That’s what you play for,” Kennedy said. “You know, it’s just fun. It’s a lot more fun.”