Buck Martinez

This week Buck discusses who he thinks may get a good look as the next Blue Jays manager and he examines the current pitching problems with the New York Yankees.

DAN ASKS: Last week you mentioned the qualities the Blue Jays should look for in a new manager. Could you provide some example of current coaches/unemployed managers that you think will get a good look? I understand that Alex Anthopoulos plays things close to the vest, but if you were asked to name a few people that deserved an interview, who would you ask? Thanks!

BUCK: Dan, I know Alex Anthopoulos is going through a very thorough process in his search for a manager and will end up with a good man for the job. So, of the names I think are worthy of consideration, Brian Butterfield and Nick Leyva are on the current staff. Some of the other names I would consider are Eric Wedge, formerly of the Indians and Don Wakamatsu of the Mariners, although I would find out what went wrong in Seattle first.

Don Baylor and Juan Samuel are also worthy candidates. First timers I would inquire about include Sandy Alomar Jr. and Dave Martinez.

And then there are the current managers that may be available after the season if they are let go by their teams at the end of the year.

RAY ASKS: Hi Buck, I wanted to know as a catcher what makes a knuckler so hard to catch? Is it the slow movement, or the unpredictable break? I would like to know since when I pitch I throw a knuckler.

BUCK: I caught one knuckleball pitcher in my career, Bruce Dal Canton in Kansas City. The challenge of catching a knuckleball is that it is so unpredictable. You never see two of the same pitches in the course of a game.

The idea is throw it with as few rotations as possible as the ball then dodges and darts all over the place as it floats to the plate. I had one game in Anaheim with Dal Canton that was a real adventure. Bruce threw three wild pitches and I had about three passed balls but the Angels didn't score for the seven innings Bruce was in the game.

During the TV broadcast, Angels announcers Dick Enberg and Don Drysdale were enjoying watching me battle the floater all day long. At one point after I had chased down another ball up against the backstop, Drysdale said, "Buck must know everyone in the first row as he has been back there all day long."

It is a tough pitch to throw, to catch, and certainly to hit. Just a little side note: Gary Tuck, the catching instructor and bullpen coach for the Red Sox developed a pitching machine that could throw perfect knuckleballs so his catchers could practice in preparation to catch Tim Wakefield.

BEN ASKS: Hi Buck, with a slumping A.J. Burnett, how much pressure is on the Yankees to balance the workload of Phil Hughes versus their goal of winning the World Series? I understand he is at about 155 IP and they've set a regular season limit of 175. What happens to his workload in the playoffs when it appears CC Sabathia is their only other reliable starter?

BUCK: Ben, that is a huge concern for the Yankees as we speak. Phil Hughes is in the 'pen for the Yankees and Dustin Moseley has taken his spot in the rotation. CC Sabathia is the only reliable starter right now. AJ Burnett has been inconsistent, Javier Vazquez' velocity is way down and he was out of the rotation for a couple of starts. Andy Pettitte made a good minor league start in double-A for Trenton and looks to be headed back to the Yankees after a long battle with a groin injury.

They need him back at least for two starts before the playoffs. If I were Joe Girardi, I would be concerned, but the playoffs don't start until October. They have time to get it right. There are still seven games remaining against the Rays in the regular season and the Yankees aren't secure in their playoff seeding just yet.

BRYAN TUCKER ASKS: I've noticed when batting, (both when he was in Toronto and now in Boston), that Marco Scutaro wears some kind of widget on his thumb. What is it and what's the purpose? Thanks.

BUCK: Bryan, that is a rubber cushion many players wear when they bat. Unofficially it is called a 'game saver' by many players as it allows them to play with a bone bruise in their top hand. The bat rests up against the webbing between your thumb and index finger and after getting jammed time after time, you can develop a bone bruise in that area.

The 'game saver' allows you to hit and minimizes the chances of further bruising that hand and the pain that goes with it that cause you to alter your swing.

ALEX ASKS: Hi Buck, I have a question I've been wondering about for some time. Why do pitchers switch between pitching from the windup and the stretch depending on whether runners are on base?

What's the difference?

BUCK: Alex, the idea of the stretch position with a runner at first is to quicken the release time of the pitcher in an attempt to stop the running game. If a pitcher winds up with a runner at first he would get a running start and steal you blind.

It’s simple, but effective.

KAREN ASKS: Hi Buck, on Sunday Pete Rose celebrated the 25th anniversary of becoming baseball's all-time hits leader with the Reds after getting permission from MLB.

Do you think this is the next step towards his lifetime ban being lifted? I'm curious as to which you feel hurts the integrity of the game more; betting on baseball or using performance enhancing drugs?

BUCK: Karen I think the idea of Pete Rose being reinstated in baseball is something the commissioner is considering. We all know the numbers 'The Hit King' put up are Hall of Fame worthy, but admitting to betting on baseball has kept him out.

As for your question regarding which is worse, PED use or betting on the game, I think betting on the game is much worse. Rose had a direct impact on the outcome of the game as a manager with all of the control he had during the course of the game with player lineups and moves during the game.

I don't think either should be tolerated in baseball and so far everyone linked to either has been banished.

MIKE ASKS: Hi Buck, can you shed any light as to why Jeremy Accardo has not been called up? He was named the triple-A reliever of the year, while reliever Rommie Lewis received a call and his minor league stats included an ERA close to eight. Does it have anything to do with the public comments in a Las Vegas newspaper a few weeks ago or is it something more?

BUCK: Mike I have heard that Accardo had made some comments while he was in triple-A Las Vegas but I have not seen them or read exactly what he said.

He did a decent job in Toronto a couple of years ago but I don't have a clue as to how the organization views him in their future plans.