Randa has key for success at Fenway

By Hal McCoy

Dayton Daily News

BOSTON | Joe Randa knows Fenway Park. He doesn't know it like the back of his hand, but during his six years with the Kansas City Royals and a year with the Detroit Tigers, he played in the dear ol' lady enough to know it like the tip of his thumb.

He knows first-time visitors see the 37-foot high Green Monster left field wall and feel as if they can reached out and touch it with the end of their bats from the batter's box. And he knows they use batting practice to muscle up and see how many balls they can hit onto the Massachusetts Turnpike.

"The mistakes visiting players make is the focus they put on that wall," said Randa. "Their pitching staff knows that and adjusts. And guys coming in do things differently to get a feel for that wall."

Randa says the wall comes into play less than most people think and actually might hurt batters more than it helps. Hard line drives that are home runs elsewhere crash hard off the wall for doubles and sometimes only singles.

"And it is very difficult to score from second base on a single to left field because outfielders can play in so close," he said. "Once they realize the wall doesn't come into play as much as they think, it becomes not a factor. And actually it is more of an advantage to a left-handed hitter who can use an inside-out swing, which is easier than a right-hander trying to hook the ball."

Left-handed pitcher Kent Mercker pitched for the Boston Red Sox in 1999. Fenway is reputed to ruin the mental health and stability of left-handed pitchers, but Mercker was 2-0 with a 3.51 ERA in five late-season starts.

"The key was that I didn't pitch a lot differently here than anywhere else," he said. "You keep the ball down and you keep it away from right-handed hitters and that's what I always try to do. I love the place. Just like Wrigley Field. It's the aura."

Outfield needs a Griffey

Ken Griffey Jr. was the Reds' designated hitter Monday night, but as soon as the lineup card went up he was in manager Dave Miley's office pleading to play center field.

And he invoked history into his argument.

"This is the first time in 30 years Cincinnati has played in Boston," he said. "There's gotta be a Griffey in the outfield."

He was referring to his father, Ken Griffey Sr., playing right field for the Reds during the 1975 World Series In Fenway.

It didn't work.

Griffey, though, won't be in the dugout tonight when the Reds face left-hander David Wells, as he was in Colorado against Rockies left-hander Jeff Francis.

Griffey has eight career homers off Wells, the most he has hit against any pitcher. He was hit 512 homers against 324 different pitchers.

Lame pitchers report

Remember J.K. Bong? He and pitcher Bubba Nelson were acquired two spring trainings ago from Atlanta for pitcher Chris Reitsma.

Bong, a Korean-born lef-thanded pitcher (Jung Keon Bong), is not on the 40-man roster and has been on the disabled list all season after shoulder surgery.

He started Monday for the Class A Sarasota Reds against the Clearwater Thrashers (Phillies), pitched four-plus innings, gave up three runs (two earned), three hits, had one walk, one strikeout ... and left the game in the fifth when he took a line drive off his pitching hand, which left it fractured. He will be out of action for three to six weeks.

Meanwhile, Josh Hancock's second rehab assignment for Class AAA Louisville wasn't a screaming success. Facing Buffalo (Indians), Hancock gave up four runs and eight his in five innings, walking three and striking out seven.

The Fisk Pole

The right field foul pole in Fenway Park is called, "The Pesky Pole," something that just evolved because former Red Sox infield Johnny Pesky hooked a lot of home runs around the short pole.

But the Red Sox "officially" named the left field foul pole, Monday "The Fisk Pole" in honor of Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk. It was his 12th-inning home run off Cincinnati pitcher Pat Darcy at 12:34 a.m. that ended Game Six of the 1975 World Series.

The ball struck the left field foul pole atop the 37-foot Green Monster left field wall. To commemorate the 30-year anniversary with the Reds in town, the Red Sox named it The Fisk Pole. Fisk threw out the first pitch and the catcher was Hall of Fame pitcher Luis Tiant.