Change my location
Sports
Los Angeles Examiners
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Examiner
Most Recent Post
Rummage sale: Angels should seek insurance at shortstop
Los Angeles Sports Examiner
Most Recent Post
Dodgers add Greg Maddux to Pennyless rotation
Former Birds helping the Padres soar
LATEST ON THIS STORYRelated Topics: WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON (Map, News) - It does not take long for Merv Rettenmund to pick the highlight of his playing career with the Orioles.
“Without a doubt, 1970, when we won the World Series,” Rettenmund said. “We never made personnel changes” during the season.
Rettenmund was an outfielder that season for the Orioles, who beat the Reds in five games in the 1970 Fall Classic.
The former Towson resident was in Washington this past weekend as the new hitting coach for the San Diego Padres. Rettenmund took over for former hitting coach Dave Magadan on June 15, after Magadan was relieved of his duties by the Padres.
The Padres swept a three-game series from the Nationals, and enter the All-Star break in first place in the western division of the National League with a record of 48-40.
Another former Oriole, Tony Muser, is the bench coach for the Padres. Muser, a former first baseman, played in Baltimore from 1975-77 and was the manager of the Kansas City Royals from 1997-2002.
“Tony, he is a great sounding board for me,” San Diego manager Bruce Bochy said. “He has managed. He does a great job. He is such a good baseball guy. We talk all of the time. He is a calming influence.”
Muser, 58, hit .317 in 80 games (but just 82 at bats) for the Orioles in 1975. He hit .227 in 136 games for the Birds the next season, then hit .229 in 120 games in 1977.
Rettenmund, now 63, made his Major League debut with the Orioles in 1968. In the World Series year of 1970, he hit .322 with 18 homers and 58 RBI in 106 games. The right-handed hitter played with the Orioles through 1973, then was traded to the Reds prior to the 1974 season.
“I was just telling my wife the other day, if I hadn’t been traded I still might be living in Baltimore,” said Rettenmund, who keeps in touch with Boog Powell, Terry Crowley, Curt Motton and Don Buford, among other former teammates.
Rettenmund began this season as a roving instructor in the Toronto Blue Jay player development system. He said he was “shocked” when he got a call from the Padres to take over for Magadan.
THE RETTENMUND FILE
Team: San Diego Padres
Title: Hitting coach
Years with Orioles: 1968-73
Did you know? When Rettenmund took over for Dave Magadan a few weeks ago, San Diego executive vice president/general manager Kevin Towers said in a statement: “Changing any member of the coaching staff is always a difficult decision to make, especially when it takes place in-season, but we felt this was a change that needed to be made. With the addition of Merv — someone who is familiar with our organization, having been a coach with both the 1996 and 1998 playoff teams — the club adds an individual with great baseball wisdom and a long-standing success as a hitting coach.”
Comments from Examiner Readers
11:39 AM MST on Fri., Jul. 25, 2008 re: "Empty Diamonds: Baseball loses its mythic grip on area youngsters"
Report as inappropriate
4:09 AM MST on Fri., Jul. 25, 2008
re: "Trying to revive Little League in the District"
Report as inappropriate
5:52 PM MST on Thu., Jul. 24, 2008
re: "Trying to revive Little League in the District"
Report as inappropriate
10:43 AM MST on Thu., Jul. 24, 2008
re: "Empty Diamonds: Baseball loses its mythic grip on area youngsters"
Report as inappropriate
5:11 PM MST on Fri., Jun. 13, 2008
re: "Dickey: Contrasts stark in Bay Bridge Series"
Report as inappropriate
12:31 PM MST on Fri., Jun. 13, 2008
re: "Dickey: Contrasts stark in Bay Bridge Series"
Report as inappropriate
1:50 PM MST on Mon., May. 26, 2008
re: "Liotta: Omar’s impending record a testament to character"
Report as inappropriate
1:27 PM MST on Mon., May. 26, 2008
re: "Liotta: Omar’s impending record a testament to character"
Report as inappropriate
9:23 AM MST on Thu., May. 8, 2008
re: "Walcoff: Here’s the deal: Let me play and I’ll reduce posse to one"
Report as inappropriate
2:44 PM MST on Tue., May. 29, 2007
re: "Without a blemish"
Report as inappropriate
7:36 AM MST on Wed., May. 23, 2007
re: "Arms key Eastern Tech’s playoff run"
Report as inappropriate
6:15 AM MST on Mon., May. 21, 2007
re: "Simons shows the way for St. Albans"
Report as inappropriate
8:43 PM MST on Mon., May. 14, 2007
re: "Jacob’s ladder leads to Georga Tech"
Report as inappropriate
9:12 AM MST on Mon., May. 14, 2007
re: "Simons shows the way for St. Albans"
Report as inappropriate
10:10 AM MST on Fri., May. 11, 2007
re: "Simons shows the way for St. Albans"
Report as inappropriate
5:45 AM MST on Fri., May. 4, 2007
re: "Brady shows QO his best stuff"
Report as inappropriate
8:11 AM MST on Tue., May. 1, 2007
re: "Panthers back on the prowl"
Report as inappropriate
Examiner Reader said:
JJ said: little league in da district, HA! You couldnt aford the security or the bullet proof vest JJ you're an idiot!
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Rudy said:
The press can help with this situation by doing a little research and helpiong to get the word out about the oppurtunities that have long existed in the District. There are organizations out side of Little League and Ward 2, 3 and 4. Babe Ruth Baseball League has, in recent memory, been a much more competitive league than Little League. There are 12 or more clubs that play in this league from almost every ward in the city. Some of these teams play in both Little League and Babe Ruth League. There are several clubs that have a very rich tradition in baseball, Such as, The Woodridge Warriors, Takoma Rangers, #10 B&G Club and others. Most of these organizations are comunity based and don't have the budgets that NWLL may have, but still produce a great product and create a positive program for the kids.
1 agree | 0 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
JJ said:
little league in da district, HA! You couldnt aford the security or the bullet proof vest.
0 agree | 1 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Rob said:
It's simply amazing how the local press and the so-called baseball experts in the District continue to ignore and refuse to acknowledge the level and quality of baseball being played by the Woodridge Warriors Youth Organization (NE DC). For over 40 years, the program under the leadership of Mason Clark, has fielded baseball teams for youth between the ages of 5 through 16. While this season may not have been one representative of past baseball seasons with our younger teams, we still have a great deal of pride in the efforts of our kids and coaches. Although it wasn't mentioned in the recent Washington Post article, Manny Burris of the San Francisco Giants played for 3 years with the Woodridge Warriors. There have been many former Warriors that have or are currently playing at the high school and college level. All we read about is the baseball that is played west of the park. These type of articles seem more intent on dismissing or trivializing the baseball efforts outside of upper NW
7 agree | 0 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Ron W. Alameda said:
If you were to listen to the Korach broadcast, and ever hear the name "Oakland", I would be shocked. They refuse to acknowledge the teams home. They dumped Oakland, so Oakland's dumped them.
2 agree | 2 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
I had previously written to you about the insufferable A's TV play-by-play guy, Glen Kuiper. He rarely focuses upon the game itself, with his constant emphasis upon trivia ranging from uniforms to fans' signs. I suspect that is because he knows so little about the game. When fans don't attend, they usually watch the A's on TV and because of the television delay, can no longer silence Kuiper by turning to Korach on the radio. Kuiper alienates fans with his yawning trivialities and monumental ineptitude. I believe Kuiper's manifest boredom with broadcasting the A's leads to fan boredom and thus contributes to the scant attendance. Get this amateur off the air!
3 agree | 2 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
I didn't see any "carrying" done by Lebron. I saw someone who choked and struggled AGAIN when facing REAL competition (like last year against the Spurs). Lebron played HORRIBLY in the Celtics series. Everyone thinks Lebron has carried the Cavs through the playoffs the last several years, when the fact is that all Lebron did was beat the Wizards 2 years in a row without Gilbert Arenas or Caron Butler playing, and the first year they met he made 2 game winners while traveling. If he plays in the west, he wouldn't even sniff the second round of the playoffs.
5 agree | 4 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
lebron the best player in the game? what a ridiculously inane conclusion. until he masters even 2 fundamentals of the game, let alone most of the aspects of basketball that kobe has mastered, lebron is nothing but hype. no wonder this statement is relegated to "random thoughts", because there is no cogent analysis that even remotely leads to the conclusion that lebron is the best player.
6 agree | 4 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
I don't get it. He didn't really write this letter, but did he actually write a letter to all the GM's looking for a job?? Confusing??
8 agree | 6 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
CHC Alum said:
Congratulations to the Cardinals! Now, if only they could transfer some of that talent to the football team and start winning the Turkey Bowl...
309 agree | 281 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Ryan Rivers is by far one of the best pitchers in the county,his mechanics and smoothness, will fool you.
476 agree | 320 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
how come there are no articles on calvert hall players in the area they are 32-0 they have beat carvel academy, st.johns d.c.,notre dame of virgina,and 5 teams from other states in the disney world classic. can they get some print thanks
352 agree | 329 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Jacobs is no doubt best pitcher in the state
423 agree | 354 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
The score was 9-3 not 7-2 and STA also beat prep for the championship 9-1. Just cuz we didnt play St. Johns doesnt mean you can look past us.
343 agree | 362 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Albans has a good record, but who have they played? Their obvious DC competitors are St. Johns and Gonzaga. Have they played them? The premier private school is Notre Dame. Have they played them? How good is the IAC this year?
797 agree | 401 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Brady dominating on the mound. Best pitcher in state
625 agree | 398 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Good Luck to the Panthers. PVI has a great program!
405 agree | 379 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree