Johnny Sain, con man

Last year I was talking to Jim Bouton about the relationship between Johnny Sain and Leo Mazzone, and I mentioned to Jim that Leo has a reputation for rescuing pitchers from the junk heap, and also for helping good pitchers become great or near-great.

Bouton replied: "John was famous for that."

Hmmm. I didn't know that.

But you can look it up. Jim Kaat improved while pitching for Sain in 1965 and 1966.  Mudcat Grant scattered 145 wins over 14 major league seasons, but only won 20 games one time -- in 1965, with Sain as his coach. Wilbur Wood didn't win more than 13 games in a season until Sain came along to coach the White Sox in 1971 -- but won 20 or more the following four years. Even Whitey Ford thrived under Sain. He had never won more than 19 games until Sain became his coach -- and at the age of 32 he won 25, and then two years later won 24.

How did Sain do it?

Bouton explained.

"He got pitchers to believe in themselves. He had this practice of not saying anything bad about a pitcher, and not saying anything bad to him. Even if he got bombed -- he could give up 10 runs in an inning. You’d come in and throw your glove and get all upset. He’d come over ... at some point after the game or maybe the next day in the airplane he’d sit next to you and he’d say, 'You know, a hell of a curve ball you threw Norm Cash in that fourth inning there.  Hell of a curve ball.'  He’d pick out some one thing that you did well, and get you thinking about that. He always believed in a man’s dreams about himself."

Bouton had one more thought:

"Johnny Sain belongs in the Hall of Fame because he was such a great pitcher and the greatest pitching coach ever. How many people have excelled in two areas like that?  Completely different skills, pitching and pitching coach."

There aren't any coaches in the Hall of Fame right now.  Only a few really deserve to be in there. Sain should be first in line.

He was a con man, of the best sort -- he had confidence in his pitchers, and let them know it. How many coaches are like that? How many bosses? Not many. Not enough.