In Oakland, a Record Blast-Off

By B.J. Phillips

"Billyball" is winning games and drawing fans for the A's

When Billy Martin's Oakland A's climbed from last place in 1979 to second in the American League West last year, critics insisted that Martin's magic could not last. He was, after all, using mirrors-- often platooning eight mediocre players, for instance--to create the illusion of an infield. Certainly Oakland's starting pitchers were impressive, setting a modern record by completing 94 games in 1980. But, it was argued, the strong arms would weaken with overwork. In any event, the league was wise to the wiles of Billyball, as Martin's harumscarum tactics became known. Surely no catcher would fall for the double steal in 1981 after being burned so often last year, and of course pitchers were now alert for the attempted steal of home, the hit-and-run, the ubiquitous bunt and other hallmarks.

With the new season just 2 1/2 weeks old, the A's have delivered an emphatic answer to the hot-stove skeptics: the longest season-opening streak in modern baseball history. Oakland won its first eleven games, breaking the ten-game record held by three teams. Throughout that remarkable span, the A's starting pitchers completed all but one game and compiled a miserly 1.27 earned run average. At week's end Oakland had won 15 of 16 games, opening a full ten-game lead over the defending champion Kansas City Royals.

As for Billyball, it was still leaving opponents faked out of their flannels. On opening day, the A's choked off a Minnesota Twins rally with the ultimate schoolyard sucker-play--the old hidden-ball trick. Martin's merry men helped mount the season's first major brawl, a bench-emptier with Seattle during Oakland's record-setting eleventh win. There is even a shortstop, Mack "Shooty" Babitt, who sprints to first base when he draws a walk and, occasionally, slides in.

Martin's most remarkable achievement has been to infuse his pitching staff with the skill and confidence to become winners. Under his goading and the tutelage of Pitching Coach Art Fowler, a longtime aide and drinking buddy, Oakland's strong young arms suddenly became awesome. In 1979 none of the five starters won more than a dozen games or had an earned run average below 4.22. Last year they had the league's top team ERA and Ace Mike Norris (22-9) finished second to Baltimore's Steve Stone in Cy Young balloting. Look at them now: Norris, 4 wins, 0 losses, 1.64 ERA; Rick Langford, 2-1, 3.00; Steve McCatty, 3-0,1.28; Brian Kingman, 2-0, 0.82; Matt Keogh, 3-0, 0.33. So far this year, Oakland's relief pitchers are the most underemployed crew in baseball. In the first 16 games, they worked a grand total of 7 2/3 innings. Says Righthander Jeff Jones of life in the bullpen: "We eat a lot of sunflower seeds."

Some opponents insist that Fowler's pitchers are using more than sunflower seeds. Oakland, it has been widely charged, has become the home of the spitball. Fowler insists that he merely teaches his charges to throw the "dry spitter," a sinker that behaves just like the genuine article. Whatever it is, the A's pitchers do not yield threatening clouts very often. When they do, the fleetest outfield in baseball (and one of the heaviest-hitting) goes to work. Leftfielder Rickey Henderson (.348, 19 runs scored and ten steals), Centerfielder Dwayne Murphy (.280, 20 RBIs) and Rightfielder Tony Armas (.353, 6 HRs, 20 RBIs) are so fast, says California Angels Special Scout Bill Rigney, that "they're almost like three extra infielders. If the pitchers keep it in the park, they will run everything down."

As for the mercurial Martin, who has brawled, boozed and been fired regularly throughout his tempestuous career, Oakland's sizzling start is vindication of his techniques and his new owners' faith. Irascible Charlie Finley sold the A's last year to the Haas family, proprietors of Levi Strauss & Co., for $12.7 million. It looked like a rotten investment. But the A's, who drew a paltry total of 306,763 for 81 home games in 1979, happily watched 149,873 fans pack Oakland-Alameda Coliseum for the first six dates of the 1981 season.

A flawed genius who has long sought--and rarely received--approval from his bosses, Martin has found a warm sun of support to chase the shades from the darker corners of his spirit. He also likes the $1 million promotional campaign that has made Billyball and the man behind it household words all over Northern California. Now with a record-setting beginning, Billy Baseball beams: "The rest of them will be chasing us all season long."

--By B.J. Phillips. Reported by Paul A. Witteman/Oakland

With reporting by Paul A. Witteman

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