FRANK ROBINSON: CLASS ACT

I saw Frank Robinson do something in one of the recent games against the Mets that impressed me. It made me smile. When it was clear that Livan Hernandez was not going to be able to continue pitching (given Robinson's low tolerance for allowing runs), Robinson relieved Hernandez.

What was interesting about the whole affair is that when he reached the mound and took Hernandez's ball, he smiled, patted Hernandez chest with the back of his hand. This caused Hernandez, who knew he hadn't done great, to smile in return. They looked like they hadn't a care in the world, and I imagined Robinson saying like a father to a son: "Hey, you can't win all of them, eh? Losing's good for you." Even then, they remained on the mound for what seemed like an interminable time, smiling and exchanging unknown words. It was incredible because it lasted nearly half a minute, an eternity compared with the speed with which most managers relieve their starters.

In that moment, I got a glimpse of how much Frank Robinson's players love him. Although Hernandez had probably lost the game for the team, Robinson was there to make everything OK. That's leadership.