THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 11, 1994 TAG: 9406110489
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM ROBINSON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940611 LENGTH: Medium
Parrish, manager of the Toledo Mud Hens, was the leading home run hitter and RBI man in Texas Rangers history when the Tides' Valentine, then the Rangers skipper, had to do a manager's worst chore - deliver the news to Parrish that he was being released.
{REST} The memory of the moment in 1988 still makes Valentine openly restless.
``Being the bad guy is tough,'' said Valentine, who pulled Parrish away from early pre-game work one afternoon in Baltimore to give him the news. Word had leaked that morning in Texas that Parrish was going to be released, and reporters were waiting when Valentine arrived at Memorial Stadium.
``I had to go out on the field and call him over to tell him I had bad news and we had to talk,'' Valentine recalled. ``I said we can walk into the clubhouse or do it here. We went over and sat on the tarp. It wasn't the right place.
``It was just an uncomfortable situation. There's no good way to do these things, no right words, no good timing, as I'm sure he'll find out'' as a manager.
Parrish, who played for the Boston Red Sox the rest of the '88 season and then spent two years in Japan before retiring in 1990, searched for words when asked what kind of relationship he had today with Valentine.
``I don't know. I don't think it's a bad situation and it probably isn't a good situation, either,'' said Parrish, who said he was coming off knee surgery after a good season and expected more patience from the Rangers. ``It's not so much the release. I think it was sort of the way it came about that wasn't the greatest. But that's water under the bridge. I really don't even think about that now. That's a past career.''
Parrish has enjoyed wild success in his current position, his first Triple-A managerial stint after two years with the Detroit Tigers' short-season rookie club in London, Ont.
The Mud Hens entered Friday's game 24-10 under Parrish since he took over for Joe Sparks.
``Obviously it's made a difference,'' infielder Steve Springer said. ``Larry is real relaxed, but if you're half-(speed), he'll figure it out pretty quick. If you're not hustling he'll let you know.''
\ CAP NIGHT: The first 5,000 fans 21 years or older will receive Tides caps when they enter Harbor Park tonight. Toledo's Felipe Lira (3-5, 5.27) pitches against Mike Remlinger (2-3, 3.18).
by CNB