Interview with 1998 World Series MVP, Scott Brosius

The last time the Yankees won a World Series, they did it with a third baseman whose name wasn't Alex Rodriguez. Unlike Rodriguez, that man was best known for what he did in October, not in June. That man is Scott Brosius.

These days, Brosius is head baseball coach at his alma mater, Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon.

Now that he's a few years removed from the game, I thought he'd be a perfect candidate to weigh in on what's going on with Joe Torre, A-Rod, and the Colorado Rockies (read it, you'll see what I mean).

Anyway, I asked for the interview, and he obliged. Enjoy.

What's it like being on the other side of things these days, staying on the bench instead of trotting out to third base? Do you have any plans to take your coaching career to Division I, or maybe the pros someday?

Things are certainly different being on the other side of the game. My first year coaching the thing that shocked me was how helpless I felt at times. As a player you always feel like you could play an active role in the outcome. As a coach, all you can do is prepare the players, but ultimately the result is in their hands. Right now I am very comfortable coaching here and have no plans to coach professionally.

After the Yankees lost to the Diamondbacks in the 2001 World Series, it set into motion a rebuilding phase that included your retirement, and the departure of Paul O'Neill, Luis Sojo, and Chuck Knoblauch. Now that New York has failed to win the World Series for a sixth straight season since then, do you see a similar scenario unfolding this offseason?

I think change will always be a part of any team. We started to see some of that this year with the emergence of some of the younger players. The Yankees will always try to put the best team on field as possible, and now I believe that involves some of the younger players they are rebuilding with.

Specifically, what do you see happening with Joe Torre? Is it fair to attribute the successes and failures of a team to the skipper?

I hope Joe returns next season if he wants the opportunity. Winning is not an easy thing. Ultimately, he has been the manager of a team that has gone to the post season 12 or 13 straight seasons. I think that alone speaks for itself. Because a team doesn’t win the World Series doesn’t mean he no longer knows how to manage.

Do you see Alex Rodriguez opting out and departing New York?

I have no idea what A Rod is going to do. Most clients of Boras go after the money. He has said all the right things this year and had a remarkable season, so he has a big decision on his hands.

Shifting gears... What are your thoughts about the Colorado Rockies, specifically as it relates to their being a "Christian" franchise?

To be honest with you, I don’t know much about the Rockies franchise and don’t know much about their players. I can tell you this: they are who I am pulling for right now. What they did with their playoff shares [the players voted to donate the money to the family of former minor league first base coach Mike Coolbaugh, who was killed when struck by a batted ball this season] spoke volumes to me about the character of the guys in that clubhouse.

I recall some press in the late 1990s about religious fervor coming from the Yankees' clubhouse. Were you a part of that? What role does that part of your baseball experience play in your life to this day, if any at all?

In my seasons with the Yankees we did have a very strong Christian influence. I remember my days with the A’s and going to chapel and there were just 3 or 4 of us there. In 1998, our chapels in NY would have 3 or 4 not there. There was a group of us that met on a daily basis for a devotional time before batting practice.

I think God used our team both in baseball and outside of baseball as a model for how players and teams can balance their Christian walk with the competitiveness of professional sports. Tony Dungy last year was another great example. I think there is a place in sports for the Christian athlete.

For those athletes who are Christians, how do they best live out their faith without coming under the scrutiny of the media and the fans?

Any person, whether an athlete or not, will come under scrutiny if they publicly confess to being a Christian. That just comes with the territory. Being consistent with our walk, both not just what we say, but what we do, is most important. People aren’t going to watch to see how a Christian responds in the good times, they are going to watch when adversity hits. Our actions have to match who we say we are.

I had some great experiences on the baseball field in NY, but more importantly I think I grew in my faith. God did some amazing things in the 4 years I was there. It is these experience I continue to remember and can hopefully pass on to the players that I now coach.