Thursday, April 4, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
As one of only two players on Oakland's roster who played for the Athletics when they dominated the American League in the late 1980s and early 90s, Terry Steinbach has a unique perspective on the club's recent reversal of fortune.
Steinbach, who played in three World Series and four American League Championship Series from 1988-92, said he has kept a positive attitude through the Athletics' subsequent downward spiral and recent youth movement.
"It's not really frustrating," Steinbach said prior to Oakland's 10-4 loss to Toronto Wednesday night at Cashman Field. "What I try to do is reverse the role and see what guys like (Carney) Lansford and Dave Stewart and some of those guys felt in '86 and '87 when they had the influx of (Jose) Canseco, (Mark) McGwire, myself, Walt Weiss and the others.
"We had a big influx of young guys then and I'm trying to think what (the veterans) felt because they had no way to know at that time what the future was going to be. They just went about their business."
And so does the 34-year-old All-Star catcher -- although he admits his responsibilities with the A's have expanded with the club's recent housecleaning that left the team with only two players with more than five years of major-league service.
"Hopefully, behind the plate, I can use the experience that I have to try to help our pitcher have a successful outing," Steinbach said. "That's the obvious change and the other one is leadership. Myself and Mac (Mark McGwire) have been around for going on 10 years now and we would like to think that if there is any way we can help any of the younger guys, we're here."
Steinbach doesn't even take exception with the Athletics' off-season decision to rid the team of most of its high-priced veteran players, including Rickey Henderson, Dennis Eckersley and Todd Stottlemyre.
"The thing is, how long are you going to go with it?" he said. "You've got to remember, the last few years in Oakland we didn't exactly win. Maybe it was long overdue, I don't know.
"Nothing is forever, especially in this game. I think with Tony (La Russa) and his staff leaving and Art (Howe) and everybody coming in, I think they did a real good job at it, going with a lot of younger players."
Rather than think about the prospect of facing a long, losing season, Steinbach chooses to look for the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.
"The fun thing about it is seeing young players progress," he said. "Especially for me, working with the pitchers, it's going to be fun watching them through the course of last year, progressing this year and hopefully by the end of the year, eliminating their mistakes and having some positive experiences."
Handling such a young pitching staff as Oakland's will actually make Steinbach's job a little easier, he said.
"I think in general, it is easier to work with a young staff," Steinbach said. "What the media has done and what (my) reputation has done and being fortunate enough to be on some of those teams, there is a lot of respect; I think pitchers are more open to work with an older catcher than they would with a younger catcher and that's helpful.
"Sometimes I have some definite feelings of pitches I want to call based on experience and if the pitcher goes to it right away, he's usually more successful than if he contemplates, 'Well, I don't know if that's the one I want to throw here.'"
Some members of the Bay Area media have dubbed Steinbach and McGwire "player/coaches" because of their veteran status in relationship to this year's team, but Steinbach said he bristles when he hears or reads that characterization.
"Speaking for Mac and myself, we're still both players," said the three-time All-Star catcher. "I kind of balked a little bit at the player/coach kind of thing, but I have still have a job to do out there, I still have a lot of pride and I still enjoy the game.
"I want to make sure, one, that I'm taking care of my job, my responsibilities, and, two, if there are ways I can help the younger players, yeah, I'll do it."
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