By Mike Petraglia / MLB.com
May 21, 2002
BOSTON -- Give Mike Stanley credit. In his two games filling in for Red Sox manager Grady Little, he knew how to get the most out of Shea Hillenbrand.
Hillenbrand hit one of the shortest home runs in the 90-year history of Fenway Park on Monday night when he managed to curl a 303-foot fly ball inside of the famous "Pesky Pole" down the right-field line, highlighting a five-run, third-inning uprising in Boston's 9-0 win over the White Sox before 32,461.
"[The home run] cost me dinner to Hilly," Stanley said. "I told him I didn't think he had any 'oppo-pop,' opposite-field power, and I told him I would take him to dinner if he ever hit one the opposite way. I've got to give him one for the Pesky Pole."
As is the case with much of Fenway Park, there's a story behind every section. Down the right-field line, just 302 feet from home plate, a long yellow pole rises from a wall that is only three feet tall. Johnny Pesky, one of Boston's all-time great infielders, made a name for himself by pulling several fly balls down the line and just inside the pole for home runs.
"I came back and looked at it," said Hillenbrand, who stands taller and carries a much bigger build than did the diminutive Pesky during his playing days. "It was actually a good pitch [from starter Todd Ritchie]. I just reacted to it. I try to react to pitches wherever they are. A lot of times, people will be looking to pull that ball. When I get in a hitter's count, I just try to see a good pitch and get a good reaction."
Hillenbrand has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games, batting .368 (21-for-57) over that stretch.
"I just thought it was going to be a base hit down the line, until I saw it carry and carry and finally stay fair. It's fun to be able to have that happen," Hillenbrand said.
Pesky was brought back by new owner John Henry before this season to help with infield fungos during batting practice. He's also been working with Hillenbrand on his fielding. But before Monday's game, the 82-year-old special instructor doled out some batting advice to the 26-year-old Red Sox third baseman.
"Johnny and I had a talk about that pole before the game," Hillenbrand said. "You've got to pull whatever you can out of him because he's the kind of person who has been around here.
"His advice was to hit it exactly the way I did," Hillenbrand added. "I don't think you could hit a shorter home run here [at Fenway]. I don't think he hit a home run as short as that. [Home runs] come and they go."
Hillenbrand is part of a magical ride now for the Red Sox, who at 30-11 own the game's best record and a two-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East.
"This team is fun right now," Hillenbrand said. "Everyone is contributing and continuing to stick to our game plan that Grady talked to us about -- everybody picking everybody else up while Manny [Ramirez] is gone.
"We're doing everything we can perfectly now for who we have [on the team]," the third baseman continued. "This whole team is doing awesome. All I can say is that it's fun to come to the park right now. Hopefully, we can keep it going."
As for Hillenbrand's appetite, the up-and-coming Red Sox slugger had a warning for Stanley.
"We're going for sushi," Hillenbrand said. "He better be prepared because I eat a lot of sushi."
Stanley said he has no plans for bailing out at this point.
"No [regrets], but [paying for dinner in] New York can hurt you," said the Boston bench coach.
Funny. American League pitchers are saying the same thing about Hillenbrand these days, even when he hits home runs 303 feet.