Questioning Authority with Rick Burleson

Rick Burleson was taken with the fifth overall pick of the 1970 draft by the Boston Red Sox and made his Major League debut on May 4, 1974. He enjoyed a 13-year Major League career as a shortstop, playing for the Red Sox (1974-80), California Angels (1981-84, 1986) and Baltimore Orioles (1987). A four-time All-Star (1977-79, 1981) who started the 1977 All-Star Game, the "Rooster" won the 1979 American League Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger Award in 1981. Burleson set a Major League record for double plays by a shortstop by turning 147 in 1980 before being traded to the Angels prior to the 1981 season. Burleson hit .292 (7-for-24) in the 1975 World Series with the Red Sox and had a .318 average in 14 career postseason games with the Red Sox and Angels. He finished his career with the Baltimore Orioles in 1987. With a .274 career average, 50 home runs and 449 RBIs in 1,031 games, he was elected to the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2002.

Burleson entered the coaching ranks as Oakland's hitting instructor in 1991 and also has worked as a third-base coach for Boston and California. He has managed at every Minor League level, starting in 1997 with the Lancaster JetHawks before stops with the San Bernardino Stampede (now the Inland Empire 66ers), San Antonio Missions and Louisville Bats. In 2006, Burleson finished his fifth year as manager of the Billings Mustangs -- the Pioneer League affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. He was named Pioneer League Manager of the Year in 2002 and 2006. He will serve as the hitting instructor for the Visalia Oaks of the Class A Advanced California League in 2008.

MinorLeagueBaseball.com: What do you remember most about your first time around in the Minor Leagues?

Rick Burleson: My first year was 1970, and at that time we only made about $500 a month, so making ends meet for a Minor Leaguer was not an easy go. We were following our dreams of making it to the big leagues, but the reality was we weren't really making a living with it.

MiLB.com: Have times changed that much? How different are the Minors from when you were a player?

RB: One thing that comes to mind is the conditions we played in. Everything was still old -- the buses, the parks we played in. We had 200 or fewer people in the stands some nights. Now these guys play in brand-new parks, and the atmosphere is always exciting.

MiLB.com: Life in the Minors can be surreal. What's your favorite tale of the Minors, either as a player or on the bench?

RB: I was managing with Lancaster in the Cal League in 1998, and we were tied at the end of the year with Modesto and had a one-game playoff with them. They had some Major Leaguers who were rehabbing at the time with the team, and [Miguel] Tejada played and they had a big league pitcher who threw against us. We had Joe Mays with us at the time, and he went and shut them out, 3-0, to get us into the playoffs. The other great one was in 1999, when I was managing San Bernardino. We played 13 playoff games and won nine of them, with every series going to the final game.

MiLB.com: How have teammates you played with in the bigs reacted to your current gig?

RB: I have some former teammates who are still in baseball and others who aren't. I think they are proud of where I am at. I enjoy the game so much.

MiLB.com: Do the guys on your team know much about you and your history as a player?

RB: Of course with the internet it's so easy for them to get any information they want. They have access to your stats and can see some of the things I did. The players respect that.

MiLB.com: What have the players on your team taught you? Do they keep you up-to-date on pop culture?

RB: It's not so much what I learn pop culture-wise from the players, but dealing with them has made me more patient as a person. Learning when to pat someone one the back and when to kick 'em in the butt is something you come to learn individually with each player. I'd hate to do or say something at the wrong time and have a bad impact on someone. I know how hard this game is and that they're going to struggle, so I try not to get down on them too much.

MiLB.com: What kind of reaction do you get from fans?

RB: The reaction from fans is a positive one. There's usually a large amount of fans at Spring Training who know you're going to be there. They bring cards of you to get signed, and I get a bunch of mail at home. I'm able to get through and sign 99 percent of the things I receive.

MiLB.com: What city or cities do you most look forward to stopping in during the season?

RB: Every league is different. Some of the Triple-A cities like Louisville, Indianapolis and Richmond are like major cities and can be lots of fun. The Cal League towns are on the small side, but that makes them fun. So many of the little parks have great histories.

MiLB.com: What's the toughest part of the job?

RB: It's hard to think of a real tough part of the job. Now that I'm done playing, I take so much satisfaction in seeing the players I've worked with make their way up the ranks and into the big leagues. It's very rewarding to see that happen and so much fun to see the guys do well.

MiLB.com: Have you collected your baseball cards throughout the years?

RB: I'm not a big collector, but I do have at least one each of all my baseball cards from throughout the years.