Bob Wickman doesn’t exactly have Mariano Rivera’s build, but the Indians reliever has slimmer numbers.
Wickman’s balding dome and big-boned body give away his laid-back attitude. They might also mask the fact he’s a deceptively good closer.
“He’s a man, he’s tough and a strong competitor,” Indians manager Charlie Manuel said. “He’s got a good heart.
“He has better stuff than you realize he’s got when you watch him day in and day out.”
Yankees fans should remember the 6-foot-1, 230-pound right-hander. He was a key member of the team’s bullpen from 1992 to ’96, when his exit helped the Bombers win a world championship. Wickman was sent to Milwaukee in the deal that brought lefty reliever Graeme Lloyd to the Bronx.
Last July, the former Brewers closer was traded to the Indians, where he saved 14 games in 17 chances.
“It feels great to get back to a winning organization,” Wickman said. “There’s nothing the matter with the Brewers. But Cleveland right now is the place where it’s at.”
Going into last night’s game at the Stadium, Wickman was fifth in the A.L. with 11 saves. He’s 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA, and opponents are hitting just .188 off him. Rivera has 15 saves, but his other numbers are a shade off what Wickman has been able to do.
“I’ve been a fast starter for the last couple of years,” Wickman said.
Wickman, who grew up in Wisconsin, was dealt the day before the Brewers held “Bob Wickman Day.” His family stuck around for the posters. In the offseason, he lives 45 minutes away from his birthplace of Green Bay and wears a Packers T-shirt under his uniform in the fall.
“I think that’s where the laid-back attitude came from,” he said. “It’s not the fast lane. It’s dirt roads, gravel roads. Sixty miles away takes 60 minutes to get there. Instead of 20 miles away sometimes could take you an hour to get there.”
Wickman’s sinker is excellent, but he also throws a slider and fastball to maximum effectiveness.
“Now that I’m a little older, I know how to pitch a lot better,” he said. “I feel all three of them are out pitches. Instead of saying I have to get to a certain count to throw a pitch, I think the confidence is if I do get to a situation to put a hitter away, I have three pitches now.
“That’s the thing that helped me probably from my New York Yankees days and being young.”
Wickman credits Yankees coach Tony Cloninger with working with him extensively, and says the organization taught him how to prepare like a winner. A free agent after the season, he said he’d “definitely” like to stay with Cleveland but wouldn’t rule out a return to the Bronx.
“I’m not the one to say the grass is always greener elsewhere,” Wickman said. “Myself personally, I don’t believe I burned any bridges walking away from here, and I don’t believe I burned any bridges from the Brewers. I think you have to consider your options.”
