Mel Jr. makes rounds

Mel Stottlemyre Jr. squinted into the bright afternoon sun, and his expression changed from one of pleasure from speaking to some of baseball's invigorating aspects to extreme distaste when discussing its worst.

"No one in this game," he said, "likes to go out there and get their butts beat every day," he said.

Stottlemyre could have been referring to the Bears, a team he was in Yakima helping earlier this week as the minor league pitching coordinator for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He could have been talking about the Mariners, for whom his father serves as pitching coach.

It was clear, both from Stottlemyre's expression and words, that a hatred of losing is one of many characteristics he shares with, and probably inherited from, Mel Stottlemyre Sr.

For Stottlemyre Jr., this season has been a mixed bag. South Bend, the D-backs Midwest League affiliate, is leading its division while the Bears have occupied the Northwest League's basement for much of the season.

But while he travels throughout Arizona's minor league system, observing, evaluating and instructing pitchers, he also maintains regular contact with his dad. And to those wondering if the elder Stottlemyre is second-guessing his decision to sign on with the turmoil-riddled, cellar-dwelling M's, the answer seems and unqualified "no."

"They've had a lot of stuff go on over there, as you well know," Stottlemyre Jr. said. "And those things he has not enjoyed, obviously, along with the losing.

"But I'll tell you this. My dad isn't nearly as miserable as a lot of people might think he is -- in fact he's not miserable at all. He's back doing what he loves, he enjoys being in the uniform again and going out every day teaching and helping pitchers. And of course when the team's in Seattle he's able to go home and sleep in his own bed."

A luxury rarely enjoyed by Stottlemyre Jr., who's in his third season as the D-backs' roving pitching czar.

"I've been very busy," he said. "I've been all over the place putting little fires out and dealing with this and that. But I've enjoyed the challenge."

Plus there's the occasional encounter with someone like Patrick McAnaney, the left-hander who so professionally befuddled NWL hitters before being moved up to South Bend.

Stottlemyre Jr. saw McAnaney's first start there last week. "It was a little rough, as you often see initially when a pitcher moves from one level to the next," he said. "Early on he was throwing too many fastballs and he was up in the zone. He got hit around a little bit.

"But I love the kid's intelligence and his coachability. You tell him something and he not only listens, he does what you tell him. He doesn't just throw, he thinks while he's doing it."

McAnaney's second South Bend start came Wednesday night, and he pitched five innings of one-hit, shutout ball in a 5-3 win over Fort Wayne.

As for Yakima's Houston Summers, the catcher-turned-knuckleballer, Stottlemyre said, "He's had some good outings, and then he's had some ugly outings. And he knows that. But there's no gray area with the knuckleball -- it's either working for you or it isn't -- and he's learning this on the fly.

"But I love the kid's makeup. He works very hard and he's eager to learn."

On this trip, Stottlemyre Jr. was accompanied by sons Colton, 10, and Blaise, 7, neither of whom seemed fazed by the hot summer weather but were clearly enamored with the players.

"It's not Yankee Stadium, where I hung around when I was a kid," Stottlemyre Jr. said, "but it's pro baseball, and it's great. I try to bring them with me when I come here or to Missoula."

Stottlemyre Jr. also has a daughter, Maleigha, a 17-year-old who this fall will be a high school senior.

"She's a straight-A student," Stottlemyre Jr. said, smiling. "Takes after her mama."

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