Ausmus keeps Astros loose

CHICAGO – In its 102-year history, the World Series might never have seen a player like Brad Ausmus. He’s an engaging mix of traits not always cultivated by pro sports, especially in the grimy task of catcher. Ausmus has intelligence, eloquence, calm – and humor.

After the Houston Astros boarded their charter plane Oct. 18 for St. Louis, Ausmus gave the pilot a script and asked him to read it over the plane’s speakers. Right after the pilot gave the standard lines about reaching cruising altitude and turning off the fasten-seat-belts sign, he appended the Ausmus text:

“And if you look off to the left side of the aircraft in two or three minutes, you might catch a glimpse of Albert Pujols’ home-run ball.”

If Pujols hadn’t hit his massive, two-out, ninth-inning homer off Brad Lidge the night before, the Astros probably wouldn’t have been on that plane. They would have won the National League championship series at home in five games.

The Ausmus airborne announcement might have been the start of the Astros’ exorcising of Game 5. They rolled over the Cardinals in Game 6 (Ausmus had three hits and scored their first run) and secured the pennant.

On Saturday night, the World Series started in Chicago for the first time since 1959. The scene shifted Tuesday for the first time to Houston, the first World Series for 2,000-game stalwarts Craig Biggio and Jeff Bagwell and the first as seen through the eyes of Ausmus.

Bagwell couldn’t play first base because of shoulder surgery, and Ausmus was asked what it meant for Bagwell to start at DH in Game 1.

“I think it would make the surgery worth it, even if he was never able to pick up a baseball again,” Ausmus said. “He’s wanted to play in a World Series since he was probably 10 years old, and if he can be in the lineup as a DH, it would make three years of horrid shoulder pain and 3 1/2 months of rehab all worth it.”

After two tours as catcher for the Detroit Tigers, Ausmus began his current run as Astros catcher in 2001. Ausmus was sent to Houston after Tigers owner Mike Ilitch froze the payroll and general manager Randy Smith felt compelled to trade for the young, low-priced trio of pitcher Chris Holt, catcher Mitch Meluskey and outfielder Roger Cedeno. The trade is forgettable, but Ausmus remembers the slugging nature of American League baseball.

“You have to be aggressive – we are not an American League-style team that sits back and waits for three-run homers, because we only have a few guys who can drive the ball out of the yard with any regularity in (Lance) Berkman and (Morgan) Ensberg,” Ausmus said.

Ausmus spoke to reporters around his locker last Friday at U.S. Cellular Field. He said he was past anything like getting excited about the World Series, even though this is his first.

“Maybe I’m getting old,” said Ausmus, 36. “There’s still a job to do, and the job is the same whether it’s the World Series or mid-May. I go about my job the exact same way regardless of the scenario. We’ve got to get the scouting report ready, go over the lineups, take our batting practice and play the games. Nothing changes, other than we have an extra 30 seconds between innings for television commercials.”

Perhaps because he was unburdened by postseason hoopla, Ausmus conceived his airplane announcement on the way to the airport. He found out that Lidge took it the right way, as he suspected he would.

Lidge said: “As soon as the pilot said it, I realized someone on our team put him up to it, and I figured it was Ausmus. I’ve given up some big homers in the past, and he’s normally the first guy to get on me. … Keeping it light allows you to get it over real quickly. I’ll be fine, but it’s nice to know your teammates are fine with it, too. … If you’re going to pout over something for a while, then you’re going to get grilled by Ausmus. Our team leaders won’t let you get down on yourself.”

The Astros came within a game of the World Series last year, their first season after they signed the former New York Yankees duo of Roger Clemens and Andy Pettitte for their rotation.

“Bringing Roger and Andy to the Astros put the flavor in Houston’s mouth of the ability to get to the World Series,” Ausmus said. “If you have good starting pitching, you’ve got a chance. That’s why we’re here.”

Maybe not entirely why. Ausmus has something to do with it, too.