'Clubbies' are like family members

   By Brian Anderson
   Special for the Republic
   May 28, 1998
   
   Players have trainers to keep them healthy and coaches to help them
   with mechanics. But what about their equipment, their uniforms, things
   like that?
   
   That stuff doesn't show up in the dugout by itself or wash itself or
   send itself to the airport for trips.
   
   It is taken care of by the equipment managers, or "clubbies." These
   guys are really the ones who keep us going. You don't hear about them
   very often, but they do a great job and put in a lot of long hours.
   
   The ringleader in our clubhouse is Chris Guth. There are four guys who
   assist him - Jim Garrett, Mike Murray, Lupe Uribe and Shawn Moore -
   and Bob Doty runs the visitors' clubhouse at Bank One Ballpark.
   
   Chris is a good dude. Talk about long days. He gets to the park around
   8 in the morning and doesn't go home until about 1 in the morning.
   That doesn't leave him much time for other things, except sleep.
   
   He's an easygoing guy who gets along with everyone. He always seems to
   have something interesting to say - that's why for the last couple of
   weeks I've given you a "Guthism" from his demented mind; something to
   think about. But I don't think I'll do that this week because this
   whole column is about him and his staff - and I don't want to
   overexpose him. He might be besieged by requests for interviews and
   autographs.
   
   He's a casual guy, too. Wears sandals or shower shoes most of the
   time, although I think he got fined by the "Kangaroo Kourt" for
   wearing the shower shoes in the dugout.
   
   These guys are always getting equipment and uniforms ready and clean,
   cleaning the clubhouse, ordering food for the players. Some of the
   guys will occasionally run errands for the players.
   
   Not long ago, I got to the park and my car was running on fumes, and
   Garrett went to fill it up. You give them money for the gas and a
   little more for their trouble. They go the extra mile for you, so it's
   customary to tip them - both the guys here and on the road.
   
   When I was with the Cleveland Indians, one of the guys there went to
   wash my car and it came back with about a hundred extra miles on it. I
   mean, this was in downtown Cleveland and I know there were car washes
   closer than that. I told him, "Dude, like I didn't tell you to take it
   out on a date."
   
   If they know players like certain foods, they'll try to get it for you
   sometimes. Jim knows I like Einstein bagels, so he'll bring a bag in.
   They get us a lot of other stuff, too, like batteries for your
   Walkman. They seem to know where to go for stuff and how to get it.
   They're like Radar on M*A*S*H.
   
   When Mike was with the old Phoenix Firebirds in Triple-A, he had to go
   pick up an opposing player's wife at the airport and take her to the
   hotel. She didn't speak English, and it was kind of awkward, but it
   eventually worked out.
   
   I always have a running conversation with Lupe. We always kid each
   other about our ethnicity. It's fun being around him and all the guys.
   It's kind of like a family. That's the way it is because you're with
   each other so much.
   
   Diamondbacks left-hander Brian Anderson shares his comments each week
   in Baseball Extra.