Williams Proves Again He Can Go the Distance

By Ross Newhan

Oct. 29, 2001 12 AM PT

PHOENIX — The home run was estimated at 412 feet, but it spanned years, helped ease months of frustration.

Matt Williams hit it in the seventh inning of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ 4-0 victory over the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the World Series Sunday night.

Randy Johnson matched Curt Schilling’s three-hit victory in Game 1 and might not have needed his third baseman’s three-run blast off Andy Pettitte, but maybe Williams did.

At 35, plagued by injuries in recent seasons, booed at Bank One Ballpark for his ineffectiveness earlier in the postseason, still owed $19.5 million over the next two seasons, Williams is seen by some as personifying the aging, expensive Diamondbacks as they attempt to win a World Series on credit, capitalizing, perhaps, on a closing window of opportunity.

Well, the Diamondbacks now have the dynasty on its heels, and there was Williams becoming the first player in World Series history to homer for three teams, turning a 1-0 lead and the 6-foot-10 Johnson into Everest while also playing superlative defense.

The boos of the recent past were replaced by resounding cheers from a capacity crowd of 49,646 and Williams shrugged when asked about the fickle fans, saying, “It’s never been more than what a couple hits will take care of. I’m just glad to contribute.”

Glad, of course, to be healthy after three stints on the disabled list in the last two years, four in the last three, twice breaking his right foot on foul balls while in the batter’s box.

“I never thought I’d break my back foot on a foul ball once, let alone twice,” he said, “but those things happen and there’s nothing you can do about it. Makes you really appreciate somebody like Cal Ripken and, yeah, it’s frustrating when you can’t get out there and play, because that’s what I do, that’s what I know how to do, that’s what I love to do, but all I know is I’m happy to be where I’m at now. I feel good about myself and I feel good about the team and the way we’re playing.”

Jerry Colangelo stood in a corner of the Arizona clubhouse. The managing general partner of the Diamondbacks brought in Williams and Jay Bell in that first year, 1998, “to provide leadership and credibility for an expansion team,” and he has been a confidant and source of support for Williams.

“That three-run homer should be a real tonic for Matt,” Colangelo said. “It makes up for a lot of frustration this year. I know what he’s been feeling because I can read his body language. I really couldn’t have picked a better guy to hit that home run, and he still has those soft hands at third base.”

Williams fielded six ground balls behind Johnson, several on difficult hops, and said: “We know that when Randy pitches he throws that slider down and in on right-handers and a lot of times it’s swung on and missed, but if they do make contact or hit it hard, it’s generally at me so I have to be prepared to get a lot of action.”

Plagued by a hamstring strain, Williams saw action in only 106 regular-season games. He hit 16 homers, drove in 65 runs, read the cynical coverage, heard the whispers.

Schilling put it in words for him Sunday night.

Addressing a group of reporters, the pitcher said: “You guys have hammered him and the fans have taken their shots, but he’s still standing. It’s a testimony to his character.”

Standing in against Pettitte, Williams said his homer came on a cut fastball that was out over the plate after Pettitte’s previous pitch had also been a cut fastball in on his hands. He hit his first Series homer when he was 23 and a member of the San Francisco Giants in 1989. The second came with the Cleveland Indians in 1997.

“What it means to me is that I’ve been fortunate to play on teams that were good enough to go this far,” he said. “At 23, you think it’s going to happen every year. At this point, each one is more special.”

The stoic Williams said it matter-of-factly. The emotions came from his wife, former actress Michelle Thomas. The camera caught her reacting to the homer with joy and tears, and her husband said later: “I’m going to have to get a tape of that.”

Michelle Williams, of course, knows what her husband has been through the last few years, fighting injuries, fighting the frustration. So does Manager Bob Brenly, a former teammate with the Giants. Maybe Game 2 will only prove to be a page out of the past for a golden oldie who is still coming back physically, who will undertake a dedicated conditioning program during the off-season, but Brenly called it a page to be savored no matter what.

“Nobody likes to hear negative reactions to what you are trying to do on the field, especially when you are someone trying as hard as Matty does to contribute to team victories,” Brenly said. “I’m sure it stung, but he’s a professional and knows it goes with the territory. He never used it as an excuse, never used it as a crutch and continues to go out there and play hard every day.

“There’s the old saying about good things happening to good people ... well, he got his reward tonight.”

Helping the Diamondbacks get theirs.