Rothschild right at home
CINCINNATI -- Larry Rothschild admitted to some second thoughts.
After the 2005 season, the Cubs' pitching coach had a chance to join his former boss, Jim Leyland, in Detroit.
Rothschild opted to say with the Cubs, where he suffered through a last-place season in '06 while the Tigers headed to the World Series.
"I'm human, so there were days a few times when you went, 'Wow, what'd you do?' Overall no, because I'm from Chicago. You go to Wrigley Field, and it's a special place to go. Even though the times weren't good, you realize … I've been there in '03 and a lot of '04 when times were good. You know what could be and the possibilities.
"To get it done here, to be part of it, would be the most special thing you could be a part of in your sports life professionally. It's such a unique situation you can't replicate it anywhere. It's something at the end of your days you look back on it would be a great memory."
It's been a nice rebound season for Rothschild, who may get to help shape that memory as he prepares his pitching staff for the playoffs.
After the Cubs replaced manager Dusty Baker last fall with Lou Piniella, Rothschild's status was up in the air. But Piniella and Rothschild enjoyed a history, having worked together on the Cincinnati Reds' world championship team of 1990.
To the dismay of Rothschild's critics, Piniella didn't hesitate to bring Rothschild back. Although he said the criticism could be bothersome, Rothschild said it never got him down.
"Again, being human, it can be, but I understand," he said. "People get frustrated. I understand the business end, and I understand how it's changed, as well, over the years. You wouldn't be human if you didn't have some feelings about it.
"You have to understand there are so many great things that happen to you in this game that when things aren't great, it's kind of ridiculous to focus on the fact that you're getting criticized.
"I've got two World Series rings. To look at a losing season and say, 'Wow, how could I go through that?' How many people get a chance to be in two World Series? I always look at that and say, 'I don't care what happens throughout my career. I've been pretty fortunate.' "
Rothschild had the full support of general manager Jim Hendry.
"Larry's been one of the best pitching coaches in baseball for a long time," Hendry said. "Jim Leyland offered him almost twice as much money to go to Detroit two years ago than it was to stay here. I give Larry a lot of credit for seeing it through, wanting to stay. He was never the root of any problem."
One of the Cubs' key pitchers echoed Hendry's sentiments.
"He's really prepared, he's really thorough," said closer Ryan Dempster. "He watches hours of video. He has a good game plan before we even step onto the field. He just provides us with the best and most knowledge we could possibly have before we go out there.
"He's positive. When times are tough, he helps you keep your head on straight and get through it."
Popular opinion in Chicago this year was that Rothschild has more "freedom" to do his job under Piniella than he had under Baker. Rothschild says that isn't so.
"No, I really don't," he said. "Dusty gave me the freedom to do what I had to do. Jim Leyland gave it to me years ago. Lou gives it to me. All along, everybody I've worked for, I've had the ability to do my job as far as working with the pitchers, and it's up to them during the course of the game how they use them. I'll have input, but the manager makes the decision. I think that sometimes get lost."
As a graduate of South suburban Homewood-Flossmoor High School, Rothschild is doubly aware of how big a Cubs championship would be, and that's kept him looking forward.
"It would be unbelievable for the city of Chicago," he said. "I kept my focus on that as much as I could. Family-wise, it was a good decision for me (to stay). Organization-wise, the people that have been here have treated me very well. So that played into it in a big way.
"It's a wild ride, but it's overall been a pretty good ride."