Zephyrs boast family affair with Tamargo, Ward

Tim Graham

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 1998 | 10:53 a.m.

Father knows best, but in some cases his opinion doesn't count.

No one is more aware of this than John Tamargo and Daryle Ward of the New Orleans Zephyrs. Tamargo manages, while Ward plays first base and the outfield.

The Tamargo-Ward relationship flip-flops for St. Lucie, a Class-A affiliate of the New York Mets. That's where Ward's father, former major leaguer Gary Ward, coaches John Tamargo's son, John Tamargo Jr.

Daryle Ward chuckles out loud when he thinks about the criss-cross family situation.

"We've had a lot of fun this year," Ward said before Game 2 of the Triple-A World Series at Cashman Field. One day after driving the Zephyrs to an early lead over the Buffalo Bisons by going 3-for-4 with a pair of two-run home runs, Ward went 0-for-4 in a 9-2 loss.

The Zephyrs and Bisons are even in the best-of-5 series, which continues Thursday afternoon at 12:30.

The younger Ward and the elder Tamargo have enjoyed quite a season together. They were at odds earlier, but developed a bond as the summer progressed.

"He'll tell me some things that are real important about making the big leagues and I'll take it to heart," Ward said of Tamargo. "But after he makes his point, I'll say 'My dad wouldn't tell your son that.'

"And then sometimes, if I'm being rebellious, he'll say 'I'm going to call your dad if you don't get it together.'"

It took time for the fiery Tamargo to understand the easy-going Ward.

"We butted heads a little in the beginning," Tamargo said. "But we worked it out. Some guys get mad at you when you just want them to get better. They don't always realize that. But he seems to listen sometimes.

"He's a different kind of guy. He's real laid-back and confident in himself. He'll tell you he's going to be a good player, but you have to believe that."

In 116 games with New Orleans this year, Ward hit .305 with 23 homers and 96 RBIs. He got his first taste of the big leagues when he had a cup of coffee with the Houston Astros in May.

Ward has been rated among the Astros' top prospects since he was acquired in a trade with the Detroit Tigers last year. He earned the organization's double-A MVP last year for hitting .329 with 19 homers and 90 RBIs with Jackson.

Nevertheless, he claimed Tamargo's guidance has made him a better player.

"J.T. is pretty hard-nosed. He comes across in a hard-nosed way," Ward said. "My dad's a lot more motivational and constructive, while J.T. will criticize you in a very negative way to get you to do better. Some players don't understand that, but I do."

Tamargo affectionately called Ward "Mr. Cool" for his free-and-easy approach. But Tamargo eventually discovered that, underneath, Ward was passionate about the game.

"We had our little tussles at the beginning of the season," Ward said. "We'd get into heated discussions about baseball strategy.

"One time, we got into a long discussion about advancing the runner from second base. We argued for about 30 minutes during the game, and we were completely oblivious to what was going on out on the field."

Ward is prepared to learn more from Tamargo, admitting he's not quite ready to be an everyday major leaguer. At 6-foot-2, 235 pounds, Ward sports the stature of a first baseman. But with all-star Jeff Bagwell ensconced in Houston, Ward is learning to play the outfield like his father before him.

Gary Ward, a career .276 hitter, played 12 major-league seasons with the Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees and Tigers. His best season came in 1982, when he batted .289 with 28 home runs and 91 RBIs.

Tamargo, who played for the St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants and Montreal Expos from 1976-80, is comfortable knowing Gary Ward has the knowledge to go along with those numbers. That's what makes it easy for Tamargo "to keep my nose out of things" when it comes to John Jr.

"I trust that man," Tamargo said. "I tell my son 'You have a good hitting guy there. You listen to him and you'll get to the big leagues.'"

The younger Tamargo, a second baseman, hit .242 with no homers, 33 RBIs and 14 stolen bases.

But Tamargo Sr. understands, just as Gary Ward does, that being the son of a former big leaguer doesn't provide any shortcuts on the path to the majors.

"When you've been around baseball all your life, you know a lot about the game, but you still have to experience the game," Tamargo Sr. said. "It's not the same until you learn how to succeed and how to fail."