May 30, 2001

By Tom Cushman
San Diego Union-Tribune Staff Writer

SAN DIEGO - Yesterday's midafternoon news conference at San Diego State represented different things to the two principals involved.

To baseball coach Jim Dietz, the significant item was a one-year contract extension that will allow him a potentially triumphant last hurrah. During the final weeks of a recently completed schedule, Dietz said he wanted another season to see if his recent, highly ranked recruiting classes finally would translate into a nationally prominent team. Injuries derailed that express this spring.

For athletic director Rick Bay, the point of emphasis was Dietz's retirement announcement. In what was an obvious trade-off between men with separate agendas, Dietz got his year and Bay the public assurance that there won't be a campaign for additional years. Bay now can begin his search for the fourth baseball coach in San Diego State history, a project that's been delayed longer than he preferred.

Although there've been reports that the SDSU administration has been courting Cal State Fullerton coaching talent, Bay yesterday said, "We haven't started any formal search procedure."

Nevertheless, an hour later he had his first applicant.

Seated in the Padres dugout at Qualcomm Stadium, Aztecs alumnus Tony Gwynn said, "I've been thinking about that job for five or six years. If Coach Dietz is stepping away, I'd really be interested. I think it would be a perfect fit.

"I know there'll be some great résumés from guys who want to get in line, but I went through the program. I understand how it fits at that school. I know I could do a very good job."

Gwynn and Dietz discussed this last week. "He said he'd wondered if I might have interest in replacing him but was hesitant to ask," Gwynn recalls. "Now he knows the answer."

Gwynn and Dietz remained close after Gwynn left SDSU en route to a pending Hall of Fame major league career. They share ownership (with others) in a five-bedroom retreat in Soldotna, Alaska. While the Aztecs were competing in the recent Mountain West Conference tournament, Gwynn (while on the disabled list) spent hours in the right-field bleachers filming players' at-bats. His son, Anthony, is the team's starting center fielder. Gwynn has been a guest instructor for Dietz teams. The stadium in which the Aztecs play bears his name.

Would Tony Gwynn provide the "seamless transition" to which Bay referred during his remarks yesterday? Even Dietz wonders.

"I've dreamed of having the program carried on by someone who's been part of it, and Tony would have my full support," Dietz said. "My concern would be that he understands what coaching at the college level involves."

With that, Dietz began checking off details that have nothing to do with a proper batting stance or in-game strategy.

Before being allowed to recruit, a coach must pass a test that establishes his understanding of the NCAA Manual, which is the equivalent of speed-reading hieroglyphics. The coach must monitor academics to ensure the "normal progress toward a degree" requirement is met. He must understand and apply a complicated financial formula that applies to scholarship renewals. He's his own primary recruiter.

The coach is a fund-raiser. He has to make certain team laundry is done and equipment is serviceable.

Unlike the major leagues, there's no traveling secretary. The coach is responsible for arranging flight schedules, ground transportation, hotel reservations and doing it, always, with budget in mind.

When I approached Dietz a half-hour before yesterday's announcement of the extension-retirement quinella, he was on the field at Tony Gwynn Stadium, teaching a student assistant how to water an infield.

"I know San Diego State," said Tony Gwynn. "I know about riding buses.

"There'd be much to learn and deal with. I'm willing to do that. There are a lot of aggravations and off-field problems in what we do as professional athletes, too, but the overriding factor is that you love what you do, so you put up with them."

I think I forgot to mention that there's also a slight difference in salary between Hall of Fame right fielders and college baseball coaches. (Dietz makes $94,812 per year.)

The potential timetable involved should grab attention of Padres fans. If Gwynn were to be anointed as Dietz's successor, ideally he would spend next year as an assistant -- observing and absorbing the job's nuances. Forgoing that, he still would need to be available during a transitional season. Either way, accepting the San Diego State job almost certainly would mean that Gwynnis in his final season as a Padre.

By the time this newspaper reaches most doorsteps today, Dietz will be in a motorboat on Barrett Reservoir, presumably a contented man. Bay will have a new, "how to deal with a legend" dilemma on his desktop. I mean, how do you reject an applicant who wants to coach in a stadium named for him?

"I've always said the best thing I do is teach," Gwynn said yesterday.

Without knowing for certain, I'll amend that to second-best.