HAINES CITY, FLA. — Tony Muser is no Bob Knight.
If he's fired as manager of the Kansas City Royals, this lean ex-Marine will not be taking any parting shots at anybody.
He'll be careful not to bring embarrassment to general manager Allard Baird or owner David Glass. He'll refuse parting shots at his former employer, unlike Knight, who when he was introduced last week as the new head coach of the Texas Tech men's basketball team took jabs at his old school, Indiana.
Muser promises no such acrimony if that time comes.
"People in this business come and go," said Muser, 53, who with little improvement in talent is under orders to improve last year's 77-85 record by at least 10 games.
"I would be proud to be fired by Allard Baird. Knowing the man and knowing Mr. Glass, they want the best for this organization. Now, if that doesn't include me, I respect that because I respect the men."
Entering his fourth full season as Royals' manager, Muser is no doubt under pressure to deliver even though he'll be fighting with a short stick. Kansas City's payroll of about $34 is roughly $9 million more than last year. But it is a pittance compared to the $90-$100-million juggernauts many teams have assembled.
A 10-game rise, which would follow a 13-game improvement in 2000, would probably put the Royals in contention for at least a wild-card berth.
"How neat it is to have a challenge," Muser said. "We find out how good we are. I'm going to improve as a baseball man."
Nobody has said that if the Royals fail to meet Glass' goal, Muser's firing would be automatic. He is well respected by the players, although they sometimes chafe at his strict discipline.
Plus, after 31/2 lean years repairing the mess left by his abrasive predecessor Bob Boone, Muser's program seems to be bearing fruit. In recognition of that, Glass gave him a solid endorsement and a two-year contract extension last summer.
But Muser knows that in his business, it's always smart to prepare for unexpected unemployment, especially when the owner lays out minimum victory quotas.
"I'm not afraid of getting fired because I know that it will be the best for the organization," Muser said. "I'm going to be evaluated. The players are going to be evaluated. What I will not do is blame anybody. I'm going to concentrate on what we can do.
"If you're let go, it's a part of the business. It's nothing to be afraid of. There's always that possibility."
Although they're fragile because they have very little depth, the Royals are skilled at many positions.
"We have a good little team here," Muser said. "But we must do all things always consistently and persistently every single day. And that takes mental discipline."
A fierce sense of discipline has helped him weather more than one crisis. When he was with the Milwaukee Brewers several years ago, Muser and another coach were trapped in a fire. He was badly burned.
Scar tissue, which covers much of his body, still causes him to walk in a somewhat odd, forward-leaning posture, shoulders thrust forward and head perpetually looking down.
But with self-discipline, he resumed a normal life.
He learned to be tough early. He likes to tell the story of a little boy growing up in a tough neighborhood where an older, bigger kid was the playground bully.
"He kept taking my stuff," Muser said. "One day he took my wagon and I went home crying to my mother and asked her to call his mother and make him give it back."
But before she could, Muser's dad got home early from work.
"He told me to go get my stuff myself and not to feel sorry for myself," Muser said. "He told me in this world you have to learn to take care of yourself."
So fearing the worst, the future manager of the Royals forced himself to go challenge the bigger kid.
Just as he figured, he got the stuffing beat out of him. But he put up the best fight he knew how. And not long after he got home exhausted and bloodied, he looked out the window and there came his tormentor, pulling the wagon.
He put it on the Muser's front porch and left. In it was everything he'd ever taken.
"He never picked on me again," Muser said. "I can thank my dad for teaching me a valuable lesson."
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