Home run great George Foster talks baseball as part of golf tournament festivities

After George Foster hit 52 homes runs in 1977, he became a marked man in 1978, with pitchers constantly pitching him inside.

Mark McGwire, though, was basically still allowed to swing away for the most part in 1999 after setting the single season record with 70 home runs in 1998.

"The kind of baseball today is not the brand we played," said Foster, who was at the Carson Nugget Saturday for a cocktail party as part of the festivities for the Matt Williams Carson Capitols Golf Tournament.

Foster hit 52 home runs for the Cincinnati Reds during an era when home runs weren't nearly as frequent and pitchers were more willing to throw inside.

But Foster realizes offense drives attendance.

"I just know from the baseball standpoint, it's a way to make money," he said. "Fans like to see a lot a lot of runs scored and a lot of home runs hit."

Foster also said hitting 70 home runs in today's era doesn't mean as much as in the past.

"I just feel it really cheapens the record set in '61," Foster said, referring to Roger Maris hitting 61 home runs in 1961. "I feel a lot of balls are juiced.

"Baseball today is like batting practice. It's like hitting golf balls. McGwire's swinging from the heels."

But Foster still noted McGwire's feat was an outstanding accomplishment. "Not to take anything away from McGwire," Foster said. "Give him credit for hitting the home runs."

Foster takes his accomplishment of hitting 52 home runs in stride. His 348 career home runs rank 60th on baseball's all-time list.

"It just shows the hard work you put in," he said. "It's just an accomplishment. It's a number. I enjoyed that year."

Despite pitchers constantly throwing inside against him, Foster was able to hit 40 home runs in 1978.

"I was thrown at a lot, hit 13 or 14 times," said Foster about that season.

Foster talked about pitchers like Bob Gibson, who wouldn't allow hitters to have the outside part of the plate.

"He'd brush you back and knock you down," he said. "When I played, they brushed you off the plate."

Many pitchers today don't know how to pitch effectively inside, particularly up and in, Foster said. "There's a lot of throwers out there," he said.

He noted pitchers like Dave Stewart were effective because they knew how to pitch up and in. Foster also pointed out pitchers today like Pedro Martinez, Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens who know how to pitch inside. At one time this season, Martinez had walked just 28 batters - but had hit 14 hitters.

Foster, though, said pitching up and in is not the same as throwing at a batter's head.

One area of today's game Foster likes is the weight training.

"When we played, they were against you lifting weights," he said. "It makes a big difference. These guys train all year round."

Foster was part of the Big Red Machine in Cincinnati, which won the 1975 and 1976 World Series titles.

"You don't realize how good of a team you have until later on," he said.

It's a privilege to be part of an event associated with Williams, Foster said.

"I just enjoy watching him play," Foster said of the Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman, a Carson High School graduate. "I enjoy the example he sets for kids. He's good people."