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Chat Transcript from 10/26/98

Question: Do you want to manage someday?

Cal Ripken: I really have no immediate plans to manage. I've always been a student of the game. I'm not ruling out the possibility, but I've lived my whole life to schedule baseball and I'd like to be able to give something back to the game and still make ballet recitals and other sports.

Question: Hello Cal! When did you first know that you wanted to be a baseball player?

Cal Ripken: My earliest memories telling my parents that I wanted to be a baseball player was when I was 11. I hung around baseball for my whole life. I enjoyed it. For some reason at age 11 I realized I was pretty good and I tried to decide whether that was my ambition, before then it was probably a fireman, policeman or astronaut :)

Question: Cal, If you were GM, with money not an object, who would be the first player you would pick up in the off-season?

Cal Ripken: If I was GM with money as no object that would be a nice problem to have! I haven't done my homework but there's a ton of free agents available. Maybe that will be precisely where I end up in my future as a GM with a bottomless wallet and I'll be happy to try and make those decisions.

Question: Cal, how much longer do you see yourself playing before you retire? WE hope many more years.

Cal Ripken: I think you have to analyze and evaluate your situation each and every year. I have such a storybook career and now I think that I want to try and enjoy it and play the game as long as I feel competitive. A baseball player has a very small window relative to your life span to play and I'd like to widen the window as far as I can but for right now, its one year at a time

Question: I am 13 years old. I have been playing ball for about 8 years. Your father said to me that speed is the whole part of the game. I run a 4.1 90 ft. what do you run?

Cal Ripken: There are speed players and there are power players -- I think I fall into the category of power player. It's funny, not that I don't believe you, but I have a hard time understanding what my father meant by that. People hit the ball hard and throw the ball with high velocity. Speed is a great asset as long as you can hit, throw and catch. As long as you have one that you are very fast - then I'd work on the others to make sure you're a complete player and good luck to you! Question: What made you finally decide to end your streak?

Cal Ripken: Basically I think that time had just come. The focus needed to be on the team. Each and every day during the streak, I've been uncomfortable with attention that was brought to me because of the streak. I wanted to put the focus back where it should be, on the team. I felt that if we fell short of our goal to make the playoffs then I felt the time was right. I felt very strong about it. I wanted to clear the way for next year. I wanted to end in Baltimore, at my home stadium, in my hometown, for all the hometown fans. No regrets! :)

Question: Cal, I was wondering where I could get more information on your training facility? My brother would like to possibly work there. I majored in physical fitness in college in is a personal trainer for Notre Dame. He also plays ball in the Minors.

Cal Ripken: I was stalling for a minute while I was looking for a business card! The Ripken sports acceleration is a specialized training facility and its located in Columbia, MD. The phone number is 877-802-0808 and they can provide you with all the information. I've been working out there so far this off-season. It's in great shape and I actually got the pitching machine throwing strikes now! :)

Question: Hi Cal, We all love ya, but wonder how long will you keep representing us old guys?

Cal Ripken: Old is a relative term ! Some days I feel really old, some days I don't feel so old at all! But in the heat of competition, viewing what's out there, I still find myself able to compete with the young whippersnappers. Sometimes it's your expertise that keeps you in the game, sometimes it's your talent. I'm relying more and more on my expertise! :) Nolan Ryan played till he was 46 -- there is no way in the world that I'll be like him!

Question: How important is it for the Orioles management to try and sign Roberto Alomar and Rafael Palimiero to keep the nucleus of the team together?

Cal Ripken: I don't want to play GM or manager, but those 2 guys are two of the best at their position and if you have them on your team already you don't want to lose them. We've had great success the past 3 years, but we've had a very talented group - for sure lead by Rafael and Robert, so I'm secretly keeping my fingers crossed that they're back with us to keep the nucleus together.

Question: Hi Cal, I wanted to know as a teen girl I find a lot and I mean a lot of baseball teams will not let me join because I'm a girl and personally softball is way different to me. I just wanted to know your opinion on male and female major league teams?

Cal Ripken: First, I think you should be talking to my sister! My sister was a very talented athlete and she wanted to play baseball desperately and she ran into the same obstacles, which were probably bigger obstacles 20 years ago. I have no problem -- the sport is a very competitive sport and I think my sister could have competed on my high school. She loved the game of baseball - and I just kept thinking why was she not allowed to play. If you are talented and capable enough I applaud if you can do that.

Question: Who do you think is the best all around baseball player you ever played with or against?

Cal Ripken: That's such a tough question because there are so many worthy people for consideration. I look at people like Griffey, Barry Bonds -- combination of speed, power, defense, offense. There are a couple guys who are very young that you might think about in a few years -- Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter. Very athletic and they possess speed, power and defense and I think there are worthy of consideration. The established ones though are Griffey and Bonds.

Question: Do you think what Big Mac and Sammy did something big to bring back the game this year?

Cal Ripken: ABSOLUTELY! it was an extraordinary year for them individually but I think the bigger picture is that it was an extraordinary year for baseball. I can relate to that in a small way. In the home run derby -- those two guys tied baseball through the past and to the present and by celebrating their individual accomplishments, which were extraordinary, we were able to celebrate the entire game. And without getting too corny, when Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa are no longer playing, there will be someone else to step up to the plate. They both did it in a very classy way. I think as players and as fans we all appreciate the game of baseball even more.

Cal Ripken: I had a great time talking about baseball. One of the bad parts about the off-season is you don't get to talk enough baseball. So thank you all for letting me talk about baseball a little bit and I'll talk with you soon! Thanks!