Jeff Kent took Tommy Lasordas simple truth all the way to Baseball Hall of Fame

COOPERSTOWN — Jeff Kent’s day in Cooperstown finally came Sunday.The legendary second baseman was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame alongside Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones.All three members of the 2026 Hall of Fame class have experienced playing in New York, though only Beltrán sports a New York cap on his plaque.

In his speech, Kent reflected on his time with the Mets, which spanned four seasons from 1992 to 1996.Kent was traded to the Mets from Toronto as a rookie, learning of the deal in the middle of the night before a doubleheader.“What a whirlwind that was.New York was something that I was not prepared for,” Kent said.

“You learn about pressure and accountability and responsibility fast in that city.And if you don’t, it’ll chew you up.

But I am, without a doubt, grateful for every minute of it.”Kent’s speech featured mentions of several other Hall of Famers, one of whom he shared a locker with upon arriving in Queens.“My locker mate those first couple of years was Eddie Murray.Eddie Murray didn’t know what to make of me,” Kent said.

“I had a habit of running my mouth when I was a young kid.Eddie didn’t run his mouth, showed up prepared and performed every single day.

One day, I asked Eddie, ‘How do you stay so calm when the bases are loaded?’“He told me he focused on the one, not the three RBI sitting out there, but just the one on third base.That lesson of keeping things simple stayed with me forever.

Your emotions will get the better of you in this game.Players who control them the best are the ones who last,” Kent recalled.Another Hall of Famer who got a mention in Kent’s speech? The late Tommy Lasorda, with whom Kent shares a Los Angeles connection.

Kent returned home to Southern California to wrap his career with four seasons as a Dodger.“I learned a long time ago from Tommy Lasorda, one of the best motivators in the game, a simple truth that I lived by for my whole career: ‘The money lies in the ...