The Southeast Missouri State baseball team received words of advice and encouragement from a special guest Tuesday.

Former St. Louis Cardinals manager Whitey Herzog was in Cape Girardeau for the day on business and stopped by Houck Field House, where the Redhawks' locker room is located.

Several Southeast players said it was a treat to meet the legendary baseball figure.

"It was amazing. We didn't expect this at all, to meet a future Hall of Famer," said senior pitcher James Leigh, an Arkansas native who said he has followed the Cardinals closely over the years. "I've always been a big Cardinals fan."

With the Redhawks nearing Friday's season opener at nationally ranked Alabama, Leigh said Herzog basically told the squad to take it to the Crimson Tide.

"He told us to go down there and put a whooping on 'em," Leigh said. "To put it to them."

Kyle Gumieny, a junior college transfer pitcher slated to start Friday's opener, is from Colorado -- not exactly Cardinals country.

Still, Gumieny said it was exciting to hear Herzog speak.

"I've heard about him. My dad's a baseball fan and so am I," Gumieny said. "He was just telling us his philosophy on hitting and pitching. It was pretty exciting."

Southeast coach Mark Hogan has known Herzog for a while, and Herzog even has appeared at some of Hogan's fundraising golf tournaments.

"It was special for him to take time to talk to the guys," Hogan said. "I found out he was coming and, as usual, he saved a few minutes for us.

"They [the Redhawks] got some time with one of the best managers in the history of the game. I know they enjoyed it."

Herzog was in Cape Girardeau to have lunch with Southeast athletic director John Shafer and several Southeast supporters Herzog knows.

Herzog's main reason for getting together with Shafer reportedly was to promote the candidacy of Jay Spoonhour as Southeast's next men's basketball coach.

Spoonhour, who has been an assistant at several universities and is a former national junior college coach of the year, was one of three finalists for Southeast's coaching position the last time it came open following the 2005-06 season.

Spoonhour is the son of former noted coach Charlie Spoonhour. The elder Spoonhour and Herzog are longtime friends.

Herzog would not confirm that the reason he initiated a meeting with Shafer was to promote Jay Spoonhour for the job, but he did say he is interested in seeing Southeast basketball get back on track.

"I remember the great program they used to have here," said Herzog, who has several longtime friends in the area and makes occasional, unpublicized visits. "I think it's very important we hire the right coach."