I talked with him by phone for about an hour a year ago, after writing some articles for the Dugout Central site he started a couple years ago. I've seen some web things blasting his evaluation abilities, and I certainly haven't examined that issue a huge amount. But I tend to give ex-players a lot of credit in judging players, regardless of how saber-literate they are, because no matter what terms they use, they know more than others do about what's actually happening on the field.
I discussed the '95 season with him too-he was with the Rangers that year-and Ichiro, and he was certainly quick to declare his company's ability to judge Japanese players; said they knew Ichiro would do well over here at a time when there were a lot of Ichiro skeptics. He didn't talk down any of his old teammates or managers, seemed to be an upright guy. Obviously he's a baseball lifer.