(06-23-2021, 12:52 PM)Otter Wrote: [ -> ]Fenway is on my list. Have friends in Seattle, and have been meaning to catch a game at T-Mobile Park.
JR Richard was a little before my time, but my dad speaks fondly of him. He actually attended Colt .45s games before the renaming to the Astros. His original team was the Cardinals, as there were no Texas-based MLB franchises when he was growing up, and local radio carried Cardinals games.
The one guys who would have been a HOF if not for that horrific injury. He was fun to watch. Just like Kerry Wood. 2 careers that were cut short.
I also like the Toy Cannon Jimmy Wynn. And of course Bagwell and Biggio. The Killer B's were fun but we could never get past the Braves and that pitching staff with Smoltz, Glavin and Maddux lol
(06-23-2021, 01:35 PM)divmenow Wrote: [ -> ] (06-23-2021, 12:52 PM)Otter Wrote: [ -> ]Fenway is on my list. Have friends in Seattle, and have been meaning to catch a game at T-Mobile Park.
JR Richard was a little before my time, but my dad speaks fondly of him. He actually attended Colt .45s games before the renaming to the Astros. His original team was the Cardinals, as there were no Texas-based MLB franchises when he was growing up, and local radio carried Cardinals games.
The one guys who would have been a HOF if not for that horrific injury. He was fun to watch. Just like Kerry Wood. 2 careers that were cut short.
I also like the Toy Cannon Jimmy Wynn. And of course Bagwell and Biggio. The Killer B's were fun but we could never get past the Braves and that pitching staff with Smoltz, Glavin and Maddux lol
In my opinion, Biggio is the greatest Astro of all time. What a career. So glad he got to play in a World Series, even if they got swept.
I lived in Atlanta in the late 90s. I still hate the Braves.
(06-23-2021, 01:35 PM)divmenow Wrote: [ -> ] (06-23-2021, 12:52 PM)Otter Wrote: [ -> ]Fenway is on my list. Have friends in Seattle, and have been meaning to catch a game at T-Mobile Park.
JR Richard was a little before my time, but my dad speaks fondly of him. He actually attended Colt .45s games before the renaming to the Astros. His original team was the Cardinals, as there were no Texas-based MLB franchises when he was growing up, and local radio carried Cardinals games.
The one guys who would have been a HOF if not for that horrific injury. He was fun to watch. Just like Kerry Wood. 2 careers that were cut short.
I also like the Toy Cannon Jimmy Wynn. And of course Bagwell and Biggio. The Killer B's were fun but we could never get past the Braves and that pitching staff with Smoltz, Glavin and Maddux lol
Hard to predict five more high level seasons but JR was the real deal. A ton of complete games. Just fearless and pitching like tomorrow didn't matter. This time it didn't.
On a side note I did the math on one of the first ultra high dollar pitching contracts. Always thought Justin Verlander was a stud. He'd throw 120 competitive pitches when most were lucky to throw 95. Manager had to drag him off the mound even before he was making big bucks. I did the math on his first big contract. Assume he pitched spring training and game warmup for free. No kidding he made $5K per in game pitch on that contract. Intentional walk equals $20K lol. The contract was signed and he'd pitch 11 innings if you would let him. He really was a true competitor.
My first baseball heroes were Johnny Bench and Pete Rose. Pete played every inning with his hair on fire and it crushed my baseball soul when he messed up. I watched a lot of games in person. He was baseball done right on the field. I'll die wishing he had done things differently. Not that it matters but he was the first non HR hitter to be paid $100K for a season. He negotiated hard to get it and it sounds outrageous today. Back then they pimped their fame in the offseason for car dealerships to boost their annual wage. Things have changed for sure.
Poor Pete. Sitting on the outside of the HoF looking in while DKNG now has a $20 Billion market cap and every ESPN Radio show has a “and now here’s the latest lines from my guys in the desert” VSIN segment
(06-23-2021, 02:50 PM)Otter Wrote: [ -> ]Poor Pete. Sitting on the outside of the HoF looking in while DKNG now has a $20 Billion market cap and every ESPN Radio show has a “and now here’s the latest lines from my guys in the desert” VSIN segment
It's crazy. I grew to accepted his fate after decades and now they basically endorse what they said was the ultimate sin. "They" being sports media but about one step removed from MLB.
(06-23-2021, 02:50 PM)Otter Wrote: [ -> ]Poor Pete. Sitting on the outside of the HoF looking in while DKNG now has a $20 Billion market cap and every ESPN Radio show has a “and now here’s the latest lines from my guys in the desert” VSIN segment
First off. So he bet on baseball. So what Players have done way worse and are in the HOF. The all time hits leader deserves to be in, and should have a long time ago. Charlie Hustle was the man and played the game hard. I got too see him play lots since I'm from Philly. Think about this.. Jeter was a hitting machine and he still ended up 800 hits behind. That tell you just how good Rose was. He's now 80 and it's a shame he will never get in.
From Rose....
I’m not going to go to bed at night and dreaming about going into the Hall of Fame. I’m going to go to bed at night, hoping I get up tomorrow. [But] I would be the happiest guy in the world if I ever had that honor bestowed on me.”
I feel bad about Pete Rose not getting in too. For one thing, I don't think baseball celebrates its non-home-run hitters enough.
****
Garret Richards getting blown out again tonight. Without cheating, he's nothing. Hopefully Chris Sale comes back soon and boots him from the rotation.
(06-23-2021, 07:07 PM)divmenow Wrote: [ -> ] (06-23-2021, 02:50 PM)Otter Wrote: [ -> ]Poor Pete. Sitting on the outside of the HoF looking in while DKNG now has a $20 Billion market cap and every ESPN Radio show has a “and now here’s the latest lines from my guys in the desert” VSIN segment
First off. So he bet on baseball. So what Players have done way worse and are in the HOF. The all time hits leader deserves to be in, and should have a long time ago. Charlie Hustle was the man and played the game hard. I got too see him play lots since I'm from Philly. Think about this.. Jeter was a hitting machine and he still ended up 800 hits behind. That tell you just how good Rose was. He's now 80 and it's a shame he will never get in.
From Rose....
I’m not going to go to bed at night and dreaming about going into the Hall of Fame. I’m going to go to bed at night, hoping I get up tomorrow. [But] I would be the happiest guy in the world if I ever had that honor bestowed on me.”
Boyhood hero or not, (and he was), I don't really feel sorry for Rose. I did for a long time. He was basically not apologizing for 20+ years. He didn't get that it was wrong. Just another form of competition. He had to try to win whenever he was awake. Same drive that made him head first slide nearing age 40 when his team was up or down more than 10 games in the standings. He didn't possess any super human physical ability.
Last time I saw Rose was at Wrigley. He was back with the Reds as player/manager. Glory days were over years earlier. Couldn't hit .300 anymore. He'd already broken Cobb's record. First inning he didn't like an umpires call and lost his mind arguing it. I just knew he was going to get tossed. Cub's fans were booing him like Cubs fan do. Next inning Rose inserts himself into the line-up and jacks one over the right field wall. I doubt he hit 5 HRs a year by this point. He was going to win this argument. Winning is all he was ever wired for. In an interview he said he was too slow to steal bases, so when he got a base hit he would steal an extra base if he thought he saw an outfielder being lazy.
Bench, Morgan and others saw trouble years earlier. Rose hung out with seedy characters in Cincy and he ignored their warnings. They tried to get him to confess because they thought he might have a chance of saving his reputation and being forgiven eventually because he was Pete. He wouldn't listen. Not sure he even realized he was wrong. I read his book and he clearly isn't normal. He apologizes for something about every chapter and then throws in a paragraph attempting to justify what he just apologized for. He moves to Vegas and launches a business, then applies for MLB re-instatement a few years later. He doesn't get it and he never will.
Just got back from a 10 day vacation in Cancun. Glad I didn't have to witness my Rangers going 3-7 while we were gone.
With Rose, it's hard to feel sorry for someone who won't admit he's wrong and will try to justify his bad actions and decisions. He was one of the greatest, but like Shoeless Joe, he will only set foot in the HOF as a guest.
Pete Rose made his bed and has been unrepentant for it. Sorry bud, no HOF for you.
(06-26-2021, 12:23 PM)ChadR Wrote: [ -> ]Just got back from a 10 day vacation in Cancun. Glad I didn't have to witness my Rangers going 3-7 while we were gone.
With Rose, it's hard to feel sorry for someone who won't admit he's wrong and will try to justify his bad actions and decisions. He was one of the greatest, but like Shoeless Joe, he will only set foot in the HOF as a guest.
Hardest thing in my baseball life. He was baseball Jesus to me and I watched him play since I was 8 years old. For some years I really wanted to believe he was innocent. Most of the Reds greats avoided the subject and I came to grips with the truth. 20 years later I was on a deployment and there was his new book. "My Prison Without Bars". I believe this was the first time he admitted to betting on baseball. It was a pathetic piece of work. He did apologize throughout the book, then undermined it with justification paragraphs after every "apology". I'm quite convinced he isn't mentally right. If anyone had a chance to be re-instated it was probably him. (Not in a playing or managing capacity). He flat out lied to the commissioner and stuck to his story from nearly 20 years. It was pretty bold for him to even request a re-instatement hearing with the commissioner a few years back. I was surprised they humored him when he was still in business arrangements with gambling establishments at the time. I hope I never see the transcript.
Checking in once again on the teams we follow:
Red Sox: first place!
White Sox: first place!
Twins: tied for last place
Astros: first place!
Rangers: last place
Strangely polar, and strangely all AL teams.