Do you want to hear something sick?
The summer before I went away to college I went on a date to the local mall.
Romantic, right?
Thing is, I didn’t go there because of the old stereotype “girls like to shop”…I went there solely because I needed to replace my worn out cassette (yes, cassette) of Pearl Jam’s “Ten” with a new one.
Suffice it to say, my love affair with the Seattle-based rockers has lasted much longer than the result of that afternoon explaining the overlap of Green River, Mother Love Bone and Pearl Jam to a girl I shared space with in Spanish class.
And with their latest release “Backspacer”, one can only be reminded of the consistency they’ve maintained since “Alive” first hit the airwaves in 1991. It is that same sort of consistency that has made Yankees closer Mariano Rivera an obvious shoe-in when his name comes up in Hall of Fame discussions.
Yes, I did just segue from Pearl Jam to Mariano Rivera.
Saturday night, I received the following tweet from Yankees jack of all trades Nick Swisher: “Congrats to Mo. 1000th career strikeout. Wow.”
1000 career Ks…I had no clue. Immediately that led me to scrambling. I know Rivera is a stud, but how does he stack up to active counterpart Trevor Hoffman?
How about against Hall of Famers Dennis Eckersley, Goose Gossage, Bruce Sutter or friend of The Hall Rollie Fingers?
Of the six, only Hoffman and Sutter never started a game…Eckersley started 361. “Mo” started ten in his rookie campaign, and both Gossage and Fingers took the mound as the game’s starter 37 times.
And, no, “Clerks” fans…not in a row.
I won’t compare the save totals between the six since we’re talking two VERY different periods of closers, but we can look compare their ERAs out of the bullpen.
Fingers (2.73), Hoffman (2.74), Gossage (2.77), Sutter (2.82) and Eckersley (2.85) are all pretty much cut from the same cloth when it comes to their ERA as a reliever. Rivera blows them all away with a career 2.09 ERA out of the bullpen. Matter of fact, dude even has the lowest career ERA (2.26) among relievers that have pitched at least 1000 innings.
In his saves (all American League leading 522 of them), Rivera’s ERA continues to drops even more…to a staggering 0.64. The only member of the Hall of Fame with a better ERA in his saves is Gossage at 0.54.
“Do you want to hear something sick” Pearl Jam’s Eddie Vedder warbles as “Gonna See My Friend” kicks off their latest offering, so I am inclined to ask the same…do you?
Rivera has managed to save 85% of the games he’s come in to close. By comparison…current reliever wunderkind Francisco Rodriguez is only at 77% so far in his young career. Odds are he won’t touch Mo’s consistency.
Shawn also writes for The Hall of Very Good(HOVG). If you liked this article, please follow the link to the HOVG and tell them the Drs. sent you!
The Best Multi-Sport Baseball Players
After the popularity of our story on Michael Jordan’s brief professional baseball career (yes, minor league baseball is considered professional level) in the MiLB with the Barons we were inspired to bring you this list.
Editor’s note: Every player on this list has played professional Baseball (MLB or MiLB) and another professional sport.
8 – Michael Jordan: Birmingham Baron (AA) at age 31 (for one year) after his first retirement (he retired three times) and NBA Hall of Famer. He hit only .202 with 3 HRs 51 RBIs and 18 SB. His fielding wasn’t much betterin theOF as his fielding percentage was .952
7 – Nathaniel Clifton – Minor League 1B in the Cleveland organization before moving onto the NBA for 8 seasons. As a 1B he hit .307 and 23 HRs
6 – Chuck Connors: Chicago Cubs 1B for 66 games, Brooklyn Dodgers 1B for one game and Boston Celtics as a F/C for 53 games before becoming an actor most famous for his role as “The Rifleman”. He hit only .238 with 2 HRs, 18 RBIs and 2 SBs
5 – Danny Ainge: Toronto Blue Jays and NBA player, coach and GM. While Ainge couldn’t hit his way out of a paper bag, he was playing in the major league. He played 211 games over three seasons in Toronto and hit 2 HRs, 37 RBIs, 12 SBs while hitting .220. He played mainly 2B and 3B, but also saw time at SS (6 games), LF (6 games), RF (2 games), DH (4 games) and CF (25 games).
4 – Jim Thorpe: NY Giants, Reds and Boston Braves OF from 1913 to 1919 and NFL All Decade RB/DB in the 1920’s. In those 6 seasons in the OF he hit .258 with 7 HRs, 82 RBIs and 29 SBs
3 – Deion Sanders: In 9 seasons in the OF for the Yankees, Braves, Reds and Giants he averaged .263 with 39 HRs, 168 RBIs, 43 triples (he led the NL with 14 in 1992) and 186 SBs. He was a CB for Falcons, 49ers, Cowboys, Redskins and Ravens.
2 – Bo Jackson: 8 seasons with the Royals, White Sox and Angels as an OF/DH. He hit for only a .250 BA, but had 141 HRs, 415 RBIs and 82 SBs. Bo Knew Baseball, but he also knew the NFL as a RB until his hip injury. He played both sports from age 25 to 28.
1 – Brian Jordan: 15 seasons mostly as an OF for the Cardinals, Braves, Dodgers and Rangers. His career BA was .282 with a .333 OBP and 184 HRs, 821 RBIs and 119 SBs. He was also a Safety with the Atlanta Falcons for 36 games.
Although Bo & Deion were the most famous of these former MLB baseball players, it’s hard to argue with Brian Jordan’s 15 years, .282 BA and other numbers. Although Bo would have surpassed him in HRs and possibly some other categories if he was able to play longer.
Both Danny Ainge & Chuck Connors beat out Jordan and Clifton only because they played on the Major League teams while Jordan and Clifton only played in the minors!
My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE!
Michael Jordan and Baseball: Fulfilling A Fathers Dream
Editor’s note: Yes, that is current Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona. He was Jordan’s baseball manager with the Barons!
Michael Jordan’s recent induction into the NBA Hall of Fame was a no-brainer. There is no other basketball player on the face of the earth who deserves it more, with the exception of maybe Bill Russell, with all due respect. The idea that Jordan is anything but the greatest is as ridiculous as saying Manny Ramirez is a two-time NBA all-star. Of course, we do know that Ramirez never played professional basketball on any level, but the same cannot be said for Jordan, who played minor league baseball in the mid-90’s after the first of his three eventual basketball retirements.
Jordan’s story is sad and noble, but is it fair that he was able to walk into a baseball roster spot because he was a great…basketball player?
Let’s start with the sad part of the story. In July 1993, when Jordan was at the height of a tremendous career wave, the story broke that his father was murdered. The late James R. Jordan was gunned down as he slept in his car at a rest stop.
According to Jerry Reinsdorf, majority owner of the Chicago White Sox & the Chicago Bulls, said of Jordan- “The death of his father and all of the media attention and people saying it was because of his gambling, it had got to him. He was burned out.”
Jordan himself has said that it was his father’s dream to see him play baseball. That might be why he was set to play a few games for the Kannapolis Intimidators, a Class A affiliate for the Chicago White Sox, before his father’s passing.
“He said he wants to go to Kannapolis and just play a couple of games. He had taken batting practice a couple of years before,” said Reinsdorf. “Shortly thereafter, he found out his father was dead and that took care of the Kannapolis thing.”
It’s understandable that Jordan would be sick and tired of the media attention, and how ultimately this would affect his play on the court. It’s a noble and precious idea to take the words of a father who taught him so much, knowing that you’ll never be able to see or talk to him again. The only thing Jordan had was the dream of a father that his son play major league baseball.
And that’s what he set out to do. Jordan shocked the world by retiring from basketball at the age of 30.
In March 1994, he signed a contract to play professional baseball for the Birmingham Barons, a Class AA affiliate of the White Sox. The media coverage didn’t cease, nor did the idea that a publicity stunt was in the works. Even White Sox hitting coach Walt Hriniak had his doubts. “We don’t need this kind of publicity and what kind of gimmick is this?” remembers Reinsdorf of Hriniaks comments.
As it turns out Jordan was one of the hardest working guys on the field in the spring of that year. Of course trying to quell the doubts of many, and learning in a short time what the guys next to him have been learning since the early days of little league, will challenge anyone to work harder than most.
At the end of that baseball year stood Michael Jordan, an outfielder with a .202 batting average, 114 strikeouts in 436 at bats, three home runs, 51 RBI’s, and 30 stolen bases in 127 games. Let’s be honest, these numbers aren’t even good enough to keep a no-name orphan with a prosthetic leg and one blind eye in the game of baseball. They’d tell him maybe he should start looking for another line of work. That maybe this baseball thing isn’t going to work out after all. For a young player, the scouts would say this kid’s got potential. For a 31 year old Michael Jordan with mediocre skills, it’s too late for potential. The greatness he showed on the basketball court didn’t translate over to the diamond. He showed good instincts on the fastball, but couldn’t hit a curve with a 2×4.
There have never been many two-sport superstars in the professional ring. Bo Jackson was one, and Deion Sanders was another, playing both baseball and football. Both men displayed incredible skills to be able to achieve that goal. Is it fair that someone who has the want and desire to enter a professional sports setting, but has never demonstrated the ability to be able to perform such tasks, be allowed to take a spot away from those that do because he was great in another arena? Some may say yes, but there’s a 9-5er out there somewhere that might disagree.
If his name starts with Michael and ends with Jordan, then I guess that question is null and void.
In the end, Jordan retired from baseball in March 1995 and went back to the Chicago Bulls. For one year the sports writers had a story to write about, the White Sox organization took in unexpected publicity and profits, and Jordan got to partially fulfill his fathers dream of playing professional baseball, even if it wasn’t in a major league setting.
The quotes from Jerry Reinsdorf were taken from Scott Merkin’s piece “Jordan’s effort a marvel 15 years later“ on MLB.com.
Video of the Day: Bloopers and Highlights to ‘Centerfield’
Here’s a video of some great plays and bloopers put to the music of the song Centerfield.
My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE!
Fantasy Focus: Top Spot Starters For Week 26
The final week of the fantasy baseball season is upon us. If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve got a lot to gain (or lose) in the next seven days.
It’s important to note that all Yahoo leagues use ERA as it’s first tiebreaker. If you finish the week tied five-to-five, the championship goes to the team with the lowest ERA; there’s no split title.
With that in mind, here are a few favorable spot-start match ups this week. Scoop these guys up for a final spot-start and you’ll likely be rewarded with a low ERA and maybe even a win!
Brad Penny
Four of Penny’s five September starts saw him last at least seven innings and allow two runs or fewer. In 22 innings at AT&T Park this season, the 31-year-old has a 2.05 ERA and 0.86 WHIP. He’s scheduled to pitch there on Wednesday against the Diamondbacks, making him a good spot-start option.
Tim Hudson
Hudson has pitched five times since returning from Tommy John surgery, and has proven himself reliable, given a favorable matchup. His home ERA (2.57) is much better than his road total (4.41), which suggests his Tuesday start against the Marlins in Atlanta could be a good one. Get him in your lineup.
At this point in the season, every at-bat matters. It’s necessary to look at career batter vs. pitcher splits, and go with the favorable matchups. Here are a couple batters who fit the bill:
Jack Cust
Cust is batting .400 with two bombs and seven RBI over the past week. Oakland will face Seattle right-hander Brandon Morrow on Wednesday, a pitcher Cust has gone deep on twice in just 10 career at-bats. In addition to this, Cust is batting .364 in 22 at-bats this season at SAFECO Field this season.
Carlos Guillen
Guillen is 11-for-25 (.440) lifetime against Scott Baker, the Twins’ scheduled starter for Thursday’s matchup against the Tigers. On a day when only 22 teams are scheduled to play, Guillen makes for a great spot-start.
Good luck in your championship games, and thanks for reading. I hope the rest of you enjoyed this season as much as I did!
Nick Kappel is the resident Fantasy Baseball guru here at The Dugout Doctors and Baseball Reflections. You can read more of his work on Baseball Reflections by clicking HERE!
The Phillies Need To Turn the Lights Out on Lidge
What is Philadelphia Phillies manager, Charlie Manuel, going to do with the back end of his bullpen? As an avid Philadelphia sports fan watching virtually every game this season, I have witnessed the meltdown of the Phils closer, Brad Lidge, who went “perfect” in last year’s championship season in save opportunities (48 for 48). This season has been anything but perfect for the man who’s nickname is “Lights Out Lidge”, since he has blown double digit saves and has an ERA of almost 8. Consequently the Phils have to make some difficult decisions regarding who will close out games for them this October.
After blowing his 11th save and losing the game on Sept. 24th to the Florida Marlins, Charlie Manuel has finally hinted that he will have to look in another direction for the role as closer of the Phillies. It will be a hard choice since the team as a whole has blown 22 saves. Charlie at times has been loyal to a fault in dealing with Lidge, and in actuality, the move away from him was long overdue. For whatever the reason, he just doesn’t have good stuff this year.
Let’s take a look at the Phillies options as closer:
Ryan “Mad Dog” Madson – As the most obvious choice, Madson possesses two outstanding pitches to blow hitters away. His best pitch is the circle change-up which can be devastating when combined with his 97 mph fastball. Two problems exist, as a backup closer when Lidge was injured, Madson had blown 6 saves in 14 chances and he is currently perfect as an 8th inning set up man. I doubt that he has the aggressive mind-set needed to challenge hitters every day as a closer. Season Stats – 5-5, 3.33 ERA, 73 Innings, 8 Saves, 6 Blown Saves, 76 appearances
Brett Myers – Myers was forced into closer duties for the club during the ‘07 season, converting 21 of 24 save opportunities for the ineffective Tom Gordon and Antonio Alfonseca. He has one of the best knee buckling curveballs in the National League to go along with an above average fastball (92mph) and appears to have the right mentality to close games. Myers downfall is that he has problems controlling his emotions and is coming off of injuries for the 2nd time this season. Season Stats – 4-3, 4.74 ERA, 68.1 Innings, 0 Saves, 0 BS, 15 Appearances
Chad Durbin – Whithout any really outstanding strikeout pitches but having good control, Durbin has been a 7th-8th inning guy throughout his career. That role fits him perfectly on this team since he also lacks the aggressive mind-set to close. Season Stats – 1-2, 4.71 ERA, 65.0 Innings, 2 Saves, 1 Blown Save, 55 Appearances
J.A. Happ – Although he has proved that he could be a mainstay in the Phils starting rotation for years to come, Happ has pinpoint control and a sneaky fastball and change which is almost as good as Hamels. When the playoffs begin, Happ will probably be forced into the pen anyways, in favor of Hamels, Lee, and Blanton as their 3 man rotation. The Phils also are devoid of left handed relief pitching with injuries to J.C. Romero (forearm) and Scott Ayre (elbow). It might be the first time that a Rookie of the Year (Happ is the front-runner) becomes a closer for the postseason. Season Stats – 11-4, 2.79 ERA, 158.1 Innings, 33 Appearances(21 starts)
Pedro Martinez – The self proclaimed “Old Goat” has been spectacular in his return after a one year layoff. Although his fastball has dipped from his early years from 98 to 92 mph, he has proven to still be a strikeout pitcher with outstanding movement on his breaking pitches. As far as having the demeanor to close, Pedro is one of the smartest and most competitive players to ever play the game. He has fresh legs since he has only made 8 starts but has a minor neck injury, forcing him to miss his most recent start. Season Stats – 5-1, 3.32 ERA, 40.2 Innings, 8 Appearances
Tyler Walker – Even though he spent most of his season in AAA Lehigh Valley, Walker does have major league closing experience. He has saved 34 games in his career and was the SF Giants closer in ‘05, where he saved 23 games in 28 chances and is a veteran of 8 MLB seasons. His downside is that herelies on location and change of speed and doesn’t possess an out pitch to get out of a jam. Season Stats – 2-0, 2.23ERA, 32.1 Innings, 0 Saves, 0 Blown Saves, 28 Appearances
Other relievers with career saves but aren’t really an option include Scott Ayre (injured), Clay Condrey, J.C. Romero (injured), Sergio Escalona (from AA), Chan Ho Park (injured), and Jack Taschner (0-1 in saves).
In my opinion, Brett Myers, if healthy, is the team’s best option since he has done the job previously and has said that he actually prefers to close over starting. If he is not healthy enough, Pedro may be the next best option since just like Happ he will probably be forced to the bullpen during the postseason. Martinez has proven his worth as a possible HOF pitcher as a starter in the league. Why not give him a shot like Dennis Eckersley and John Smoltz have done before him? If all else fails Charlie could decide to utilize a closer by committee method by using different pitchers every night based on numbers.
With only a week left before the regular season ends, I hope Charlie realizes that “Lights Out Lidge” is no longer an option for this team. He must make a quick decision since every team which has ever advanced through the playoffs and challenged for a World Championship has had a definitive closing option.
Allen Moll is an avid NBA and College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen is a regular columnist for our sister site, The Hoop Doctors, and also contributes to Bleacherreport.com, UpperDeckblog.com, and his own site, Hoops Haven.
Current MLB Players To Build A Team Around
The list that follows is a listing of players I would build a team around if all MLB players were available to choose from. Because this list is for players to build a team around, anyone over the age of 34 will not be included on this list…sorry Mariano Rivera fans, but I’m building this team for the future and he’s pushing 40.
For this list I will include one player per everyday position with five starting pitchers, one set up man and one utility player. Their current age will be in parenthesis.
C – Yadier Molina (27):
In my opinion Yadier is the best all around catcher in the game right now and he’s only 27! Just read the August ESPN Magazine article on him which can be found here.
Honorable Mention:
Joe Mauer – he’s found his power stroke the first part of the year, but he just can’t touch Yadier behind the dish. Who can?
1B – Albert Pujols (29):
Do I really have to defend this one? The numbers speak for themselves.
Honorable Mention:
Adrian Gonzalez – on a better team & he might give Pujols a run for this slot.
2B – Chase Utley (30, turns 31 on 12/17):
His power at this position (30 + HR when healthy) and his age are what gets him onto this list. He’s not too shabby in the field either.
Honorable Mention:
Dustin Pedroia – he’s younger.
3B – Evan Longoria (23, turns 24 on 10/7):
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, he’s just a beast! He’s also one of the youngest guys on this list. He plays both sides of the ball extremely well and is calm, cool and collective on the field. His numbers are up across the board, this guy doesn’t know the phrase, sophomore slump. His BA is up 10 points from last year and his OBP, BB and RBI are up more than 20 and he’s even hit more HRs. The only negative I can find is that he has struck out more this season.
Honorable Mention:
David Wright – If his power didn’t disappear this year, I might have given him some more thought.
SS – Hanley Ramirez (25, turns 26 on 12/23):
His defense has improved, but he’s still no Omar Visquel, but he has also head and shoulders above the rest as his BA, RBI have gone up this year as he is also striking out less than he did a year ago which shows more patience (and that’s with moving to the # 3 hole in the line up). However, his SBs and HRs are down.
Honorable Mention:
Troy Tulowitzki – he’s much better on defense, has hit more HRs this year, but his average is almost 70 points lower and with 20 fewer RBIs, too.
LF – Ryan Braun (25, turns 26 on 11/17):
100 HRs, over 300 RBIs to go along with 45 SBs while hitting for a .305 BA with an OBP of .361 and he has walked more this year, and all in his first three seasons and this one’s not over yet. Who has better numbers than these?
Honorable Mention:
Carl Crawford – He has proven this year that 2008 was an off year and he is still a terror on the bases which is why he’s even mentioned next to Braun.
CF – Jacoby Ellsbury (26):
Currently at 66 SBs while hitting .303 with an OBP of .354 and he has learned how to be a legitimate leadoff hitter in only his second full season. He’s not too shabby in CF either.
Honorable Mention:
Grady Sizemore – When healthy, his 30/30 prowess is quite impressive.
RF – Justin Upton (22):
I’m probably missing someone here, but on top of Justin’s solid defense, he is much improved in his second full season in Arizona. So far he has 10 more HRs while doubling his RBI total, will probably reach 20 SBs and raised his BA more than 50 points and his OBP by almost 20.
Honorable Mention:
Nick Markakis – His numbers are down again from his 2007 season or he would be in the running. Maybe on a better team and he’d be more in contention.
UTIL – Ty Wiggington (31, turn 32 on 10/11):
He has some pop in his bat and is a gritty player who can play any position except up the middle (C, P and CF). His versatility is what gets him this spot on my list and the fact that he averages 20+ HRs, 76 RBIs, with a .271 BA. What more do you want in a utility player?
Honorable Mention:
Ben Zobrist – Aside from this year, he just hasn’t played enough to be considered, but his ability to play every position except P, C and 1B is impressive!
SP1 – Roy Halladay (32):
A former Cy Youn Award winner with 3 other top 5 finishes beyond that! Doc has 24 complete games in the past three years with 6 of those being shutouts and he threw no less than 225 innings in those years. In that same time he has 52 wins and over 540 strikeouts after his complete game shutout tonight. The doctor is in my house and he makes house calls!
SP2 – Zack Grienke (25, turns 26 on 10/21):
Over the past two years Grienke has pitched well for a bad team! He has pitched over 200 innings with an ERA of 3.67 and under with over 400 strikeouts and he’s only 25. Just think of how good he would be on a contender!
SP3 – CC Sabathia (29):
A former Cy Young Award winner who can hit and do so with power. Just in case my team is playing in the NL, you’ll need a pitcher that can hit. By the way, he can pitch, too. Since that award winning year he has compiled 12 complete games in 516 innings pitched and 54 wins with 646 strikeouts in those three years.
SP4 – Felix Hernandez (23):
Another good pitcher on a bad team who has gone 190 innings plus over the past 4 years with 7 complete games with 3 of those being shutouts and over 700 strikeouts in that span. And remember, he’s still only 23!
SP5 – Tim Lincecum (25):
Last year’s NL Cy Young Award winner who will earn his 40th win in his career (3 seasons) with his next win. In 6 complete games half of those were shutouts in over 584 innings and 662 strikeouts. Just think of what he could do on a team with a better offense.
Honorable Mentions:
Justin Verlander – This 26 year old was the 2006 Rookie of the Year and has only 1 year without 17 or more wins since then. In 6 complete games half of those were shutouts in over 813 innings with over 720 strikeouts.
Closer – Jonathan Papelbon (28, turns 29 on 11/23):
Papelbon has been an all star since 2006 when he came in second in Rookie of the Year voting. In that time he has compiled 150 saves in 261 innings with 310 strikeouts
Honorable Mention:
Jose Valverde – He has 115 saves over the past three seasons in 187 innings with 207 strikeouts and that’s with missing some time this year.
If any of you have a bone to pick with this list, please make this an opportunity to do one of two things:
- Make your own list & post it in the comments section
- Tell us of your additions or subtractions to this list, with your reasons why, it in the comments section
We always welcome a good debate and we very well might have missed someone. Heck, I missed Tommy Lasorda on my previous list.
My name is Peter Schiller. I am the creator/owner of Baseball Reflections.com. I’m also a contributing writer. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE!
Talkin’ Baseball with Former O’s Catcher Chris Hoiles
Much was made when Cal Ripken, Jr. broke Lou Gehrig’s “Iron Man” streak September 6, 1995. To this day…many say he “saved baseball”.
For the next three years, he did what he did 2632 games prior…he went to work. Last Saturday (September 19) marked the 11th anniversary of Ripken playing the last game of his historic games played streak.
Outside of Ripken himself, only four other players played in both games: Rafael Palmeiro, Brady Anderson and Chris Hoiles for the Orioles…Chili Davis suited up for the opposition (the Angels in the first game and the Yankees in the second).
I had the chance recently to talk with Hoiles, a 2006 inductee to the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame.
HOVG: So, what was it like taking the field as the starting catcher for both game 2131 and 2632 of Ripken’s streak?
HOILES: It was a once in a lifetime thing. Being the starting catcher for those two dates was unbelievable. Everything leading up to that date, you knew it was something special. Watching Cal play during my time there for ten years, you appreciate him for his desire to play and his dedication to the sport to be able to do this.
HOVG: In Ripken’s run to surpassing Gehrig’s record…he delivered at the plate as well. He could have mailed it in, but he went deep three consecutive nights. Was he that amped up or did he just get good pitches to hit?
HOILES: I think it was a matter of both, being amped up and getting good pitches. That’s the way he approached each and every game. He prepared himself for those games, just like he did for any other games.
HOVG: When you joined the Orioles full-time in 1991, Ripken was already well on his way to a Hall of Fame career…but so were some other teammates of yours. Let me throw some names your way and you let me know what your thoughts are of them. I’m a HUGE Baines guy, so, first off…Harold Baines. Hall of Famer?
HOILES: Harold Baines, I feel should be in the Hall of Fame. His numbers compare or are better than a lot of guys that are already in. Being able to do what he did at the DH position, speaks for itself. Very hard thing to do and he excelled at it.
HOVG: After Jorge Posada’s 183 games behind the dish…you caught Mike Mussina more than anyone else out there at 175. What are your thoughts on “Moose” as a pitcher and a potential Hall of Famer?
HOILES: I enjoyed catching “Moose” as long as I did. He is a guy that just knew how to pitch, and later in his career he showed that by having to adjust to what he couldn’t do when he was younger. He won 20 games in his last year! He had an arsenal of pitches that he could throw at any time and throw them for strikes. I think he should be a strong candidate for the Hall of Fame.
HOVG: Rafael Palmeiro…does he still have a chance at Cooperstown or is his steroid suspension going to lead to him being made an example of?
HOILES: I don’t know about Raffy. He really screwed up through the whole process. I think the numbers would get him in, but I don’t know if he will get in.
HOVG: And since I mentioned Palmeiro…I’ve gotta ask about Brady Anderson. Is a guy like Brady a victim of all the steroid talk because of his 1996 season or is it warranted?
HOILES: Brady was a good hitter. I don’t think we would have been able to do what we did as a team without Brady in the leadoff spot. I don’t know if he did steroids or not, but he had a great year in 96, and I don’t think he ever hit over 20 homers in a season again, but sometimes players just have that one great year and that’s it.
HOVG: You had some success against Randy Johnson. What are your thoughts on the recent 300 game winner?
HOILES: Randy Johnson is a future Hall of Famer. A first ballot inductee I think. He was very intimidating on the mound and had nasty stuff. I don’t know how I had so much success off of him, but I saw the ball very well off of him.
HOVG: Is there a certain at bat that sticks out in your mind?
HOILES: One at bat that sticks out is…one game I got a hit off of him in my first at bat and drove in two guys. The next at bat, first pitch, he drilled me in the back of my front leg. The at bat after that, I hit a long home run to left center field of the old King Dome.
HOVG: And if that wasn’t big enough…you kinda became known for some big ones while with Baltimore. In 1998, you became only the ninth player to hit two grand slams in one game. Walk me through that. It has to be a thrill.
HOILES: Well, the two grand slam game was special to me, because I went from playing every day to part-time with Lenny Webster. I hadn’t played in a few days, and that was my first start in a while. Plus it was in Cleveland, where I have a lot of friends and family come too because of where I grew up. The first one was a 2-0 count split finger from Charles Nagy and the second was a 3-2 fastball from Ron Villone. Very special night, especially after it was all over and I found out that I was only the ninth person to do it. Three of the nine were Orioles and I was the first catcher to do it.
HOVG: Two years prior (May 17, 1996), you ended a pretty crazy game with what some call the “ultimest” grand slam. Full count, two outs, base loaded…down three. What was that like?
HOILES: It was an awesome feeling, knowing that the game was on the line when I came to bat. Nothing like it.
HOVG: On a serious note, you’ve recently resigned from your post as manager of the York Revolution. You led them to the playoffs last season and were the only manager the young franchise ever knew…will we see you again as a manager or coach?
HOILES: I don’t know if you will see me on the field again or not. I enjoyed my time in York and enjoyed the manager’s post, but I just don’t know right now. I enjoy the game and I enjoy helping young men get better, whether at the major league level or the minor leagues.
HOVG: Tell me about your latest venture. What’s keeping you busy?
HOILES: I also have started a new company with my business partner Adam Gladstone called “The Hoiles-Gladstone Group” or HGG. Our website was launched recently and is a great way to keep in touch with us on all our events. We are combining professional athletes from all sports with the sports fan. We have our first event October 21-25, a bow hunting trip to Northeast Pennsylvania including Ben McDonald, Will Clark, Jamie Walker and myself. We are looking to get 16 paying customers to join us. We have a Cajun chef cooking all the meals.
Chris Hoiles was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 1986 and made his way to Baltimore via a 1988 trade. He was a career .262 hitter with 151 home runs…his career slugging percentage (.467) is the ninth best in Orioles history.
If anyone is interested in joining the gang on their hunting trip…all the information is available at their website. Hoiles says that if someone is the first one to sign up…he might even be able to throw a discount their way. And if you do end up going on the HGG hunting trip…drop The Hall a line at hallofverygood@yahoo.com.
Shawn also writes for The Hall of Very Good(HOVG). If you liked this article, please follow the link to the HOVG and tell them the Drs. sent you!
Ankiel Hitting the Wall in Bush Stadium
This is one of the worst incidents I’ve seen of an outfielder running into a wall. I can’t believe that he made it back on the field this season after seeing this video.
I am Peter Schiller, the owner of Baseball Reflections and I am also a writer there, too. To read more of my work at Baseball Reflections just click HERE!
Half Naked Fat Man Streaks at Royals-Tigers Game
Not sure how this one slipped by us, but never fear for you fans of the streakers, here is the video from the Tigers-Royals game last week that was briefly interrupted by a large naked streaking man. I don’t know about you, but I love to time how long it takes for the streaker to get caught. This guy doesn’t do too bad at all. Personally, I was surprised by the lateral quicks this guy has for his size.
P.S. – On this one, for once, you can be thankful for ‘low definition’ shoddy camera work:
