Winter Potpourri
Well, my offseason plan didn't exactly come into fruition, now did it? Of course, neither did Dave Cameron's plan, whose thoughts are more widely read, if not more respected. Heck, I don't know anyone who predicted that our offseason signings would include Jarrod Washburn, Matt Lawton, and Carl Everett (a lot of people indeed foresaw the Kenji Johjima signing). I had a hunch that Bavasi was going to go after Washburn, but I was plugging my ears in a Veda Sultenfuss manner, hoping it wouldn't come true. I certainly wouldn't mind a few more tweaks, but only if it involves people other than Jeremy Reed. Only way I'm OK with 'em trading Reed is if the last name Lester or Papelbon is headed to Seattle. I'd give this offseason, so far, a C- grade. Sans Johjima, though, it's probably a D- at best. I hope this team surprises us in a good way during 2006. I'm not expecting much.
Sammy Sosa, he of corked bat fame, and Rafael Palmeiro, he of one flunked steroids test (and several passed tests, both before and after the failed one), are both still available for the taking. Both are sliding quickly down that slope that takes shape in the mid-30's. It seems like only yesterday I was sifting through packs of 1987 baseball cards looking for Palmeiro, McGwire, Canseco, Mattingly, Boggs, Clemens, Will Clark and any other card that was worth more than 25 cents. What I ended up with, though, was more of the Larry Parrish, Kent Tekulve, Mookie Wilson and Rance Mulliniks variety. That was about the time I was really getting into baseball, having spent most of my youth as a Seahawks and Sonics fan. It was still a good eight years before that magical '95 season, and even four years before they had their first winning season. Now, those guys are retiring, and heck, even Will Clark, Walt Weiss, Albert Belle, Doc Gooden, Gregg Jeffries, Hal Morris, and Gary DiSarcina are on the HOF ballot for the first time (and Mattingly has been knocking for 6 years now). A few of 'em might receive a vote or two, but I would be very, very surprised to see any of 'em get in. I'd likely only vote for Mattingly, myself.
Other than that, it's pretty quiet around M'sville. Unless you load their freakin' home page and have your speakers on. That bugs me to this day!
posted by PositivePaul @ 8:52 AM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Kent Tekulve is like, the most adorkable sidearm pitcher in the history of baseball. I used to adore him when I was a kid. Of course, I also used to adore Von Hayes, so your mileage may vary.
By the way, there IS a way to turn off the thing that auto-loads videos on MLB team front pages, but I did it so very long ago that I've forgotten how the heck I did it.
I will be giving away my age here, but I can remember when Howard Cosell was doing the World Series and referred to Tekulve's motion as a "buggywhip" so many times I wanted to become ill. He also kept referring to Phil Garner as "the little pepper pot"... arrrgh. But yes, Tekulve was great fun to watch!
Post a Comment
<< Home