I was watching the Rangers play the Yankees last night when I started thinking of guys that were never really superstars that I will never forget for one reason or another. Let me give you a few examples:
1. Gregg Jefferies, Mets/Cardinals. In 1987, I began collecting baseball cards. When 1988 new sets rolled around, there was a buzz about this can't miss rookie prospect. I remember opening up those packs in 1988 hoping to score a Jefferies card. He didn't turn out to be much of a player-but my friend Dustin and I still laugh about "gettin' a Jefferies!".
2. Pete Incaviglia, Rangers/Phillies. This guy was just built funny-and I remember an announcer one time saying about him strolling around the bases after a home run that he was doing the "Inky Dinky Do". It's just something that I remember any time I see a baseball player with huge arms and chest getting in the box.
3. Bob Hamelin, Royals. This guy won AL rookie of the year and looked like my brother-in-law, also named Bob-who that same year married my sister. After his rookie season, Hamelin didn't do much and my sister's marriage wasn't working out either. I don't know if Hamelin retired before or after my sister's divorce, but it was close to the same time.
4. Ken Landreaux, Dodgers. As a kid, going to Dodgertown in Vero Beach for spring training, there was this tall guy that played center field named Ken Landreaux. One day, I went to a game, and after the game was walking with my family to the car when I hear the sound of cleats running. I turned around and it was Landreaux. He was running to the batting cages up ahead. We decided to follow him. When he was done, he saw me watching and he walked over and gave me the bat he was using and signed my glove. Later that spring, they had a promotion and let kids on the field. Landreaux saw me on the field and asked me if I was using his bat. He said that he hadn't gotten a hit since he gave it to me and asked if he could have it back. I was shocked and said OK-then he just started laughing and said he was just playing. He was one of my favorite players-even though very few people know who he is.
OK, here we go with the MLB mid-season awards. I'll put up who I gave the award to in my first quarter awards and see how they've changed.
Here is who I had for my first quarter awards:
AL MVP- Manny Ramirez, Red Sox
AL Cy Young- Cliff Lee, Indians
AL Manager of the Year- Ron Gardenhire, Twins
NL MVP- Chase Utley, Phillies
NL Cy Young- Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks
NL Manager of the Year- Fredi Gonzalez, Marlins
Now for the midseason awards:
AL MVP- Josh Hamilton, Rangers. He leads the AL in HR and RBI and has made the Rangers a team that nobody wants to play.
AL Cy Young- Cliff Lee, Indians. Lee is still the pitcher that I have winning the Cy-but Francisco Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera have been lights out this season. This will get interesting.
AL Manager of the Year- Joe Maddon, Rays. Go ahead and engrave his name on the trophy-he has turned the Rays from a laughing stock into a team with the best record in baseball. Impressive!
AL Rookie of the Year- Evan Longoria, Rays. I didn't name ROY's in my quarterly awards because I didn't feel it was enough time to see the rookies. This kid is the real deal and he is a major reason the Rays have turned things around.
NL MVP- Chase Utley, Phillies. I almost put Dan Uggla here, but the Phillies have not gotten production from Jimmy Rollins, and Ryan Howard is batting .211-yet the Phils are still in 1st place. Uggla has matched Utley in HR's and is clearly the man keeping the Marlins in the race. Imagine-2 second baseman in the same division with the last name starting with U leading the majors in home runs.
NL Cy Young- Edinson Volquez, Reds. Webb has struggled lately for the D-Backs, and this kid has really impressed me. Tim Lincecum is right in this mix as well. Imagine this-a trade before the season sends the AL MVP to Texas and the NL Cy Young winner to Cincinnati. Good deal for both teams.
NL Manager of the Year- Fredi Gonzalez, Marlins. Tony LaRussa deserves props as well as Lou Piniella, but nobody has done more with less and worked through injuries as much as Gonzalez. If the Fish stay in the race, he should win this award.
NL Rookie of the Year- Kosuke Fukudome, Cubs. I was giving this award to a Cub-it's just a matter whether Fukudome or Geovany Soto was going to get it. These two rookies are very fun to watch and they have helped the Cubs to the top of the NL Central.
I'm going to share a couple of my favorite sports memories today. If you witnessed and remember them, I'd love to hear your thoughts. If these are new to you-I hope you enjoy!
1. Favorite moment at a live sporting event-Dec. 22, 1996, Atlanta Falcons at Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars were in their second season. After starting 4-7, the Jags won 4 in a row to set themselves up for a 'win and you're in' situation. Their opponent was the Atlanta Falcons, who were 3-12 and thought to have mailed it in for the season. The Jags got out to an early lead, but the Falcons hung tough and eventually took the lead. Jacksonville recaptured the lead at 19-17 with about 2:00 to go. The Falcons moved the ball down the field almost at will against the Jag defense. They got deep into Jacksonville territory and stopped the clock with 3 or 4 seconds. They brought on one of the best kickers ever to play in the NFL, Morten Andersen to try a chip shot 30 yard FG to win the game. While all this was happening, I was cringing in the stands-knowing that we probably blew our shot at the playoffs. I was already ready to watch the Falcons celebrate on our field. Then there was the snap, the kick, and the biggest roar I've ever heard. He missed!! Wide left!! Later I saw that he slipped when he went to plant. In the stands, every person was jumping up and down and hugging anybody that they could find. I don't think anybody left until about a half hour after the game because everybody was mentally exhausted. When we did leave, the hugs didn't stop-down the tunnels, in the parking lot, at Ruby Tuesday's after the game-it was THE most incredible feeling.
The Jaguars went on to the playoffs and upset Buffalo and Denver before losing to New England in the AFC Championship. The playoff wins were great too, but nothing was like that moment when Morten missed the kick.
2. Favorite baseball moment-October 1997, Game 7 of the World Series-Cleveland Indians at Florida Marlins. The Marlins were huge underdogs-they were the first Wild Card team to make it to the World Series. Let me start by saying that I was lucky enough to go to game 6, where I thought the Marlins would wrap it up. However, they were beat 4-1 to force Game 7. I couldn't get a ticket to game 7 so I had to watch on TV. I remember that the Indians went up 2-0 early and it seemed like the Marlins were just getting mowed down. Finally, in the seventh inning, Bobby Bonilla smacked a home run cutting the lead in half. But that was all the damage they could do. They held the Indians in the eighth, but didn't score in the 8th themselves. They again held the Indians in the 9th-with a great play at the plate from Charles Johnson-a gentleman that I went to high school and played Little League Baseball with. In the bottom of the ninth, Moises Alou singled to start off the inning. Then, after a flyout, Johnson hit a single to right field that advanced Alou to third base. Rookie second baseman Craig Counsell then came up and hit a sac fly scoring Alou to tie the game. The Marlins couldn't push the winning run across so they had to go extra innings. In the bottom of the 11th inning, Florida got the bases loaded with only one out. Devon White came to the plate. He was the Marlin leadoff hitter-and I was down on him for underachieving all year. But, now I was hoping he would throw it in my face. NOPE! He hit a ground ball and they got the out at home-so the bases were still loaded with 2 outs for Edgar Renteria-a young shortstop known more for his defense than his bat. Well, he smacked a line drive right up the middle scoring Counsell from 3rd base and I just remember running outside and yelling at the top of my lungs. It was after midnight but I didn't care. This was an awesome finish to an awesome season.
Yesterday, I wrote a blog about who would come to mind as the "face of the franchise" for the NFL. It sparked up some good comments, so I am going to try one for MLB. This isn't about current players-it's all time. These may not always be the best player-just the one that embodies their team the most.
There hasn't really been a real standout for this award yet this season. I'm giving it to Manny because the Red Sox are in first place, his numbers are impressive, and he got the team through Big Papi's slump.
AL Cy Young-Cliff Lee, Indians
Unlike the MVP award, this one is a slam dunk. Cleveland fans haven't had much to cheer about this year, but Cliff Lee has been dominant. His ERA is less than 1 and that just doesn't happen in the American League.
AL Manager of the Year-Ron Gardenhire, Twins
The Twins are currently in first place in the AL Central. They weren't even supposed to compete with Detroit, Cleveland, or the White Sox. It will be an interesting summer in Minneapolis if they stay in contention.
NL MVP-Chase Utley, Phillies
This one was close between him and Chipper Jones. They both are hitting the cover off the ball and making pitchers look silly. Neither one of them look like they are going to slow down any time soon. I think these two will finish the season 1-2 in the final MVP voting.
NL Cy Young-Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks
This guy is probably the most underrated player in baseball. He is consistently dominant. Players that pride themselves on adjusting to a pitcher can't figure him out. He leads the majors with 8 wins and is almost a lock to win 20.
NL Manager of the Year-Fredi Gonzalez, Marlins
The Fish are in 1st place in the NL East with a team payroll less than what Alex Rodriguez makes! They are 20-14, ahead of the favored Phillies, Braves, and Mets. He's getting contributions from a lot of unknown young players that look like they're having fun. This is a feel good story that I hope will continue.
