Looking back, I can’t believe the crap we put up with. Dave Stapleton was my favorite back then (I loved his mustache), but I look at his stats now and I can’t believe he was a starting, major league first baseman. We used to argue about whether Wade Boggs was selfish, because he walked so much. Jeez, ever look at Tony Armas’s stats? I think he had an OBP that was a negative number.

All things considered, the Bagwell trade was a little understandable. The team had a proposterous logjam at third. I don’t remember the whole list, but among the choices were Boggs, Valentin, Naehring (who I think mostly played short, but not well), Scott Cooper, and Bagwell. Someone had to get traded. Gorman chose the wrong guy, and he should absolutely be crucified for it. What I don’t understand is why they were pursuing guys like Jack Clark to play DH instead of …

Sigh. It’s all in the past, right?

At some point, I started giving him thumbs down before reading, and then I’d go back and see what he wrote. He was really stupid.

Contrary to what some will tell you, he was not a troll, just very opinionated. He was unable to back down from an unconsidered remark and so easy to work into a rage that the trolls all came to feast like flies to an open wound.

Sometimes, especially when he’d get drunk and post, even the grown ups around here would get into it with him. 18thstreet & he used to have some epic posts. I swear though, when sober and reflective, that guy was pretty decent and he posted some funny comments when he was on his game. Nobody loved Carlie Manuel more and nobody cut Cholly up more for talking all “aww-shucks” than HB.

Craig had to ban him once then unbanned him when HB promised to cool it. Came back on the board with “biceps” spelled correctly and he hung in there for a while, but slowly, ‘cepts crept back in.

When the Phillys failed to win the Series, he went fully back to his old ‘bicepts’ ways…he didn’t survive Wilson Ramos’s kidnapping. It was his opinion that, “really, what could you expect to happen in Latin America? Kidnapping is what they do over there” or words to that effect. America for Americans first, that was HB, loud and proud and at least 80 proof. ‘Natch, this caused friction.

I miss that guy: he was lively and up for a baseball joke anytime. I refused to comment with him after 7pm, though. His drunk commenting was what ultimately did him in. It is my hope that where ever he is he’s gotten himself cleaned up, sober, and learned some restraint.

Though Rizzo’s no Prince, (to quote my jewish mom) he’ll likely equate to something like Pena .
If contracts were equal, Pena for Bell wouldn’t be a terrible needs trade.
Nice trade with upside for both sides.

That would be the Yawkey’s muppet Lou Gorman that traded the Eastern League MVP for a lush.

I like the cut of yer jib nonetheless.

I have a hard time imagining Rizzo hitting for average. If you look at his minor league career beyond last year he’s a .296 hitter over 1400+ abs, so that’s probably his high end. But he strikes out so much I suspect he’ll have trouble hitting for average. He’s a power hitter, just look at his grip in the picture. Nothing wrong with that, but he’s no Sanchez, he’s more of a Trumbo.

Of course, imagining Rizzo’s numbers now are very premature.