Comments on: Rookie Infielders http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/ Voice of the Mathematically Eliminated Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:11:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Ennui Willie Keeler http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5969 Ennui Willie Keeler Tue, 20 May 2008 00:44:44 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5969 <b><a></a>12.</b>  Errr, Schueler. As for the other two rooks, I don't recall them at all. 12.  Errr, Schueler. As for the other two rooks, I don’t recall them at all.

]]> By: Ennui Willie Keeler http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5968 Ennui Willie Keeler Tue, 20 May 2008 00:40:05 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5968 <b><a></a>11.</b>  Jim Gantner looks a little like Harpo Marx there while Bump Wills is obviously standing in front of a Jon Schuler painting. 11.  Jim Gantner looks a little like Harpo Marx there while Bump Wills is obviously standing in front of a Jon Schuler painting.

]]> By: Brent is a Dodger Fan http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5967 Brent is a Dodger Fan Mon, 19 May 2008 20:42:17 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5967 <b><a></a>10.</b>  <a href="#9" rel="nofollow">9</a> How's that for pressure? Would you want the mantle of "future star"? I mean, it is as if to say, "not now, but one day, man, this guy's gonna be awesome". What I love about this site is how often Josh looks at these cards with completely fresh eyes. There's no doubt in my mind that I would not have noticed the expressions on the faces of the four players pictured, or the backgrounds... Oh, and after the Dodgers posted five consecutive ROYs in the early 90s, and then went on to miss the playoffs each of the next seven years, any thought that I had that having great rookies was connected to winning went away. No more blank slates, just a sense of knowing it takes more than one (or five) 10.  9 How’s that for pressure? Would you want the mantle of “future star”? I mean, it is as if to say, “not now, but one day, man, this guy’s gonna be awesome”.

What I love about this site is how often Josh looks at these cards with completely fresh eyes. There’s no doubt in my mind that I would not have noticed the expressions on the faces of the four players pictured, or the backgrounds…

Oh, and after the Dodgers posted five consecutive ROYs in the early 90s, and then went on to miss the playoffs each of the next seven years, any thought that I had that having great rookies was connected to winning went away. No more blank slates, just a sense of knowing it takes more than one (or five)

]]> By: turkeyleg http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5966 turkeyleg Mon, 19 May 2008 19:59:19 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5966 <b><a></a>9.</b>  Perhaps the ultimate blank slate: http://i23.ebayimg.com/06/i/000/d6/27/8c4e_1.JPG 9.  Perhaps the ultimate blank slate:

http://i23.ebayimg.com/06/i/000/d6/27/8c4e_1.JPG

]]> By: Sox Fan In NYC http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5965 Sox Fan In NYC Mon, 19 May 2008 19:14:30 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5965 <b><a></a>8.</b>  ahh Tim Naehring! Though Cam Neely had more success, I always though Naehring was the Sox version to Neely. the guy couldn't stay healthy! 8.  ahh Tim Naehring! Though Cam Neely had more success, I always though Naehring was the Sox version to Neely. the guy couldn’t stay healthy!

]]> By: JL25and3 http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5964 JL25and3 Mon, 19 May 2008 17:36:02 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5964 <b><a></a>7.</b>  <a href="#5" rel="nofollow">5</a> The most efficient version of that phenomenon was Ted Cox. He created quite a hubbub in Boston by getting 6 hits in his first 6 major-league at-bats (with a walk, no less). And that was pretty much it for Ted Cox... 7.  5 The most efficient version of that phenomenon was Ted Cox. He created quite a hubbub in Boston by getting 6 hits in his first 6 major-league at-bats (with a walk, no less). And that was pretty much it for Ted Cox…

]]> By: Brotz13 http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5963 Brotz13 Mon, 19 May 2008 17:16:39 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5963 <b><a></a>6.</b>  As an O's fan, the first rookie to dash my hopes was Jeffrey Hammonds. 4th overall draft pick out of Stanford (which had already given us Mike Mussina), picked two slots ahead of a high school shortstop named Jeter, big smile, five tools. He was in Baltimore by midseason 1993, and was hitting .323 in early August, at which point he went on the DL with a herniated disk. It would be the first of many injuries for Jeffrey, who had one ridiculously good year in the rarified air of Colorado in 2002 but finally retired last year as a .272 career hitter who never played as many as 130 games in a year. 6.  As an O’s fan, the first rookie to dash my hopes was Jeffrey Hammonds. 4th overall draft pick out of Stanford (which had already given us Mike Mussina), picked two slots ahead of a high school shortstop named Jeter, big smile, five tools. He was in Baltimore by midseason 1993, and was hitting .323 in early August, at which point he went on the DL with a herniated disk. It would be the first of many injuries for Jeffrey, who had one ridiculously good year in the rarified air of Colorado in 2002 but finally retired last year as a .272 career hitter who never played as many as 130 games in a year.

]]> By: Josh Wilker http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5962 Josh Wilker Mon, 19 May 2008 16:43:48 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5962 <b><a></a>5.</b>  <a href="#4" rel="nofollow">4</a> : Other Bosox "blank slate" phenoms/surrenderers to gravity that jump immediately to mind: Tim Naehring (injuries, so many injuries) Phil Plantier (man, could he rake for a little while there) Nomar Garciaparra (took him a while, but gravity got him; I still remember the first time I saw him, during a late-season callup: I thought, "Good lord, this young eagle-beaked lad like a winner.") 5.  4 : Other Bosox “blank slate” phenoms/surrenderers to gravity that jump immediately to mind:

Tim Naehring (injuries, so many injuries)
Phil Plantier (man, could he rake for a little while there)
Nomar Garciaparra (took him a while, but gravity got him; I still remember the first time I saw him, during a late-season callup: I thought, “Good lord, this young eagle-beaked lad like a winner.”)

]]> By: Sox Fan In NYC http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5961 Sox Fan In NYC Mon, 19 May 2008 16:29:46 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5961 <b><a></a>4.</b>  Shea Hillenbrand was the first rookie I obsessed over. The guy was a catcher in the minors with no hope of getting up to the bigs. Then he was there, as the third baseman. You're so right about the blank slate. As he became a veteran and bounced around, he managed to ruin the wholesome image I had created within my own mind. Ah well, can't win em all :) 4.  Shea Hillenbrand was the first rookie I obsessed over. The guy was a catcher in the minors with no hope of getting up to the bigs. Then he was there, as the third baseman. You’re so right about the blank slate. As he became a veteran and bounced around, he managed to ruin the wholesome image I had created within my own mind. Ah well, can’t win em all :)

]]> By: Josh Wilker http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5960 Josh Wilker Mon, 19 May 2008 15:50:22 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/2008/05/19/rookie-infielders/#comment-5960 <b><a></a>3.</b>  <a href="#1" rel="nofollow">1</a> : Nice find. Bernhardt was, for his one and only time, a semiregular the year this card came out, and Champion was, for his one and only time, a regular. Wills played every day, too, and finished third in the ROY voting (behind Eddie Murray and Mitchell Page). He played pretty well for a few years, but then things came to an abrupt end after a decent year with the Cubs, maybe because Ryne Sandberg was ready to take over. Gantner was the only guy here not to play a lot in '77, but when all was said and done he was by far the most accomplished major leaguer (63rd best second-baseman of all time, according to Bill James). (I don't remember the "Birdman" nickname.) 3.  1 : Nice find.

Bernhardt was, for his one and only time, a semiregular the year this card came out, and Champion was, for his one and only time, a regular. Wills played every day, too, and finished third in the ROY voting (behind Eddie Murray and Mitchell Page). He played pretty well for a few years, but then things came to an abrupt end after a decent year with the Cubs, maybe because Ryne Sandberg was ready to take over. Gantner was the only guy here not to play a lot in ’77, but when all was said and done he was by far the most accomplished major leaguer (63rd best second-baseman of all time, according to Bill James). (I don’t remember the “Birdman” nickname.)

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