Jose Altuve Earns AL Silver Slugger Award

November 7, 2014
Jose Altuve, Houston Astros ~ 2014 Al Batting Champion Wins Silver Slugger Award at 2nd Base.

Jose Altuve, Houston Astros
~ 2014 Al Batting Champion Wins Silver Slugger Award at 2nd Base.

By now you almost certainly know that Jose Altuve of the Houston Astros has won the annual Silver Slugger Award for players at each fielding position in the American and national League. Altuve took the award for American League second basemen; Neil Walker of the Pittsburgh Pirates took the corresponding honor for second sackers in the National League. These awards have been given out since 1980 on the basis of players selected by managers and coaches in each league.

In taking the respected AL honor, Altuve became the first Houston Astro to make the team since Carlos Lee won it in 2007 for NL left fielders. Craig Biggio previously won the NL equivalent of this award four times as an Astro during the club’s much longer tenure in the senior circuit.

As you also undoubtedly know, if you follow baseball, the Astros moved to the American League in  2013.

Going back in time, the complete list of nine previous Astros to have won this award for their positions, of course, all did so as National Leaguers. In Houston’s brief two-year history in the American League, Jose Altuve is the first and only winner in the AL.

Previous all-NL winners among the Astros include: Carlos Lee, left field (2007); Morgan Ensberg, third base (2005); Mike Hampton, pitcher (1998); Moises Alou, left field (1998); Jeff Bagwell, first base (1994, 1997, 1999); Craig Biggio, second base (1994, 1995, 1997, 1998); Glenn Davis, first base, 1986; Jose Cruz, left field (1983, 1984); and Dickie Thon, shortstop (1983).

In taking the 2014 award for American League second basemen,Jose Altuve has unseated Robinson Cano from the four consecutive season grip he held on that same honor from 2010 through 2013.

Congratulations, Jose Altuve!

Now here’s a look at all the winners over the years for American League second basement:

Year Player Team AVG OBP SLG HR RBI Ref
1980 Willie Randolph New York Yankees .294 .427 .407 7 46 [17]
1981 Bobby Grich California Angels .271 .377 .408 22 61 [18]
1982 Dámaso García Toronto Blue Jays .310 .338 .399 5 42 [19]
1983 Lou Whitaker Detroit Tigers .320 .380 .457 12 72 [20]
1984 Lou Whitaker Detroit Tigers .289 .357 .407 12 72 [21]
1985 Lou Whitaker Detroit Tigers .279 .362 .456 21 73 [22]
1986 Frank White Kansas City Royals .272 .322 .465 22 84 [23]
1987 Lou Whitaker Detroit Tigers .265 .341 .427 16 59 [24]
1988 Julio Franco Cleveland Indians .303 .361 .409 10 54 [25]
1989 Julio Franco Texas Rangers .316 .386 .462 13 92 [26]
1990 Julio Franco Texas Rangers .296 .383 .402 11 69 [27]
1991 Julio Franco Texas Rangers .341 .408 .474 15 78 [28]
1992 Roberto Alomar† Toronto Blue Jays .310 .405 .427 8 76 [29]
1993 Carlos Baerga Cleveland Indians .321 .355 .486 21 114 [30]
1994 Carlos Baerga Cleveland Indians .314 .333 .525 19 80 [31]
1995 Chuck Knoblauch Minnesota Twins .333 .424 .487 11 63 [32]
1996 Roberto Alomar† Baltimore Orioles .328 .411 .527 22 94 [33]
1997 Chuck Knoblauch Minnesota Twins .291 .390 .411 9 58 [34]
1998 Damion Easley Detroit Tigers .271 .332 .478 27 100 [35]
1999 Roberto Alomar† Cleveland Indians .323 .422 .533 24 120 [36]
2000 Roberto Alomar† Cleveland Indians .310 .378 .475 19 89 [37]
2001 Bret Boone Seattle Mariners .331 .372 .578 37 141 [38]
2002 Alfonso Soriano New York Yankees .300 .332 .547 39 102 [39]
2003 Bret Boone Seattle Mariners .294 .366 .535 35 117 [40]
2004 Alfonso Soriano Texas Rangers .280 .324 .484 28 91 [41]
2005 Alfonso Soriano Texas Rangers .268 .309 .512 36 104 [42]
2006 Robinson Canó New York Yankees .342 .365 .525 15 78 [43]
2007 Plácido Polanco Detroit Tigers .341 .388 .458 9 67 [44]
2008 Dustin Pedroia Boston Red Sox .326 .376 .493 17 83 [45]
2009 Aaron Hill Toronto Blue Jays .286 .330 .499 36 108 [46]
2010 Robinson Canó New York Yankees .319 .381 .534 29 109 [47]
2011 Robinson Canó New York Yankees .302 .349 .533 28 118 [48]
2012 Robinson Canó New York Yankees .313 .379 .550 33 94 [49]
2013 Robinson Canó New York Yankees .314 .383 .516 27 107 [50]
2014 Jose Altuve Houston Astros .341 .377 .453 7 59 NA

 

T.G.I.F. Everybody! ~ And have a nice weekend!

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Patrick Lopez: Times Square Visionary

November 6, 2014
Times Square "Crossroads of the World"

Times Square
“Crossroads of the World”

 

An Overdue Honor

Patrick Lopez At Home in Galveston 2013

Patrick Lopez
At Home in Galveston
2013

For many of us, Patrick Lopez, now of Galveston, is both our fellow SABR  member and the brilliant artistic illustrator of our recently published work, “Houston Baseball: The Early Years, 1861-1961.” For others of us who have come to know him better, he has also only grown in our eyes from the experience as an incredibly modest,  giving, creative, and valuable good friend – and a person who never seems to place the recognition for his own gifts above the goal of the larger group purpose.

In our SABR book case, we have done all we know how to do express our appreciation for Patrick’s invaluable  contributions to our Houston baseball history book,  but that doesn’t always happen in “larger purpose” projects, as our friend also knows from personal experience. Fortunately, an egregious omission of credit given to Patrick Lopez for his considerable contributions to New York City’s “Times Square, 1984″ project.”

The gist of it is this: From 1984 to 1989, Patrick Lopez was one of the total 550 architects and artists who submitted design ideas and plans to the management group that handled the several ideological and technical problems that arose during the lifetime of the project. Those who made contributions to the final outcome were then honored by the inclusion of their graphic work for display in the new Times Square Museum that opened in 2013.

One of the several drawings that Patrick Lopez submitted that were credited with helping correct some small, but important design issues with changes in the Times Square Tower work were placed among these major examples of architectural contribution in the new museum. The problem was – there was no credit extended to Patrick on site with the display.

Patrick wrote the powers-that-be and, after the passage of some time, he received an apologetic notice that the omission had been corrected to include the name of Patrick Lopez with the drawing on display. It is also added that some, if not all, of the other Lopez drawings will be added to the display at some point in the near future and fully credited to him as well.

And that’s pretty fair redemption for someone whose earlier life work included illustrative input to the design and construction of the Sears Tower in Chicago and the ITEL Building in San Francisco.

Times Square, 1984

“The Times Square, 1984” from the start was about putting an end to the seedy decline of that big window neighborhood on the world views New York City, but it was never an easy go. At one point, the project ran into trouble for moving too antiseptically with their ball for change and people protested that cleaning up Times Square should not extend to destroying its character as the center of light in the city of light. Somehow, they worked it out for the sake of not not losing their investment in healing the biggest sores of prostitution, pornography, and other street crimes that had taken over the area. On that score, we are not in position from Houston to know how well they have succeeded, but we hear that things are now better and far more attractive than they were in 1984. Further detailed discussion of the Times Square project goes beyond the scope of what we could ever hope to cover fully in a single day’s column, but you may check out this link to The Skyscraper Museum to see what something of what the buzz was all about what the deeper buzz was all about:

http://skyscraper.org/home.htm

Who The Man Is

All Saints Little League Team ~ Houston, TX, 1950 ~ Patrick Lopez, 2 players to the left in your view of the coach in the white shirt.

All Saints Little League Team
~ Houston, TX, 1950
~ Patrick Lopez, 2 players to the left in your view of the coach in the white shirt.

Patrick Lopez & Friend

Patrick Lopez & Friend

Patrick Lopez is a true Renaissance man – and we simply are grateful for his association and contribution to our history of baseball in Houston. Born in Houston at St. Joseph’s Hospital in 1937, Patrick Lopez grew up in his native hometown, cutting his teeth of interest in baseball as a kid fan of the Houston Buffs and an “often as possible” member of the crowd at Buff Stadium on game day. He graduated from St. Thomas High School in 1955, a year before me, and then went on to study architecture at the University of Houston. He and his lovely wife, Barbara, have been married since 1960 and they three grown children: – son Patrick and daughters Claudia and  Sarah. The senior Lopez couple now lives in a quiet historic Galveston neighborhood.

Patrick Lopez is only semi-retired. People like Patrick Lopez have too much to give to ever shut down the roaring fire of creativity and their aim to give of themselves.

Pictures Worth Far More Than a Thousand Words

Five of the Patrick Lopez Drawings for the Time Square Tower Project ~ "A" is the one on display with credit now extended to the artist.

Five of the Patrick Lopez Drawings for the Time Square Tower Project
~ “B” is the one on display with credit now extended to the artist.

 

A SINGULAR SHOT OF LOPEZ DRAWING "B" ~ THE ONE WHICH FIRST WENT ON DISPLAY UNCREDITED IN NYC, BUT NOW IS IDENTIFIED AS THE WORK OF PATRICK LOPEZ.

A SINGULAR SHOT OF LOPEZ DRAWING “B”
~ THE ONE WHICH FIRST WENT ON DISPLAY UNCREDITED IN NYC, BUT NOW IS SHOWN AS THE WORK OF PATRICK LOPEZ.

 

"Buffalo Watching" ~ The original piece that Patrick Lopez did for me by request. ~ Thanks, Forever, Patrick!

“Buffalo Watching”
~ The original piece that Patrick Lopez did for me by request.
~ Thanks, Forever, Patrick!

 

Have a nice Thursday, everybody. There’s a seminal lesson or two for us all in this brief story of Patrick Lopez, if we are ready to receive it.

Meanwhile, thank you again, Patrick Lopez, for being both a genuine and generous soul. You give of yourself above the appetite level of the personal ego, but you are also strong enough to stand up for yourself if people sometimes take advantage of your gentleness by accident or design. The world could use more people like you.

 

 

 

 

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Steven Wright Quotes That Fit the Photos

November 5, 2014
"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines." ~ Steven Wright

“Eagles may soar, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines.”
~ Steven Wright

 

"I intend to live forever - so far, so good." ~ Steven Wright

“I intend to live forever – so far, so good.”
~ Steven Wright

 

"The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese." ~ Steven Wright

“The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.”
~ Steven Wright

 

"Many people quit looking for work when they find a job." ~ Steven Wright

“Many people quit looking for work when they find a job.”
~ Steven Wright

 

"For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism." ~ Steven Wright

“For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism.”
~ Steven Wright

 

"You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive." ~ Steven Wright

“You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.”
~ Steven Wright

 

"A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory." ~ Steven Wright

“A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.”
~ Steven Wright

 

"The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard." ~ Steven Wright

“The problem with the gene pool is that there is no lifeguard.”
~ Steven Wright

 

"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research." ~ Steven Wright

“To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research.”
~ Steven Wright

 

"Who is General Failure and why is he reading my hard disk?' ~ Stteven Wright

“Who is General Failure and why is he reading my hard disk?’
~ Steven Wright

 

If these don’t help you get through hump day, look elsewhere. They were the best shot I had in me when I finally woke up to them  this Wednesday.

 

 

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Not-So-Famous Sports Quotes

November 3, 2014
""All the fat guys watch me and say to their wives, 'See, there's a fat guy doing okay. Bring me another beer.'" ~ Mickey Lolich, Detroit Tigers Pitching Star of the 1968 World Series

“”All the fat guys watch me and say to their wives, ‘See, there’s a fat guy doing okay. Bring me another beer.'”
~ Mickey Lolich, Detroit Tigers Pitching Star of the 1968 World Series

There’s nothing like old friends to help get or keep the ball running. In our never-ending search for the humorous side of anything, or anybody, Pat Flynn, a friend from back in the Days Just After Eden;’s Fall, when it was simply prime time for sampling the nectar quality of the juices that were designed to buzz, but rarely escort the partaker down the path to old age, that same old friend – came up with this collection of slightly less than everyday memories of humorous quotes by sports figures. – Thank you, Pat, for remembering that it’s Monday – and that Mondays have a way of remaining on the grid at any age as “kick-start” days:

“Last year we couldn’t win at home and we were losing on the road. My failure as a coach was that I couldn’t think of anyplace else to play. – Harry Neale, professional hockey coach

“Blind people come to the ballpark just to listen to him pitch.” – Reggie Jackson commenting on Tom Seaver

“I’m working as hard as I can to get my life and my cash to run out at the same time. If I can just die after lunch Tuesday, everything will be perfect.” – Doug Sanders, professional golfer

“When it’s third and ten, you can have the milk drinkers; I’ll take the whiskey drinkers every time.” – Max McGee, Green Bay Packers receiver

“I found out that it’s not good to talk about my troubles. Eighty percent of the people who hear them don’t care and the other twenty percent are glad you’re having them.” – Tommy LaSorda , LA Dodgers manager

“My knees look like they lost a knife fight with a midget.” – E.J. Holub, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker regarding his 12 knee operations

“My theory is that if you buy an ice-cream cone and make it hit your mouth, you can learn to play tennis. If you stick it on your forehead, your chances aren’t as good.” – Vic Braden, tennis instructor

“When they operated, I told them to add in a Koufax fastball. They did, but unfortunately, it twas Mrs. Koufax’s.” – Tommy John N.Y. Yankees, recalling his 1974 arm surgery

“I don’t know. I only played there for nine years.” – Walt Garrison, Dallas Cowboys fullback when asked if Tom Landry ever smiles

“We were tipping off our plays. Whenever we broke from the huddle, three backs were laughing and one was pale as a ghost.” – John Breen, Houston Oilers

“The film looks suspiciously like the game itself.” – Bum Phillips, New Orleans Saints, after viewing a lopsided loss to the Atlanta Falcons

“When I’m on the road, my greatest ambition is to get a standing boo.” – Al Hrabosky, major league relief pitcher

“I have discovered in 20 years of moving around the ball park, that the knowledge of the game is usually in inverse proportion to the price of the seats.” – Bill Veeck, Chicago White Sox owner

“Because if it didn’t work out, I didn’t want to blow the whole day.” – Paul Hornung, Green Bay Packers running back on why his marriage
ceremony was before noon.

“I have a lifetime contract. That means I can’t be fired during the third quarter if we’re ahead and moving the ball.” – Lou Holtz , Arkansas football coach

“I won’t know until my barber tells me on Monday.” – Knute Rockne, when asked why Notre Dame had lost a game

“I tell him ‘Attaway to hit, George.'” – Jim Frey, K.C. Royals manager when asked what advice he gives George Brett on hitting

“I learned a long time ago that ‘minor surgery’ is when they do the operation on someone else, not you.” – Bill Walton, PortlandnTrail Blazers

“Our biggest concern this season will be diaper rash.” – George MacIntyre, Vanderbilt football coach surveying the team roster that included 26 freshmen and 25 sophomores.

“The only difference between me and General Custer is that I have to watch the films on Sunday.” – Rick Venturi, Northwestern football coach

Have a great Monday and brand new week, everybody! Looks like we’re in for some rain in Houston before it’s all done. So, stay dry, friends, – in whatever ways you need to stay dry. 🙂

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Dual Cool: Steven Wright and Our MFAH

November 2, 2014
The Jung Center 5200 Montrose Blvd Houston, TX 77006 Tel: 713-524-8253

The Jung Center
5200 Montrose Blvd
Houston, TX 77006

Yesterday, Saturday, November 1st, I spent most of that beautiful and briskly cool periwinkle blue sky day in a Jungian Psychology seminar at the Jung Center on Montrose. During the lunch break, I walked across the street to spend some time in the MFAH Statue Garden at the intersection of Binz and Montrose – which becomes Bissonett and Montrose on the west side of the latter named street.

What a cool place that is, the MFAH Statue Garden. I had not seen it in about a decade, but it was like  a homecoming visit with some art pieces I’ve known almost my entire life. I simply enjoy the visceral sensory experience of being in the company of art sculpture and beauty in a really natural setting that is quiet and peaceful – especially in the noon day sun of a fresh Houston autumn day.

For whatever reason, I’ve almost always associated the ironic thoughts of visionary comedian Steven Wright with these beautiful images in the Houston Museum district. Here are a few photos I took yesterday, along with a quote from Wright, following each. If the quotes are connected to images at all, I’m not conscious of what their connections may be. I simply believe that both Steven Wright and the MFAH Statue Garden are both extremely cool and pleasing to the creative blood that passes through all our veins – and that they are both true givers, no false givers, of all they’ve got to give.

Life is good. Live in the moment as much as possible. Enjoy life. Discover your gifts and give them back to life without concern for your reward. It will come from the giving, but only if we give our hearts to whatever it may be that we fully choose to do without resentment. People who create great works of art give that beauty to us. And people who can make us smile with their everyday observations of life are like the donors of a great curative tonic for the soul and spirit of our being. Whatever we have that is our gift, we need to find it and give it back to life too, even if it means leaving our comfort zone to do so, because it very well may. As an aging Marlon Brando character once uttered in the Don Juan movie he made with Johnny Depp: (paraphrased here in greater detail for even greater clarity):  “No fire, no heat.-  No heat, no warmth. – No warmth, no love. – No love, no life.”

Enjoy your trip to the MFAH Sculpture Garden with Steven Wright, everybody:

 

"On Halloween, I went to a party dressed as The Equator. When anyone came near me, they got warmer."

“On Halloween, I went to a party dressed as The Equator. When anyone came near me, they got warmer.” – Steven Wright

 

"I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder." - Steven Wright

“I couldn’t repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.” – Steven Wright

 

"All those who believe in psychokinesis raise my hand." - Steven Wright

“All those who believe in psychokinesis raise my hand.” – Steven Wright

 

"I almost had a psychic girlfriend but she left me before we met. " - Steven Wright

“I almost had a psychic girlfriend but she left me before we met.
” – Steven Wright

 

#What happens if you get scared half to death twice?" - Steven Wright

“What happens if you get scared half to death twice?”
– Steven Wright

 

'I went to the museum where they had all the heads and arms from the statues that are in all the other museums." -- Steven Wright

‘I went to the museum where they had all the heads and arms from the statues that are in all the other museums.”
— Steven Wright

 

"When I was crossing the border into Canada, they asked if I had any firearms with me. I said, "Well, what do you need?" -- Steven Wright

“When I was crossing the border into Canada, they asked if I had any firearms with me. I said, “Well, what do you need?”
— Steven Wright

 

A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good." - Steven Wright

A conscience is what hurts when all your other parts feel so good.”
– Steven Wright

 

"Change is inevitable....except from vending machines. - Steven Wright

“Change is inevitable….except from vending machines.
– Steven Wright

 

"A fool and his money are soon partying." - Steven Wright

“A fool and his money are soon partying.”
– Steven Wright

 

Party Hardy, Everybody!

 

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Nightmare on Crawford Street Nears End

November 1, 2014
"BETTER STAY AWAKE, HOUSTON! - GO TO SLEEP FOR A SECOND AND YOU COULD GO BACK TO COMCAST AS YOUR ONLY LOCAL SPORTS CHOICE FOR ASTROS AND ROCKETS!"

“BETTER STAY AWAKE, HOUSTON! – GO TO SLEEP FOR A SECOND AND YOU COULD GO BACK TO COMCAST AS YOUR ONLY LOCAL SPORTS CHOICE FOR ASTROS AND ROCKETS!”

Irony is a wondrous bird, whenever and wherever it lands. David Barron’s article on the possible breakthrough in the legal dissolution of Comcast’s CSN Houston, the network plan that has blocked 60% of the Houston market from watching either the baseball Astros or basketball Rockets for two whole seasons each, may now be near its completion. The irony is in the fact that the old-fashioned ink print version of David’s story did not reach publication until Halloween morning, October 31, 2014. Here are the salient lines, but you still need to read David Barron’s whole article at

http://blog.chron.com/sportsupdate/2014/10/judge-approves-csn-houston-bankruptcy-plan-clears-way-for-new-network/

__________

“A federal bankruptcy judge approved Thursday a Chapter 11 reorganization plan that will allow AT&T and DirecTV to purchase Comcast SportsNet Houston and relaunch it in November as Root Sports Houston.

There was no immediate indication, in the wake of Judge Marvin Isgur’s ruling, when the new network will launch with expanded carriage on DirecTV and AT&T U-verse in addition to Comcast.

However, CSN Houston has posted a broadcast schedule through Nov. 9, so the new network is not likely to launch until after that period.

Judge Isgur’s ruling does not mean that the case is concluded. Comcast, in fact, filed notice of appeal late Thursday night, alleging the judge erred on six grounds in his decision.”

~ David Barron, Houston Chronicle (Chron.Com version), October 30, 2014

__________

The whole thing has been the sports fan horror equivalent of  a horror movie classic that will be easily recognizable by the parody title we chose to assign to this piece and the featured photo of Freddie Krueger. It truly has been Houston fans’ and team owners’ bad dream and easiest remembered horror that we choose to think of now as “The Nightmare on Crawford Street.” For you out-of-towners who don’t know,  “Crawford Street” is the physical address for both our baseball and basketball venues, Minute Maid Park and Toyota Center.

Unless you want to strain your brain beyond all hope for reason, caring, or creativity, it is best to not wade into the details of what this whole struggle is all about. When matters are all about greed in the first place, the only homes for the grief produced are always either war or the courts. In this case, the litigants need to be confined to the combatant lawyers who feed their own soulless pie-holes on the fallen follies of greed put in motion earlier by the pride and avarice of the high and mighty forces that long ago took control of our entire economic culture – including the presentation and marketing of all sports with any television appeal.

Hopefully, we Houston fans who have been denied access to the televised home team games of the Astros and Rockets will soon be able to resume or restore our former viewing addictions and exposure to all the items the sponsors of these telecasts wish to sell us!

Note on Yesterday. Thanks to all of you too who responded privately and positively by e-mail that you enjoyed yesterday’s presentation of the starting nine for “The Ghoulville Goblins!” And thank you, especially, Rick B., for suggesting we should add Al “The Mad Hungarian” Hrabosky to the club as an ace reliever – and without a direct invitation from here to do so!

Ten players alone do not a whole team make.

C’mon, people! – This is still Halloween Weekend – and we put a lot of work into that holiday piece! If you have any suggestions for horror figures, real players or not, animal, vegetable or mineral, living or dead, whomever or whatever, – that we should add to the roster – … please go back to yesterday’s column and post your suggestions there as public comments in the easy entry space that follows each publication of The Pecan Park Eagle.

Here’s the link to the Ghoulville Goblin column:

https://thepecanparkeagle.wordpress.com/2014/10/31/the-ghoulville-halloween-baseball-all-stars/

Have a great weekend, everybody! _ And don’t forget to roll your clocks back for an extra hour of sleep before you go to bed this Saturday night!

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The Ghoulville Halloween Baseball All Stars

October 31, 2014
Hunter Pence Stars As - The Right Fielder from Hell!

Hunter “The Giant” Pence is now the only Ghoulville Goblin with two World series Championship rings on his fingers!

Starting Nine for the Ghoulville Goblins and Their Nutshell (and we DO mean nut-shell) Scouting Reports – A Halloween Fugue into Fantasy:

Bela

Bela “Count Dracula” Lugosi, Pitcher
~ Before he got knocked out of the box ~

MORE ON Pitcher Bela “Count Dracula” Lugosi:  Only available for night games; often sucks; and sometimes, when he gets knocked out of the box, he really gets knocked out of the box!

Rosie O'Donnell, Catcher ~ Yogii Berra said that he couldn't hit and think at the same time. Rosie O'Donnell says she can't speak and think at the same time.

Rosie O’Donnell, Catcher
~ Yogi Berra said that he couldn’t hit and think at the same time. Rosie O’Donnell says she can’t speak and think at the same time. ~

MORE ON Catcher Rosie “League of Her Own Mind” O’Donnell: As a self-absorbed center of the universe, Rosie tends to only bat when she feels like it – and that happens often out of turn.

Boris

Boris “The Creature” Karloff, 1st Base
~ His ability to hold runners at 1st is positively electric! ~

MORE ON 1st Baseman Boris “The Frankenstein Creature” Karloff: Not much speed afoot, but all of his homers are monster shots.

Forrest

Forrest “Spook” Jacobs, 2nd Base
~ Spook doesn’t have a ghost of a chance at the Hall of Fame, but he is a demon on the base paths. ~

MORE ON 2nd Baseman Forrest “Spook” Jacobs: (MLB, 1954-56: A friendly ghost off the field, Spook plays with an unworldly ability to get on base and haunt pitchers and catchers as a base runner.

Alex

Alex “The Mummy” Rodriguez, 3rd Base
~ The Mummy is all wrapped up in the job of making sure his own power at the plate never goes out, but he does not believe in the use of PED’s. ~

MORE ON 3rd Baseman Alex “The Mummy” Rodriguez: Next to Rosie, Alex is more wrapped up in himself than any other member of the team.

“The Blob,” Shortstop
~ THE BLOB’S debut bubble popped as a chewing gum ingredient at Wrigley Field, but his success as a shortstop has proved that it’s OK to be ugly if you can also cover the ground. ~

MORE ON a Shortstop known as The Blob: No person here – just the sticky living substance that fell to Earth in 1958 from outer space. No ground balls get past this shortstop, but infield teammates have to be careful not to follow high pop flies into his area. The Blob also makes it tough on runners going from 2nd to 3rd base, with many cries of fielder interference. The Commissioner is considering a ban or serious restriction on the game use of The Blob, but he doesn’t want to come off like a rank “substanist” when it comes to using extra-terrestrial chemical compounds as actual fielders , so, he’s taking his time. Look for The Blob to be in uniform today for the Ghoulville Goblins. 

Lou

Lou “The Mad Russian” Novikoff, Left Field
~ As a Houston Buff, Lou once left his position in LF during a late inning pitching change to take a leak, but failed to return before a ball was hit to his area of defense. He wasn’t the only mad man at Buff Stadium that night. ~

MUCH MORE ON Left Fielder Lou “The Mad Russian” Novikoff: Lou acquired his nickname early for his eccentric personality. Later, at Houston, he came close to acquiring a second slang identity as “When You Gotta Go, You Gotta Go.” In Warren Brown’s post-1945 history of the Cubs, he describes Novikoff as having been a defensive liability  for Chicago because of his aversion to the ivied walls at Wrigley Field. Lou believed that the vines might affect him like poison ivy, if he made contact with them. Cubs trainer Bob Lewis tried to break Lou’s fears by taking him out to the walls at practice and rubbing the vine leaves all over his body – and even chewing and eating some of them in good spirits. The trainer’s idea worked. Lou dropped his fear of the ivy immediately, but he saw the happiness that Lewis seemed to derive from eating the plants and wanted to know: “Is it OK to smoke them too?”

Kevin

Kevin “The Pod Man” McCarthy, Center Field
~ A great defensive guy, but sometimes he goes to sleep in center field and immediately stops caring whether or not he makes his next catch. ~

A LOT MORE ON Center Fielder Kevin “The Pod Man” McCarthy: Prior to his playing days, Kevin was a gregarious, well-liked young country doctor who lamented the loss of his own baseball career due to bad knees. Then, one memorable night, a mysterious visitor sneaked into his house and left a watermelon-sized, equally enigmatic seed pod from another world under Kevin’s bed. While McCarthy slept, the seed pod began to morph into a new physical impression of him. By wake up time the next morning, the seed pod had completely transformed, DNA and all, into an exact replica of Kevin McCarthy and it had replaced the sleeping body of the original subject. The latter body simply disappeared, as these things conveniently do in low budget movies. – The Kevin that awoke seemed essentially the same in physical form, with two big exceptions: he no longer had knee problems, but he now had baseball abilities that would have made a combination player of Willie Mays and Babe Ruth envious. On the mental side, he sadly had lost all affability and feeling of love or concern for others, especially for those who had been his patients. His only motivation in life now was to play baseball and to “win, baby, win!” Some began to describe him as baseball’s version of the NFL’s late Al Davis. – It was a trade-off acquisition for the Goblins when Kevin joined the team early this season. Kevin does not care to hear what’s going on with his teammates, nor does he do tit-for-tat jokes with them as he had as a pre-pod days, high-spirited  fan. He simply plays center field like the Tasmanian Devil. His family plans to seek a cure for his new personality issues, but only after the horrific season of the Ghoulville Goblins has been played to an end through Kevin’s last big league pay check and bonus pay opportunity.

Hunter

Hunter “The Two-Ringed Giant” Pence
~ At the start of 2014 World Series Game Seven, Hunter reluctantly accepted the advice of teammates that this was not the time to try wearing his uniform pants pulled up to mid-thigh. ~

MORE ON World Series Champion and Spirited Right Fielder Hunter “The Giant” Pence: The Goblins tried to sign the real giant from the “Jack and the Beanstalk” tale, but had to settle for the right fielder from the new World Series Champion San Francisco Giants. Hunter now has two World Series rings with the 2012 and 2014 Giants, but his sizzling bat in the just concluded Series with the Royals is only exceeded  by his hot pursuit of more uniform sock exposure until he  succeeds in becoming the first big leaguer apparently to suit up in short shorts and leotards. – Now there’s a picture for the mind, but welcome to the Goblins, anyway, Mr. Pence. You are due a monster shout-out for all the success in baseball you have enjoyed since the Astros traded you away for being projected as over-ripe in age by the time the club reteaches their outer limits year of 2017 for winning a first World Series.

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Nightmare on Em Street

Home of the Ghoulville Goblin Corporate Office.

POSTMORTEM THOUGHTS ON THE FACT THAT HALLOWEEN AND HOUSTON BOTH START WITH THE LETTER “H”: Maybe the real horror question  here is not so much our Halloween Starting Position Lineup for the Ghoulville Ghosts, but how well are the Houston Astros doing on their time-scheduled way to scientific resurrection from the dead as a serious contender to be? As Astro fans, we are hoping for the best, but we cannot guarantee our patience forever in waiting for our club’s  brightest farm club  talent to ripen into a crop of superior MLB material.

Hurry Up and Ripen the Talent Inside Those Orange and Black Uniforms, Astros!  ~ And to the Houston Astros, the Ghoulville Goblins – And Everybody Else Too ………….>

Halloween-21

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BILL Gilbert’s 2014 World Series Observations

October 30, 2014
Veteran SABR Baseball Researcher & Writer Bill Gilbert Wraps Up His Thoughts on the 2014 World Series as something we may never see again on the big stage.

Veteran SABR Baseball Researcher & Writer Bill Gilbert Wraps Up His Thoughts on the 2014 World Series as something we may never see again on the big stage.

It’s bonus story moment at The Pecan Park Eagle as Bill Gilbert, our sage veteran SABR observer of baseball, checks in today also with his own per usual well considered thoughts on the World Series that just concluded in Kansas City last night. Thank you again, Bill Gilbert, for your insightful commentary. Appreciatively, The Pecan Park Eagle.

World Series Observations – 2014

By Bill Gilbert

          We will probably never see another World Series pitching performance like we saw with Madison Bumgarner this year.
          Even If the Royals win the World Series, Bumgarner of the Giants should be the MVP. (written after game 6).
          Every great pitcher has an occasional bad game (ask Clayton Kershaw).  I thought Bumgarner was due for one in Game 5.  Didn’t happen.
          Bumgarner started 6 of the Giants 17 post-season games and had quality starts (6 or more innings and 3 or fewer earned runs allowed) in all 6 of them.  The rest of the staff started 11 games and had 2 quality starts.
          I would have been more impressed if Bumgarner had been credited with a 5-inning save rather than a win in game 7.
          The 2 wild card teams put on a memorable show.  Under the previous format, with one wild card team from each league, the Giants would not have been in the playoffs.  The Royals incredible post-season run put them back on the baseball map after a 28-year absence.
          Three players participated in the World Series who didn’t make their major league debuts until September, 2014 (Hunter Strickland of the Giants and Terrance Gore and Brandon Finnegan of the Royals.  Finnegan also participated in the College World Series in 2014.
          Can anyone not enjoy watching Hunter Pence play?
          Lorenzo Cain is an excellent all-around player.  Who knew?
          Joe Panik must have had some outstanding coaches while growing up.  He does everything right, including the little things that win ball games.
          Bruce Bochy has had much more success as a manager than he did as a backup catcher. (.239 batting average).
          Is it a coincidence that both World Series teams have outstanding catchers and former catchers as managers?
          The Royals should have known that Brandon Belt could beat the shift by bunting since he played for Augie Garrido at Texas.
          The Royals should have used Billy Butler to pinch-hit for James Shields in the 5th inning of Game 5.  That was the only real chance that the Royals had to score in that game and Butler is one of the few players that have hit well against Bumgarner.
          By the way, whatever happened to Butler’s great nickname (Country Breakfast)?
          Why do left handed pitchers like Bumgarner bat right handed, exposing their pitching arms to being hit by pitches?
          Did anyone miss Tim McCarver?
          Which looks worse, Pence’s short above-the-knee pants or Alex Gordon’s beard?
          How far does Pence plan to take his Jayson Werth homeless look?
          Having Armed Forces personnel sing “God Bless America” in the seventh inning stretch was a nice touch.
          It’s unfortunate that the networks pay so much money for the right to broadcast the games that they can dictate the pace of the game by allowing a 2 ½ minute commercial break between innings (when most people, including me, hit the mute button).  This results in about a 3 ½ minute gap between the last pitch of the prior inning and the first pitch of the next inning.
Bill Gilbert
10/30/14

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Mark Wernick: My World Series Take

October 30, 2014
... AND FOR THE 3RD TIME IN 5 SEASONS!!!

… AND FOR THE 3RD TIME IN 5 SEASONS!!!

Editorial Note: Mark Wernick, a SABR colleague, is one of the brightest, most intuitive, deeply history-steeped people we have ever had the pleasure meeting in the cyber world. Upon awakening this morning to his  e-mail take on the World Series, we could not resist the urge to run what he wrote, verbatim, as The Pecan Park Eagle wrap on what we also think now stands as one the most exciting World Series of all time. The Eagle said at the start that the Royals’ chances rode on how well they handled the potential of facing phenomenal pitcher Madison Bumgarner three times in seven games and, last night, the Giants ace provided the final nail to the firmness of that prophetic guess. Lefty Bumgarner is living proof that there must be more than one 25-year old talented pitcher in the world that isn’t controlled by the 100 pitch count of today’s baseball culture, but, so far, he seems to be the only one who has shown up to prove that theory on baseball’s biggest stage. Congratulations to you too, Madison Bumgarner! Your career ERA of 0.25 is now the best of all time for pitchers who have worked a minimum of 30 World Series innings.

And thank you, Mark Wernick, for presenting us with an e-mail that was truly a spot on timely article with its own legs:

 

My World Series Take

By Mark Wernick

Mark Wernick Today's Columnist

Mark Wernick
Today’s Columnist

A friend just wrote to me to express the notion that this could be one of the top 3  of all world series.  Here is my reply:

          To me these are the top World Series played to date:   1926,  1932,  1941,  1946,  1947,  1949,  1955,  1956,  1957,  1958,  1960,  1962,  1964,  1965,  1968,  1969,  1973,  1975,  1979,  1985,  1986,  1991,  1993,  1996,  2001,  2002,  2011,  and  2014.
          There are  28  World Series on this list,  and  24  of them went  7  games.  1932  (4),  1969  (5),  1993 (6),  and  1996 (6)  went in less than seven games but were thrilling for other reasons.
          I have a hard time picking any three of these as the top three.  Both  1957  and  1958  were pretty thrilling if you were from Milwaukee or New York,  and for lots of others also.  And  1955  and  1956  were pretty thrilling if you were from New York.  I found  1962,  1965,  1969,  1996,  and  2002  pretty awesome.  I was enthralled with  1973 and  1985,  and  my heart was broken by  2001.  I was quite worked up and a bit infuriated with  2011.
          Many agree that  1960  might have to be  # 1 on any list,   including me,  even though that world series almost ruined my childhood.  And I guess I’d have to include  1986  and  1991  on a top  3  list.  So those might be my top three – 1960,  1986,  and  1991.
          But this one was definitely a great World Series.
          I kind of wanted them to send Gordon all the way because I had no faith that Cain would hit Bumgarner.  But it also occurred to me that you don’t want a World Series to end by getting thrown out at home.  I also think Yost was slightly out-managed.  I would not have had Escobar,  one of their tougher hitters,  bunt with no outs and Infant e on first in the 5th inning.  I don’t think you can afford to give away a free out – especially by a strong bat – in the 7th game of a World Series when you’re behind by a run against a pitcher like Bumgarner.
          Isn’t it great to have all the benefit of hindsight with no accountability?
          For the past  5  years,  the San Francisco Giants have been a great team.  I tip my hat to them.  Hunter Pence has two World Series rings in the last three years!
         The Kansas City Royals won my abiding admiration and respect. Before the series started I had heard of only three players on their roster, and they were far from ‘A’ list draftees. (Infante, Shields, and Gordon.) What odds were given for the Royals to make it to the World Series in spring training – 5,000 to 1?
          During the ALCS (Orioles-Royals playoff series), the broadcasters noted that Baltimore led MLB in homers while the Royals had the fewest homers in all of baseball. That is when I began to look at both teams more closely.
          I noticed that with respect to SB and SB% they could be flipped. The Royals were tops, and the Orioles were at the bottom. Apparently they were, respectively, the fastest and slowest teams in MLB. Also, while the Royals’ offensive numbers didn’t attract any attention, they were the only MLB team under 1000 Ks. A team that makes a lot of contact can enjoy a certain advantage in a short series against filthy sliders and splitters and fastballs. In almost every category, their pitching was equivalent, except for one: HRs allowed. Baltimore yielded 151, among the most; KC yielded 128, among the fewest.
         Without a lot of flash and without a superstar batter or pitcher in their lineup, the Royals did nothing to beat themselves, they had an intimidating bullpen, their speed was awesome, and their defense was impeccable.
          No one can take the Kansas City Royals for granted anymore. Their years in baseball’s after-thought bin are over.

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