Greetings!
Welcome to my inaugural blog post! At this juncture, you may be wondering about the content of this blog… And if you are familiar with my personality, you undoubtedly know all about my indecisiveness (except when it comes to pizza toppings). But you can be sure that I will use this space to convey my thoughts and feelings on a number of different topics. For fear of narrowing my audience (because, as Michael Jordan once said, “Republicans buy shoes too”), this blog will remain versatile like F.P. Santangelo. Which brings me to my first obsession.
Growing up in Montreal, I attended more Major League Baseball games than some of my college teammates attended classes. Over the course of the years, how can one not embrace the little-known, obscure reserve infielders, outfielders and even pitchers, such as Luke Prokopec? They are the proverbial “glue”. They make the world go ’round. I often have this conversation with my Dad… anyone can proudly wear one of those replica David Ortiz jerseys and feel good about themselves. But true fans walk the streets endossing David McCarty jerseys, if you want to stick with the David theme. You may be thinking to yourself, “Who is David McCarty? And most importantly, why should I care?” Well, friends, David McCarty was a Stanford Cardinal, a 1st round pick in 1991 by the Minnesota Twins and an 11-year veteran who made an appearance with 8 different MLB teams. In 630 games, he hit at a .242 clip, amassed 36 home runs and collected 175 RBI. A third of his career offensive production came at age 30, with the 2000 Kansas CIty Royals, when he hit .278 with 12 HR and 53 RBI in 270 AB, which is roughly the equivalent of half a season. One cannot help but wonder what he could have achieved had he been alloted more playing time… During his career, McCarty appeared at six different positions, including a successful 3 2/3 inning stint on the mound with the 2004 World Series Champion Boston Red Sox. Pretty nice way to cap off a career, would’t you say?
This discussion, of course, begs the question: “Would that championship season have been possible without guys like McCarty?” Of course not. Because they are the glue. The ones that last as long as McCarty did usually have the intangibles. They do the little things on and off the field that create a winning environment. In baseball circles, they are the true heroes. Unfortunately, they are far too often forgotten as the years pass by. Everyone remembers Curt Schilling’s performance that post-season… but who recalls the pressure-cooker performances by guys like Curtis Leskanic in those endless extra innings in the ALCS? Ah Yes. Leskanic. Now here’s a guy who earned the win in his final career appearance in that fateful Game 4 vs. NYY. Does it get any better than that?
We must salute these guys. We must blog about them. We must wear their jerseys with pride. Every sport has them. History tells us that every championship team has them. They are usually the reasons why championships are won. And yes, you can argue that since every team has little-known reserves, they must be interchangeable. Right? But they are not! General managers must pick the right ones!
OK. As you can clearly see, this blog is a blend of nothing and everything. Just like the consensus #1 all-time situation comedy, Seinfeld. Which brings me to the next component of this blog: I will end many blog posts with a random quote from a show or movie.
“Elaine! Elaine! Get off the speaker!”
RD
