ERIK: For a moment it looked like the Mariners would be my worst row in terms of rarity score, which, yes, would’ve been a little embarrassing, but then I blew the Padres 30+ Stolen Base guy, so that row was worse. I went Garry Templeton, and while he did steal 30+ twice with St. Louis, his high in San Diego was 27. Hasn’t he screwed me over before? Feels like it.
TEMPLE-TONNNNN!
But I love my bottom row. Those are my guys, my childhood guys. Just missing Killebrew and Carew.
I thought Oliva was a good guess for homers. He’s not known for it, but rookie year, yeah, he hit 32. Same year he led the league in batting (.323), hits (217), doubles (43), runs (109). I thought Edgar was a good guess for the same reason, and because so many would go Junior or Buhner, Nellie or Julio—not to mention Sorrento or Sexson. The rarity score was was higher, but I guess, as we suggested yesterday, it’s a kind of respect.
Tovar’s, too, was higher, which made me happy. Julio’s was lower, but chalk that up to Ichiro taking all the air out of the room.
Haven’t we done M’s/Angels before, Tim? Feels like it. Gotta up my game. So many familiar names: Everyone from Rupert Jones to Big Mike Ford. The guy on the list that stuck out for me, in that Obi-Wan “Now that is a name I have not heard …” way, is Andy Sheets. Andy Freakin’ Sheets. I was kind of shocked he was grabbed by four other teams after he went .216/.279/.332 over two years with us: M’s, Rays, Padres, Angels, BoSox. Not seeing a good mnemonic with them, though. Three of the five who haven’t won a World Series + 1986 ALCS? Nerts.
Someday, for Angels/M’s, I hope to be able to use Shohei. I’ll take the 99% rarity score on that one, I don’t care.
TIM: You can add Hanshin Tigers to the list of Andy Sheets teams. He was actually really good for them for a couple years, if I remember right. NPB is a little better these days, but I still think someone like Dylan Moore would fit well there, or if not there than in KBO. he’s got that Class-AAAA thing.
Anyway, not to fret, I took care of Carew and Killebrew for you.
Yes, yes, I could probably have done better with the rarity scores on the Twins row, but by the time I got to them I’d already blown the grid by mixing up my Daves. See, you had the right one, Winfield, and while I was definitely thinking Winfield—guy who also played for the Yankees and Blue Jays—I typed in Parker. Who, of course, never played for the Padres. D’oh!
With a blank guaranteed I just put in the first Twins that came to mind. Except not quite, because the first Angels/Twins guy I thought of was Morales, whom I’d already used. Anyway, unsurprisingly all three were the top picks by the masses.
Before that, though, I went through a whole slew of Mariner names for all three of the top boxes and I think I landed on good choices for low scores. You’re right, Angels/Mariners has come up a few times before, and you’re right, there are a bazillion options. Everyone thinks of Figgins (top choice, 27%) and Shiggy and Washburn and, of course, the immortal Jack Mayfield, but the list is huge. [checks list] Wait, only 112 players? Feels like more. One that, come to think of it, would have been better than Kendrys is Casey Kotchman Everyone forgets he was even here.
Short one tonight, I’m pretty beat. More tomorrow!