- Thread starter LTSteve
- Start date
MLB RETURNS TODAY / SPRING TRAINING TO START
I hope it's not Manny that your thinking of as #1. My pick along with the sports writers for the hall of fame would be Pedro.
Manny: such a sad story. I truly think poor Manny operated on a really sub-par IQ. But do admit: that swing. It was a thing of such incredible grandeur and goose-bumpy brilliance. With the possible exception of Ted Williams in his prime, and Dave Winfield, I can't think of anybody else who could turn on a baseball the way Manny did.
You said "Hispanic." I can only think about Dominicans. Were you thinking El Tiante?
And I do freely admit that I love Pedro so much that I would consider a return to the world of fundraising (shudder) if I could work for the Pedro Martinez y Hermanos Fondacion.
Si. Tiant=El Tiante.
Boston doesn't have the greatest record of integration. Tom Yawkey passed on Jackie Robinson bc he was such an old-school Southern racist.
Well this was sort of a trick question. The answer is the splendid splinter Ted Williams. His mother was Mexican. Upon entering professional baseball he was advised to keep his heritage private.
That IS a trick question, and I knew that. Sort of like nobody knew Billy Martin was Italian.
I never saw Ted play, even though the local police took groups from our small town in Central Mass. to Fenway every year. I was a little bit too young, but he certainly loomed large in local lore. Those were tough years to love the Olde Towne Team. But love them we did. Vindication came in 1967. My mother---a huge baseball fan---took all 6 of us kids out to dinner the night they lost the series to St. Louis. At a "nice" restaurant. As in not Friendly's or Howard Johnson's, but a local red-sauce/checkered tablecloth Italian place. We all needed some cheering up. Probably her most of all.
So, with respect: Pedro is first; Ted is second; and Papi is third. Ted sucked in the '46 World Series. Pedro and Ortiz made the post-season their daddy.
Never mind the Jets, Mets, Sox and the like...
The best MLB team ever.... The Montreal Expos.... over the Blue Jays anytime...
The best MLB team ever.... The Montreal Expos.... over the Blue Jays anytime...
Errrrmmm: except they are no more. However, I do salute them for prepping Pedro Martinez for his career with the Red Sox. And Pedro, if you read his book, LOVED Montreal. Because Pedro Is God.
I grew up of Com Ave (that's Commonwealth Avenue for you non Bostonian's) and got to every doubleheader during the 50's and 60's with my Dad. Ted was Boston's best. We lived about a mile from the park. Got to see all the greats from the American League. Since moving to South Carolina in 2013 have not been to the Ball Park since,but planning a trip to go to Baltimore during the summer We will visit both the Capital and catch the BOSOX at Camden Yards.
But the greatest Dominican of all was Juan Marichal... the greatest pitcher ever from the DR. As a little boy growing up in Sacramento California I got to see him in action many times at old Candlestick Park. He was my hero along with Willie Mays and I had the great privilege of seeing both of them play in their primes.... now the torch is passed to the greatest world series pitcher of all time.... Mad Bum..... Go Giantssssssssssss..... Goooo Raiderssssssssss
Jaun Marichal 243-142 2.89 era 2303 k's Pedro Martinez 219-100 2.93 era 3154 k's
pretty close match up
I agree, and if a Jackie Robinson had broken the color barrier a decade earlier, there would have been other famous Dominican players. Guayubin Olivo was famous in DR before pitching in US, I think he was over 40 by then. His brother Chi-Chi too.
That is very true and what about all the Cuban players from 1960 on that never got a chance.
There was a documentary done on Luis Tiant's return to Cuba for the first time since he left. They discuss some of the Cuban players before him.
Cool no problem. I've had the package for years. Not from a cable/satellite provider but from MLB-TV. It's only like $120 per season. It's God's gift to baseball fans. Home and away broadcasts, watch, pause and play when you want. No blackouts, which is excellent for people here in the DR.