It's always fun to reminisce about baseball players of the past. We picked up this stuff from fans while sitting in the stands.
by manager @baseballhistorian.com - written in 2001
Here's what fans say about their heroes of the 1980s.
"Sure, I remember a lot of them, the Phillies had Mike Schmidt at third, Larry Bowa at shortstop... and of course, Steve Carlton. The Expos had three of the best players in baseball, outfielders Andre Dawson and Tim Raines and catcher Gary Carter - I think all three should be in the Hall of Fame."
"Let's see - Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker were the top double play combination in the league... The White Sox had a good team in the early '80s - Harold Baines, boy-oh-boy, he sure was an outstanding all-around right fielder for the White Sox until he got hurt. I think Baines had one of the strongest throwing arms in baseball history."
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"Rich Gedman, yes - he was the Red Sox catcher and he was one of my favorites. He swung a power-bat and was pretty good defensively."
Rich Gedman - debuted with Boston in 1980, and didn't play regularly until 1984, when he hit a solid .269, with 26 doubles and 24 home runs, and had 72 RBIs in 133 games. in 1985, cranked out 30 doubles, 18 homers with 80 RBIs.
The 1986 Red Sox won the pennant, and Gedman hit .268, slugged 29 doubles, 16 homers and "I thought he handled the pitching staff with perfection. I mean - they had Roger Clemens, Bruce Hurst, Al Nipper, reliever Bob Stanley, and remember that guy - 'Oil Can ' Boyd - now, that's a name." Clemens went 24-4, with a 2.48 ERA... Oil Can Boyd was 16-10, and Hurst went 13-8 with a 2.99 ERA - "now, that's pitching... not like you see today."
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1986 Home Run Leaders:
Jesse Barfield, Toronto Blue Jays 40... Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies 37... Dave Kingman, Oakland A's 35... Gary Gaeti, Minnesota Twins 34... Jose Canseco, Oakland A's 33... Rob Deer, Milwaukee Brewers 33...
Kirby Puckett, Twins 31... George Bell, Blue Jays 31... Don Baylor, Red Sox 31... Dave Parker, Cincinnati Reds 31... Glenn Davis, Houston Astros 31... Don Mattingly, New York Yankees 31... Pete Incaviglia, Texas Rangers 30...
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