2017 MLB Opening Day Countdown Thread....

[JohnU]

I kinda messed up with the "4" report ... left off the amazing Mike Costanzo.

 

[ChiSoxFan]

 

[JohnU]

I never heard anybody say they liked the red uniforms. I recall they retired HB's number while he was still active -- with the Rangers. Seems like I could prove that but I won't.

 

[calsnowskier]

I never heard anybody say they liked the red uniforms. I recall they retired HB's number while he was still active -- with the Rangers. Seems like I could prove that but I won't.

That matches my memory...

 

[ChiSoxFan]

I never heard anybody say they liked the red uniforms. I recall they retired HB's number while he was still active -- with the Rangers. Seems like I could prove that but I won't.

They do look odd in my opinion. The White Sox will usually wear a retro uniform on Sundays at home. They had a powder blue uniform back in the day as well, not too dissimilar from the Phillies' powder blue.

 

[soxfan1468927]

I never heard anybody say they liked the red uniforms. I recall they retired HB's number while he was still active -- with the Rangers. Seems like I could prove that but I won't.

They retired Harold Baines number? And they are retiring Buehrle's number this year too. Not very strict with their numbers I guess.

 

[JohnU]

They retired Harold Baines number? And they are retiring Buehrle's number this year too. Not very strict with their numbers I guess.

It seems like I got this straight. They retired it in 1989 and gave it back to him when he rejoined the club 6 years later, so nobody else actually wore it while he was with other teams. There is also a lull from 97-00 when he wasn't with the team. Real odd set of values on that.

Buehrle was a real good pitcher but he's hardly somebody I'd honor with a retired number. Konerko is another they retired. I guess he was worth it given the success he had with them around their W.S. winner year in 05.

I think they also retired Nellie Fox's number 2 but a bunch of somebody's wore that for a number of years, including Jerry Hairston and Chet Lemon.

 

[JohnU]

Speaking of opening day, who else is waiting patiently?

"Well, I am," says Hank.

 

[JohnU]

They do look odd in my opinion. The White Sox will usually wear a retro uniform on Sundays at home. They had a powder blue uniform back in the day as well, not too dissimilar from the Phillies' powder blue.

The powder blue wasn't too terribly awful, and consistent with the style of the day.
I never got on board with the ones Veeck designed in 76 that had the fake collars. Of course, the shorts were kind of amusing, not as evil as they were ugly.

 

[JohnU]

This has zero to do with the countdown, but I happened upon it and found it great nostalgia. Back in the day, the A's owner, Charles Finley, advocated for an orange ball to improve the game in some fashion. Um ... whatever.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

I think we Reds fans will have to do it in some other way. Maybe the elimination number ...

Mets fans did this in 2015 with the magic number to clinch the division

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

This has zero to do with the countdown, but I happened upon it and found it great nostalgia. Back in the day, the A's owner, Charles Finley, advocated for an orange ball to improve the game in some fashion. Um ... whatever.

View attachment 157058

I think the deal with the orange balls was to help outfielders spot them, or something. Plus, Finley wanted relief pitchers to ride out to the mound on Donkeys.

 

[soxfan1468927]

It seems like I got this straight. They retired it in 1989 and gave it back to him when he rejoined the club 6 years later, so nobody else actually wore it while he was with other teams. There is also a lull from 97-00 when he wasn't with the team. Real odd set of values on that.

Buehrle was a real good pitcher but he's hardly somebody I'd honor with a retired number. Konerko is another they retired. I guess he was worth it given the success he had with them around their W.S. winner year in 05.

I think they also retired Nellie Fox's number 2 but a bunch of somebody's wore that for a number of years, including Jerry Hairston and Chet Lemon.

I guess they wanted to honor the two best players on the 2005 team. Considering there were no HOF starters there I can kinda see it. Harold Baines still doesn't make sense to me.

That 2005 team shows what can happen when you have deep/healthy pitching staff. Only 6 different pitchers started games that year. Their 1-4 guys all had over 200 IP and combined ERA of 3.52 when the league ERA was 4.35. Plus a bullpen with the 2nd lowest ERA in the AL. Their offense just needed to do enough to stay afloat, and they were wire to wire division winners, and lost 1 game in the playoffs.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

 

[JohnU]

I think the deal with the orange balls was to help outfielders spot them, or something. Plus, Finley wanted relief pitchers to ride out to the mound on Donkeys.

Chaz-O was really interesting. He was really keen on the game. He just had odd ideas and that didn't set well with Bowie Kuhn, who naturally as commish, was hired by the owners who didn't want the status quo changed. Had this enormous house outside LaPorte IN, and he had a giant yellow A's on the roof of the stable. Finley had some dough, but the A's themselves didn't. Went to Oakland because they had a ballpark. In retrospect, the franchise never really should have gone there.

Kuhn all but wrecked the A's when Finley tried to trade Vida Blue to the Reds.

Bill Veeck, not unlike Finley just way earlier, was a truly interesting man, who did more with less than anybody in any business -- ever. (well, overstating that). He got the same treatment from the owners that Finley did. The commish (Frick, probably at the time) strangled Veeck when he wanted to move the Browns out of St. Louis.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Final weekend without baseball! Been a long wait as always, and the wait will be worth it.

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

 

[Tai Chi≈Surfing]

Troy 2Lo-witzki

 

[soxfan1468927]

 

[Erie Warrior]