By Paul Casey Gotham
****Remember, try this without research. Make like Wally, and release your inner James Joyce. Show us your stream of consciousness as you try to decipher the answer.
I know a thing or two about trying to live up to expectations. Geez. I came up through a farm system where the big league club won four Gold Gloves a year five times in eight seasons. The guy whose place I took won 16 in a row. Try filling those shoes. To make matters worse, he won a World Series MVP. I hit a home run in the World Series, but we didn’t win. We won that game, but not the series. After grabbing a 3-1 lead, we fell to a team with a family atmosphere. I played two more seasons on the east coast before being traded. I welcomed it. They sent me out west; where I was from. Besides, they had to make room for the next legend. Well, not exactly. See the kid they brought up played my position in the minors. After a few games with the big club, they moved him to shortstop. He occupied that position every game for the next…oh 16 seasons or so. Next season, I had my best campaign finishing third in the MVP voting and earning a Silver Slugger. Rockin’ Robin got the award. Doesn’t it figure. The next year my original team won the World Series. I reached the playoffs twice with my second team. We never made it to the Series. Came pretty close in ’86. David Henderson kinda took care of us.
Who am I?
Gotta be quick here cuz I’m late for work, but this has to be Doug Decinces (spelling?). He replaced (or tried to replace) the legendary Brooks Robinson at 3B for the Orioles, which was the big clue here.
I’ll go with Wally’s pick, only because the ONLY thought I had was that it was Brooks Robinson who got replaced. While (as usual) the name DeCinces comes in loud and clear AFTER I hear it, I had no idea. Until the trade talk I was thinking Jeter because he changed to shortstop.
Has to be DeCinces because he later played for California. Nice job, Wally.
Pete, Ripken’s the guy they moved DeCinces out for, who then ended up moving to shortstop.
I didn’t know Doug DeCinces finished third in the MVP in 1982. Nice one, Casey.
I forgot about Ripken’s position change. Thanks, Chas.
BTW, now that Wally is in CST, we are going to have to be awful early to beat him to the draw.