Where am I? Who am I? How did I come to be here? What is this thing called the Pine? How did I come to the Pine? Why was I not consulted? And if I am compelled to take part in this, where is the man in charge? I want to see him?
Actually, I’ll settle for the answer to the question, who am I? But remember to try this without research. If the answer doesn’t come to you immediately, be sure to share your thought process, as you may assist another in his or her quest to help me answer this “existential” question.
By Chas
I was drafted by a west coast team, but most people don’t know me for that. I was supposed to be the successor to a guy who failed at replacing a legend, a man whom some wonder why he didn’t receive more Hall of Fame support.
I played only parts of three seasons out west before being traded to an eastern team, in a deal for a player who could be described as a professional hitter (a guy who won four batting titles), although he was in the twilight of his career.
I played 5+ years there for a team on the rise. We went from 64 wins in my first full year to a postseason berth in my last. While there, I set a major league record (that since has been broken) for most assists in a season at a position not known for them.
I left as a free agent, though, to sign with another eastern team. We turned our fortunes around in my first year there, which was the beginning of a long run of sustained success. In fact, we made the playoffs in all of my three seasons there, but lost in the World Series twice. We even beat my previous team in a playoff series once, and I played a pivotal role on a series-deciding play.
My postseason numbers were solid, if not spectacular: a .785 OPS in 92 AB over 28 games.
I moved on from there, heading west again, and played one final year for a fourth team where I served as the backup to another player whose Hall of Fame candidacy has become a lightning-rod for controversy.
I didn’t reach 1000 hits or 100 homers over my 12 years in the majors, but I held my own. Even though I played the requisite 10 seasons, my name never appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot.
Who Am I?
A guy who played only 12 years and didn’t even get 1,000 hits. Wow, not much to go on there. Okay, let’s focus on what we can control. Focusing on that last clue, I wonder if he finished his career with the SF Giants where he backed up Barry Bonds (lightning rod?).
What eastern team made the playoffs 3 consecutive seasons and lost the WS twice? Is that Cleveland?
What’s the position where assists are hard to come by? Catcher? Right field?
Off to get ready and go to work … will have to ponder this all the while. I’ll be back later.
Wally – I like where you are heading so far. The “professional hitter” is probably Edgar Martinez.
Or wait.. Would it be Matt Stairs who is always pinch hitting.
Well, Smitty … that “professional hitter” won 4 batting titles, this is one of the players the WAI answer was traded for. Not many guys winning 4 batting titles.
I’m still thinking this player was on the Indians during their string of two WS losses … or with the Atlanta Braves in early 90s when they lost two in a row.
I don agree… The team we are talking about is probably the Indians
Not sure the Braves fit. They lost in 96 and I believe 99. Too many years in between.
Wally. I take that back. Forgot the Braves lost 2x in the early 80s as well.
It was the early 90s and all I remember from those teams was Sid Bream scoring from second.
I’m thinking it’s either a catcher or outfielder (maybe a RF) that played with the Indians (mid-late 90s) or the Braves (early 90s) when those teams lost two WS in a span of 3 years. I say those positions because they figure to have very few assists and this guy set a record for assists that was eventually broken.
Wally’s connection with Barry Bonds and the “lightning rod of controversy” seems correct. So this guy played one year with San Fran. Right? Hmmmm….
Props to Chas for upping the ante this week.
Good one, huh?
Can I say that I like 1B as the position.
Assuming the 2 teams that are mentioned.
Indians had Thome playing 1B (I hope, cause I can’t remember who played 1b when Thome played 3b).
Braves had Bream and Hunter in a platoon (TBS was good to me, braves games all the time).
I know the braves beat the Pirates (bream played for them at some point, I think he still lives and coaches youth ball in Western PA). And Bream was important in that last play.
But I don’t know where he went after the braves.
MKcGwire is a lightning rod and I’m guessing he went to oakland, at least I’m hoping that way it fits
Didn’t Sid Bream start with the Dodgers and was supposed to replace Steve Garvey. Garvey was being surrounded by controversy thanks to his comments about the Dodger organization and was recently fired. So maybe Gino is on to something and it could be Sid Bream.
Bream fits playing 28 games in the post season.
Casey, am I to interpret this latest comment to mean you happen to know, off the top of your head, that Sid Bream played in 28 postseason games? 😉
Know EXACTLY off the top of my head? No. But I would guess Bream was around 28 post-season ABs.
OK, once again I read too far into your comment in an effort to dig you. 🙂
So…is Sid Bream the Pine’s final answer?
Sure..Final answer.
Since Bream was on the Pirates before joining the Braves, is it possible the Dodgers traded him for the Pirates’ Bill Madlock??? If so, there’s your 4-time batting champion right there!! (Madlock had a few good years with the Cubs including 1 batting title, i think). And, Gino, you’re right … 1B doesn’t have many assists compared to the other positions.
Given all the above, I support the Pine’s recommendation for the final answer of Sid Bream. (Not that you were waiting for my endorsement or anything) 🙂
Wally! Genius call on Bill Madlock. I was thinking Bream was with the Pirates but I could not be certain.
And of course … how could we forget … Nobody yet has mentioned Bream’s famous dash and slide at home plate barely beating the throw from the outfield to win that famous NLCS Game 7 vs the Pirates. His signature moment!
Madlock is/was an enigma. The guy had those years where he was more than above average only to drift off into the abyss.
Sid Bream is correct! Great job guys in piecing this together, especially Gino, but give Smitty some credit for being the first person to mention Bream at 8:37.
Bream began his career with the Dodgers, and the legend he was trying to replace was Steve Garvey (kudos to Smitty for that one).
He was traded to the Pirates in a deal that brought Bill Madlock in return (nice job, Wally!).
Then, he left the Pirates via free agency to go to the Braves, who went from worst to first in 1991, only to lose their first of two consecutive World Series. Bream played a key role in defeating the Pirates in that year’s NLCS by scoring the winning run in game 7, ahead of the throw of Barry Bonds.
Bonds, however, is not the lightning-rod I referred to. Bream played his final year for the Astros, backing up Jeff Bagwell.
Obviously, Gino was right about the position. By “not known for assists” I meant that 1B is more known for putouts, although first basemen do get more assists than outfielders and catchers.
Great job, guys. This was definitely a fun one for me. 🙂
Yep … figures … i’m sure that early ’90s Braves clue wasn’t helpful … sheesh.
Bagwell is a “lightning rod”??? Don’t understand.
I’m so sorry Wally that I overlooked the credit you deserved for suggesting he might be from the early ’90s Braves at the beginning of the thread…[eye roll]
Bagwell’s a lightning rod because the only reason he didn’t get elected to the Hall of Fame on the first ballot is that voters are suspicious that he might have used steroids. Maybe that controversy is less out in the mainstream than I realized, but I certainly read a lot about it. Don’t you live in Houston?
Wally….don’t you worry. You get an ice cream cone too.. 😉
Nice collective effort guys! A great WAI , Chas!
Not much talk about Bagwell and PEDs down here. The talk earlier this summer was really that’s he’s definitely gonna be inducted next year or the year after. Maybe since he’s a “favorite son” locally, people are looking the other way … I’m not sure. He and Biggio enjoy near-God status in south Texas, just like Nolan Ryan.
Thanks for the ice cream cone … can i also get a gold star sticker?
And kudos to you, Chas … like Smitty said … that was one helluva WAI. The best ones take the better part of the day, but you end up kicking yourself for not getting it by lunch. This was one of those.
They’re fooling themselves if they think that. I think Bagwell should’ve got in this past year, but he got less than 40% of the vote. That’s not going to turn around in a year or two. Like I said, voters are withdrawing their support based on “suspicion” rather than the more substantiated information that they have on guys like Bonds and Clemens.
Sorry, he got 41.7% of the vote. Still isn’t going to increase to 75% in two years.
Yep … I suspect the locals, including the media, are choosing to look the other way. But I’ll admit that i haven’t personally seen or read much of anything alleging PEDs with Bagwell, so I’m sincerely a bit surprised. And I do read more than just the Houston Chronicle.