16 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

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Greg Ambrosius
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16 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Wed Dec 18, 2019 10:30 am

It's hard these days to have a countdown to NFBC Draft Day because we have so many different draft days now. So let's try a different countdown that we all can look forward to:

MLB OPENING DAY!!

This year all 30 MLB teams will open their seasons on the same day: Thursday, March 26th. It should be a national holiday for America as we celebrate America's Pastime with 15 baseball games. It's like Christmas Day for baseball die-hards! :lol:

Okay, so let me see if I can handle this thread with some photos leading us up to Opening Day. Let's start the countdown with 99 days until Opening Day and I'll do my best to find at least one MLB or former MLB player who wore that number. We could lead this list off with a good Manny Ramirez photo, but I'm going current and starting it off with a current player. Enjoy the thread and I'll see you on Opening Day in Las Vegas!! :D

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Re: 98 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Wed Dec 18, 2019 10:32 am

There are actually 98 days until Opening Day, so let's post another photo to keep this rolling. Now, there aren't many MLB players who ever wore No. 98, so bare with me here. You do remember the great Onelki Garcia of the Los Angeles Dodgers, don't you? :? I thought you did. Onelki kicks us closer to Opening Day with his presence.

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Re: 98 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Yah Mule » Wed Dec 18, 2019 11:41 am

It was like Fernandomania all over again when Onelki arrived.

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Re: 98 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Edwards Kings » Wed Dec 18, 2019 12:16 pm

Whoa! #98? Tough one generally reserved for spring training BP pitchers who typically are on fields so far back in the complex that they need a sherpa guide to find them and are often left wondering if anyone remembered they are there. The only reporters back there are looking for a tree to relieve themselves because something is wrong with the bathrooms in the main complex!

Thanks for starting this Greg! Cannot wait for Vegas...gonna be a great year...

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Baseball is a slow, boring, complex, cerebral game that doesn't lend itself to histrionics. You 'take in' a baseball game, something odd to say about a football or basketball game, with the clock running and the bodies flying.
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Re: 98 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Edwards Kings » Thu Dec 19, 2019 6:24 am

Since players are tough, how about the (damn) '97 Marlins?

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Baseball is a slow, boring, complex, cerebral game that doesn't lend itself to histrionics. You 'take in' a baseball game, something odd to say about a football or basketball game, with the clock running and the bodies flying.
Charles Krauthammer

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Re: 97 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Thu Dec 19, 2019 9:04 am

Joe Beimel wore the No. 97 with Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Tampa, the LA Dodgers, Washington and Colorado. And he wore it well!! :lol: NOW ONLY 97 DAYS UNTIL MLB OPENING DAY!!!

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Re: 96 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Fri Dec 20, 2019 8:53 am

Nobody ever said it would be easy to find an MLB player at every number!!! And it's not!! :lol: But I found an image of Bill Voiselle, who played in the major leagues from 1942-50. He started with the New York Giants and then pitched for Boston and the Chicago Cubs. He finished with a 74-84 record and a 3.83 and had a WAR of 10.7. That's not bad, right? Unfortunately, for fantasy purposes he was a dud as his career WHIP was 1.426. Yikes!!!

Anyway, Bill Voiselle tells us that there are now ONLY 96 DAYS UNTIL THE START OF THE 2020 MLB SEASON!!!

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Re: 95 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Sat Dec 21, 2019 10:48 am

I knew it wouldn't be easy to find MLB players with numbers in the 90's, but it's fun to do the research. Takahito Nomura was a 5-7, 175-pound, 33-year-old rookie for the 2002 Brewers who appeared in 21 games, threw 13 2/3 innings, walked 18 batters and delivered an 8.56 ERA. He never pitched in the big leagues again.

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Re: 94 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Sun Dec 22, 2019 10:20 am

Jose Mesa spent 19 seasons in Major League Baseball and finished with 321 Saves. He also finished with a career 4.36 ERA and a career 1.472 WHIP, but when you're looking for 94's you can't be picky!! :lol: Jose Mesa tells us that there are now ONLY 94 DAYS UNTIL THE 2020 MLB SEASON OPENER!!!

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Re: 93 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Mon Dec 23, 2019 8:30 am

NOW ONLY 93 DAYS UNTIL THE 2020 MLB OPENING DAY!!

Pat Neshek gives us that warning today after he completed an interesting 13-year MLB career. He finished with only 16 saves, but he got half of them (8) during his last two seasons (2018-19) with Philadelphia.

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Re: 95 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Yah Mule » Mon Dec 23, 2019 8:03 pm

Greg Ambrosius wrote:
Sat Dec 21, 2019 10:48 am
I knew it wouldn't be easy to find MLB players with numbers in the 90's, but it's fun to do the research. Takahito Nomura was a 5-7, 175-pound, 33-year-old rookie for the 2002 Brewers who appeared in 21 games, threw 13 2/3 innings, walked 18 batters and delivered an 8.56 ERA. He never pitched in the big leagues again.
Takawalko Nomura.

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Re: 91 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:11 am

NOW ONLY 91 DAYS UNTIL 2020 MLB OPENING DAY!!

Alfredo Aceves makes that announcement today after spending seven MLB seasons with the Yankees and Red Sox. He went 31-16 with a 3.83 ERA and 29 saves, 25 of them coming in 2012 with the Red Sox. Who had Aceves as their NFBC closer that year?

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Re: 90 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:15 am

Adam Cimber went 6-3 with the Cleveland Indians last year with a 4.45 ERA and 1 Save. In today's strikeout world, he struck out only 41 batters in 56.2 IP. Oh well, he wears Number 90 well!!! NOW ONLY 90 DAYS UNTIL THE 2020 MLB OPENER!!!

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Re: 89 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Fri Dec 27, 2019 8:50 am

I can't find anyone who wore number 89 in the major leagues, but just a reminder that three months from today we'll beginning the second day of the MLB season. Pretty cool!!
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Re: 88 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Sat Dec 28, 2019 10:08 am

Leave it to Albert Belle to tell us that there are ONLY 88 MORE DAYS UNTIL THE 2020 MLB OPENING DAY!!!

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Albert "Joey" Belle played 12 MLB seasons and led the majors in RBIs three times and homers once. In 1995 with Cleveland, he hit .317 while leading the majors with 50 HRs, 126 RBIs, 121 Runs and 52 doubles. He had a .401 OBP and added 5 Stolen Bases for good measure. In 1996, he hit .311 with 48 HRs, 148 RBIs and 124 Runs and 11 Stolen Bases. Sheesh. In 1998 with the Chicago White Sox, he hit .328 with 49 HRs, 152 RBIs, 113 Runs and 6 Stolen Bases. He spent two years in Baltimore before retiring at the age of 33. Wow.
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Re: 88 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Ando » Sat Dec 28, 2019 8:17 pm

Appreciate you taking the time to doing these, Greg. Great work!
"Luck is the residue of design."

-Branch Rickey

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Re: 88 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Tue Dec 31, 2019 11:32 am

Ando wrote:
Sat Dec 28, 2019 8:17 pm
Appreciate you taking the time to doing these, Greg. Great work!
Thanks. It's fun for a baseball nerd like myself.

I can't find a Dan Otero number 87 image and I don't have any listing of any MLB player ever wearing number 86. We'll open 2020 with a number 85 image, though, I promise. :D
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Re: 85 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Thu Jan 02, 2020 8:35 am

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! Now ONLY 85 DAYS UNTIL OPENING DAY!!

We'll let Lastings Milledge honor New Year's Day as the 6-year veteran was drafted by each of us at least once because of his great potential. In 2008 at the age of 23, he hit .268-14-61 with 24 stolen bases and 65 Runs. He was on the verge of something great, but then his career derailed. He was traded to Pittsburgh in 2009 and was out of the league by early 2011 at the age of 26. Bummer.

Here's to a new year:

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Re: 84 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Thu Jan 02, 2020 8:40 am

NOW ONLY 84 DAYS UNTIL THE 2020 MLB OPENER!!

Let's call in Prince Fielder to make that BIG announcement!! :lol: Prince spent 7 years in Milwaukee and 12 years in the majors before a neck injury ended his career. He led the majors in Home Runs in 2007 with 50 and he led the majors in RBIs in 2009 with 141. His best season came in 2009 when he hit .299 with 46 HRs, 141 RBIs, 101 Runs and yes 2 Stolen Bases. He was a Brewer favorite and still is.

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Re: 83 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Fri Jan 03, 2020 8:54 am

NOW ONLY 83 DAYS UNTIL THE 2020 MLB OPENING DAY!!!

Long before he ever made it to Los Angeles, and long before he ever grew a thick red beard, Justin Turner played for the Baltimore Orioles. He came to his first spring training camp as Number 83!!! And he was free of facial here as you can see here:

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He appeared in 17 games between 2009 and 2010 for Baltimore, before going to the Mets in 2010 and eventually the Dodgers in 2014. He's been a consistent hitter there since, twice hitting 27 home runs for the Dodgers. Enjoy.
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Re: 82 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Sun Jan 05, 2020 10:16 am

NOW ONLY 82 DAYS UNTIL OPENING DAY 2020!!

You'll just have to trust me that Johnny Lazor wore number 82 with the Boston Red Sox. I couldn't find a backside image of Lazor!!

Johnny made the major leagues at the age of 30 in 1943 during the height of World War II. He played four years in Boston with his career ending in 1946.

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Re: 81 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Sun Jan 05, 2020 10:20 am

Eddie Guardado lets us know that there are now ONLY 81 DAYS UNTIL THE 2020 MLB OPENING DAY!!

Guardado pitched 17 years in the Majors and led the AL in saves in 2002 with 45 while pitching for the Minnesota Twins. He had 41 saves the next year and 36 saves in 2005, while finishing his career with 187 saves, 46 wins and a 4.31 ERA. He chose number 81 late in his career with Cincinnati.

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Re: 80 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Mon Jan 06, 2020 9:07 am

NOW ONLY 80 DAYS UNTIL THE 2020 MLB OPENER!!

According to Baseball-Reference, no major-league player has ever worn No. 80. But since I'm a Packers fan, and since I'm still in football mode right now with my Packers hosting a divisional round game this year, let's take a look at the most famous No. 80 in NFL history:

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Re: 79 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Tue Jan 07, 2020 8:28 am

NOW ONLY 79 DAYS UNTIL THE 2020 MLB OPENING DAY!!!

Jose Abreu welcomes in the new season with power and more power. Since entering the majors from Cuba in 2014, he has hit 32 or more HRs every single year while reaching 100 RBIs in five of those six seasons. Last year he led the AL with 123 RBIs. He may be number 79 in your program, but he should be higher on your fantasy rankings.

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Re: 78 Days Until 2020 MLB Opening Day

Post by Greg Ambrosius » Wed Jan 08, 2020 9:15 am

NOW ONLY 78 DAYS UNTIL THE 2020 MLB OPENING DAY!!! 15 games scheduled for Thursday, March 26th!!!

Julio Urias honors this number even though he now wears number 7. He joined the Dodgers at the age of 19 and heads into 2020 as a 22-year-old with a promising future. How high will he go in NFBC drafts this year? We'll soon find out.

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