Inky

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DOUGHBOYS
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Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:00 pm

Inky

Post by DOUGHBOYS » Wed Jan 23, 2019 10:51 am

I have a buddy that I talk with nearly every day. He is more 'well-rounded' when it comes to Sports.
I am a Baseball guy who used to like to follow other sports as he does now.
I quit following basketball after the Magic-Bird era. After that, it just got out of hand with the two man teams of Jordan and Pippen and ONeal and Bryant, then the put all the best players on one or two teams of today.
Football is a shoulder shrug for me. Their rules becoming more namby-pamby (you can't fall on a Quarterback? Do they know how ridiculous that sounds?) And when your largest Star of the sport (any sport) is over 40 years of age, that sport has problems.
Baseball is not without its own problems, but it is 'home' to me.

Anyway, I am talking to my buddy and he mentions that baseball comes up really short when it comes to its draft.
I had to agree.
Football and basketball players are drafted and BAM! They are helping pro teams right away.
It makes each teams draft exciting for the fans.
They've seen these kids play in College and know them a little before even playing for their team.
In baseball, we're lucky if knowing ANY of the kids drafted.
We take scouts word for it that the kids are good.
It is the beginning of hype.
Some of the hype (Trout) is good.
Some of the hype (Buxton) is not.

This conversation brought to mind, Pete Incaviglia. Or 'Inky' as he became to baseball fans.
Incaviglia was a College stud.
He thought so much of his abilities that after signing he told the Montreal Expos that he would not go to the Minor Leagues.
Some baseball players have not played in the minors.
I believe Mike Leake was the last.
Jim Abbott was both Minor league-less and right arm-less.
We'll never know if the Minors would have helped Leake, but most would agree that it probably wouldn't have hurt him.
Abbott struggled his first couple of years in the Majors, so he may as well have been in the Minors.

The Expos would not give in to Incaviglia.
They traded him a half year later to the Texas Rangers.
Incaviglia got his wish and played at the top level right away.
'Inky' hit 30 homers that first year and was a sensation.
His 185 strike outs were forgiven. Much as today's game forgives strike outs.
After that, his career progressively trended downward until being traded several times, trying to recapture that first years glory.
His career was long.
He played 13 years at the top level.
But in a twist of fate, Inky had to go to the minor leagues to try and re-prove himself.
He spent the better part of his last five playing years in the minors.
A reverse career.
On my tombstone-
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!

King of Queens
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Re: Inky

Post by King of Queens » Thu Jan 24, 2019 9:31 pm

True story: Pete Incaviglia has been playing in the NFFC for many years.
Last edited by King of Queens on Sun Jan 27, 2019 9:53 am, edited 1 time in total.

DOUGHBOYS
Posts: 13088
Joined: Sat Feb 05, 2005 6:00 pm

Re: Inky

Post by DOUGHBOYS » Thu Jan 24, 2019 10:11 pm

Wow. I never realized.
Good drafter?
On my tombstone-
Wait! I never had the perfect draft!

King of Queens
Posts: 3602
Joined: Wed Feb 04, 2004 6:00 pm
Contact:

Re: Inky

Post by King of Queens » Thu Jan 24, 2019 10:29 pm

Good customer :lol:

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