02-24-2009, 06:01 PM
<!--quoteo(post=19935:date=Feb 24 2009, 10:12 AM:name=Runnys)-->QUOTE (Runnys @ Feb 24 2009, 10:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=19927:date=Feb 24 2009, 08:19 AM:name=Coldneck)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Coldneck @ Feb 24 2009, 08:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->My name is James Hickman. So I have that going for me.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Or against you depending on how you look at it.
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I'm starting to think that the ballplaying Hickman was fantastically lucky, not the opposite.
I reality, he really wasn't good enough to play MLB. At the age of 25, he was a career minor-leaguer, and would have likely either had to face the reality of not fulfilling his dream, or of ending up like Crash Davis.
But out of nowhere, for the first time in MLB history, they have expansion! The AL expands first, in 1961, but he's not good enough to make one of their two new teams. But the next year, the NL <i>also</i> expands, and he manages, by the skin of his teeth, to latch on to the very last team.
That team is the biggest collection of laughable talents in the history of the sport, so he even manages to get playing time. He gets to say he played under Casey Stengal. Despite keeping an OPS+ well below 100 (for an OFer!) he's basically an everyday player for <i>years</i>.
He finally figures it out extremely late...he has the only good year of his career at age 33. I seriously doubt that has ever happened. By that age, most guys with his talent are coaching JC, or selling auto parts.
And it's SUCH a good year that he makes the all-star team. So he gets to have that incredible experience, plus, for the rest of his life, he's introduced as "Major-League All-Star, Mr. Jim Hickman," which vastly overstates his talent, but sounds pretty good to the casual fan.
So Coldneck, I consider your moniker to be a blessing, and I wish you the same luck as your namesake.
Or against you depending on how you look at it.
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I'm starting to think that the ballplaying Hickman was fantastically lucky, not the opposite.
I reality, he really wasn't good enough to play MLB. At the age of 25, he was a career minor-leaguer, and would have likely either had to face the reality of not fulfilling his dream, or of ending up like Crash Davis.
But out of nowhere, for the first time in MLB history, they have expansion! The AL expands first, in 1961, but he's not good enough to make one of their two new teams. But the next year, the NL <i>also</i> expands, and he manages, by the skin of his teeth, to latch on to the very last team.
That team is the biggest collection of laughable talents in the history of the sport, so he even manages to get playing time. He gets to say he played under Casey Stengal. Despite keeping an OPS+ well below 100 (for an OFer!) he's basically an everyday player for <i>years</i>.
He finally figures it out extremely late...he has the only good year of his career at age 33. I seriously doubt that has ever happened. By that age, most guys with his talent are coaching JC, or selling auto parts.
And it's SUCH a good year that he makes the all-star team. So he gets to have that incredible experience, plus, for the rest of his life, he's introduced as "Major-League All-Star, Mr. Jim Hickman," which vastly overstates his talent, but sounds pretty good to the casual fan.
So Coldneck, I consider your moniker to be a blessing, and I wish you the same luck as your namesake.
There's nothing better than to realize that the good things about youth don't end with youth itself. It's a matter of realizing that life can be renewed every day you get out of bed without baggage. It's tough to get there, but it's better than the dark thoughts. -Lance