I wonder how they will try and contend with Acuna gone? D'arnaud coming back should be a big help. Ynoa coming back should be a shot in the arm for the rotation. We could really use Camargo to hit like he did a couple of years ago. He was never a great hitter but was solid and had a little pop in his bat. I am guessing some combo of Pache and/or Waters will get a look in ATL. Pache should be closer to being ready. Somehow they need to convince these guys to stop swinging for the fences. Any solid hitter should be able to hit .275 or better by simply hitting line drives away from the shift. Play small ball. Freddie and Riley and D'arnaud (when he gets back) are about it for HR power. No one else should try.
I was in Greenville SC this weekend with my brothers and 1 nephew. We went to the "Shoeless" Joe Jackson Museum in the West End. If you are a baseball fan it's a must see visit. Takes less than an hour. They played in the "dead ball Era" so hitting HR's was pretty rare. Ole Joe hit a few but they had to liven up the ball in the mid 20's and Babe Ruth had to come on the scene for HR's to become a big part of offenses. The Director (tour guide) told a story about Joe being traded from Phila. to Cleveland. Joe and his wife Katey negotiated his salary. Joe said "I want $10,000 a yr". The owner said " no way ". Joe said "Pay me the $10,000 and I'll hit .400 or better for you. If I don't you owe me nothing". The owner said "you gotta deal". Joe hit .408 that year so got the $10,000. But he never won a batting title. Ty Cobb his .416 that year. Joe did finish 2nd multiple to Cobb. There's a plaque there stating (my paraphrase) "Shoeless Joe was the best natural hitter I ever saw". the quote was from Ty Cobb.
They also told a story about where "shoeless came from. His last year in Greenville with the Spinners minor league team, he new he was going to be called up later in the season when they expanded rosters. His cleats were all "dog eared" and he didn't want to go to Philly looking like a country bumpkins with his shoes in shreds. Along about the 5th inning the new shoes were rubbing blisters on his feet. he went to the manager and said he needed to come out. He replied, you are my best player. You cannot come out. So Joe played the last 4 innings in his socks. In his entire baseball playing career, it was the only time he went without shoes. A reporter from Anderson, SC was covering the game and coined the moniker "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. It tuck for the rest of his life. He hated the nickname.
He worked in the mill from the time he was 7 or 8 yrs old. Never had a formal education and never learned to read or write. Playing ball was his ticket out of being a loom fixer or suck. The work was cramped, sweaty as hell and dangerous. By the time he was 13 he was the best player on the Brandon mill team. Most men on the team were between the ages of 18 & 34. In his day he had the best arm in the NL. They used to play exhibitions and have competitions prior to here being All Star games. He won the trophy for best arm. He threw a ball from deep CF to home plate, on the money 396' 9" away. He was a great hitter but Cobb generally won the hitting contests. He was not the fastest but consistently was one of the top 3 fastest men in the NL.
I'll leave it at that. Fascination bits of info from the tour. And of course you can buy replicas's of stuff, books, baseball cards, etc. Not bad for no admission charge.
nesn.com
