Favorite baseball player

[Chizip]

We need to get some more threads in here about America's favorite pastime. So, who is your favorite baseball player? Mine would have to be the man pictured in my sig, Albert Pujols. (yes, his last name sounds like poo holes)

This guy is a beast, the only player to ever hit .300+, 30+ hrs, 100+ rbi's and 100+ runs in both of the first 2 years of his career. He hit 2 more home runs tonight. This guy is only 23, it's incredible, he could go down as one of the greatest players of all time.

So, who do yoooou like?

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Is Joe DiMaggio still playing? He'll always be a favourite, if for no reason other than marrying Marilyn Monroe.

 

[Chizip]

nope, he died in 1999. he was born on a good day though, nov 25th. only cool people are born on that day, right headache?



where have you gone joe dimaggio,
our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Where have you gone Joe DiMaggio?
Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you...

One of the most natural shots of Marilyn:

 

[Chizip]

another reason why i respect pujols so much:

(from a post on a cardinals message board)

After hearing about the Down Syndrome benefit golf tournament that Albert Pujols was planning to hold at Forest Hills last weekend, a lady whose daughter has DS decided to pitch in and help. She made some calls and obtained a few items that were to be used in the benefit auction at the dinner following the golf tournament. In appreciation of her help, the event organizers offered tickets for her husband and daughter to attend the dinner and auction.

When they arrived, the organizers asked if their daughter (9 or 10 years old) would like to say a few words - the same opportunity was given to other DS kids in attendance. Lisa (not her real name), stood up and told everyone her name and where she went to school. She also said "Tomorrow is my birthday, and the only thing that I really want for my birthday is to have my picture taken with my favorite Cardinal Albert Pujols!" Albert gladly oblidged on the spot, and Lisa was beaming as her mom snapped the photo.

Nice story, huh? It gets better.

As the auction progressed, Lisa and her parents were talking about one item that they would like to bid on - a trip to Sea World. When that item came up for bids, it quickly surpassed what they could afford. The bidding reached $1500, then $2000, then $2500. Finally it was sold for $3000. The winning bidder went up to claim the ticket number. He then took the microphone from the auctioneer and said "Happy Birthday, Lisa! This trip is for you!"

The high bidder was none other than Albert Pujols.

it's one thing to be a great player, it's another to be a great guy. it's rare where you will get the best of both worlds.

Albert Pujols, I salute you.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Wow, she was so beautiful. Sorry, I can't help myself.

 

[Chizip]

get a hold of yourself man

just imagine if she had a tongue ring

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Alright, now you're grossing me out.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

I should add - the idea of Marilyn with a tongue ring doesn't gross me out. It's the whole discussion earlier in relation to tongue rings that is grossing me out, for obvious reasons.

Okay, back to Marilyn...

Sorry for hijacking your thread, BTW.

 

[Chizip]

it's ok. we'll just talk about your sister and her tongue ring.

you know what tongue rings are good for dont ya???

sorry, couldnt resist.

 

[Michael Griffiths]

Leave my sister out of it!

As for the benefits of tongue rings, yes, I do know exactly what you're talking about. But enough of that. Unless, of course, you'd care to elaborate...

 

[Chizip]

ummm, unless you wanna post a pic of your sis, lets get back to baseball.

Pujols.

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

Hideki Matsui
Ichiro Suzuki

even though I know absolutely nothing about baseball, being asian i guess i like them by default.

 

[U2girl02]

I think my favorite baseball player would have to be Brian Daubach.

I admire him because he always tries his best and plays his hardest. He was stuck in the minor leagues for something like 9 years and he kept working at his goal until he finally got to the majors in Boston. Once there, he never let his "meager" (relatively ) salary stop him from trying his hardest, and he was deemed a "Dirt Dog" by Jerry Remy. I also had the opportunity to meet him a few years ago, and he's extremely nice and polite.

Summary: Dauber's the man


My other fave is Greg Montalbano, a minor leaguer for the Red Sox.

Greg is an incredibly nice guy, he's so sweet. He's got a great inspiration story too. A few years ago, he was diagnosed with cancer which he fought and beat.

Both these guys are awesome because they both have a true love for baseball and are genuinely nice guys.






Ok, I'm done

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

Dale Murphy

 

[MrBrau1]

Jim Rice-Boston Red Sox

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

"Old school"

Dwight Evans

Yaz

Carlton Fisk

George Brett

Ted Williams-RIP Unfortunately he was way before my time, but my Mom taught me all about him, and I even got to meet him once, at a book signing he had.

More current players

Mark McGwire

Nomar Garciaparra

Sammy Sosa

I don't really follow baseball that much anymore, so I'm unfamiliar w/ most players.

 

[Lemon Meringue]

Harmon Killebrew

(I was a big Kirby Puckett fan, but I'm not so sure now.)

 

[cujo]

Ozzie Smith... he's going off the rail on a crazy train!

 

[u2popmofo]

Old School:

Mickey Mantle

Nowadays:

Ken Griffey Jr.

 

[pub crawler]

Garrett Anderson
Darin Erstad
Adam Kennedy
Francisco Rodriguez
David Eckstein

 

[The_Sweetest_Thing]

well, waaaay back in the day (93-94) I used to like John Olerud, Kelly Gruber, Roberto Alomar, and Joe Carter.


Band-wagon jumper.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

nope, he died in 1999. he was born on a good day though, nov 25th. only cool people are born on that day, right headache?

right... but dimaggio was a very crochety old man, and i hate the way he responded to a young mickey mantle. game 2 of the 1951 world series... mantle was in right field, charing hard after a fly ball that looked like it was going to drop in because dimaggio wasn't running hard after the ball. the last second, dimaggio decides to wave off mantle, mantle has to stop short, catches his foot on a drain cover, and tears up his knee. before the injury, casey stengel called mantle the fastest player he had ever seen. mantle never recovered his speed, and his knee was never fully healthy throughout the rest of his career... imagine that for a second if you will.

.298 career hitter, 536 homeruns, 1509 rbi's... and he was never healthy... AND he was an alcoholic. thinking of what mantle might have done without these problems is down right scary.

oh... and dimaggio snubbed his invite to mantle's funeral. he was always jelous of the fact that he was groomed as dimaggio's replacement, before dimaggio wanted to quit.

and as for my favorite player... here are my 3 favorite players... of all time, that i actually saw play, and playing today...

tom seaver...

lenny dykstra...

alex rodriguez