Mike Smith
PHOTO: Well, well, well. This is certainly one of the most interesting photos in the set, immediately reminding me at Al Leiter's 1988 Topps card (not that it's Leiter on that card.) I guess this was taken late in the day or something, although the black edges all around Smith does make this one look Photoshopped.
Four Mike Smiths have played MLB.
STAT: Interesting list--the 5 guys to homer off Mike Smith. One of them is Bam Bam.
ANAGRAM: Mike Smith = I skim them
CAREER: 1/10
Only 23 big-league innings for Mr. Smith, plus a 8.22 career ERA.
Time for me to bring the obscure Orioles-centric Smith trivia again. You'll notice that three of those Mike Smiths were named Michael Anthony Smith, including this one. Another of them was a contemporary of our Mike Smith. The Orioles had the two Michael Anthony Smiths in camp in 1989 and distinguished them from one another by their home state: "Texas Mike" and "Mississippi Mike". Mississippi Mike never made it to the majors with the O's, but was traded to the Pirates in June and saw his last major league action with them.
ReplyDeleteThis Mike Smith (Texas Mike) played for an independent league team in my city around 1999-2001 (now defunct Ozark Mountain Ducks). He had a rubber arm and could blow away the competition at that level, even in his late 30's. He ran into some arm trouble and then ran into some trouble getting the medical treatment he needed. I was ready to pursue it through workers' compensation for him, but he decided to catch on with another team and pitch through it.
ReplyDeleteI didn't like the level of play of that league (Texas-Louisiana League), but I could certainly admire the love of baseball those guys had, playing for only about $1,200/month. Do the math. It's well below "poverty level".
what exactly was your job, Mike?
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