Wow, this grouping is full of kids. Three youngsters and one Kid.
David Segui
Gary Carter
Rafael Valdez
Glenallen Hill
BEST PHOTO
Three things stick out about the fronts: how young Segui looks, how you can see a bit of Carter's brain by looking up his nostrils, and how Valdez seems to be struggling to write on a baseball with a Bic pen.
The card backs are all nice changes of pace from their fronts, but not so nice to show Hill looking at a pop-up.
BEST STAT
In just 3 career games, Valdez gave up 4 home runs. That's not quite the record, as 4 guys who appeared in no more than 3 games gave up more homers. All good players hit those homers off Valdez.
BEST IN 1990
Not a single guy here played a full season in 1990. Nobody appeared in as many as 100 games. I guess I pick Carter, who in 92 games with the Giants hit 9 HR with a 104 OPS+. Hill showed some promise as he put up 12 HR and 32 RBI in 84 games, but batted just .231.
BEST ANAGRAMS
David Segui = Guide divas
Gary Carter = Racy garter (heh) = Great carry
Rafael Valdez = Rave fall daze
Glenallen Hill, Blue Jays = A jellybean selling hull = Hell bells: A ninja gulley
BEST CAREER
Clearly Gary Carter had the best career. David Segui is one of those guys really hurt by being linked to steroids. He wasn't a fantastic player and the casual fan chalks up whatever he did well in the game to steroid use, which I doubt is a fair analysis. From 1995 to 2001, Segui was a well above-average player even though his HR and RBI totals didn't rank him high among first basemen. Again, had he played outfield instead of 1B, I think he'd be more highly-regarded these days. Oddly enough, Glennallen Hill is in exactly the same boat as Segui. Hill finished with a 112 OPS+ and had a handful of great seasons as a part-time player. But nobody is going to remember that now.
(Incidentally, I just saw a video of Hill homering onto the roof of a building across from Wrigley in 2000. Pretty amazing...I'm sure it's on YouTube. Go check it out.)
BTW I'm sure Carter is going to win this grouping, and I'm guessing Night Owl is quaking in his boots at the idea of having to defend this card in the contest :)
ReplyDeleteI have a memory of cursing David Segui for prolonging a 17-inning game against the Phillies that I attended in 2003...I may also have threatened his children. It's not one of my prouder moments but I was tired and likely dehydrated. He went 1-7 for two K's.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, Segui also hit a 2-run HR in the first game I ever saw at Camden Yards, a 15-6 win over the White Sox on July 9, 1993.
So, what's Valdez writing (or trying to write)....
ReplyDeleteoh..you wanna have another contest? :)
ReplyDelete