OT: Yaz's Grandson.

[Madmannsucks]

Nice story unfolds as Carl's grandson Mike homers in 1st Fenway appearance. It seems a couple years back we were reading Yaz was gravely ill. He looked pretty good.
I was a Yankee fan as a kid and still am. However the 67 Sox captured the imagination of New England with Yaz leading the way. I remember the line up top to bottom. First time I really followed a team or a race. Tigers, Twins and Red Sox all in it with the Sox vs Twins and Tigers playing the Angels on the final weekend. White Sox managed by Eddie Stanky were in it with just a few days to go by the way. Of course "The Impossible Dream" was their theme.
The Cards in the NL were loaded with Brock, Flood, Gibson, Cepeda and others and prevailed in a 7 game series.

 

[Chin Diesel]

And Yaz threw out first pitch to his grandson. Not the strongest of heaters but it was straight and made it to the plate.

 

[Husky25]

I was a Yankee fan as a kid and still am. However the 67 Sox captured the imagination of New England with Yaz leading the way.

Meh. "He was basically Harold Baines with a little more pop early in his career."

 

[Deepster]

I heard Yaz celebrated the HR with a Marlboro Red.

 

[jibsey]

Watching a grandson become successful in the major leagues would be mind blowing by itself for any grandfather but to have that happen for Yaz in Boston is even better.

 

[Dove]

And Yaz threw out first pitch to his grandson. Not the strongest of heaters but it was straight and made it to the plate.

That was straight? It was a La Lob. But, yes, it made to the glove for sure.

 

[Madmannsucks]

Meh. "He was basically Harold Baines with a little more pop early in his career."

He did win an MVP and a Triple Crown and was much more of a fielder than Baines was. he also in "the year of the pitcher" holds the dubious distinction of having the lowest Batting Average ever to lead the league. .301 in 1968.

 

[Husky25]

He did win an MVP and a Triple Crown and was much more of a fielder than Baines was. he also in "the year of the pitcher" holds the dubious distinction of having the lowest Batting Average ever to lead the league. .301 in 1968.

Did you notice that my post was in quotes? Use the search function in the upper right hand corner.

 

[Deepster]

He did win an MVP and a Triple Crown and was much more of a fielder than Baines was. he also in "the year of the pitcher" holds the dubious distinction of having the lowest Batting Average ever to lead the league. .301 in 1968.

I don't buy the fielder argument. He played half his games in a little league park with a 30 foot wall behind him.

 

[methodology]

Another player drafted by Orioles that they gave up on too soon.

 

[joober jones]

When did we get so old?

 

[Excalibur]

Did you notice that my post was in quotes? Use the search function in the upper right hand corner.

I knew it was sarcasm. The guy who originally made the comparison between Yaz and a guy that led the league in an offensive category a grand total of one time apparently didn't, as he "liked" the post . . .

 

[Madmannsucks]

When did we get so old?

Yeah, I was pulling for the Tigers. They had Kaline...my first sports hero. Also Dick McCaulife from Farmington with the coolest stance I had ever seen.
They had back to back DH's against the Angels. Sox had the Twins. I loved reading box scores. And of course the Courant's Bill Lee who loved the Sox.
I am old but I remember it like it was yesterday.

 

[The Viking]

Great stat about Yaz...using the wrC+ stat, which is park and league adjusted, with 100 being an average offensive score, Yaz, finished above 100 for 19 straight years (1962-1980).

For what it's worth, outside of his 8 gold gloves, the few defensive metrics they are able to use based on what stats they had at the time had him as very good to great until his early 30's. And of course his most famous play - a great catch to save Billy Rohr's no-hitter in 1967 - took place in the cavernous LF in the old Yankee Stadium.

It would be cool to see the Sox pick up his grandson before he hangs them up - even as a hitter off the bench.

 

[Chin Diesel]

That was straight? It was a La Lob. But, yes, it made to the glove for sure.

Straight as in it went straight towards home plate. Definitely had a nice arc trajectory.

 

[Husky25]

Straight as in it went straight towards home plate. Definitely had a nice arc trajectory.

I can only hope to make 80 years old let alone be able to throw 60'-6" north of my 80th birthday.

 

[Waquoit]

I don't buy the fielder argument. He played half his games in a little league park with a 30 foot wall behind him.

He made great plays on the road as well. Before your time, I think.

 

[Waquoit]

The story of a rookie that old is already a good one.

 

[UConnRock]

I saw the young Yaz at Vandy. He was one of those guys that stayed in college for 4 years to try to move up in the draft. He did his time in the minors and it is great to see him succeed at the top level. Very few break into the bigs at 29. Nice story and the Fenway scenes were fantastic.