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RIP Dave Smith

John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 17 2008 09:39 PM

Roly-poly closer for our 86 NLCS rivals, dead at 53. Gave up a big HR to Dykstra. ]SAN DIEGO -- Former Astros pitcher Dave Smith died Wednesday according to one of his former teammates, Joe Sambito, who is now a baseball agent. Sambito told FOX 26 Sports he was informed by a family friend that Smith died of a heart attack in the San Diego, California area. An investigator at the Medical Examiner's office of San Diego County, who asked not to be identified, told FOX 26 his office is currently investigating the death of someone named Dave Smith. Smith, a two-time All-Star reliever with the Astros in 1986 and 1990, played for Houston from 1980 to 1990. He finished with 199 saves for the Astros, second on the club's all-time career list behind Billy Wagner. "When you think of Astros closers, you think of Brad Lidge, Billy Wagner, Dave Smith, and myself," Sambito said in a telephone interview. "Dave was such a loveable guy. In a very fond way, I call him a character, because he was so much fun." Smith finished his career with the Chicago Cubs in 1991 and 1992. Following his playing career, Smith was a minor league pitching coach in the San Diego Padres organization from 1994 until 1998. He was the Padres pitching coach from 1999 until 2001. Smith passed away at the age of 53.

Edgy DC Dec 17 2008 09:48 PM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Dec 18 2008 06:33 AM

When he was scuffling in the NLCS, my goombah Yankee-fan, Met-hatin' roommate started punching things, demanding the Astros manager bring in his ace. "Joe, that is his ace." "That gray-haired asshole isn't the ace." "He was the best reliever in the league."

G-Fafif Dec 17 2008 11:01 PM

Sad news. First thought, oddly is how he must have wished the visitors' bullpen had a canopy in October 1986, if you get my drift. He certainly got some fans', uh, drift. Let's just say they took the concept of "relieving" upon themselves to help soften up the opposition closer. I recall reading that Smith got what brunt there was to get. That's just wrong. Charlie Kerfeld would have been a different stream of thought.

HahnSolo Dec 18 2008 07:08 AM

Actually, Joe, when I think of Astros closers I do not think of you. Seems like a wrong way to inject yourself into a conversation or story. Joe Sambito, bad fit. What I recall about Smith that year is that he was pretty light's out against everybody, but the Mets hit him well, and not only that, thought they could hit him if they brought him in. I had cahnfidence going into the 9th inning of Game 3.

seawolf17 Dec 18 2008 07:08 AM

="HahnSolo":u9j3osuh]Actually, Joe, when I think of Astros closers I do not think of you. Seems like a wrong way to inject yourself into a conversation or story. Joe Sambito, bad fit.[/quote:u9j3osuh] Yeah, really. Dick move, Joe. Edgy DC Dec 18 2008 07:17 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Dec 18 2008 07:22 AM OK, let's do this thing. In tribute to Dave Smith, name the top ten all-time Astro saviors. soupcan Dec 18 2008 07:19 AM ="HahnSolo"] Actually, Joe, when I think of Astros closers I do not think of you. Seems like a wrong way to inject yourself into a conversation or story. Joe Sambito, bad fit. Thought the same thing when I read that. ="HahnSolo"]What I recall about Smith that year is that he was pretty light's out against everybody, but the Mets hit him well, and not only that, thought they could hit him if they brought him in. I had cahnfidence going into the 9th inning of Game 3. I remember that those Mets hit everybody's bullpen well. If they were behind in a game and the starter left - you knew they would come back. RIP Joe Smith, thanks for the homerun! seawolf17 Dec 18 2008 07:32 AM ="Edgy DC":2d2kldqy]OK, let's do this thing. In tribute to Dave Smith, name the top ten all-time Astro saviors.[/quote:2d2kldqy] Smith Wagner Sambito Lidge Valverde Kerfeld (?) seawolf17 Dec 18 2008 07:32 AM ="soupcan":394iiirf]RIP Joe Smith, thanks for the homerun![/quote:394iiirf] He was traded, not killed. Edgy DC Dec 18 2008 08:52 AM ="seawolf17":92rbrty0] ="Edgy DC":92rbrty0]OK, let's do this thing. In tribute to Dave Smith, name the top ten all-time Astro saviors.[/quote:92rbrty0] Smith Wagner Sambito Lidge Valverde Kerfeld (?)[/quote:92rbrty0] 1) Wagner 226 (9 points for Seawolf) 2) Smith 199 (9 more) 3) Lidge 123 (8 more) 4) 5) Sambito 72 (8 points for Seawolf) 6) 7) 8) Valverde 44 (7 Wolfpoints) 9) 10) T36) Kerfield 7 (-3 Points for Von Wolftrap) Wolfie on board with 38 points. John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 18 2008 09:01 AM Ken Forsch Bob Forsch Frank DiPino Doug Jones Claude Raymond DocTee Dec 18 2008 09:07 AM I'll go with some Metly connections: Dan Wheeler and Octavio Dotel. seawolf17 Dec 18 2008 09:17 AM Not Doug Jones. Todd Jones. John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 18 2008 09:32 AM I can't even keep my Forsch's stright. That's why I named both though I think Ken was the Astro, at least for the longer period. SteveJRogers Dec 18 2008 09:50 AM Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Dec 18 2008 09:50 AM . RMPL! John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 18 2008 09:50 AM Brill. SteveJRogers Dec 18 2008 09:53 AM John Hudek? Well, he DID go to an ASG one year as an Astro rep. batmagadanleadoff Dec 18 2008 11:00 AM I always think of Jim Ray, who was lights out in the first Strat-O-Matic set I ever played (1971 season) -- 1.59 ERA+, 1.055 WHIP, yet only three Saves. Edgy DC Dec 18 2008 11:06 AM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket"]Ken Forsch Bob Forsch Frank DiPino Doug Jones Claude Raymond 1) Wagner 226 2) Smith 199 3) Lidge 123 4) 5) Sambito 72 6) Doug Jones 62 (7 Bucketpoints) 7) Ken Forsch 50 (7 Bucketpoints) 8) Valverde 44 9) Frank DiPino 43 (8 Bucketpoints) 10) 15) Claude Raymond 26 (-3 Bucketpoints) Infinity) Bob Forsch 0 (-3 Bucketpoints) Bucket on board with 16 points. ="DocTee"]I'll go with some Metly connections: Dan Wheeler and Octavio Dotel. 1) Wagner 226 2) Smith 199 3) Lidge 123 4) 5) Sambito 72 6) Jones 62 7) Forsch 50 8) Valverde 44 9) DiPino 43 10) Octavio Dotel 42 (10 Points for DocTee) 18) Dan Wheeler 23 (-3 DocPoints) Seven points for DocTee ="seawolf17"]Not Doug Jones. Todd Jones. 11) Todd Jones 39 (-3 for the Wolfchild, bringing him down to 35) ="SteveJRogers"]John Hudek? Well, he DID go to an ASG one year as an Astro rep. Don't defend your answers. 13) Joh Hudek 29 (-3 for Steve) So here we be, and I honestly don't even recognize the name of number four. So good luck trying to guess the lost son of Dave Smith. 1) Wagner 226 2) Smith 199 3) Lidge 123 4) 5) Sambito 72 6) Jones 62 7) Forsch 50 8) Valverde 44 9) DiPino 43 10) Dotel 42 seawolf17 Dec 18 2008 11:06 AM ="batmagadanleadoff":j352pbz3]I always think of Jim Ray, who was lights out in the first Strat-O-Matic set I ever played (1971 season) -- 1.59 ERA+, 1.055 WHIP, yet only three Saves.[/quote:j352pbz3] Oh, Strat-O-Matic. I have to go home and play now. soupcan Dec 18 2008 12:22 PM ="seawolf17":3onzxze0] ="soupcan":3onzxze0]RIP Joe Smith, thanks for the homerun![/quote:3onzxze0] He was traded, not killed.[/quote:3onzxze0] Oops! metsguyinmichigan Dec 18 2008 02:53 PM Interesting quotes from Flannery Former big leaguer Tim Flannery said Smith apparently died of a heart attack, but the official cause of death wasn’t known. “He’s gone. My tears are the rain,” Flannery, the San Francisco Giants third base coach, told The Associated Press. Flannery said services were pending, but added that he and other surfers plan to paddle out onto the Pacific Ocean to spread Smith’s ashes across the water. “That was what he asked. That is what surfers do,” Flannery said. John Cougar Lunchbucket Dec 18 2008 03:01 PM Uh, Tim: Dave wanted his ashes in the ocean because he was a whale, not because he was a surfer, I'm pretty sure. Just. Kidding. themetfairy Dec 18 2008 03:41 PM ="John Cougar Lunchbucket":6fgcixlc]Uh, Tim: Dave wanted his ashes in the ocean because he was a whale, not because he was a surfer, I'm pretty sure. Just. Kidding.[/quote:6fgcixlc] I'd chide you about being disrespectful of the dead, but for the fact that made me laugh.