|
Whenever I think of Sean Casey, I think of the final series of the 1999 season, when the Reds were playing the Brewers. At the time, as I'm sure you all remember, the Reds were in a division fight with the Astros, but controlled their own destiny, with the Mets trailing by two. I was in college, and so had the time to watch the games intently hoping for the Mets to somehow pass them by, or else for the one-game playoff that ultimately happened.
He was at the end of a brilliant season (arguably his best), and looked like a rising superstar. Brewers fans weren't impressed; with their team languishing near the bottom of the standings and playing for pride, all they had left were taunts, of which they liberally availed themselves.
At the time, Casey had a batting stance routine in which he'd lift and drop his front leg three times prior to the pitch being thrown. Each at-bat, the crowd would loudly and simultaneously count the leg-lifts. In the middle game of the series, when this all went down, the Crew jumped out to a big lead and closed a win that ended up pulling the Mets even. Not that the Brewer fans cared about the Mets, or that their good-natured taunting had any effect, but I've felt indebted to them since.
I also have a vague memory of being at one of the Mets' final games that season against Pittsburgh, walking down the ramps after the game with the fans chanting "Let's go Brewers." Sadly, that's all I remember (it was my college years, after all).
He never really turned in that superstar career as his power never really consistently developed, but he did have one more superstar-level season and could still be a useful back-up. Maybe he'll be paid more to gab, but even in the depressed market I'd be surprised. How much do you get paid to be an ex-jock talking head, anyway?
| 
