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Ralph Kiner
| Centerfield Jun 17 2006 10:10 AM |
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I think he sounds great. Much better than when he did after his stroke...definitely seems like he's making progress. I can't say I'm too thrilled about the format they have him in at SNY. A three-inning stint never allows him to get comfortable and the tie-ins to his stories seem forced.
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| Elster88 Jun 17 2006 10:24 AM Re: Ralph Kiner |
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I agree, but I'm wondering if at this point in his recovery that that would be too long a session for him.
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| ScarletKnight41 Jun 17 2006 10:29 AM |
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Rickey was Ralph's GM in Pittsburgh, and Ralph didn't think that Rickey treated him fairly with respect to contract negotiations.
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| KC Jun 17 2006 10:34 AM |
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I think Ralph tells a story about how he gave him a pay cut one year (let's
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| Frayed Knot Jun 17 2006 12:51 PM |
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Rickey was famous (or infamous) for using the (grossly unfair) hammer the owners had with the old reserve system to his advantage. He was also first in implementing the concept of the farm system - particularly when he ran things in St Louis - giving him control over huge numbers of players. StL, along with several of the other rich teams, had [u:debbc03edc]Dozens[/u:debbc03edc] of teams worth of minor leaguers under their control - making players easily replaceable.
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| Edgy DC Jun 17 2006 01:21 PM |
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To hear Frank Thomas tell the story, Rickey seems driven almost crazy when a player stands up to him, which I guess is possible given that GMs were allowed to treat players completely unfairly, and Rickey was smart enough to be the best at using that to his advantage.
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| G-Fafif Jun 17 2006 02:43 PM |
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Ralph got a nice hand when he was shown on the DiamondVision last night (though not as raucous as that afforded Gary Cohen when they played "Welcome Back" and showed him).
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| cleonjones11 Jun 17 2006 04:23 PM |
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Didnt Branch Rickey say to Kiner during negotiations "Kid we came in last with ya and we can come in last without ya"
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| KC Jun 17 2006 05:35 PM |
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"If Casey Stengel were alive today, he'd be spinning in his grave."
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| Edgy DC Jun 17 2006 06:05 PM |
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Referenced several posts above yours.
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| TheOldMole Jun 17 2006 07:00 PM |
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I don't think anyone knows as much about baseball as Ralph does.
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| Zvon Jun 18 2006 01:00 AM |
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Its true, and someday when he's gone all the sudden people will realize this. It breaks my heart that he had to suffer a health problem that would effect his ability to speak. It hasnt effected his thought process, which may be sharper than ever. Any Met fan who has had the previledge to listen to him through the years will attest to that. Cuz he had some fuzzy years for awhile there. And early on it was tough to hear him make the effort, after the stroke, but Ive become used to that and he has improved alot over time and I have to stand and salute him for his comeback and for continuing to be the man who connects ALL generations of Met fans, from day one to this very day. I felt the same way about Murph. When Ralph is no longer with us we will lose more than just a commentator.
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| The Big O Jun 18 2006 04:18 AM |
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People, least younguns nowadays, are usually surprised when I point out that Ralph is a member of the 50-HR club. Not only that, but also of the hallowed multi-time 50 HR club: Ruth (4), Foxx (2), Kiner (2), Mays (2), McGwire (4), Sosa (4), Griffey Jr. (2), A-Rod (2). Nice company. Similar Batters 1. Darryl Strawberry (888) 6. Carlos Delgado (873)
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| Edgy DC Jun 18 2006 07:21 AM |
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No similars over 900 suggests you were a pretty unique batter.
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| KC Jun 18 2006 09:12 AM |
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35 or more HR's eight years in a row.
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