Tony Gwynn.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/11091626/hall-famer-tony-gwynn-san-diego-padres-died
Tony Gwone.
This is the worst. Fucking cancer.
This is the exact thread title that I thought of. Nicely done, CT.
Saw this linked on twitter:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/greg-maddux-a-hall-of-fame-approach-that-carried-an-average-arm-to-cooperstown/2014/01/07/fdd7ae82-77d3-11e3-af7f-13bf0e9965f6_story.html
QuoteFirst, Maddux was convinced no hitter could tell the speed of a pitch with any meaningful accuracy. To demonstrate, he pointed at a road a quarter-mile away and said it was impossible to tell if a car was going 55, 65 or 75 mph unless there was another car nearby to offer a point of reference.
"You just can't do it," he said. Sometimes hitters can pick up differences in spin. They can identify pitches if there are different releases points or if a curveball starts with an upward hump as it leaves the pitcher's hand. But if a pitcher can change speeds, every hitter is helpless, limited by human vision.
"Except," Maddux said, "for that [expletive] Tony Gwynn."
Get The Cheeseburgers Out Of Your Casket (http://espn.go.com/page2/s/questions/gwynn.html)
Nice article on Deadspin (http://deadspin.com/how-tony-gwynn-cracked-baseballs-code-and-became-a-lege-1591491368), including the following nugget:
Quote[...]or his incredible averages against some of the most cerebral pitchers of his time—.444 against John Smoltz, .415 against Greg Maddux, .390 against Curt Schilling, .333 against Pedro Martinez, .303 against Tom Glavine [...] (Unbelievable fact: in 366 plate appearances against those five, he struck out five times. Five.)
...which means, by the time he stepped to the plate, he was more than 98.5% of the way toward not striking out against those HOF pitchers.
That's genuinely, truly, absolutely staggering.
So how many Dead '84 Padres does that make now? I've got Gwynn, Wiggins and Show. Anyone else? TJ?
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 05:39:44 AM
Said Maddux SKO just a few posts up (http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/greg-maddux-a-hall-of-fame-approach-that-carried-an-average-arm-to-cooperstown/2014/01/07/fdd7ae82-77d3-11e3-af7f-13bf0e9965f6_story.html):
QuoteGreg Maddux once explained that you could trick any hitter into not being able to read the speed of a pitch—"Except for that fucking Tony Gwynn."
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 05:59:10 AM
DPD. So how many Dead '84 Padres does that make now? I've got Gwynn, Wiggins and Show. Anyone else? TJ?
The correct answer is "not enough".
Quote from: Bort on June 17, 2014, 07:14:18 AM
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 05:39:44 AM
Said Maddux SKO just a few posts up (http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nationals/greg-maddux-a-hall-of-fame-approach-that-carried-an-average-arm-to-cooperstown/2014/01/07/fdd7ae82-77d3-11e3-af7f-13bf0e9965f6_story.html):
QuoteGreg Maddux once explained that you could trick any hitter into not being able to read the speed of a pitch—"Except for that fucking Tony Gwynn."
Wow. So
that's where I first read that quote.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT COMMENT STRICKEN LIKE TONY GWYNN ON A STEVE TRACHSEL TURDBALL!
Quote from: Fork on June 17, 2014, 09:02:02 AM
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 05:59:10 AM
DPD. So how many Dead '84 Padres does that make now? I've got Gwynn, Wiggins and Show. Anyone else? TJ?
The correct answer is "not enough".
Especially while Garevy's head remains frustratingly off a stick.
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 09:13:29 AM
Quote from: Fork on June 17, 2014, 09:02:02 AM
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 05:59:10 AM
DPD. So how many Dead '84 Padres does that make now? I've got Gwynn, Wiggins and Show. Anyone else? TJ?
The correct answer is "not enough".
Especially while Garevy's head remains frustratingly off a stick.
Turkey garevy?
Quote from: J. Walter Weatherman on June 17, 2014, 09:25:44 AM
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 09:13:29 AM
Quote from: Fork on June 17, 2014, 09:02:02 AM
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 05:59:10 AM
DPD. So how many Dead '84 Padres does that make now? I've got Gwynn, Wiggins and Show. Anyone else? TJ?
The correct answer is "not enough".
Especially while Garevy's head remains frustratingly off a stick.
Turkey garevy?
Garevy is delicious on optoats.
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 05:59:10 AM
So how many Dead '84 Padres does that make now? I've got Gwynn, Wiggins and Show. Anyone else? TJ?
Mario Ramirez - died February 22, 2013.
Champ Summers - died October 11, 2012.
Quote from: PenFoe on June 17, 2014, 10:44:45 AM
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 05:59:10 AM
So how many Dead '84 Padres does that make now? I've got Gwynn, Wiggins and Show. Anyone else? TJ?
Mario Ramirez - died February 22, 2013.
Champ Summers - died October 11, 2012.
Did not know about Champ Summers--also a former Cub.
Can't think of anyone offhand on that Cubs team that's kicked.
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 11:20:35 AM
Quote from: PenFoe on June 17, 2014, 10:44:45 AM
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 05:59:10 AM
So how many Dead '84 Padres does that make now? I've got Gwynn, Wiggins and Show. Anyone else? TJ?
Mario Ramirez - died February 22, 2013.
Champ Summers - died October 11, 2012.
Did not know about Champ Summers--also a former Cub.
Can't think of anyone offhand on that Cubs team that's kicked.
This (http://espn.go.com/chicago/specialFeature?page=1984cubs) was compiled in 2009, and other than spending time clicking on everyone in baseball-reference, is the best you can do. But on this list, all players are still on the right side of the grass.
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 11:20:35 AM
Quote from: PenFoe on June 17, 2014, 10:44:45 AM
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 05:59:10 AM
So how many Dead '84 Padres does that make now? I've got Gwynn, Wiggins and Show. Anyone else? TJ?
Mario Ramirez - died February 22, 2013.
Champ Summers - died October 11, 2012.
Did not know about Champ Summers--also a former Cub.
Can't think of anyone offhand on that Cubs team that's kicked.
As opposed to the '98 team that has seen the deaths of Geremi Gonzalez, Rod Beck and Kevin Foster (Frank Castillo, also dead, ended his Cubs career the year before.)
That's just offhand, could be more from that team, but those were just the ones I know to be deceased.
Quote from: SKO on June 17, 2014, 09:27:05 AM
Quote from: J. Walter Weatherman on June 17, 2014, 09:25:44 AM
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 09:13:29 AM
Quote from: Fork on June 17, 2014, 09:02:02 AM
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 05:59:10 AM
DPD. So how many Dead '84 Padres does that make now? I've got Gwynn, Wiggins and Show. Anyone else? TJ?
The correct answer is "not enough".
Especially while Garevy's head remains frustratingly off a stick.
Turkey garevy?
Garevy is delicious on optoats.
Valdiaetd.
Quote from: Bort on June 17, 2014, 12:31:10 PM
Quote from: SKO on June 17, 2014, 09:27:05 AM
Quote from: J. Walter Weatherman on June 17, 2014, 09:25:44 AM
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 09:13:29 AM
Quote from: Fork on June 17, 2014, 09:02:02 AM
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 05:59:10 AM
DPD. So how many Dead '84 Padres does that make now? I've got Gwynn, Wiggins and Show. Anyone else? TJ?
The correct answer is "not enough".
Especially while Garevy's head remains frustratingly off a stick.
Turkey garevy?
Garevy is delicious on optoats.
Valdiaetd.
The best part was SKO misspelling "garevy" as "garvey" pre-edit.
Quote from: J. Walter Weatherman on June 17, 2014, 01:22:57 PM
Quote from: Bort on June 17, 2014, 12:31:10 PM
Quote from: SKO on June 17, 2014, 09:27:05 AM
Quote from: J. Walter Weatherman on June 17, 2014, 09:25:44 AM
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 09:13:29 AM
Quote from: Fork on June 17, 2014, 09:02:02 AM
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 05:59:10 AM
DPD. So how many Dead '84 Padres does that make now? I've got Gwynn, Wiggins and Show. Anyone else? TJ?
The correct answer is "not enough".
Especially while Garevy's head remains frustratingly off a stick.
Turkey garevy?
Garevy is delicious on optoats.
Valdiaetd.
The best part was SKO misspelling "garevy" as "garvey" pre-edit.
Dammit, Thrill.
Quote from: PenFoe on June 17, 2014, 10:44:45 AM
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 05:59:10 AM
So how many Dead '84 Padres does that make now? I've got Gwynn, Wiggins and Show. Anyone else? TJ?
Mario Ramirez - died February 22, 2013.
Champ Summers - died October 11, 2012.
The 1984 Padres have almost as many unfortunate occurrences as the 1985 Bears. (http://barrybloom.mlblogs.com/2011/03/22/dark-cloud-hovers-over-1984-padres-2/)
Dick Williams is dead.
Dave Dravecky might have said after Game 2 of the NLCS, "Lord, anything, I'll give you my left arm if need be" to win the pennant.
Luis Salazar died the million deaths we did in the 1989 NLCS and then lost an eye.
Andy Hawkins allowed no hits to the White Sox and still lost the game.
Steve Garvey has paternity suits to manage.
Many of the Padres had to be managed by Larry Bowa three short years later.
Revenge is ours.
Quote from: SKO on June 17, 2014, 01:29:07 PM
Quote from: J. Walter Weatherman on June 17, 2014, 01:22:57 PM
Quote from: Bort on June 17, 2014, 12:31:10 PM
Quote from: SKO on June 17, 2014, 09:27:05 AM
Quote from: J. Walter Weatherman on June 17, 2014, 09:25:44 AM
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 09:13:29 AM
Quote from: Fork on June 17, 2014, 09:02:02 AM
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 05:59:10 AM
DPD. So how many Dead '84 Padres does that make now? I've got Gwynn, Wiggins and Show. Anyone else? TJ?
The correct answer is "not enough".
Especially while Garevy's head remains frustratingly off a stick.
Turkey garevy?
Garevy is delicious on optoats.
Valdiaetd.
The best part was SKO misspelling "garevy" as "garvey" pre-edit.
Dammit, Thrill.
PANKin' ain't easy.
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 11:20:35 AM
Quote from: PenFoe on June 17, 2014, 10:44:45 AM
Quote from: PANK! on June 17, 2014, 05:59:10 AM
So how many Dead '84 Padres does that make now? I've got Gwynn, Wiggins and Show. Anyone else? TJ?
Mario Ramirez - died February 22, 2013.
Champ Summers - died October 11, 2012.
Did not know about Champ Summers--also a former Cub.
Can't think of anyone offhand on that Cubs team that's kicked.
Zimmer - dead
Johnny Oates -dead
John Vukovich - dead
Mel Hall - ex-con
Dallas Green- tragically lost his 9-year-old granddaughter in the Gabby Gifford's shooting in Tucson.
Rick Sutcliffe - cancer
Everyone else still alive.