In the aftermath of the Mets conceding ground to Philly with the latest waste of solid Johan Santana start, we can either consider Chipper Jones’ plans to purchase some of Shea’s horribly overpriced seats (“I bet there were a bunch of people in those seats that called me a bunch of names” — no kidding, Larry) or the Daily News’ Anthony McCarron trotting down memory lane with the ever-charming Dave Kingman. There’s an Idler unfinished joke in here somewhere about a box of Hooters wings with a dead rat inside, but I’m already late for the Wreckless Eric gig. So we’ll stick with Kong.
Dave Kingman says, there™s no comparison between his skill on the links and the days when he was one of baseball™s most-feared sluggers.
œI™m a horrible golfer, Kingman says. œLet™s just say it was easier to hit a moving ball than one standing still.
œI can™t imagine making a living any other way than hitting a baseball. When you take a good cut and pitcher and hitter alike know where it™s going, that™s the joy of being a power hitter.
Kingman admits he wasn™t œas disciplined as the guys today. I admire these guys. I was a free-swinger. Kingman wouldn™t discuss the role that performance-enhancing drugs might have played in the success of today™s sluggers. œI™m so distant from that, he says. œIt was not prevalent in my time, so I™d just as soon not talk about it. My last year with the A™s (1986), I played with (Jose) Canseco and (Mark) McGwire and I admired watching them, seeing how far they could hit the ball. McGwire came from my alma mater (USC).
œThey were great power hitters. I™ll leave that right there.”
Indeed, “free-swinging” is a nice euphemism for Kingman having struck out 135 times or more in each of his full seasons as a Met.
In the nightcap in Flushing, the Mets will give the bullpen a chance to blow a rather solid lead with HR’s by Jose Reyes, David Wright and Carlos Beltran contributing to a 5-0, 8th inning advantage over Atlanta. Jonathan Niese’s Shea debut has been nothing short of spectacular (8 IP, 116 pitches, 6 hits, 2 walks, no runs, 7 K’s). If you’re the superstitous type, Gary Cohen helpfully points out Niese was born on October 27, 1986, the day of Game Seven of the ’86 World Series. Trivia buff Cohen did not, however, mention that Scott Schoeneweis shares a birthday with Richard Hell, Phil Niblock and John Ottway.
gc: why no post on your no doubt unhinged rage re: the stros/cubs series not being moved to the dell diamond? surely big z couldve bellied up to the new salt lick out there with no quibble..it’s not like d ward couldnt have helped him w/ what to order amirite
My swinging weekend with the girlfriend out of town continues: I listened to the 8th inning of the Niese start with my father, while he drove me back in to NYC after I had dinner with my parents in NJ. This lifestyle is going to kill me. My father is convinced Niese is the next Jerry Koosman. Because they’re both tough and have funny looking noses, I think. Niese looked great, though.
Also: all of that, everything I just mentioned, is still better than writing 1100 words on Stephen A Smith at midnight on a Friday. I know this. I…I’m sorry.
Matt,
it briefly occurred to me the Astros could’ve moved the games to Williamson County —- no shortage of Cubs fans in the area, if Iowa’s visits are anything to go by. But the weather was questionable, the loss of revenue/home field advantage too great, etc. And besides, I think we both know one Zambrano stop at the nu ‘Lick would’ve left the eatery short on food for the rest of the busy weekend.