Yes, but what I remember about it was the retirement announcement itself in San Diego, the following day. I remember exactly where I was when I watched the news (I was nearing the end of freshman year), and I remember feeling absolutely destroyed for a couple weeks -- not only were the (then horribly lousy) Phils my team, but Schmidt was my favorite player, starting when I was about 7 years old. And indeed, those ensuing June 1989 trades that Schmidt mentions (Juan Samuel for Dykstra and Roger McDowell and Chris James for Kruk and Randy Ready) were ultimately what restored my hope and ultimately played a big part in the 1993 run.
A college friend of mine later realized he had been at the game (a May 2 home loss to the Astros, per the b-r game log) in which Schmidt hit his final HR.
Contrast this, by the way, with the end of Steve Carlton's career. Not as wrenching as with Schmidt, because Lefty had declined so much by 1986 that the Phils -- who actually finished a respectable 2nd in the NL East behind the juggernaut Mets -- released him mid-season. Then he struggled badly with 4 teams before finally calling it a career. I remember well a lot of questions in the media about whether he was tarnishing his HoF case by hanging around when he so obviously was out of gas. Didn't wind up hurting his cause, but I still think Carlton is the better comparable to Posada in this sense: if you're cooked and you don't hang it up, someone else will be more than happy to make that decision for you.
The family and I just saw Posada yesterday. Spacewoman: "he's almost as old as you!" Guy next to me in a Yankees jersey: "and almost as good, too." The Yankees are only a couple out of first, but you have to think that the anchor of a decent-hitting NL pitcher at DH is their biggest problem. I suffered through two years of Jose Vidro at DH, so I ought to know.
It is funny, though, to see Yankees fans just ripping Posada for being so bad and being such a diva about his demotion. Why is this funny? 60% of the people at the Oakland Coliseum were wearing Jeter jerseys, and nobody was ripping him for being terrible or for being such a diva about the team wanting to pay him only about 1.5 times his market value.
Interesting stuff, especially the sign from above.
ReplyDeleteFWIW, it completely checks out on his 1989 game log. And you'll see how quickly his power went.
ReplyDeleteYes, but what I remember about it was the retirement announcement itself in San Diego, the following day. I remember exactly where I was when I watched the news (I was nearing the end of freshman year), and I remember feeling absolutely destroyed for a couple weeks -- not only were the (then horribly lousy) Phils my team, but Schmidt was my favorite player, starting when I was about 7 years old. And indeed, those ensuing June 1989 trades that Schmidt mentions (Juan Samuel for Dykstra and Roger McDowell and Chris James for Kruk and Randy Ready) were ultimately what restored my hope and ultimately played a big part in the 1993 run.
ReplyDeleteA college friend of mine later realized he had been at the game (a May 2 home loss to the Astros, per the b-r game log) in which Schmidt hit his final HR.
Contrast this, by the way, with the end of Steve Carlton's career. Not as wrenching as with Schmidt, because Lefty had declined so much by 1986 that the Phils -- who actually finished a respectable 2nd in the NL East behind the juggernaut Mets -- released him mid-season. Then he struggled badly with 4 teams before finally calling it a career. I remember well a lot of questions in the media about whether he was tarnishing his HoF case by hanging around when he so obviously was out of gas. Didn't wind up hurting his cause, but I still think Carlton is the better comparable to Posada in this sense: if you're cooked and you don't hang it up, someone else will be more than happy to make that decision for you.
The family and I just saw Posada yesterday. Spacewoman: "he's almost as old as you!" Guy next to me in a Yankees jersey: "and almost as good, too." The Yankees are only a couple out of first, but you have to think that the anchor of a decent-hitting NL pitcher at DH is their biggest problem. I suffered through two years of Jose Vidro at DH, so I ought to know.
ReplyDeleteIt is funny, though, to see Yankees fans just ripping Posada for being so bad and being such a diva about his demotion. Why is this funny? 60% of the people at the Oakland Coliseum were wearing Jeter jerseys, and nobody was ripping him for being terrible or for being such a diva about the team wanting to pay him only about 1.5 times his market value.