Millwood1Hitter
Anytime Now Frankie...
Hello all, first post here, been reading posts awhile since scouts forum went asleep. I posted on scouts forum years ago, like 10 years ago, but was banned primarily because I disagreed big time with Shanks on a number of things, mostly minor league player evaluation. I look forward to have good discussions on here, as I love my Braves and have been a lifelong fan, although I don't get to follow them as much as I used to.
Anyway, as a fan I've been reminiscing a lot lately. Most of it probably has to do with all the HOF talk with Cox, Maddux, and Glavine being likely first timers. Those were the glory days of my childhood, I wish I would have enjoyed more of it at the time as it was special. Not to mention Smoltz on the ballot next year. Also I came down with the flu over Christmas and have been watching MLBnetwork a lot, and between watching Ken Burns baseball documentary and history of the World Series I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, and going through a lot of emotions.
Are we cursed? I mean, seriously had there been a team where more fluke things could go wrong? From Hrbek and air conditioners in 91 to the infield fly in 2012.
I can except 91 and 92, it is what it is. We probably shouldn't have been there in 1991 and we played a great veteran team in the Jays in 1992.
The one that continues to bug me is 96. We had it, and had it taken away. So many bizarre things that lead to the end result. Everyone remembers the Leyritz homer off Wohlers, but does any one remember the bizarre incidents and plays that lead to the big comeback, specifically Dye? What about Andruw getting rung up by Welke in game 3 in a critical situation, and what about the horrible call at second with Grissom in game 6 in the 8th inning with Chipper and Mcgriff on deck to mount a possible comeback?
We know what happened in 1997? There are numerous others to mention through the years,
But 1996 bothers me big time. I've gotten to come to respect those mid to late 90s Yankees teams more and more as I age because they had homegrown talent and grinders that knew how to win. That was before they became insane and become ridiculous at big spending.
But how different would history be if we closed out 1996. We'd certainly be remembered differently and are for sure the team of the 1990s. Smoltz, Glavine, Maddux, Chipper, Mcgriff and others would be thought higher of than they already are. Does the Yankee dynasty happen? You know Grorge would have gone ape **** if they lost, he already was chomping at the bit with Torre after we took the 2-0 lead. No Torre=no stability=same Bronx zoo. Also the front office would have been pressured to make big immediate moves so you know that some of Jeter, Pettite, Rivera, Bernie, Posado, etc would have been moved for an aging veteran.
So that changes 1999, directly. 1998 as well.
And most importantly, since that series we lost the swag and confidence. We win in 1996 who knows what happens. And maybe that deters Schueholz from making questionable changes afterward by trading Justice/Grissom for Lofton or trading for Tucker/Lockhart. I still scratch my self over those moves. Maybe if Wohlers doesn't give up the homer he goes on to have a dominant career instead of a guy struggling to find the plate and a career journeyman.
And most of all, throughout the years, if the FO would have spent more time and resources on the pen, things might have been a lot different. Through watching replays of all those games, I feel sorry for Cox who had to rely on castoffs or overaged veterans in key situations.
No one had the direct answers to any of my questions, but being it is bugging me so damn much lately hopefully we can have a discussion.
And maybe talking this over will release these Demons off our backs and get us a championship, or at least some postseason success in the near future!
Anyway, as a fan I've been reminiscing a lot lately. Most of it probably has to do with all the HOF talk with Cox, Maddux, and Glavine being likely first timers. Those were the glory days of my childhood, I wish I would have enjoyed more of it at the time as it was special. Not to mention Smoltz on the ballot next year. Also I came down with the flu over Christmas and have been watching MLBnetwork a lot, and between watching Ken Burns baseball documentary and history of the World Series I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, and going through a lot of emotions.
Are we cursed? I mean, seriously had there been a team where more fluke things could go wrong? From Hrbek and air conditioners in 91 to the infield fly in 2012.
I can except 91 and 92, it is what it is. We probably shouldn't have been there in 1991 and we played a great veteran team in the Jays in 1992.
The one that continues to bug me is 96. We had it, and had it taken away. So many bizarre things that lead to the end result. Everyone remembers the Leyritz homer off Wohlers, but does any one remember the bizarre incidents and plays that lead to the big comeback, specifically Dye? What about Andruw getting rung up by Welke in game 3 in a critical situation, and what about the horrible call at second with Grissom in game 6 in the 8th inning with Chipper and Mcgriff on deck to mount a possible comeback?
We know what happened in 1997? There are numerous others to mention through the years,
But 1996 bothers me big time. I've gotten to come to respect those mid to late 90s Yankees teams more and more as I age because they had homegrown talent and grinders that knew how to win. That was before they became insane and become ridiculous at big spending.
But how different would history be if we closed out 1996. We'd certainly be remembered differently and are for sure the team of the 1990s. Smoltz, Glavine, Maddux, Chipper, Mcgriff and others would be thought higher of than they already are. Does the Yankee dynasty happen? You know Grorge would have gone ape **** if they lost, he already was chomping at the bit with Torre after we took the 2-0 lead. No Torre=no stability=same Bronx zoo. Also the front office would have been pressured to make big immediate moves so you know that some of Jeter, Pettite, Rivera, Bernie, Posado, etc would have been moved for an aging veteran.
So that changes 1999, directly. 1998 as well.
And most importantly, since that series we lost the swag and confidence. We win in 1996 who knows what happens. And maybe that deters Schueholz from making questionable changes afterward by trading Justice/Grissom for Lofton or trading for Tucker/Lockhart. I still scratch my self over those moves. Maybe if Wohlers doesn't give up the homer he goes on to have a dominant career instead of a guy struggling to find the plate and a career journeyman.
And most of all, throughout the years, if the FO would have spent more time and resources on the pen, things might have been a lot different. Through watching replays of all those games, I feel sorry for Cox who had to rely on castoffs or overaged veterans in key situations.
No one had the direct answers to any of my questions, but being it is bugging me so damn much lately hopefully we can have a discussion.
And maybe talking this over will release these Demons off our backs and get us a championship, or at least some postseason success in the near future!
