- This topic has 572 replies, 34 voices, and was last updated 1 year, 1 month ago by
.
-
Posts
-
The off-season enables me to catch up on reading. Just finished, "I'm Keith Hernandez," highly recommended to #stlcards fans. Primary focus is a frank recollection of the first baseman's life through his time in St. Louis. He should again be on the team's HOF fan ballot for 2019. pic.twitter.com/94pLqal5mQ
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) December 29, 2018
I was fine with coleman and Lankford getting in the cardinals hall this past year. I voted for Lankford but not coleman but not because I feel he doesn’t belong. I just felt tudor deserved it first. his all time numbers don’t jump out at you like Colemans does but I think a lot of people have forgotten just how great he was in a cardinal uniform. rolen deserves to be there but im always gonna vote for older guys first. I would like to see Duncan get in, without him, larussa would not have had the success he did.
Duncan would have to be an ownership selection, so it hinges almost entirely on how the DeWitts feel about him. I agree he would be a good one and it would be nice to see him get in while he is still with us. It would also show Cooperstown something, which to date has avoided coaches entirely.
Rare Color-1937 St. Louis Browns featuring legendary HOF'er Rogers Hornsby, #4 (CU on bench and throwing) who lasted half a season as player/mgr for the brownies, who finished last with a record of 46-108 (Flagstaff Films baseball home movie archive) pic.twitter.com/kAww0tJpDd
— Flagstaff Films (@flagstafffilms) January 4, 2019
Those Flagstaff Films clips are incredible! Wasn’t that last guy in the Browns video Sunny Jim Bottomley?
Bottomley finished his playing career on the 1937 Browns and took over as manager for the rest of the season after Hornsby was fired. It was his only time managing in the major leagues.
Here is his SABR bio.
Amazing look of of Sportsman's Park from block south on Grand Blvd. #Browns #StLouis pic.twitter.com/ccOmPuoljV
— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) January 4, 2019
Rare Color-(Part 1 of 2)- St. Louis Cardinals,1940-Sportsman's Park-(from the Flagstaff Films baseball home movie archive) pic.twitter.com/TpCMaRNTbJ
— Flagstaff Films (@flagstafffilms) January 24, 2019
Rare Color-(Part 2 of 2)- St. Louis Cardinals,1940-Sportsman's Park-(from the Flagstaff Films baseball home movie archive) pic.twitter.com/cy3mN19hse
— Flagstaff Films (@flagstafffilms) January 24, 2019
Rare Color-(Part 1 of 2)1946 World Series-Red Sox vs Cardinals-Game 2, Sportsman's Park-St.Louis (From the Flagstaff Films baseball home movie archive) pic.twitter.com/HeEmk1o3d9
— Flagstaff Films (@flagstafffilms) January 26, 2019
Rare Color-(Part 2) 1946 World Series-Red Sox vs Cardinals-Game 2, Sportsman's Park-St.Louis (From the Flagstaff Films baseball home movie archive) pic.twitter.com/8Mtja9HqOl
— Flagstaff Films (@flagstafffilms) January 27, 2019
Rare Color-(Part 3) 1946 World Series-Red Sox vs Cardinals-Game 2, Sportsman's Park-St.Louis (From the Flagstaff Films baseball home movie archive) pic.twitter.com/e9duU0ReYL
— Flagstaff Films (@flagstafffilms) January 29, 2019
Boy I need to bone up on my Cardinals history! The only guy I recognized was a Sox player(Ted Williams). I bet BicycleMike knew every one of those Cardinals at first glance. I’d pit BicycleMike against anyone on this planet when it comes to Redbird trivia. Neat neat stuff…..thanks, Brian!!
My top 3 choices are Tudor, Hernandez and Rolen. I’d already had my mind made up that Rolen was definitely getting one of my votes this year so that left a tough decision between Hernandez and Tudor. Ultimately I’ll vote for Keith because he played a solid 10 seasons over Tudor’s solid 3.
All the scoop on the six on the 2019 #stlcards Hall of Fame Modern Era fan ballot – Tudor, Rolen, Izzy, Hernandez – plus Morris and Renteria are back. (free) https://t.co/m6t82elbOZ pic.twitter.com/TpyZVmNz1b
— Brian Walton (@B_Walton) January 31, 2019
Would it be so terrible if we had our own poll here at TCN. I know its still Jan. but we have some diehards that I’m sure would have some opinions. Pick your top two or rank them 1 through 6.
I’m not that into HOF or most individual awards but will opine: Tudor, and Isrighausen edging out Renteria. Morris was 2nd in ROY in ’97, two-time all-star AND CY winner (22-8 3.6 ERA) in his 2201 season. All of these will be remembered as Cardinals.
Rolen was ROY for the Phillies and spent 6 1/2 years there…. IMO, remembered by all baseball fans (outside of STL) as a Phil.
Hernandez will be remembered as a Met. Plus I didn’t like him at all after he left STL. And even less listening to him do the NYM games. He takes many’a swipe at the Cards organization and has no place being nominated. HE WAS A MET FOR CRYING OUT LOUD.
I think our own poll would be interesting. I am sorry but I do not have a polling plugin installed, so it would have to be a manual survey. If you want to organize it, I am all for it.
As usual, you have some strong opinions. In the case of Hernandez, you are very misinformed. He considers himself a Cardinal and is very complimentary of the organization. I read his NY Times bestselling book recently and it is all about his years through St. Louis. He played for the Cards longer than the Mets, won an MVP, a World Series and put up better stats as a Cardinal. In my opinion – and I am not alone in this – he is the best first baseman to ever play the game. At least I’ve never seen one better defensively.
Your view of other teams is inconsistent. Renteria had the walkoff hit to win the World Series for the Marlins – his career signature moment, IMO. He hit game-winning HRs in Games 2 and 5 and was named the 2010 World Series MVP for the Giants. Yet you don’t downgrade him like the others.
Bottom line, it doesn’t matter what fans of other teams think. This is about how important the players were to the Cardinals in the view of Cardinals fans. What the players did before and after is not really all that relevant – maybe unless you are talking about a Curt Flood, who had an impact across the game.
well I think most of the guys this year would be deserving. the only one I would really question would be izzy though I think a lot of fans like him. I just didn’t like his approach of passing over certain guys to get to others especially in close games. so I would never vote for him. I think rolen is the only one that you could even consider for the baseball hall of fame and I really liked him, best third baseman I ever saw. but I usually go for older guys first. Hernandez was really a great first baseman maybe the best ever but he went to a rival at the time and back then things were different. guys switching wasn’t as prevalent as it has become, and to go to a rival, its hard for older people to get over. my votes will go to tudor who was just awesome for the cardinals. that game seven of the 85 series prob hurts him in some eyes but he had been almost perfect that year and the series should have been over the game before anyway. my other vote would go to morris. I always liked him and he was like chris carpenter was in a way, a workhorse and a really fine pitcher.
This is why they make different colored cars. Opinions matter in this kind of voting. IMO certain players belong… others don’t. Its my option. {see some of thejager’s on his opinion-based tirades}.
I didn’t know that so many guys here tune into the FAN and the Met’s TV channel here in New York. When I do, I hear what I hear. Hernandez babbles on mostly about himself… its pitiful and boring, IMO. When NYM play the Cards he takes shots at the organization and players. Much less so with other opponents. I’m sensitive that way. Perhaps too sensitive re: my favorite team.
I usually don’t get too caught up in individual awards but I do love Cardinal history so this is interesting to me.
I would rank them:
1. Hernendez
2. Tudor
3. Rolen
4. Izzy
5. Morris
6. RenteriaDeciding second place was tough for me. Rolen was the better overall player but Tudor’s 1985 season was one of the most amazing performances in my memory.
Brian, on that poll suggestion, I was thinking along the lines of an informal count. I will tally them at some point (if we get enough of the always opinionated bunch here). All are welcome to participate!!
I also watch a lot of games on SNY (and other regional networks) and my honest belief is the booth of Gary Cohen, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez is the best in baseball.
P.S. When we vote as a committee, we can select up to 10 names each, but they are all weighted the same. Secret ballot. The Cards look for a logical break in the total number of votes when they decide whether they will have six, seven, eight or however many on the fan ballot. My interpretation of the lower total of six is that the list of top candidates is thinning, hence a higher level of agreement among the committee on the most deserving.
The Mets broadcasting crew is widely considered one of the best. I have only listened to them here and there, and they are real good.
I have mentioned this a few times, but I voted for Hernendez two years ago when McGwire got the nod. I felt Keith was more deserving, but last year had to go with Tudor and Langford. Tudor ranks as one of the greatest left handlers in Cardinal history, and is deserving in my opinion.
With Langford enshrined, I will go back to Keith along with Tudor. Rolen is right there as well.
Hernenadez and Rolen are similar in many ways. Both terrific defensive corner infielders, who were solid on offense as well. Both guys were great as Cardinals, but left the organization under a cloud, having lost favor with their managers. Both then later played on division champions as Cardinal rivals.
One can make a good case that each was more representative of other clubs, although that would not preclude them from being Cardinal HOFers.
It’s almost a toss-up between those two. But I am going with Keith due to his longer tenure with the club, and his MVP as a Cardinal.
Re Hernandez’s thoughts on himself as a Cardinal:
Back in the last year of Busch Stadium’s existence (I refuse to follow the absolute nonsense of referring to Sportsman’s Park as Busch I), Keith was selected as the Cardinals’ first baseman on a team of best Cardinals team (can’t remember the exact criteria but pretty sure it focused on living players. Could also have been focused on just those who played in that park).
Anyway, they were honored in an on-field ceremony in which each came to the microphone to say a few words. Hernandez said “I’m a St Louis Cardinal! I always have been and I always will be!”.
Since he was under contract to the NYM, I remember hoping his statement didn’t cause any blow back.
And I agree with Brian, Hernandez is the best defensive first baseman I have ever seen play.
UConn, I did not know about that ceremony, but his words do not surprise me. It is very consistent with the theme in his book, which I would bet a significant amount of money that his critics have not read.
All I can say is that it is a good thing social media had not yet been invented when he said what he did. New York would explode!
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.