Players To Be Named Later

I first started getting addicted to baseball when I was around 10 years-old (1989).

I was hanging out at a local place called "Coins."

They sold baseball cards, stamps, comic books, and of course, coins.

The two owners, Ray and Maggie, were a husband and wife duo. Another guy named James also worked there, but he wasn't an owner. James fought in WWII. He had a wooden leg and a glass eye.

His glass eye always teared and he constantly blotted his cheek with a handkerchief.

Coins had one of those old-fashioned buzzer doors. So, Ray would always buzz me in when he saw me rounding the corner.

He called me "Ant-knee" in his best Anglo-Saxon.

A lot of old-timers hung out at that place.

They talked about the War, about Baseball, about Life.

Here I was, this 10 year-old kid, and I loved hanging out there more than playing video games with my friends.

They respected me because I could hold my own in a Baseball History conversation. I had long debates with old-timers about how Ted Williams was better than Joe DiMaggio.

They actually saw them play. I just knew their stats.

While I was there, I bought tons of baseball cards.

I bought 1988 Donruss, Fleer, and Topps. Upper Deck was still a year away.

My first card was Mike Greenwell, 1988 Fleer.

Coincidentally, my favorite ballplayer growing up was Mike Greenwell.

#39. Left-Fielder. Boston Red Sox. "The Gator."

He had a couple of good, sometimes great seasons for the Red Sox.

None better than 1988. .325/.416/.946 22-HR/119-RBI/16-SB.

He finished 2nd in the MVP Voting to Jose Canseco (that was the year he made 40/40).

The Gator never eclipsed that year, but he did put up respectable career numbers.

A .303 career hitter. 1400 Hits. 2 All-Star Games.

He was never an All-Time Great, but to me, he was special.

He was my favorite player as a kid.

Players To Be Named Later is a post dedicated to ballplayers from 1990 to 1994.

That 5-year period was everything to me. That is when I learned to love the game. Right before I lost my baseball innocence in 1994 when the Strike happened and the World Series was cancelled. Before PEDs and steroid scandals.

These Players To Be Named Later may not be Hall-of-Famers, but in millions of other kid's eyes across America, they were heroes.

Some were at times spectacular, most were marginal, but they all had one common characteristic...

...they were our own.

They were backup catchers (Geno Petralli, Don Slaught, Mackey Sasser), they were light-hitting middle-infield glove-men (Andujar Cedeno, Jose Oquendo, Mike Gallego, Craig Shipley), they were hard-nosed outfielders (Lenny Dykstra, Pete Incaviglia, Devon White, Tom Brunansky), they were players with great names (Dan Pasqua, Felix Fermin, Tim Teufel, Geronimo Berroa, Mickey Morandini).

We followed them in the local newspaper's box scores. We kept track of their stats in marble-bound notebooks. We collected their baseball cards and we memorized their stats, birthplace, and the value of their cards in the monthly Beckett price guides.

The following Players fit that criteria. Some of them may be your own personal favorites.

I used baseball-reference.com and I marked down the best fan comments in the Sponsor pages that show their appreciation for these Players To Be Named Now.

-Mickey Tettleton

"In honor of the man whose distinct batting stance led to me getting yelled at by my Little League coach every game. I couldn't hit like Mick but at least I looked like him."

-Chris Sabo

"My favorite Red ever...he played hard every pitch."

-Eric Davis

"As a kid, he was the only player who ever left me truly awestruck."

-Gary Gaetti

"Strap on your field spikes and grab that glove and bat Gary! Minnesota needs you to play the hot corner in 2009."

-Sid Bream

"He was out."

-Doug Dascenzo

"The prototype for all great do-it-all utility players, little Dougie was on the few bright spots on a lot of dismal Cubbies teams."

-Ivan Calderon

"Thanks for making a young fan's day. RIP."

-Ron Karkovice

"Western Motor Group Inc. saluted Officer Karkovice for his many years of service and his mustache."

-Candy Maldonado

"Swwwweeeeet!"

-Alvaro Espinoza

"Before there was Andy Stankiewicz..."

-Chili Davis

"I caught a foul ball off his bat at Game 2 of the 1998 World Series at Yankee Stadium -- one of the most fun baseball memories."

-Von Hayes

"Growing up in Philly in the late 80's, I remember everyone calling him 'Five for One', but for me, Vony Hayes was the guy who hit two home runs for my birthday. He will always be my favorite player as a kid."

-John Jaha

"In memory of the days when John Jaha was my favorite player, and I enjoyed hot dogs and good times at County Stadium with my brother Joe and my Dad."

-Dan Gladden

"He is without doubt the best baseball player of all time. Way better than Ozzie Guillen."

-Dave Magadan

"One of the most professional, all-around good guys - and an excellent hitter and clubhouse guy. Enjoyed being a fan!"

-Joe Orsulak

"Before there was Asslo, there was Joe Orsulak. 'Not Obscure, but not a star.'"

-Mel Hall

"Although Mel Hall is now symbolic of everything wrong with the 1991 Yankees, for two young New Jersey boys he was once a man worth supporting with a simple, nonsensical message: Mel Spells Greatness!"

-Carney Lansford

"Carney was one of my two favorite players of the late 80's A's, along with Dave Henderson. These 2 guys played hard every day and came through in the clutch time and time again."

-Dickie Thon

"Just a Mike Torrez fastball away from the Hall of Fame, Dickie was a forgotten Astros great, and an inspiration to us all."

-Andy Van Slyke

"Here's to the player that made me love baseball as a kid. His joy for the game was infectious and his heartbroken reaction to 'The Francisco Cabrera Play' will define a generation of Pirates fans."

-Wally Backman

"Thanks for the memories, Wally. Nobody played with more heart and determination as you."

-Will Clark

"Thanks, Will. Thanks for the amazing 1989 NLCS. Thanks for your eyeblack, your sneer and your intensity. Thanks for your homerun against SD down the stretch in 1993. But thanks most for making me a fan. A fan of you, of the Giants, and of the game."

Feel free to share your memories of your favorite players as kids in the "Comments" section below.

This is a Fan Participation post.

It can only get better with your thoughts and memories.

Warning Track Power

In this week's addition of Warning Track Power, I will breakdown which teams are pretenders and contenders in the current standings.

Note: I will list 3 teams each in every division. They will broken down into 3 categories: Contender, Pretender, and Cause for Concern.

Contender ("C"), Pretender ("P"), and Cause for Concern ("CC").

Each team will have their current record, Run Diff, BA/OPS, ERA/WHIP.

Let's start in Junior Circuit (aka, American League).

AL East

-C: Toronto (8-4)(+26)(.307/.899)(4.39/1.34)

The return of Aaron Hill has catapulted this offense to the top. They are smashing the ball, and that's with Alex Rios batting just .204. Scutaro and Hill are on fire. Wells, Lind, and Snider are 100-RBI guys. Halladay could win 22+ with the offense. But their isn't much starting rotation depth. The Blue Jays lost Marcum and McGowan for the season, and so far, only Ricky Romero has been an above-average starter. Purcey and Litsch are getting shelled. The one positive, pitching-wise, is their bullpen. Frasor, Downs, Camp, Carlson, and then Ryan closing. With one of the Big Three possibly struggling, it's possible that the Blue Jays could win 87 games.

-P: Baltimore (6-4)(-15)(.290/.840)(6.47/1.82)

Their offense is devastating. Roberts, Jones, Markakis, and then Huff. They are killing the ball. But their pitching is terrible. Jeremy Guthrie is their ace. Jeremy Guthrie is a #4 or #5 on any other team in the American League. They are a 72-win team, at best.

-CC: Boston (4-6)(-6)(.254/.771)(5.32/1.51)

David Ortiz is officially Little Papi. He may be done. People were saying last year that he slumped because of his wrist and lack of protection. Well, Youkilis is a great clean-up hitter, so it's not the protection. That wrist injury just completely sapped the power from his bat. To top it off, his bat-speed is much slower than 2-years ago. Dice-K is on the DL with WBC-Fatigue. He was an 18-game winner last year. Eventually, Pedroia and Francona will right the ship and they will definitely be contenders, but for now, this may be a .500 April.

AL Central

-C: Kansas City (6-4)(+11)(.245/.747)(3.26/1.23)

I originally had this team winning 83 games and finishing in second place to the Twins in my annual prediction. I like this team. A lot. Their pitching is amazing. Greinke, Meche, Davies plus probably the best bullpen in the league. To me, they are the '08 Rays and '07 Rockies all over again. Don't be surprised if Trey Hillman wins MOY.

-P: Detroit (5-5)(+10)(.283/.844)(4.47/1.28)

Miguel Cabrera may win the Triple Crown this year, but the Tigers will only go so far as their pitching takes them. Their ace, Justin Verlander, is getting torched (7.88/1.56) and their 'pen is one-arm injury away from imploding. If Edwin Jackson can get over 12 wins and if Galarraga and Porcello muster up 30 wins between them, then they will contend, but for now, get used to them hovering near .500 all season long.

-CC: Minnesota (5-7)(-27)(.252/.695)(6.17/1.54)

Joe Mauer is still hurt. His return timetable is week-to-week. Liriano is 0-3. Their strength, starting pitching, has been awful. They have been outscored by 27 runs. And their bullpen, except Nathan, has been lit-up. If they get Mauer back for at least 100-games, then they should contend.

AL West

-C: Seattle (8-3)(+18)(.261/.693)(3.01/1.16)

It's funny how easily people forget how good a team was supposed to be. The Mariners were the pick to beat out the Angels last season but everything that could go wrong, went horribly wrong and they finished with 61 wins. They have a new attitude this season. A new Manager (Wakamatsu, another MOY-candidate). The return of Junior has put fans back in the seats. People also forget how good Bedard can be. If King Felix, Bedard, and Wasburn can combine for 45 wins, watch-out. They will contend or at least be near or at .500. They only thing holding this team back is pop. You got legitimate cause for concern when Russell Branyan is your #5 hitter.

-P: Texas (4-6)(0)(.293/.916)(6.49/1.65)

Everyone knows they can rake. A .916 Team OPS is ridiculous. But their pitching still has not caught up to their hitting. They basically have Millwood and 4 #5 pitchers. If they can somehow lower their pitching splits to 5.00/1.45 and if they can continue mashing the ball, they might have a chance to compete, but not contend.

-CC: Los Angeles (4-6)(-5)(.265/.716)(4.60/1.50)

Injuries (Vlad, Lackey, Escobar) plus tragedy (Adenhart) have tested this team early on in the season. This adversity could put them in position to be where everyone thought they would be in the beginning of the season, first place. However, after winning 101 games last year, I had them down to win 91, but that could drop in the high-80s if more injuries rack-up, opening the door for the A's or the Mariners squeaking by.

Senior Circuit

NL East

-C: Florida (9-1)(+26)(.280/.790)(2.97/1.30)

They are for real. Who cares if they are a below-average fielding team? They can murder the ball, they can steal, and they have the best young rotation in the majors with Nolasco, Johnson, Volstad, Sanchez, and eventually, Miller. Hanley Ramirez is an MVP-caliber player (if Pujols doesn't get it again this year), and catcher John Baker is the future leader of this team. They kind of resemble last year's Arizona team, but their bats went quiet after the All-Star break. The Marlins hit all year last season and they will be a legit force in the East.

-P: Philadelphia (4-5)(-13)(.274/.793)(6.94/1.49)

They are set up for a major letdown. They'll play better once Jimmy Rollins starts being Jimmy and when Ryan Howard hits 15 homers in one month, but I don't believe in their rotation. Hamels is great, but he may be prone to injuries this year after a huge workload last season. Myers is a head case. If he can't locate his fastball, he's very, very hittable. And Moyer is 46 years old. They may finish 3rd or 4th this year.

-CC: New York Mets (5-5)(+7)(.283/.785)(4.11/1.31)

I picked the Mets to win this division and meet the Red Sox in the World Series. However, their starting rotation is definitely a cause for concern. Santana is electric. But thus far, Pelfrey, Maine, and Perez have been terrible through 2 stars. Livan has been okay, but he looks like an old Satchel Paige now. Santana may win 24 games. But what if the next best winning pitcher is Oliver Perez at 12-12? The Putz/K-Rod combo is the best in the league. The big question is, will they trade for Roy Oswalt or Jake Peavy by the All-Star Break? They might have to.

NL Central

-C: Pittsburgh (5-5)(+8)(.259/.739)(2.90/1.33)

Okay. I could've picked the Reds here, but that would've been too easy. And I DO NOT think the Pirates will contend in this division title. But they will push for 75 to 80 wins, almost the same exact jump the Royals did last season. Thus far, Maholm and Duke have been great, and they need Snell to focus and be a solid #2. If they can get 45 wins out of those three guys, they'll be in good shape. Freddy Sanchez is hitting like the batting champ he used to be, Morgan is a spark-plug at the top of the order, and Pedro Alvarez and McCutcheon will be there for the stretch run. Proming start? Adam LaRoche. He's a notoriously slow starter, but he's batting .244/.832. Too bad his brother Andy isn't matching his numbers (.192/.519).

-P: Milwaukee (3-7)(-12)(.225/.746)(5.85/1.56)

They are not going to contend. Not without Sabathia and Sheets. No way. Gallardo has great stuff, but he's not a #1 yet. Suppan was terrible last year and is bush-league so far this season. And Trevor Hoffman is their closer? Man, they could be really bad. I had them winning 78 games, finishing 4th, they could be worse.

-CC: Houston (3-7)(-22)(.232/.676)(5.07/1.61)

They should start the Fire Sale countdown now. The Doomsday Clock is already ten-to-twelve. Who wants Roy Oswalt, Carlos Lee, Lance Berkman, Michael Bourn, Miguel Tejada? We'll even throw in Cecil Cooper as a Third-Base Coach. That slow spring training was no fluke, this team is bad, I'm talking 67-win bad.

NL West

-C: Los Angeles (8-3)(+26)(.278/.793)(3.09/1.05)

Eventually, the Dodgers are going to pull away in this division and win by more than 8 games. They are in another league right now. The best offseason acquisition? Manny? Nope. Orlando Hudson. This guy is a winner. A great second baseman and a perfect #2 hitter. And Matt Kemp, Andre Ethier, and Russell Martin are continuing to get better. They are scary good right now.

-P: San Diego (8-3)(+7)(.251/.750)(3.67/1.38)

They are a great story. This is the type of team I would start a Franchise with in a video game. They owner is going through a messy divorce. They have slashed payroll and they are taking leftovers and outcasts from all over the league. They look like an expansion team. But they are playing really good ball right now and that's a credit to Bud Black and his staff. Adrian Gonzalez is a beast. And players like Eckstein, Gerut, and Heath Bell are grinders. They will overachieve for a while, but eventually, they will be exposed.

-CC: Arizona (3-8)(-22)(.229/.699)(5.70/1.39)

This team is in trouble. Webb is injured. They can't score. Haren is 0-3 and he is pitching amazing (1.89/0.79), but he gets ZERO support. They keep on talking about how Justin Upton, Mark Reynolds, Connor Jackson, and Stephen Drew are going to take off and play at a high level. Unfortunately, they all strike out too much. Who's playing the best? Felipe Lopez, castoff (.372/1.041). They may finish 4th and they may blow this team up.

Leading Off

Welcome to Passed Ball, a baseball blog reporting at double play depth.

What does that mean?

Nothing really, it just sounds cool.

OR, it means that I will combine both quantative and qualitative analysis into one all-powerful, Double-Q metric that believes in quality over quantity.

What is this blog about?

Baseball. Duh.

What makes this different than the 10 zillion other baseball blogs out there?

Obviously, no one else plays at double play depth.

Everyone else plays Corners-In, hugging the line, no extra-bases, conservative defense.

Bore-ing.

What can I expect from Passed Ball ?

Well, for now, I'd like to keep the expectations low, but I'll aim high.

One thing you will never see in this blog is Fantasy.

I am anti-Fantasy. Not for me, no way, no how.

But I love Stats. I love Moneyball, Sabermetrics, and crunching every number on the back of a baseball card.

I was that kid who read Baseball Encyclopedias for breakfast.

I created a percentage-based-dice-rolling simulation game (pen and paper) when I was 12-years old and I simulated a whole season.

Side-note: Later in life, I learned that Jack Kerouac also created a similar baseball-sim game when he was a kid.

What can I say, great minds think alike?

I was that kid who played an entire season of Front Page Sports Baseball (remember that game?) on my PC with the Red Sox and I didn't make the playoffs.

Imagine that? Spending hours, days, weeks, months even playing 162 games, and not making the playoffs!

I am a Red Sox fan from Northern New Jersey.

I am that guy that New Yorker's hate more than Mass-holes. I am sleeping with the enemy. I am a spy in the Bronx. A double-agent.

I come from a long line of Italian-American Yankee fans.

So, again, I was an outcast not only in my neighborhood, but in my family as well.

I also played some competitive ball to.

Never heard of me? C'mon, seriously?

I had 24 steals (never caught) in ten games. Batted .500 with a .750 OBP. Warning track power. Lead-off, centerfielder, plus arm, led my team deep in the playoffs.

That was 1993. My last professional year. I played for the Red Sox.

I was 14.

Ah, glory days.

Suffice it to say, my Parochial High School team was heavily recruited and loaded with talent. I was a speedy centerfielder who could switch-hit.

But pitch? What the hell is that?

I didn't know I had to pitch too!

Bummer.

Anyway, enough about me...

...but c'mon, those 24 steals were pretty freakin' amazing. That's like 389 steals in a 162-game schedule.

Move over Rickey, here comes Anthony.

But just like Pedro Cerrano, curveballs just ate me up.

Screw you Jobu, I do it myself.

So, this is where I am now.

You and me.

A taylor-made,

6-4-3...

...double play.