Adam Greenberg gets another chance slightly O/T

[HOF Auto Rookies]

Originally Posted by SetBuilder

He doesn't deserve it? He's been battling it out in the minors and independent leagues for 7 years to try to make it back to the big leagues for one more shot.

I think he earned 1 at bat.

Yeah, so have 100,000 other kids, many of whom played in a game or two. You want to give them a second shot as well? There are plenty of players with less than 10 at-bats in their careers. Let's just make a team full of the guys who weren't good enough.

I'm not judging his character to giving it his all, I'm just saying he did not earn this at bat.

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by HOF Auto Rookies

Yeah, so have 100,000 other kids, many of whom played in a game or two. You want to give them a second shot as well? There are plenty of players with less than 10 at-bats in their careers. Let's just make a team full of the guys who weren't good enough.

I'm not judging his character to giving it his all, I'm just saying he did not earn this at bat.

Minnie Minoso says hello.

[bmarlowe1]

Originally Posted by calvindog

Minnie Minoso says hello.

Yeah - that's the first thing I thought of when I heard the story.

Greenberg's situation is strikingly unique. In sum I think he very much "deserves" the at-bat.

[steve B]

You guys saying he doesn't deserve it do realize that all of baseball is a publicity thing don't you? Baseball history is full of guys who were either publicity stunts or had other stuff that made them more interesting to a team.
Eddie Gadel -Pure publicity stunt.
Minnie Minoso- Did get a hit in 8 ab in 1976, and was good enough still to be considered for a minor league appearance when over 60.

Pete Gray - WWII replacement, he might have gotten a brief run, but not a whole season. He was good enough, and the Browns needed the attendance a good story would bring.

Curtis Pride- Deaf, and a lifetime 250 hitter. He was up and down for 11 years. Talented for sure, but would he have played so long or gotten a chance without the nice story?

Lou Brissie- Certainly good enough before the leg, marginal once he actually got the the big leagues. I can't imagine him staying in the bigs after his two good years without being good PR.

Jim Abbott - Incredibly talented, but how many players get directly into the majors? Would that have happened for a guy with similar talent but no PR value?

And more recently guys have left the big leagues because of PR after excellent careers. Barry Bonds, Palmero,
These days a player with bad PR will have trouble staying on a team unless he's incredible.

There are even players who did very well but only got ANY chance at all because of connections. Mike Piazza, drafted last as a favor to A childhood friend of Lasorda. And that despite great talent and what would be considered amazing advantages like personal coaching by Ted Williams. He did pretty well.

Plus he's not "taking the spot of someone more deserving" or getting a second chance that's undeserved. He's getting one at bat.

Steve B

[scmavl]

This makes me happy. I'm not going to get into whether he deserves it or not, but I'm glad it's happening.

[D. Bergin]

Wow, after all the things baseball has done to crap on itself in the last couple decades, and people are actually upset about THIS!

The Eddie Gaedel stunt must have caused people to jump off bridges when they first read about it.

I'll root for the guy, whether he gets a hit or not. It doesn't hurt anybody.