Thanks Patrick, I appreciate the info about Dick Howser and his impact on you with his death. I remember it hit me hard as well due to the highs of 1985, just didn't seem fair. It just makes you realize life is short, enjoy every moment you got! Until next time...
Poignant post, Patrick! Thanks for being so revealing about your personal losses as well as those on your favorite team. From an Astros POV, there have been early or unexpected passings, I'm sure, but I particularly remember the crushing blows to players' careers due to injury or other malady. Dickie Thon and J.R. Richard come to mind.
Although he was a Cardinal at the time, I took Darryl Kile's death pretty hard. It was sudden, but he was the first Astro I'd ever gotten an autograph from. As a kid, I never really bothered with that aspect, and while I collected cards in the '60s (that I now wish I still had!!), I re-kindled the hobby sometime in the late '80s when I was in L.A. I saw the Astros at Dodger Stadium sometime (I believe) in 1991 (I was 36 at the time), Kile's first season up. I had brought a whole stack of Upper Decks and Topps, and was poised with a Sharpie!
During warm-ups, I had situated myself in the first row, just behind the 'Stros' 1st base dugout, near the outfield-side dugout steps. Suddenly, I saw Kile walking straight toward me from where I guess he was throwing in the outfield bullpen. Strikingly handsome, he was smiling as I asked, "Hey, Darryl, can I have your autograph?" I'm sure a "please" must've been in there, somewhere! Impossibly charming was my take-away (that and his autograph)!
It was likely after this encounter (and watching kids fumble at the same exercise) that I devised a little tool to help make this endeavor more pleasing for all involved: I bought a small clipboard onto which I could secure a card under its "springed" clip. With this, I could hand the clipboard to the player, and he could sign without having to find a hard surface, he wouldn't bend it in his hand for security...it was just secure for all involved! Plus, I could just shove the roughly 4" x 6" clipboard into the back of my pants or shorts!
In several more years of collecting in the '90s (including by mail....there's a cool story!), I never saw my technique replicated or adopted by any other "hound"! Good stuff, Patrick! BTW, MLB just released their updated farm system rankings: Royals #29, 'Stros 30th! *sigh*
Thanks, Brad. This was one of the harder posts I've written for this newsletter. I generally try and keep the mood upbeat and entertaining, so it was a challenge to keep this one from being morbid. Hopefully, I succeeded.
I enjoyed your Kile anecdote. I was actually a pretty big Kile fan myself when he played for the Astros. By the time he was with St. Louis and passed away, I wasn't following baseball all that closely, but hearing the news of his unexpected passing was definitely a jolt that took me back. One of many blows I took to my sense of invincibility in my early 20's.
As for the farm systems, I would still trade places with the Astros in a heartbeat. Haha. Something tells me with what they have at the big league level, they've got some time to shore that up before it becomes a crisis. The Royals have been living the crisis for 6-7 years, and it doesn't appear that the cavalry is on the way anytime soon. Especially on the pitching side. They at least seem to have a few promising position players. I doubt you get many Royals games in your neck of the woods, unless you have the MLBTV package, but if one pops up, I encourage you to check them out for Bobby Witt Jr. alone. The guy is something special. Personally, I don't know that I've been this high on a young player since Springer broke in with the Astros, and Witt actually plays on my team!
I think I was still writing about the 'Stros on The Runner Sports when Witt, Jr.'s draft came up. I did some research on him, and even saw some video. He certainly looked like the real deal even then! The Astros are definitely setting their sites on JV bringing them at least one title in the next two years we'll have him. We traded our top 2 baby Astros to nab him, and our system was at the bottom even WITH them!
Definitely a steep price to pay for Verlander, although I think he's still got some magic in the tank. The Astros look a little more vulnerable than usual this season, but I still wouldn't bet against them.
I'll check out your article on Brewer. Not to be Debbie Downer here, but if he's 26 and only in AA, that's not a great sign. Unless he's some hard luck with injuries. There's nothing to say he can't prove to be an exception, but trust me, as a Royals fan I've seen that story too many times. But if he's similar to Springer in personality, I'm sure he's worth rooting for.
Thanks Patrick, I appreciate the info about Dick Howser and his impact on you with his death. I remember it hit me hard as well due to the highs of 1985, just didn't seem fair. It just makes you realize life is short, enjoy every moment you got! Until next time...
Thanks for reading, Ed!
Poignant post, Patrick! Thanks for being so revealing about your personal losses as well as those on your favorite team. From an Astros POV, there have been early or unexpected passings, I'm sure, but I particularly remember the crushing blows to players' careers due to injury or other malady. Dickie Thon and J.R. Richard come to mind.
Although he was a Cardinal at the time, I took Darryl Kile's death pretty hard. It was sudden, but he was the first Astro I'd ever gotten an autograph from. As a kid, I never really bothered with that aspect, and while I collected cards in the '60s (that I now wish I still had!!), I re-kindled the hobby sometime in the late '80s when I was in L.A. I saw the Astros at Dodger Stadium sometime (I believe) in 1991 (I was 36 at the time), Kile's first season up. I had brought a whole stack of Upper Decks and Topps, and was poised with a Sharpie!
During warm-ups, I had situated myself in the first row, just behind the 'Stros' 1st base dugout, near the outfield-side dugout steps. Suddenly, I saw Kile walking straight toward me from where I guess he was throwing in the outfield bullpen. Strikingly handsome, he was smiling as I asked, "Hey, Darryl, can I have your autograph?" I'm sure a "please" must've been in there, somewhere! Impossibly charming was my take-away (that and his autograph)!
It was likely after this encounter (and watching kids fumble at the same exercise) that I devised a little tool to help make this endeavor more pleasing for all involved: I bought a small clipboard onto which I could secure a card under its "springed" clip. With this, I could hand the clipboard to the player, and he could sign without having to find a hard surface, he wouldn't bend it in his hand for security...it was just secure for all involved! Plus, I could just shove the roughly 4" x 6" clipboard into the back of my pants or shorts!
In several more years of collecting in the '90s (including by mail....there's a cool story!), I never saw my technique replicated or adopted by any other "hound"! Good stuff, Patrick! BTW, MLB just released their updated farm system rankings: Royals #29, 'Stros 30th! *sigh*
Thanks, Brad. This was one of the harder posts I've written for this newsletter. I generally try and keep the mood upbeat and entertaining, so it was a challenge to keep this one from being morbid. Hopefully, I succeeded.
I enjoyed your Kile anecdote. I was actually a pretty big Kile fan myself when he played for the Astros. By the time he was with St. Louis and passed away, I wasn't following baseball all that closely, but hearing the news of his unexpected passing was definitely a jolt that took me back. One of many blows I took to my sense of invincibility in my early 20's.
As for the farm systems, I would still trade places with the Astros in a heartbeat. Haha. Something tells me with what they have at the big league level, they've got some time to shore that up before it becomes a crisis. The Royals have been living the crisis for 6-7 years, and it doesn't appear that the cavalry is on the way anytime soon. Especially on the pitching side. They at least seem to have a few promising position players. I doubt you get many Royals games in your neck of the woods, unless you have the MLBTV package, but if one pops up, I encourage you to check them out for Bobby Witt Jr. alone. The guy is something special. Personally, I don't know that I've been this high on a young player since Springer broke in with the Astros, and Witt actually plays on my team!
I think I was still writing about the 'Stros on The Runner Sports when Witt, Jr.'s draft came up. I did some research on him, and even saw some video. He certainly looked like the real deal even then! The Astros are definitely setting their sites on JV bringing them at least one title in the next two years we'll have him. We traded our top 2 baby Astros to nab him, and our system was at the bottom even WITH them!
One guy the 'Stros drafted in '19 reminded me of Springer, at least personality-wise....Jordan Brewer, an outfielder, and former Michigan Wolverine WR. He's in AA now (and 26), but hopefully he can be a producer in the bigs. My piece on Brewer from '19: https://therunnersports.com/receiver-in-the-outfield-houston-astros-score-td-with-michigan-jordan-brewer/
Definitely a steep price to pay for Verlander, although I think he's still got some magic in the tank. The Astros look a little more vulnerable than usual this season, but I still wouldn't bet against them.
I'll check out your article on Brewer. Not to be Debbie Downer here, but if he's 26 and only in AA, that's not a great sign. Unless he's some hard luck with injuries. There's nothing to say he can't prove to be an exception, but trust me, as a Royals fan I've seen that story too many times. But if he's similar to Springer in personality, I'm sure he's worth rooting for.