favorite DARK HORSE

[t]

i'm sure a topic like this one has appeared several times before on this forum, but i'm too lazy to look. i'm curious, who are your favorite bench players, or players who seem to come through when least expected? the "dark horses," if you will.

i had a few reliables who defied great odds to sting bban time and again. i've listed them below:

(blank) morris, st. louis > i gave this player a shot early on when i was the cardinals every game, and he hit really well. surprising pop, and a strange knack for the dramatic. bban hated him. it probably just irked him that we could never come up with his first name.

spilman, sf > unpredictably timely as a hitter, and the author of one of the greatest moments in my RBI career. i'll lay out the scene: bban and i are in the bottom of the ninth, and my giants are down three. with two out (there may have been only one, but i will say two for effect), the bases loaded, and with the pitcher due up, i go to the bench. if i remember correctly, i had three guys left on the pine, aldrete and spilman being two of three. bban, up in the game and feeling comfortable, mutters something like "you'd be an idiot not to put aldrete in here," and gives me a smug look. i take a moment to collect my thoughts, and fire back at him, "fuck you, b, i'll do it my own way." i then put in spilman, who immediately takes the first pitch into the scoreboard for a giants win. i'll never forget it.

davidson, minn > if you look far enough back, i once started a "case for davidson" thread. the guy was on a tear, and i couldn't figure out why he never got any respect around here. he was a solid hitter. a solid singles hitter, sure, but he came through. worth mentioning, anyway.

yours?

[fightonusc]

Brookens is good for at least three hits and four RBI per game, every game...

[fknmclane]

Tony Pena...when he is hot, there's no one better.

[BeeJay]

I like Mike Heath off the bench.  I usually sub him in for Herndon and he promptly homers.  He's sometimes even good for the 2nd at bat homer, something my pinch hitters rarely do.

[Flood]

Tony Pena...when he is hot, there's no one better.

I read this post 10 times before coming to the conclusion that you're actually serious.  I disagree wholeheartedly, but that's what makes this game so great...everybody's got their favorites.  For me, Peña has warning track power, at best.  

That being said, Santana is the best player in RBI.  He is so choice.  No, but seriously I think Rupperto is the best of the best (Part III).

[Blyleven_No-No]

LOVE MIKE HEATH...TOTALLY UNDERRATED.

Pena is my boy as well, sorry Curt Flood...and by the way, I got two runners on, down one in the 9th and pinch hit Morris, works the count to 2-2 and a mistake is made by my buddy who left the pitch over the inside part of the plate, Morris turns on it and blasts it out of Tengen field for a 3 run jack and I scoop up the win

[JoeDirt]

I like this thread.

First, I'm assuming Armas, Burks, etc. don't count, although they are off the bench.

If that's the case, I love Spillman (thanks to Gantry for the discovery).  He's the perfect lead off hitter for the all rightie 2,3,4 that comes after his spot.  And, he has big time power in ab 1 and legit power the rest of the way.  He's a definite keeper.

My absolute favorite, though, is Lindeman.  He is a Masher with a capital M.  Dude is as good as Clark in that line up.

[fknmclane]

I would have voted Lindeman or Rupperto but I think they are hardly dark horses anymore.  Chubbs et al know damn well to keep the ball away from those two beasts.

It's true, Pena mainly has warning track power.  But when he knows I'm using him, he gives that extra oomph.  As Gantry would say, he's a family friend.

[fightonusc]

So, you're saying that Tony Pena touches you in a "special" place?

[fknmclane]

So, you're saying that Tony Pena touches you in a "special" place?

If I had a doll, I'd show you.

But yeah, he's the fucking man.  He's won more than a few games with walkoffs against the chubbrock and I'll never let Chubbs live down losing a 5 game series to Sl when he had Na with Tony Bringin' the Pena hitting the series clinching homer.  Boo Ya!

[Big Apple RBI Champ]

that's interesting as i sometimes run pena and put johnny mo in.  bottom line though, jim lindeman is the best ph in the game.