Great RBI story... but could have been better

[Big Apple RBI Champ]

Guys

I must say that I had perhaps the best opportunity any dee-nee'er ever had and I blew it.  I did save some face, but I admit I did a bad job overall.

I was the voice of the AA Binghamton Mets in 2003 and traveled with the team.  I often played RBI with the players at the road hotels.  Bob Keppel who I believe is now with the Royals was a very good player.  3B Rodney Nye was the best RBI player on the team but never made the big leagues (David Wright came through behind him).  I also played with Mike Jacobs, who is with the Marlins (Delgado trade).  He is a great guy, but a shtty RBI player.

Where I messed up is that Bob Ojeda was the pitching coach.  I didn't have a close relationship with him, but he was cool with me, and we hung at Mohegan Sun or Foxwoods Casino one night in a group.  Was it my dee-nee duty to try and get him to play me in RBI?  Probably.  At least I should have showed him how filthy he is in RBI, or at the very least talked to him about it.

My bad guys.  Believe me, I feel terrible about it.

Big Apple

[Darky]

Darrell Evans was the roving minor league hitting instructor my first year of pro ball with the Rockies back in 93. I had a picture taken with him and everything. I told him that he hits bombs in RBI, he smiled and said what else am I good for. However, at his age at the time, and the respect thing, there was no way I was going to ask him to play a game with a rookie ball lowlife like me. Cool guy.

[Attezz]

Bob Keppel?

You mean Jeff Keppinger?

I too met Mike Jacbos, hell of a guy.

[Darky]

I beat Jamey Wright in RBI when we were roomates in A ball in Asheville. He was not good.

[Big Apple RBI Champ]

Not Keppinger.  Bob Keppel.  He was a fairly well-regarded prospect in Mets organization and I called his no-hitter and my call was on WFAN pre-game of Mets with Ed Coleman introducing clip the next day.  Not sure how Keppel got to KC.  Might have been with Justin Huber who made Jacobs move to first (arguably).  Jacobs was my favorite guy on the team.  Cool as sht.  And such a nice stroke.  Couldn't and can't hit lefties unfortunately, but MURDERS right-handers.  And worst of all, couldn't play RBI for sht.

Similar to your respect for Evans, there was no way I was going to ask Bobby O to play me in RBI.  However, I could have worked it into the conversation somehow.  And that's what keeps me up at night, posting no dee-nee at 4:49am ET.  Christ.




 

[Attezz]

Jacobs was my favorite guy on the team.  Cool as sht.  And such a nice stroke.  Couldn't and can't hit lefties unfortunately, but MURDERS right-handers.  And worst of all, couldn't play RBI for sht. 

He actually started hitting lefties decent near the end of the year. I see him being very similar to Morneau, next year he'll do slightly better, and in 2008 he'll put up MVP type numbers.

It's too bad he's not hispanic or he'd still be on the Mets (See the Jeff Keppinger for Ruben Gotay trade)

[Big Apple RBI Champ]

Recent Eastern League MVP's succeed in MLB Alex Rios, VMart, MJacobs.

[Attezz]

Recent Eastern League MVP's succeed in MLB Alex Rios, VMart, MJacobs.

This doesn't really seem like a big deal to me at all. The best player in a Double A league suceeding in the next level? Not too big of a shock.

Kinda like a #15-30 overall pick doing well in the NFL.

[Big Apple RBI Champ]

I'm not saying it's a shock, but it has helped me in my fantasy leagues with VMart and Rios... drafting them when no one else heard of them, and then stashing on bench and holding them over until they break out like Rios did this year.  Rios was on pace for MVP numbers before he got hurt.  He made the best throw I have ever seen live, at any level, AA- he threw it from about 20 ft in front of the warning track in centerfield to catcher chest high.

Re: Jacobs.. he might be due for breakout year in '07...

Oh yeah... he'd be a good RBI player.  (I said that so fkn Octogenarian doesn't lock this post claiming it's off-topic)