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Thread: Former Cub Adam Greenberg seeks one official at bat w/help of campaign and petition

  1. #1
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    Former Cub Adam Greenberg seeks one official at bat w/help of campaign and petition

    There's a decent chance you're familiar with his story as it has been told by many outlets, including a "SportsCenter" segment earlier this season. Back in 2005, Greenberg was a 24-year-old member of the Chicago Cubs when he stepped into the batter's box for the first plate appearance of his major-league career. His big-league career ended almost as quickly as it began, though, as the first pitch from Florida Marlins reliever Valerio De Los Santos hit Greenberg in the head. The immediate result for the young outfielder was a concussion, but the lingering effects of vertigo and blurred vision put Greenberg on a difficult road to a lengthy recovery process that included stops with three additional organizations but never another call-up to a big-league club.

    To this date, Greenberg remains one of only four position players — and the first since Philadelphia's Fred Van Dusen in 1955 — to be hit by a pitch in his only career plate appearance. Of those four, he's the only one to have his career end on the first pitch.

    For more on this, go to http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-bi...3871--mlb.html
    Holding a pitcher accountable for how many runs his team scores is like holding the designated hitter accountable for how many runs his team allows.

    An individual statistic is meaningful only if it is based strictly on what the player does and not on what the other players on his team do.

  2. #2
    I was going to post this.

    It's a shame Bill Veeck isn't alive today. He'd take Greenberg in a heartbeat.

    Call me sentimental, but I'd like to see this happen....just because. Bring him up for a day, let him get an at bat or two, then have him "retire" at the end of the day. I can't see the Cubs or the Astros being hurt if they do something like that.
    Marlins' magical, mystical backstop fish! Now starting for the Toronto Blue Jays!

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    It would be really ironic if he gets beaned again.
    Keep Spraying Maine

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    I forgot about that, it would be kinda cool if the Cubs let him play one game. I always thought that the ondeck hitter Ben Christanson hit really got screwed. I know Mickey Morandini did too.
    "(Shoeless Joe Jackson's fall from grace is one of the real tragedies of baseball. I always thought he was more sinned against than sinning." -- Connie Mack

    "I have the ultimate respect for Whitesox fans. They were as miserable as the Cubs and Redsox fans ever were but always had the good decency to keep it to themselves. And when they finally won the World Series, they celebrated without annoying every other fan in the country."--Jim Caple, ESPN (Jan. 12, 2011)

  5. #5
    isn't it quite expensive to call up a player for one day? I have heard that you at least have to pay the minimum salary if a player only plays one day. that would mean this day would cost a few 100K. but I'm not sure if this is true.
    I think walks are overrated unless you can run. If you get a walk and put the pitcher in a stretch, that helps, but the guy who walks and can’t run, most of the time he’s clogging up the bases for somebody who can run. – Dusty Baker.

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    Quote Originally Posted by dominik View Post
    isn't it quite expensive to call up a player for one day? I have heard that you at least have to pay the minimum salary if a player only plays one day. that would mean this day would cost a few 100K. but I'm not sure if this is true.
    Pretty sure they'd have to pay him (minimum salary/162). So if minimum salary is $400k, then they'd owe him like $2500...
    Mike Hopper
    Former Gateway Grizzlies Intern

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bulldog19 View Post
    Pretty sure they'd have to pay him (minimum salary/162). So if minimum salary is $400k, then they'd owe him like $2500...
    When Alfonso Soriano is getting paid some 5 to 10 million per year, do you think $2500 out of the Cubs pocket is going to be the difference between making or breaking it?
    Holding a pitcher accountable for how many runs his team scores is like holding the designated hitter accountable for how many runs his team allows.

    An individual statistic is meaningful only if it is based strictly on what the player does and not on what the other players on his team do.

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    Quote Originally Posted by BiZmaRK View Post
    When Alfonso Soriano is getting paid some 5 to 10 million per year, do you think $2500 out of the Cubs pocket is going to be the difference between making or breaking it?
    Try $18 million.

    And another $18 million in 2013

    And another $18 million in 2014

    Dear god, no wonder the Cubs are so bad.
    Keep Spraying Maine

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    I don't know why other losing teams didn't jump on this earlier; it honestly seems like an absolutely tremendous moneymaking venture that will likely transcend the world of baseball into the world of national news for a day or two. I'm glad my team didn't do it because of how cheap, exploitative, and gimmicky it is, but hey, I'm a mark, and I shall be tuning in on October 2nd.
    Last edited by wu-tang clan; 09-27-2012 at 10:32 AM.
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    He'll finally get his AB, and face RA Dickey

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    Of all the people to face, that's an interesting choice.
    September 16, 2012: The Losing Streak Ends

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    I watched him get the offer live on a morning show this morning. It was pretty cool to see his reaction.
    Chop! Chop! Chop!

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    Great to see him get his chance.

    Does anybody remember the name of the kid from the Red Sox who was diagnosed with a malformation that required brain surgery a few years ago? Last I heard, he was trying to make a comeback. I recall he had alot of promise at the time.
    "Chuckie doesn't take on 2-0. Chuckie's hackin'." - Chuck Carr two days prior to being released by the Milwaukee Brewers

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    Great move for the Marlins. Have you seen this guys OBP?

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    Oh well,Greenberg struck out in his sole at bat last night!

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Nimrod View Post
    Oh well,Greenberg struck out in his sole at bat last night!
    yeah he looked pretty bad never coming close to touching the ball. but of course dickey is about the toughest guy you can face. dickey should have laid one in for him.
    I think walks are overrated unless you can run. If you get a walk and put the pitcher in a stretch, that helps, but the guy who walks and can’t run, most of the time he’s clogging up the bases for somebody who can run. – Dusty Baker.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by dominik View Post
    yeah he looked pretty bad never coming close to touching the ball. but of course dickey is about the toughest guy you can face. dickey should have laid one in for him.
    Sorry, Dickey is trying to complete his own second chance story by winning a Cy Young Award.

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    Of one of the few classy moves the Marlins have made this tops em all.

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    Good for him. Not like the Marlins' playoff was in the balance.

  21. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by Nimrod View Post
    Oh well,Greenberg struck out in his sole at bat last night!


    At first I thought you wrote that he sold his bat.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Nimrod View Post
    Oh well,Greenberg struck out in his sole at bat last night!
    Greenberg sounded grateful that he struck out rather then get a batting practice type pitch from Dickey.

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    Quote Originally Posted by brett View Post
    At first I thought you wrote that he sold his bat.
    No, that was Pete Rose.
    "My truck done shocked the fire out of me, and my arm don't hurt no more." - Roy Oswalt, channeling Dizzy Dean

  24. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by dominik View Post
    dickey should have laid one in for him.
    Quote Originally Posted by metfan13 View Post
    Sorry, Dickey is trying to complete his own second chance story by winning a Cy Young Award.
    Dickey said he was going to treat Greenberg like any other batter, and I don't think Greenberg wanted any special treatment at the plate. At least he can rationalize striking out by pointing out that he had to face Dickey.
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