Off Topic
“His first major league hit was a home run off me and I'll never forgive myself. We might have gotten rid of Willie (Mays) forever if I'd only struck him out."
= Warren Spahn =
May 5, 2046: DES MOINES – When I was growing up, one of the favorite stories going around the kids I played ball with was the legend of Willie Mays, who, when he was first called up to the majors, went on a 0-12 streak that had people talking. Did the kid belong? Should he be sent down?
To be fair, this is a legend told by kids so I have no idea how real any of the concern was. Mays hit in the #3 spot as a rookie, after all. I doubt the team was really thinking they might send him down. Willie Mays, it turns out, was a pretty good baseball player.
But as a story to fend off the worries of futility, it worked pretty okay.
Ritchie currently sits at 29 AB and 0 hits.
That’s right. Zero.
As in big-fat nada.
Goose-egg shity, baby! Goose . Egg . Shitty.
Yeah, his defense has been at least passable, but seriously, seven more AB and you’ve got 36, with to our ability to perform high-powered mathematics we can say this is literally a triple Mays.
Hall of Fame Here We Come?
I don’t freaking think so.
The club has options, too.
In AAA, young Juan Varela has been passable in the past, so long as you don’t have to tax him. Second baseman John Weber is ready enough. He might struggle at third, but he could handle a backup 2B role. Same for Frederick Manchild. Then there’s 3B heir-apparent Derek Cumming, who the team would probably like to keep developing most of this season, but who can hit from both sides of the plate just fine and appears to be making progress.
One has to wonder how long Ritchie can last on a big league roster, and—if he’s not removed soon—does that mean that perhaps Ritchie has something on the organization?
One never knows.
Except the fans, of course.
The fans know exactly how long Ritchie has.
“Outside in the distance
A wildcat did growl
Two riders were approaching
The wind began to howl”
