Rusty Greer - four very good seasons then he fell off a cliff but he was the second best player on the first Rangers team to make the playoffs. Probably gets bonus points because "Rusty Greer" just sounds like a beloved Texas athlete.
― papal hotwife (milo z), Tuesday, 3 October 2023 06:36 (nine months ago) link
Johnny Mac in Toronto. He was revered here, maybe everywhere he played. Lasted 16 years with a batting line that looked like it had been time-machined in from the 1960s. He was a very good fielder, and there's a story involving his dad's death that was in Posnanski's new book. But that's a lot of goodwill.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcdonjo03.shtml
― clemenza, Tuesday, 3 October 2023 11:36 (nine months ago) link
pretty much every fat guy who comes to Milwaukee is instantly a fan favorite. right now it's Rowdy Tellez, every time he's up to bat the crowd goes insane
― frogbs, Tuesday, 3 October 2023 13:18 (nine months ago) link
I have literally passed on watching live Brewers games when he’s not in the lineuphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRuKOV_etf0
― I’m going to get fined for being right, again (gyac), Tuesday, 3 October 2023 13:38 (nine months ago) link
From the general baseball thread:
The Mathis™ is a season of at least 200 PA with an OPS+ of 60 or lower. It is named after Jeff Mathis, who had 8 such seasons, the live ball era record.
Over 16 seasons, John McDonald (above) had a career OPS+ of 59.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 3 October 2023 13:40 (nine months ago) link
👑
― I’m going to get fined for being right, again (gyac), Tuesday, 3 October 2023 13:51 (nine months ago) link
luis sojo, yankees dynasty utility man who was inexplicably beloved before he became a hero in the 2000 world series, when he became explicably beloved
― is he disgruntled adrian? (voodoo chili), Tuesday, 3 October 2023 15:39 (nine months ago) link
I don't mean to dump on John McDonald; by all accounts he was a good guy, and if you manage to last 16 seasons bringing zero offense to a team, obviously you're making up for it (somewhat) with defense and other things ("intangibles"). But when you start looking at his career box, it's amazing, especially his 2013 season. For four different teams: 77 PA, .115/.197/.174, OPS+ of 6. For one of the teams his OPS+ was -21, for another -60. Small sample sizes, of course.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 3 October 2023 15:43 (nine months ago) link
I didn't know OPS+ could be negative...I thought you maxed out at zero.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 3 October 2023 15:44 (nine months ago) link
Hockey is full of these dudes.
― Its big ball chunky time (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Tuesday, 3 October 2023 15:54 (nine months ago) link
Todd Frazier kinda fits here
― Its big ball chunky time (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Tuesday, 3 October 2023 15:56 (nine months ago) link