I should have asked, does your team have one?
You know, one of those guys that no one who isn't a fan of your team has heard of. Someone who isn't celebrated or interviewed often, but who contributes and plays hard all the time.
The Rangers have one of those guys. His name is Craig Gentry.
I didn't have access to my scanner so I used that old Iphone app. That's why the pic is so awful. This is the 2012 Topps Craig Gentry I pulled in my blaster.
Gentry isn't an everyday player, but he's been in 51 of the Rangers 63 games this season. He is often times inserted as a pinch runner or a defensive replacement late in games. He'll usually replace Josh Hamilton in center and Hamilton slides over to left. In his 51 games Gentry is hitting .337 with an OBP of .407. He's only had 101 at bats in those games, but he's scored 11 runs and driven in 15. He's also the fastest player on the team and has 8 steals already. Gentry is seeing action with the big league club for the third straight year and will undoubtedly set career marks in every category this season.
His production in limited action this year is a bright spot on a team that already features some of the leading offensive players in the American League.
Does your team have a guy like this?
I have noticed him, because I pulled a sparkly parallel card of his and wanted to know who he was. I like players like him.
ReplyDeleteThe Angels used to have a guy like that, when Chone Figgins came up he was kind of like that, Izturis too.
Tony Campana on the Cubs. Always a threat on the base paths, a major distraction for pitchers and fielders a like. Check out my (limited but growing) Campana PC over on my blog. Only MLB home run so far was an inside the parker. Barely starts. No respect.
ReplyDeleteI think Daniel Descalso might be that guy on the Cardinals. We joked he was the Closer at 3B last year, as he'd seemed to mostly be put in as a defensive replacement for Freese.
ReplyDeleteIn the mid 90s, it was Archi Cianfrocco, a utility guy who played all the positions. In the late 90s, it was Eric Owens, who was a gritty, big hustle player who reminds me of Gentry (watched Craig him a couple of times when he was with the Express in AAA). Right now, it's Chris Denorfia, who is usually the first guy off the bench, and can get the big hit and is great on defense. Good post subject! Those guys are always my favorite players
ReplyDeleteIt's tough, though, because those kind of guys don't always get on cardboard. I was stoked to see Denorfia included on the Heritage set, but he wasn't included in Topps Series 1 and I don't think he's in Series 2, either.
DeleteI think the closest thing the Brewers have to that this year is Norichika Aoki, though he's pretty much become a starter now.
ReplyDeleteLast year I would have said Nyjer Morgan, this year not so much...
Agreement on Descalso, another reason he's a bit of an unsung this season is the rotation at 2nd between him Schumaker and Greene.
ReplyDeleteI remember hearing Freese make some jokes about Descalso replacing him from time to time, lol.
Robinson is starting to get some play time though, and I believe he is shifting more into that role.
I think Eduardo Sanchez is another really good candidate for the spot on the cardinals. I also think Matt Carpenter is another good one because he plays great at first when Craig is hurt. Who knows there are a lot of choices.
DeleteThe Dodgers have so many injuries that just about everyone is an everyday player. I don't know who to pick.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Once a Cub, Tony Campana. He is my single favorite player to watch in the game right now. The cat-and-mouse when he gets on is amazing to watch. If he could get his OBP up to about .350 or so, there's no telling how many bags he could swipe.
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