17 June 2010

Bob Bonner: An Orioles Future Star


You didn't think I was seriously going to do an entire post about Bob Bonner, did you?
I'm sure one of my fellow bloggers would truly enjoy this rookie (i'm looking at you Beardy) and I am glad to have picked this up relatively cheap off of eBay recently.

I was always a huge fan of Ripken growing up. Not just because of the Streak, but just because he played the game the right way. From running out ground balls, willing to move from SS to 3B to help out the team and always giving his all, he was quite the role model for a budding young little league star.

Oddly enough, even though I am an Astros fan, he influenced my decision to pick my playing decision moreso then any other player (SS) and also influenced the way I played and practiced. I was (and still am not) the biggest of guys, so I played to my strengths, which has been as an exceptional slap hitter, speed, solid defense and an immeasurable amount of hustle. Not to mention, my ability to play through injuries (including getting hit in the head TWICE in the same game by throws or pitches).

With the poor play in Orioles land recently, I think a good shake up at the top should result in Cal as coach. Imagine him instilling the Ripken way from the top of the big league team to the bottom. Imagine Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, Matt Wieters and all that young pitching garnering his advice and putting it to good use.

The youth of the O's depends on them having a leader who has experience on the field and the ability to hold ones self to a higher standard off of it (not that they have any off the field problems, but it never hurts).

C'mon Beardy, join me in my fight to get a TRUE Oriole as the leader in that clubhouse.

3 comments:

  1. Cal would be fine, but I want Eddie!

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  2. I'd love to see Cal, but I don't think that anybody can get this ship turned around. The players stopped caring around April 10th and have been just going through the motions ever since.

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  3. beardy - I have never given thought to ol' Murr-dog as the coach. Maybe the fire he brought as a player would be better suited than Cal's quiet demeanor?

    Ryan - I agree on that, but they need to show the players they are looking toward improving in the future and I think installing one of their legendary players as the coach would be a big step towards that. And maybe adding a more quality arm the Kevin Millwood next time, too.

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