EL BARRIO, EL FALLS – Let’s start with a SHOCKING FACT: I actually started this piece on Saturday. I was gonna focus on baseball, but then it was a crazy Final Four weekend, so I had to slip that in. With that riveting backstory, on tap will be: Rube Waddell, Francisco Lindor Signs, Timo Werner & Final Four!
Rube Waddell
I had never heard of this guy then I came across a tweet from a random guy about him:
hope everyone had a nice opening day. i spent the day re-reading the wikipedia entry for rube waddell, my favorite player of all time. pic.twitter.com/wc1y4eBWGd
— Sam Fishell (@SamFishell) April 2, 2021
I had never heard of this guy then I came across a tweet from a random guy about him. He was celebrating Opening Day and posted part of Waddell’s wiki page. What you can tell about Waddell is he had a huge case of ADHD before we knew ADHD was a thing. Back then, I assume they just called him talented but squirrelly. That was the common term for a guy who wasn’t quite right in the head. This is just his Wiki page covering 1903
Waddell began the 1903 season sleeping in a firehouse at Camden, New Jersey, and ended it tending bar in a saloon in Wheeling, West Virginia. In between those events, he won 22 games for the Philadelphia Athletics; toured the nation in a Vaudeville play called The Stain of Guilt; courted, married, and became separated from May Wynne Skinner of Lynn, Massachusetts; saved a woman from drowning; accidentally shot a friend through the hand; and was bitten by a lion.
From there we have him trying to hypnotize a Walrus (failed, and it ripped off its pants as it attacked him), going missing from the team for months on end, the pitching triple crown (Wins, ERA, Ks), leaving the team to go do plays, leaving games to chase fire trucks, easily distracted by shiny things -so much so that opposing fans would bring puppies to games. He would sneak back stage of plays and fire his shotgun. He once woke up the legendary manager Connie Mack at 1am to offer him a pizzazz sandwich, and the list goes on and on. I mean, in exhibition games, he would tell his fielders to go into the dugout and then strike out the side. The man was just something to behold. Look him, you won’t stop laughing.
Fransisco Lindor Signs
Okay, Mr. Cohen, we see you. I mean, we thought your tweeting was bit much. Didn’t know if you were the real deal but we see you. If you want a translation, that is the response of Mets fans to the deal Fransisco Lindor signed with the Mets for 10 years $341 Million. Steve Cohen promised us that it was the dawn of a new day in Metsville and he would do things differently… and we can’t disagree that he has. Was this a good or smart deal? Time will tell, but in a large shortstop market next offseason, you have the top shortstop in camp, why not lock him down? He has shown everything in his first few years in the league that he will be a great one. Take no chances and wrap it up, especially as you did give up some very good young talent to get him here.
Random Thoughts (3 Pointer)
Jalen Suggs Shot
I feel sorry for the defender because that was perfect defense. You teach players to make the opponent be perfect and unfortunately for UCLA, that shot from Suggs was perfect. It is a shot you make in your driveway or on the court late at night by yourself, dreaming you get to be the guy and praying it goes in. Lucky for Gonzaga and Suggs, it went in.
Timo Werner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guDkVy30KPs
This miss by Time Warner Timo Werner of Germany was a shocker. I only highlighted it because as I was planning to write about Waddell having ADHD, I saw this miss and a friend said he needs psychiatrist. Werner reminds me of Rick Ankiel or Chuck Knoblauch. I have never seen a guy whose job it is to do something simple – like throw from second to first or kick the ball into an empty net – blow it so badly. I just kept thinking he has Knoblauch’s Syndrome. If I was his club coach, I would call the Yankees and see who they recommended for Knoblauch.
Nick Castellanos ejected
I got a text in my college friends’ group chat from the guy in Kenya, who just saw SportsCenter and asked what was that ejection about. I gotta go with the Umpire is a jackass. There are unwritten rules and all but if that is worthy of ejection, stop all sports now and cancel the baseball season. Castellanos was hit by a pitch to get on base, worked his way to third, then scored on a passed ball. As he slid, he beat the tag of the pitcher that hit him. He gets up hooting and hollering in the pitchers face, benches clear and somehow it is Castellanos fault for getting hyped up. Let’em play, Ump!!
Thanks for reading, comment below and come back tomorrow for Ben Whitney. That is all I am calling him.
