Just think, only one more month of Thursdays about the past, then we can March Fourth and celebrate the return of baseball (sort of) and some dude's birthday all at once. How cool is that?
While I wait for the last annoying weeks of winter to melt away, at the same time looking forward to the day the A's are relevant again (Wait, you mean they aren't now? Blasphemer!), this particular morning seems ripe for reminiscing. But I don't mean that in an ancient history kind of way because, well, a labor of love is still labor. Sometimes.
I want something we can all play along to, not because I am lonely (well...), but because I am genuinely interested in what floats your boat. Or goat. (I know.)
Which is why YonYonson's comment last night (it's in there I swear) about watching a September '06 showdown between the A's and Angels struck me as particularly awesome, because it is not only the last time the home team was post-season good, it is also the last time they had players who were don't-dare-get-a-hot-dog-now special. Now that's not to say the A's haven't been a joy to watch these last three seasons, and sure there are players (Dallas Braden and Kurt Suzuki spring to mind) who impress in one way or another, but I'm talking about Big Hurt with a bat or Eric Chavez with a glove (sigh). At their finest, they commanded a different kind of attention.
These kind of players, when you watch them, leave you "helpless and in awe." Surely, Reggie did that. Rickey, too. But another one was Dave Winfield. He was scary. I also had an up-close-and-personal view of Dwayne Murphy in centerfield for many years that I tried (and often failed) not to take for granted.
So the early-am question to you, dear reader, is: what players, past or present, A's or otherwise, have done that for you? Let's limit this to players you've seen in person.
And a good day to all.
{Sigh}
