Success Trip

After Jackie Robinson Day last year, I wrote about a few connections I felt to the great man, including having worn number 42 as a Chicago White Sox player and having played second base for the Los Angeles Dodgers as he had. I recently came across another bond to the iconic Hall of Famer. Jackie’s first major league hit was a bunt, as was mine, while we were members of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

That bit about Jackie Robinson inspired me to write about my top career baseball hits. Luckily, I did say career top hits because to find 10, I had to stretch beyond my big-league career; in fact, back to my little-league days to find the 10th. My first major league hit, the bunt, is included, as it was not your ordinary drop-it-down and run-like-crazy bunt, but it was a fortunate mistake and a game-winner.

First, a day doesn’t go by without noticing an article about memory loss in my news feed. As we know, those internet spies are sharp and know my age, so I will relate my top hits as I remember them, with the hope that I am 100% factually accurate. So here goes.

Top Career Hits

# 1 – Record Book Knock

With four games remaining in the 1984 Seattle Mariner season, I got hot. Playing against the Chicago White Sox, I had four hits on Thursday and three on Friday. That put my hit total at 179 hits on the season, just one shy of the then-Mariner record. Saturday was unproductive, so it was all riding on Sunday’s game. Unfortunately, the great Tom Seaver was on the hill for the Sox. But fortunately, he was not the Seaver of yesteryear, and I somehow managed to hit a double in the game. Because of facing one of the all-time greatest pitchers and tying the record, it has to be my top career hit.

#2 – A Day of Firsts

I suppose every MLB player remembers their first major league hit, as I do. I wish I could say it was a rocket into the outfield, but as mentioned, it was a bunt. In fact, it was a squeeze bunt that brought in what turned out to be the game-winning run. It was a terrible bunt, but because the defense suspected it, the pitcher charged hard, and I popped it over his head for an easy single. Many teammates thought I did it on purpose and congratulated me for my “heads up play” when it was just a mistake, but I’ll take it, and it looks like a rocket-in-the-box score, along with my first MLB RBI.

# 3 – A Shocker

I know this is about my greatest hits, but I hit the ball, so technically, it qualifies. 17th inning in the house that Ruth built, Yankee Stadium, and I get the game-winning RBI on a sacrifice fly. What I’m most proud of was that I hit the ball far enough to drive in the run, as power and, thus, sacrifice flies were not my strength. Once again, this was Yankee Stadium, where I dreamed of playing from a young age, mainly because my dad was a huge Yankee fan.

# 4 – A Career Clincher

Just as everyone usually remembers their first hit, they hope their last one is memorable. Mine was, even though it was at the triple-A level back with the Albuquerque Dukes. I got hot again in our 1987 championship series at the right time. Leading by a run or two, I laced a triple on a nasty, down, and inside slider. A wild pitch later, we had the insurance run we needed to hold on. To finish one’s career as a champion is unforgettable and a hit and experience I can picture to this day.

# 5 – “Oh, What a Night”

It wasn’t late December but August, and once again, it was not a hit, but it was Oh so close. Having had a career day, with 5 hits in 5 at-bats for 5 against the Baltimore Orioles and the game out of hand in our favor, my manager would give me a rest. Usually, that would be most welcome during the dog days, but the chance to get six hits was too much to disregard. Luckily, one of the assistant coaches mentioned my situation, and our manager changed his mind. Wouldn’t you know it, I hit another rocket, the type I dream of, but right at a defender. Oh well, that’s life.

# 6 – Finally, A Rocket that Went My Way

I’ll make this one short and sweet, like my swing that at-bat. As a Seattle Mariner, I hit a double off a Roger Clemens fastball, The Rocket, himself. The following season he struck out 20 Mariners in a game, which I was not a part of after being released that spring. I often wonder if he would have that major league record if I had been in the lineup because he knew I owned him. Haha

# 7 – What Could Have Been - Joe Dimaggio

Ok, this is a stretch, but I had a sixteen-game hitting streak during my 1984 season. Unstoppable, I like to think, and I proved it by leading off the game in Kansas City with a clean single. But the great Joe Dimaggio must have been getting a little uncomfortable, so with connections up above, he talked the baseball gods into raining the game out. You know the rest of the story. The following night I returned to earth, and it was all over. History remains intact and unbreakable.

# 8 – No Respect

Back to triple-A again with this one. The game was on the line, the 9th inning, bases loaded in a tie game, with just one out. I come strolling up, and the opposing manager brings in an extra infielder from his outfield position. Such disrespect must be dealt with, so I, the player with no power whatsoever, hit a grand slam. Glory days, indeed.  

#9 – Rising from adversity.

Struggling big time, having gone 0 for 20 plus at-bats, I hit three doubles one night in Baltimore. Baltimore is the one place I really seemed to hit well, so I was fortunate that is where we played because I feared benching or losing my coveted lead-off position in the order. Not 5 hits as before, but three doubles is quite a feat for a Punch and Judy hitter, like me. No offense intended to anyone out there. After some research, the term was about a puppet, so no harm, no foul, and it’s nice to learn something every day.

#10 – The Omen?

As a nine-year-old, playing illegally in little league, as it turned out, I went 2 for 4 against 12-year pitching. Perhaps an early indicator that I had some potential, but unfortunately, it didn’t help develop the elusive confidence I never achieved.

There you go. My next article will be about my worst at-bats, which will easily number in the thousands, so I better get writing. Happy Trails.