That's an amazing array of talent. Also very tough people too. I bet they won every fight too.
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Curt Flood, one of the good ones who got away from the Reds.
Traded to the Cards for a handful of guys who never panned out.
Seems the Reds front office of the late 50's and early 60's were great at identifying talent, but not quite as good at utilizing organizational assets.
I don't know the story, but could be the front office of that time wanted to break up the friendship of Flood, Pinson and Robinson. Robby was 3 years older than Curt, but Flood and Pinson were very close friends.
Flood lost his own court battle, but ultimately won the war in being instrumental in ending the reserve clause.
There is a documentary about Curt Flood that shows up on HBO or Showtime every once in awhile. He was considered expendable by the Reds and that is why he was traded, but Flood was also very unhappy in Cinci because of racial discrimination he experienced, such as not staying in the same hotel as the white players. It is weird to think this sort of stuff happened only 50 years ago.
http://l.yimg.com/a/p/sp/tools/med/2...1278556274.jpg
Quote:
Stephen Strasburg (top left) and Mike Leake (top, fourth from left) led the San Diego Sting into the 11-under nationals in 1999. Thomas Neal (top, second from left) and Brett Bochy (bottom left) are also professional ballplayers.
(Courtesy of Vicky Polk)
Clayton Kershaw and Matt Stafford (Lions' QB):
http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedi...w-stafford.jpg
I always liked watching Ray Lankford play. Looking at his numbers now I see why.
OPS+ of 123 in 14 seasons. 258 steals.
Jose Cruz
Ferris Fain (career .424 OBP)
Roy Cullenbine
Andy Van Slyke
Von Hayes
Flood and Pinson finally got to play together again, near the end of their careers, when Pinson was traded to the Cardinals.
This is a great pic for this thread, as this photo has three very under rated and perhaps sometimes forgotten hitters of a past era:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ajt86tNmDB...600/733_67.jpg
Lou Brock, Curt Flood and Vada
Big Frank Howard - Used to beat my dad up at Columbus South.
Tim Raines - Rickey got all the love, but Rock was a stud.
Dale Murphy - Wouldn't think you could be forgotten with mutliple MVPs, but toiling for a crappy Braves team kept him out of the spotlight. C to CF. How often do you see that.
Edgar Martinez - DH-only brings him down. I didn't fully appreciate how good a hitter he really was until he retired.
Agree w/Dom on Kal Daniels. Would've been sweet to see what he and ED could due sans the injuries.