You and me both. I thought Larkin would be lucky to get over the Mendoza line. Stillwell was the future.
I was a big Johhny Edwards fan too. My dad was a Don Pavletich fan (or Pav as he called him). We'd have catcher discussions.
I had a boy-man crush on Deron Johnson's square jaw and steely glare.
I thought Duane Walker was just waiting to bust out.
I thought if Willie Greene could stay healthy and get some PT, he was the answer at SS.
I thought if Bill Plummer went to another team, he'd be an All-Star.
Jon Nunnally just needed to play regularly.
Art Shamsky needed to play more too.
I was in love with Jimmy Stewart's scrappiness.
Buddy Bradford was a 5-tool player.
Gene Locklear was a potential batting champion (I drank Sparky's Kool-Aid).
I liked Richie Scheinblum's baseball card picture.
I liked Junior Kennedy in the same vein as Jimmy Stewart.
I thought Doug Capilla was going to throw a no-hitter some day.
Paul Moskau needed to stay in the rotation and not be a spot-starter.
German Barranca was a diamond-in-the-rough.
Brad Lesley, the Animal.
Skeeter Barnes was a potential stolen base king. Why I thought that, I'll never know.
They needed to stop moving Alan Knicely around and let him catch.
Jay Tibbs just never seemed to get run support.
Rob Murphy should have been better than what he was. I always thought he was just ready to bust out.
If Luis Quinones could get his head into the game, he'd be pretty good.
Terry McGriff looked like a player.
Jack Armstrong and Scott Scudder.
Rolando Roomes was going to patrol the OF with Eric Davis and be a monster player.
Mo Sanford was the second coming of Wayne Simpson.
Why the Reds released Geronimo Berroa, I'll never know.
Scott Ruskin looked like a good reliever and then he disappeared.
Thomas Howard was never quite as good as I thought he was.
If Hector Carrasco could only get his head screwed on straight.
Eric Anthony had some serious pop, just needed some PT.
Curt Lyons was next Rob Dibble.
John Hudek and John Riedling, I always got them mixed up.
Scott Winchester was on the brink of greatness.
Jose Acevedo and Luis Pineda, if they could only harness their stuff.
Randy Keisler.
Corky Miller.
And I thought Andy Abad was going to have a big 2006.