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Thread: At 49, "Oil Can" Boyd would like to try a comeback

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    Redsmetz redsmetz's Avatar
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    At 49, "Oil Can" Boyd would like to try a comeback

    From a Boston Globe Red Sox blog:

    At 49, Boyd wants to turn fantasy into reality

    Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd has long felt the game of baseball was taken away from him far too soon. He was 31 years old when he threw his last pitch for the Texas Rangers in 1991.

    But now, at age 49, Boyd believes his shoulder is stronger than ever. He says his velocity is up in the low 90s and the 12-6 curveball and changeup have returned. He wants a chance to show a major league team he can still pitch.

    "I have nothing to lose, and all a major league team has to lose is 15 minutes," said Boyd. "Give me 15 minutes and I'll show I can still pitch. That's all I want."

    It's always been Boyd's dream to carry on the legacy of Satchel Paige and pitch into his 60s. Two weeks ago, at the Red Sox fantasy camp, Boyd started throwing in earnest again and was pleased with the results.

    "After surgery in '87, it took me 10 years to feel good," he said. "I wasn't on the field, started gaining weight. All of a sudden, my arm has healed. The arm strength is there and it's there consistently. The more I throw, the better it feels."

    Former Red Sox catcher Mike Stanley, who caught Boyd at the camp, said, "He looks no different to me now than when I caught him in Texas. He still has the same passion. I don't know if he was getting to 90 because we didn't have a gun, but he still had the same stuff. The same tight slider, curve, fastball."

    "Satchel being my idol and knowing he didn't come into the game until he was in his early 40s, that's always been in the back of my mind," said Boyd. "Now, I've been given back the fastball I once had. I want to play.

    "I spoke to some people about it. If I was given an opportunity, I'd love to work my way back. I think it would be good for the game. It shows me baseball is a forgiving game."
    “In the same way that a baseball season never really begins, it never really ends either.” - Lonnie Wheeler, "Bleachers, A Summer in Wrigley Field"

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    You're soaking in it! MartyFan's Avatar
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    Re: At 49, "Oil Can" Boyd would like to try a comeback

    I WOULD LOVE THIS!!!

    Being that I am a 40-something yeare old, I always love it when I hear or read about another persons PASSION to do something that our culture and physics usually say we cannot...if he has enough arm to compete, put him on the field and if he can throw another year, 10 years or 20 years what a story.
    "Sometimes, it's not the sexiest moves that put you over the top," Krivsky said. "It's a series of transactions that help you get there."

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    Member Sea Ray's Avatar
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    Re: At 49, "Oil Can" Boyd would like to try a comeback

    Kudos to him for giving it a try.

    I doubt it'll work out though. The problem with being 49 yrs old isn't how you look in a 15 min workout or even how you do the first month. The problem with that age is that we don't recover as quickly and you're much more injury prone. Can he withstand the rigors of a 162 game season? I remember when Jim Palmer, already a member of the Hall of Fame, tried a comeback and he did pretty well in Grapefruit League play until he pulled a muscle in his leg. He then saw how slowly he recovered and he called off his comeback. It had little to do with his performance on the field. He questioned whether his body could do it for 162 game season

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    Rally Onion! Chip R's Avatar
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    Re: At 49, "Oil Can" Boyd would like to try a comeback

    Don't let Dusty hear about this.
    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor View Post
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    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor View Post
    Chip is right

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    So Long Uncle Joe BoydsOfSummer's Avatar
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    Re: At 49, "Oil Can" Boyd would like to try a comeback

    "This guy here is dead!"

    "Well cross him off then!"
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    Go Reds Go! UKFlounder's Avatar
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    Re: At 49, "Oil Can" Boyd would like to try a comeback

    Or kind of like Brett Favre in the NFL this year - pretty good for 10 or 11 games, but just about worn out by the end of the year. (Some of that may be due to lack of pre-season planning & training, but it's the same basic idea.)

    Quote Originally Posted by Sea Ray View Post
    Kudos to him for giving it a try.

    I doubt it'll work out though. The problem with being 49 yrs old isn't how you look in a 15 min workout or even how you do the first month. The problem with that age is that we don't recover as quickly and you're much more injury prone. Can he withstand the rigors of a 162 game season? I remember when Jim Palmer, already a member of the Hall of Fame, tried a comeback and he did pretty well in Grapefruit League play until he pulled a muscle in his leg. He then saw how slowly he recovered and he called off his comeback. It had little to do with his performance on the field. He questioned whether his body could do it for 162 game season

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    Re: At 49, "Oil Can" Boyd would like to try a comeback

    odd timing, given that Oil Can Boyd returned last year. His new name is Daryl Thompson.

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    Member Highlifeman21's Avatar
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    Re: At 49, "Oil Can" Boyd would like to try a comeback

    Quote Originally Posted by BoydsOfSummer View Post
    "This guy here is dead!"

    "Well cross him off then!"
    Excellent Major League reference

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    Re: At 49, "Oil Can" Boyd would like to try a comeback

    why not!! give him a chance somewhere.. prb Boston might, but heck that will be a feel good story after all the steroid talk!!

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    Member cincrazy's Avatar
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    Re: At 49, "Oil Can" Boyd would like to try a comeback

    There is no way that his body, at 49, would respond positively to this. None whatsoever. I'm sure Nolan Ryan can still unleash one when he wants to, and John Elway can still probably rifle a football like no other for a few throws. But the rigors of a season will destroy someone of that age.

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    Member blumj's Avatar
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    Re: At 49, "Oil Can" Boyd would like to try a comeback

    Maybe he could give you a good month or so, though, if you could manage to time it for when you really need that month.
    "Reality tells us there are no guarantees. Except that some day Jon Lester will be on that list of 100-game winners." - Peter Gammons

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    Member wally post's Avatar
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    Re: At 49, "Oil Can" Boyd would like to try a comeback

    Sign Pedro to teach the kids..

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    Rally Onion! Chip R's Avatar
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    Re: At 49, "Oil Can" Boyd would like to try a comeback

    They were talking about this on MLB Network this morning and I think it was Harold Reynolds or Barry who said that the Can said he was throwing as good as he was at the end of his career. But they added that's not necessarily a good thing because at the end of his career, he wasn't good enough to be on a roster.
    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor View Post
    I was wrong
    Quote Originally Posted by Raisor View Post
    Chip is right

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    Member Strikes Out Looking's Avatar
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    Re: At 49, "Oil Can" Boyd would like to try a comeback

    Maybe he can tell the Nats he is only 45 and sign with them.

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    Beer is good!! George Anderson's Avatar
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    Re: At 49, "Oil Can" Boyd would like to try a comeback

    Quote Originally Posted by Strikes Out Looking View Post
    Maybe he can tell the Nats he is only 45 and sign with them.
    He never played with the Reds so I doubt Jimbo would want him.
    "Boys, I'm one of those umpires that misses 'em every once in a while so if it's close, you'd better hit it." Cal Hubbard


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