Sorry for the lack of a blog yesterday. It's a busy time for me at that other Web site I write for, so I had prior commitments. It was a big day for me as a fan as one of my favorite baseball players, Brewers third baseman Casey McGehee was in the running for National League Rookie of the Year. He finished fifth in the voting, which was a bit of a disappointment but it was speaks a lot for him to get there considering he spent the first six weeks of the season as bench player and was a waiver wire acquisition from the Cubs (of all teams) over the winter.
If you talked to me at all during the season, you would know that I thought from Day 1 he was worthy of a chance to show himself. Hell, my good friend R.J. and I even coined him a nickname the final weekend of the 2008 season when he was a member of the Cubs. It's not exactly "PG" but hey, when you're good, you most certainly are the "Tits." When he became a Brewer in the offseason, it was clear the nickname had to stick and Casey was going to be a player we kept an eye on through spring training.
We couldn't have been more right. The kid lit it up and earned himself a spot on the Brewers roster and actually led to the team telling Mike Lamb to go pound sand somewhere (LOSER!). When Bill Hall showed he wasn't the answer at third and Craig Counsel had to go play second when Rickie Weeks was lost for the season, the hot corner was all Casey's and he showed he deserved the spot.
In 116 games "Tits" hit .301 with 16 home runs and a rookie-best 66 RBI. On top of it all, he hit in probably one of the most important spots in the lineup, behind Prince Fielder as teams decided to walk Prince and take their chances on the rookie.
The most telling thing about him taking fifth was one of the quotes I read in Tom Haudricourt's story in the Journal-Sentinel.
"I'm kind of glad I didn't win because I've always had a little chip on my shoulder. I didn't feel slighted, but I feel like I still have something to prove to show it wasn't a fluke season."
How telling is that? So cool! You're the everyday third baseman for 2010, buddy, let's get it done!
Can't end up the season on "Mighty" Casey without a list of his great achievements. Right? So here goes. The Tits McGehee Top 5 for 2009!
5. His first career home run. -- On June 14, at home against the White Sox, McGehee hit career homer No.1 and it came against Mark Buerhle, who had a perfect game within the next month. Yep, that's a feather in his cap! Plus, what's a Top-5 list covering a rookie year without including HR No. 1?!
4. He started the first Brewers triple play in 10 years and fifth in club history -- It was more a product of him hugging the line against Aaron Rowand, but he did deliver a strike to Felipe Lopez and he's in the Brewers record books forever!
3. A 4-for-5, 5 RBI, 3 R game against the team that waived him at Wrigley Field on the Fourth of July-- Nothing is more of a middle finger to the team that said you weren't good enough for them than going in with your new team and lighting them up. Considering it was the only game of the three that weekend the Brewers won, it makes it even more impressive.
2. On the day his son, Mackail, throws out the first pitch, dad comes through with what turned out to be the game-winning two-run homer July 30 (VIDEO) against the Nationals. -- It was a great moment for a dad and a baseball player that day. Just a great story. One of the reasons why he grew to me throughout the season.
1. SWEET REDEMPTION -- After dropping a routine pop up in the top of the sixth inning, the boy made up for it in the bottom half of the inning with his first career Grand Slam. Afterward, he would say he was still more upset with the dropped ball. Another reason why he has become my favorite player.
I may have missed some great moments, but those are the Top 5 to me. What are yours? Comment below and let me know!
Shifting gears a little bit, going to talk some football. Not sure if you saw what Maurice Jones-Drew did Sunday afternoon in the Jaguars/Jets game. He took a knew on the one-yard line with under two minutes to go with an open shot at the end zone. That would be all fine and dandy had the Jags had the lead and just needed to run out the clock, but they were trailing 22-21 at the time and needed a score to take the lead. He said coach Jack Del Rio told him to do that. It did end well, as the Jags won 24-22, but MJD had to apologize to fantasy owners after the game. I don't know about you, but I thought it was damn funny. Do what you need to do to win the game and forget about the fantasy football implications already.
Alright now to the Nussie Hunter portion of the broadcast. If you can't tell by my love for Casey McGehee, I kind of work off the beaten path and find things that aren't exactly main stream. Well talked with AJ today and came back with another one of those things. She introduced me to Celina Jaitley, who is a hot Bollywood actress who has turned to stripping. Yeah, odd career path, but hey. She's damn, hot. Check her below, then check this out.
WEDNESDAY, July 30th...Walkoff Wednesday! I bought the Casey Jersey shirt, he wasn't in the lineup, and they bring him in late in the game for that go-ahead homer but not a walkoff. Of the many games I was fortunate enought to attend, I won't soon forget that one. And his boy throwing out the first pitch that night to dad with Prince helping out a bit was awesome! Credit to any man who thrived during the Y.O.S.S.!
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