Chris Jenkins at the San Diego Union-Tribune has a nice little profile on new manager Bud Black that covers everything from his time working graveyard shift at a paper mill in Washington state to a blood disorder that afflicts both of his daughters.
From the article:
“I went by the Aztecs baseball office, knocked on the door and nobody was there,” Black says. “I pulled out a piece of paper and wrote ‘Hi, Coach (Jim) Dietz, this is Buddy Black, a left-handed pitcher/first baseman, Longview, Wash., Lower Columbia College. My parents live in Southern California and I’m interested in playing for San Diego State, da da da da da . . . ‘ And I shoved the note under the door.”
Dietz, without ever watching the kid play, offered Black a scholarship before he’d returned to the Pacific Northwest. Unthinkable. Preposterous.
Naw. Just the story of Black’s life.
Gotta like that initiative. Merry Christmas, folks!
One more profile note…I remember sitting in awe of my super hot fifth grade teacher during one rather uneventful multiplication lesson when, in walked one of her good “friends”. It turned out to be a rather lanky reliever who we heard had played in the big leagues as his job. He signed our chalkboard: “Bud Black.” This was about 12 years ago. Little did I know that we’d be calling him skipper one day.
Great read – Merry Christmas all!
Merry Christmas Geoff and to all the DS Crew!
It’s always a pleasure to click on “Favorites” and come to Ducksnorts. I wanted to say thanks to everyone for the enjoyment I get out of reading Ducksnorts and its comments. Thanks everyone and Merry Christmas.
OK, file under “signs you care too much about the Padres” the fact that I’m on DS on Christmas Day posting this hot juicy rumour.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2708203
According to this ESPN.com piece, the D’backs are negotiating with the Yankees to try to bring the Unit back to the desert. Why is this Christmas Day-worthy? At the bottom of the article it mentions the Padres are involved as well, potentially in a Linebrink for Johnson swap…
Gotta get my head around this…$16MM left on Unit’s contract for next year – that’s pricey, especially for an aging pitcher with a balky back and a pu-pu platter of various other ailments. Then again…we distinctly lack lefty power pitchers, and Petco could be catnip for the Unit if his body can hold up…
Merry Christmas all.
I’d be cool with a Linebrink-Johnson swap. It’s only one year left on Johnson’s contract, and ZIPS and PECOTA love him (3.7 and 3.5 ERA projected for next year even in Yankee Stadium). Can you imagine a rotation with Young, Peavy, Johnson putting up those projected numbers, and Hensley and Maddux continuing their second half success from last year? Quite a pipe dream, obviously, but a delicious one.
Most of the reputable projection systems show a rebound for Johnson. If the deal was just Linebrink for Johnson straight up (with no money changing hands) I’d go for it.
As a Padres fan (and Yankee fan) in NYC, I am really against this trade. Johnson was just toxic for the Yanks, both on and off the field. Other than 2-3 “throwback” starts, everything was a struggle.
At the start of August, he was 11-9 with a 5.07 ERA, the ERA stayed the same for the rest of the season, the only reason he won 17 was the fact the Yanks scored a boatload of runs for him.
Johnson is old, oft-hurt and only good for 6 innings. Forgetting about the money, I think Linebrink is worth more than him.
I think SD is involved in this one in the same way they got New York involved in the Mirabelli-trade; just to drive his price up.
9 – that’s a pretty good reason to be involved.
I can’t say as I would hate this trade…but I wouldn’t like it as much as I would a trade for another bat that can play left.