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January 01, 2008

George Brett

Clicking around the T.V. today, I landed on YES (by chance) - in one of the few moments where they were not airing a repeat of The White Shadow - and caught part of a Yankees Classics broadcast featuring Game 5 of the 1976 ALCS. George Brett was batting for the Royals when I tuned into the game.

I hated George Brett back at that time. But, I also loved George Brett at that time.

I hated Brett because he was always killing the Yankees. In 860 lifetime PA against the Yankees, during the regular season, Brett posted a BA/OBP/SLG line of .307/.365/.504 - and, you know all about Brett's post-season feats against the Yankees.

But, I loved him...well, maybe respect is a better word than love..O.K., I respected him, as much as I could any player not on the Yankees, because he was such a wonderful hitter and a hard-nosed player.

Personally, as a young player myself, back at that time (when Brett also played), I patterned my swing after...no, not any Yankees player...but, rather, after George Brett (even though I was a right-handed batter). It was because of George Brett that I bought and read all of Charlie Lau's books on hitting. To me, back then, Brett was simply the best.

I have to say, of all the players to face the Yankees, since I've became a fan back in 1973, there's maybe been a handful of players to fall into this "Hate/Love" class, tops, and Brett just might be the king of them all.

Just seeing him again, today, for an instant, during a replay of a game from 1976, brought back all those feelings, like a flash. I guess I'll always keep them with me.

Posted by Steve Lombardi at January 1, 2008 08:20 PM

Comments

Great game, this baseball, ain't it? :)

Posted by: Raf [TypeKey Profile Page] at January 1, 2008 08:48 PM

Brett was a CLASSIC Yankee killer. But, you're right, Steve. He was pretty fun to watch.

Guys I hate...but love:

Ichiro
David Ortiz (this being the first time I've ever admitted it publicly)
Rickey Henderson

Posted by: brockdc [TypeKey Profile Page] at January 1, 2008 11:48 PM

Brett was very good at putting the ball in play, and the playoff rivalry with the Royals from '76 to '80 was awesome (I was at Game 3 of the 1980 ALCS when Brett hit a series clinching HR off of Gossage), but in my mind, Brett's name has become synonymous with pine tar.

Posted by: Rich [TypeKey Profile Page] at January 2, 2008 12:48 AM

Steve, it's that mix of awe and wincing (because he's playing your team) and Brett is definitely the poster boy. I also used to hate having Freddie Patek beat us for any reason (not that he did that often). Also..
80's - Roger Clemens (Sox)
90's - Man-Ram with the tribe. Seems like he destroyed us on the Indians even worse than with Boston - I'd be interested in knowing the statistical difference.
00's - Scott Kazmir. Love to see him in pinstripes one day.

Aside from the fact that he was a rival and we were one team that he didn't kill too bad, I really liked watching Pedro work. When he was in his prime, and nearly impossible when he was locating, which he usually was.

On the opposite end of this spectrum, remember playing Texas in the playoffs in the 90's? Never a surer thing - wasn't that Dubbya's team then?

Posted by: Exit9 [TypeKey Profile Page] at January 2, 2008 12:21 PM