http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/c...days-of-paying-omar-vizquel-to-play-baseball/
10,000 days of paying Omar Vizquel to play baseball
by Chris Jaffe
August 17, 2011
10,000 days ago, baseball entered the Omar Vizquel Era, when the Seattle Mariners signed the teenage Venezuelan amateur free agent to a minor league contract. That move worked out pretty well. In fact, no one else playing at any level in professional baseball still plies his trade in organized baseball except Vizquel.
There are only 20-25 men who played in the majors in four decades, and Vizquel is one. Heck, that’s nothing. Only two ever played 100 games in a season in four decades: Vizquel and Ted Williams. Only four stole a base in four decades: Rickey Henderson, Tim Raines, Vizquel, and Teddy Ballgame.
The baseball world has changed dramatically in 10,000 days. Back then, there were only 26 franchises, and the Baltimore Orioles were the defending world champions. The Cubs had never drawn 1,800,000 fans in a season to Wrigley Field. They’ve now done that 28 times.
10,000 days ago, Kirby Puckett was a minor leaguer. Since then he made his major league debut, played, retired, won election to the Hall of Fame, and died several years ago. All the while Omar Vizquel has picked up paychecks to play ball.
For that matter, Roger Clemens was still a minor leaguer. So were Jose Canseco, Fred McGriff, and Ozzie Guillen (AKA Vizquel’s current manager). Greg Maddux was a high school student.
You know how people always make age-related jokes about Jamie Moyer? He didn’t sign his first professional contract until two months after Vizquel. 10,000 days ago, Moyer was just a college student at St. Joseph’s. A little to the north, Barry Larkin played for the University of Michigan 10,000 days ago.
You know Davey Johnson – the veteran manager of over 2,000 games who returned to the profession this year after more than a decade away from the dugout? Well, he managed his first big league game 9,999 days ago.
Stepping away from baseball for a second, 10,000 days ago, Ronald Reagan was gearing up for his reelection campaign. Margaret Thatcher ran England and Indira Gandhi ruled India. Not only did the Soviet Union still exist back then, but Mikhail Gorbachev was still just an up-and-comer. Konstantin Chernenko still ran the place.
Run-DMC was the fresh new group that had just released its debut album. Speaking of just released, Romancing the Stone was new in the theaters 10,000 days ago. Andy Kaufmann was still alive 10,000 days ago. Ditto Richard Burton, Truman Capote, and Louise Brooks. So was Marvin Gaye—well, at least he was at sunrise. 10,000 days ago Marvin Gaye’s father killed him.
And through it all, Omar Vizquel has kept on a-chooglin.
Aside from that, many other events celebrate their “day-versary” or anniversary today. Here they are, with the better ones in bold if you just want to skim:
The ageless wonder of the infield.
Day-versaries
3,000 days since the Cubs release reliever Rod Beck.
3,000 days since Matt Williams plays in his final game.
4,000 days since Kenny Lofton ties a record by scoring in his 18th straight game, and boy does he ever do it in style. He steals five bases in five attempts, scoring four runs in all. He is 4-for-7 at the plate with an intentional walk. His Indians beat the Orioles 12-11 in the 11th inning on a walk-off home run by (who else?) Lofton.
5,000 days since the Indians sign Dwight Gooden and Kenny Lofton. Based on what happened exactly 1,000 days later, I’d say this worked pretty damn well for the Tribe.
6,000 days since the NLRB issues a complaint against owners for violating labor laws. This is the third such complaint issued in the last three months by the NLRB.
7,000 days since Jesse Barfield plays in his final game.
8,000 days since super-swingman Murry Dickson dies.
8,000 days since Tim Raines steals four bases in a game for the fifth and final time. It’s a little over five years since the most recent previous time he did it.
10,000 days since the Giants sign free agent Dusty Baker.
30,000 days since Ty Cobb plays in his 3,000th game.
10,000 days of paying Omar Vizquel to play baseball
by Chris Jaffe
August 17, 2011
10,000 days ago, baseball entered the Omar Vizquel Era, when the Seattle Mariners signed the teenage Venezuelan amateur free agent to a minor league contract. That move worked out pretty well. In fact, no one else playing at any level in professional baseball still plies his trade in organized baseball except Vizquel.
There are only 20-25 men who played in the majors in four decades, and Vizquel is one. Heck, that’s nothing. Only two ever played 100 games in a season in four decades: Vizquel and Ted Williams. Only four stole a base in four decades: Rickey Henderson, Tim Raines, Vizquel, and Teddy Ballgame.
The baseball world has changed dramatically in 10,000 days. Back then, there were only 26 franchises, and the Baltimore Orioles were the defending world champions. The Cubs had never drawn 1,800,000 fans in a season to Wrigley Field. They’ve now done that 28 times.
10,000 days ago, Kirby Puckett was a minor leaguer. Since then he made his major league debut, played, retired, won election to the Hall of Fame, and died several years ago. All the while Omar Vizquel has picked up paychecks to play ball.
For that matter, Roger Clemens was still a minor leaguer. So were Jose Canseco, Fred McGriff, and Ozzie Guillen (AKA Vizquel’s current manager). Greg Maddux was a high school student.
You know how people always make age-related jokes about Jamie Moyer? He didn’t sign his first professional contract until two months after Vizquel. 10,000 days ago, Moyer was just a college student at St. Joseph’s. A little to the north, Barry Larkin played for the University of Michigan 10,000 days ago.
You know Davey Johnson – the veteran manager of over 2,000 games who returned to the profession this year after more than a decade away from the dugout? Well, he managed his first big league game 9,999 days ago.
Stepping away from baseball for a second, 10,000 days ago, Ronald Reagan was gearing up for his reelection campaign. Margaret Thatcher ran England and Indira Gandhi ruled India. Not only did the Soviet Union still exist back then, but Mikhail Gorbachev was still just an up-and-comer. Konstantin Chernenko still ran the place.
Run-DMC was the fresh new group that had just released its debut album. Speaking of just released, Romancing the Stone was new in the theaters 10,000 days ago. Andy Kaufmann was still alive 10,000 days ago. Ditto Richard Burton, Truman Capote, and Louise Brooks. So was Marvin Gaye—well, at least he was at sunrise. 10,000 days ago Marvin Gaye’s father killed him.
And through it all, Omar Vizquel has kept on a-chooglin.
Aside from that, many other events celebrate their “day-versary” or anniversary today. Here they are, with the better ones in bold if you just want to skim:
The ageless wonder of the infield.
Day-versaries
3,000 days since the Cubs release reliever Rod Beck.
3,000 days since Matt Williams plays in his final game.
4,000 days since Kenny Lofton ties a record by scoring in his 18th straight game, and boy does he ever do it in style. He steals five bases in five attempts, scoring four runs in all. He is 4-for-7 at the plate with an intentional walk. His Indians beat the Orioles 12-11 in the 11th inning on a walk-off home run by (who else?) Lofton.
5,000 days since the Indians sign Dwight Gooden and Kenny Lofton. Based on what happened exactly 1,000 days later, I’d say this worked pretty damn well for the Tribe.
6,000 days since the NLRB issues a complaint against owners for violating labor laws. This is the third such complaint issued in the last three months by the NLRB.
7,000 days since Jesse Barfield plays in his final game.
8,000 days since super-swingman Murry Dickson dies.
8,000 days since Tim Raines steals four bases in a game for the fifth and final time. It’s a little over five years since the most recent previous time he did it.
10,000 days since the Giants sign free agent Dusty Baker.
30,000 days since Ty Cobb plays in his 3,000th game.
