Saturday, October 4, 2008

What I'll remember about the 2008 season, Volume I: Mencherson


May 9, 2008. Who could forget the day. The day the Toronto Blue Jays, in an attempt to spark a waning offense, pulled off not one, but two transactions to ultimately deliver us one mythical outfielder.

May 9, 2008, will forever be known in Blue Jays history as the day Mencherson was born.

We may have had our rough times, Brevin, but we go through them with everyone - right Vernon? You hear what I'm saying, Alex? Tell the man, AJ. No no no, not you Doc - you're exempt. But don't shortchange yourself, Brev - we shared some good times all the same.

Remember the walkoff single where you managed to score yourself (see photo above, where you are punching yourself in the face)? Remember scraping balls off the outfield wall and selling it to the hapless ump for an out? Remember the numerous (and flawless, I might add) pinch-running appearances? Remember removing the burden of facing crafty ol' Timmy Wakefield from Sniderman and Young Adam Lind? Those were all you, guy. Those were all you.

Brevin Mencherson - just one of the things I'll remember about the 2008 season.

11 comments:

Navin Vaswani (@eyebleaf) said...

Mencherson has got to be one of the worst pinch runner's in the history of pinch running.

But you're right, I don't think we'll ever forget Brevin Mencherson.

Anonymous said...

Did anyone else catch Sportsnet putting up a graphic about Kevin Mench's first HR of the season when Wilkerson put one out in one of the last games of the season? Or was I just imagining things?

Question Mark said...

Don't forget Wilkerson's slam against the Royals. I had just finished complaining to my friends that "Wilkerson is terrible, he's a bum, if he goes yard I'll buy us all beers," and then boom. Fortunately, my friends released me from the bet, thus saving me the five grand it would've taken for six Rogers Centre beers.

Anonymous said...

awww Barajas looks so happy in that photograph

Anonymous said...

I'm not going to lie, I'll forget them pretty quick.

Also, the Sportsnet title mixup is here: http://teofinglett.blogspot.com/2008/09/menchersons-homer.html

Anonymous said...

Manch and Wilkie don't add up to Manny's toenail. Let's end this BS talk and tell Rogers to open up his pocketbook and get Manny. PERIOD! IF AJ leaves(he will) pick up garaland and a reclamation projectlike Pavano. Yeah, it'll cost 40 mill extra BUT with Manny on the team anything can happen.

Anonymous said...

Ah, yes. the Rosencrantz and Guildenstern of the 2008 Toronto Blue Jays.

John Brattain said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
John Brattain said...

But you're right, I don't think we'll ever forget Brevin Mencherson.

Not that I won't give it my best shot.

Mench actually had a batter BA/SLG against RHP this year.

131 PA ... 0 HR.

My thoughts on Wilkerson have already been covered in depth, repeatedly, almost to the exclusion of all else.

"in an attempt to spark a waning offense" ... he used up two roster spots and received .226/.301/.340 production (with two more DP than HR)--the Rangers and Twins received better production from their pitchers batting during interleague play.

They provided less offense than what was league average for any position in either league in 2008. The following somewhat notable players outperformed or played almost as well as Mencherson offensively in 2008: Kevin Cash, Chad Moeller, Wilson Betemit, Alex Cintron, Pablo Ozuna, Sal Fasano, Jamey Carroll, Esteban German, Miguel Olivo, Macier Izturis, Robb Quinlan, Emil Brown, Yuniesky Betancourt, Miguel Cairo, Willie Bloomquist, Tadahito Iguchi, Damion Easley, Ramon Castro, Angel Pagan, Raul Casanova, Wes Helms, Ruben Gotay, Aaron Boone, Ryan Langerhans, Wil Nieves, Ronny Cedeno, Henry Blanco, Daryl Ward, Mark Loretta, Jason LaRue, Andy Phillips, Doug Mientkiewicz, Juan Pierre, Tony Clark, Augie Ojeda, Will Venable, Yorvit Torrealba, Scott Podsednik, Rich Aurilia plus pitchers Mark Hendrickson, Carlos Zambrano, Sean Marshall, Brandon Backe, Braden Looper, Adam Wainwright, Micah Owings and Jake Peavy was close.

I wonder what an act of sabotage would look like?

Don Fehr: “Mr. Das, if Barry Lamar Bonds was not being colluded against by the clubs of major league baseball then I would like an explanation as to the presence of Brevin Mencherson on the roster of the Toronto Blue Jays. To the best of the knowledge of the major league baseball players association, Jays’ general manager J.P. Ricciardi does not have a substance abuse problem, is of reasonably sound mind, is employed by the Blue Jays with the presumed mandate to put a winning club on the field and not being paid under the table by the other franchises in the American league East and has not incurred significant gambling debts to the person of Brevin Mencherson. We feel that only a collusive understanding not to employ Mr. Bonds is the only reasonable explanation as to why Mr. Mencherson is considered ‘an attempt to spark a waning offense’ yet Mr. Bonds is not.

Best Regards

John

The Ack said...

BRB in the house.....

so, wait, what? John, are you trying to tell me that Mencherson wasn't a capable replacement? Even with those accomplishments that I listed? Come on......

John Brattain said...

so, wait, what? John, are you trying to tell me that Mencherson wasn't a capable replacement? Even with those accomplishments that I listed? Come on......

I think I may have alluded to it--I was trying my best to be subtle.

Mencherson would've been a suitable replacement--in the Paralympics. The only AL and NL where they might have had an impact were the Adipoceral League and the Necropolitan League.

It's amazing the timing, could you imagine had Ricciardi waited a little longer he might have had a shot at Jim Edmonds?

Coulda-woulda-shoulda eh?

I have to admit, this series has real potential--I can't wait for the next installments.

Best Regards

John