Showing Some Skills - Charlie Hough's Knuckler

I like cards that showcase what a player does best. Here's an ongoing feature showing just that.

For Kids of a certain age, Charlie Hough was always older than the dirt he meticulously removed from under his fingernails.

 Old. That's the sweet spot of my youth collection - 86 through 91. I've always thought of Hough as a Ranger first, even though he started his career as a Dodger.

 Hough floated on over to the South Side.

 Then things got a little goofy in South Florida.

 Dat grip tho.

 Hough was still slinging it into the early 90s.

 This might be my favorite Hough card, but it's not for the front...

Hough was a career .146 batter, with 33 hits in 25 years. To be fair, he was in the American League from 1980 until 1993, so no Plate Appearances for him for a little over half his career. 20 of his 53 career strikeouts came hitting with the Marlins in 1993... I guess he was a bit rusty?

Showing Some Skills - Ichiro's Infield Artistry

I like cards that showcase what a player does best. Here's an ongoing feature showing just that.

In this installment, Ichiro will be beating out an infield single:

The following are all real* quotes (*found on the internet, so take it with a grain of salt)



“I think there’s sexiness in infield hits because they require technique."

 “If I’m in a slump, I ask myself for advice.”

 "I don't know of many fans who go to the ballpark hoping to see a hitter draw a walk."

"The nature of batting is such that even if a pitcher gives you 10 tosses right down the middle, you're still not going to bat 1.000."

“I’m told I either look bigger than I do on television or that I look smaller than I look on television. No one seems to think I look the same size.”

 "You can call some guys' infield hits cheap, but not his. He has amazing technique." --Brandon Inge

 “I don’t know how to dance and I don’t know how to sing. All I know how to do is play baseball.”

"Personally I don't like the term success. It's too arbitrary, and too relative a thing. It's usually someone else's definition not yours."

“A lot of 25-year-olds move like they’re 41, so my goal is to be the 41-year-old who plays like he’s 25,”

Showing Some Skills - Hunter, Robber

I like cards that showcase what a player does best. Here's an ongoing feature showing just that.

In this installment, Torii Hunter is taking away extra bases:

Get a good jump on the ball

Take a good angle

Lay out of it if you have to.

Start heading back on a high fly

Use the feel of the grass and the warning track to gauge your distance to the fence

Time your leap . . .

keep your eyes on the ball!

That's how you earn a Web Gem.

Works in any stadium and any uniform!

You too can win 4 Gold Gloves in a row!



Showing Some Skills - Ivan's Cannon

I like cards that showcase what a player does best. Here's an ongoing feature showing just that.

In this installment, Ivan Rodriguez is throwing out a runner:


 Hey, get ready, I'm gonna throw this guy out...

 This is gonna be so good.

 Get the ball...

 Don't even need to get up to throw this guy out...

 But I will!

 Throw you out in Texas,

 Throw you out in Florida,

 throw so hard

 my mask flies off

 It's a work of art.

Yeah, you know he's out, crawl on back to the dugout, meat.

Showing Some Skills - The Butler Did It

I like cards that showcase what a player does best. Here's an ongoing feature showing just that.

In this installment, Brett Butler is laying down a bunt:

Follow these instructions and you'll be bunting like a pro!

Been doing this a long time, so listen up.

Don't be a chump and pop up your bunts!

Keep your bat high

Keep it level and get the top half of the ball on the bottom half of the bat barrel

 Once you master that, you can get out of the box quickly

The ball will ideally find a sweet spot just past the pitcher, but not far enough to get to the third baseman in time to throw you out.

Pretty soon, you'll find yourself at the top of the on-base leaderboard!



Showing Some Skills - Tony Tees Off

I like cards that showcase what a player does best.

Continuing the series, here's Tony Gwynn showing some skills hitting a baseball:

Practice makes perfect. . .

 You have to be patient

 Wait for your pitch

 Really patient . . .

 Like, you could order a pizza.

 Start your trigger...

 Put it all together . . .

 CONTACT

 Follow through. . .

And just like that, you'll win 8 batting titles, go to 15 All-Star Games, and make the Hall Of Fame with over 97% of the vote in your first year of eligibility.