Friday, January 10, 2020

Hidden Gems: Good, for a long time

I wasn't planning a post today. I am doing my best to knock this out and post before 7, so I hope I can make that happen. A really recent bit of news prompted this post. So let's get on with it.

Players come and go in baseball. Some get a sip of coffee. Some get a couple seasons watching from the bench, getting in here and there. Some have decent careers to earn a living playing a child's game. A rare few have a career that gives them a plaque of immortality. You have to be really good for that hall enshrinement. Just being around for many, many years guarantees nothing.


When Jamie Moyer retired in 2012, he has been in the Bigs 25 years, third place in most seasons played. Ahead of him are HOFers Nolan Ryan and Cap Anson, and HOFer Ricky Henderson is tied with him. But ahead of him with 26 seasons in the league are two players not in the HOF - Tommy John and Deacon McGuire. So you may have the talent and skill to make it in your profession for very long, but unless you have a surgery named after you, there is a chance your name will slip into obscurity in the future, no matter your talent. No plaques exist in the Hall of Pretty Darn Good.

2009 Topps had a great design template that allowed really good cropping of the pictures, and a fair amount of them are not so close to lose out on the context of the photo. And for Jamie's card this year, that home plate with the Phillies logo balances out his leg kick and weights the whole card really well.

This would be for a great final card, but Jamie had other ideas. The baseball writers also had other ideas, not giving Jamie enough votes on his one and only ballot appearance to make it on the following year's ticket. If Jamie's plaque is going to be produced, it will have to come from another group of people who decide he's that good.


I just learned, as others have, that Neal Peart from Rush died a couple days back. By no means can I say Rush had a huge influence on me and my music life. But holy shit - Rush f*cking rocked! I would listen to the albums my brothers had. Rush was nothing like what you heard on the radio. It was art performed by three men. Three men that mastered the instruments in their hands. On any other band, each would have been the superstar. In Rush, they were three that complimented each other and took music places yet heard.

And did I mention they f*cking rocked?!?! For 44 years.

Rush appeared on a single HOF ballot in their career. For some reason, it took fan outrage for them to finally be considered worthy of a look at induction. A full 25% of the votes from fans were given to Rush. Fortunately, the Hall did the right thing in 2013.

For those unaware, Rush is considered prog rock. And if you can't hear it in their more mainstream hits, Cygnus X-1 from Rush's 1977 release "A Farewell To Kings" will help you understand the genre, somewhat. Ten minutes. Turn on the light above your black light poster and enjoy the next 10 minutes.

Bonus Rush:

5 comments:

  1. I was never a Rush fan, but I was always grateful to Neil because the only people I ever met who could pronounce my name right were the people who would ask if I was related to him.

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  2. Rush isn't my kind of music, but it's always sad when a legend falls

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  3. One of my favorite rock stations plays Rush religiously, so I hear their music on a regular basis. Totally missed the news though... and didn't hear the sad news until this morning. He will be missed. Rest in peace Neil!

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