As the skies turned eerily purple around Jacobs Field in Cleveland last night, and the flickering of the Cuyahoga River could be seen in the distance, Henry Blanco, with one thunderous swing of his bat joined that elite 200 club in Major League Baseball. His three run homer off of Jason Johnson gave him RBIs number 198, 199 and 200 of his career, joining–well, pretty much anybody who ever played more than three years in the big leagues–in that elite club.
A couple of innings later, Phil Nevin would also join a 200 club, hitting his 200th career homer. All that was missing was Jock getting doubled off second for the 200th time this season…but then, there’s always tomorrow.
The Cubs beat Cleveland, breaking their six-game losing streak and proving just how miserable the Indians are, after coming up three games shy of the AL Central crown last year. We remember those days. We were pulling for the Tribe. They let us down. Now we’re left with what? The Tigers? I’d just as soon drink Drano.
Just like last year after the All-Star Break, Henry Blanco is on fire. He’s 12 for his last 20 with three homers and eight RBI. He didn’t even change numbers this time, which is good news for the fan club, because we don’t have to change the t-shirts again.
You wonder though, given all of the talk of the impact on the World Baseball Classic on players like Johan Santana and Carlos Zambrano, why nobody’s investigated if Hank’s slow start to the season was because of his participation in the WBC. Hey, sitting on the bench during those games can take a lot of a guy. Especially this guy.
So it’s no surprise that Hank got off to kind of a slow start. Now though, he’s back on top of his game. With Michael Barrett’s crack lawyering getting his suspension reduced from 10 games to…uh…10 games, Hank is on the spot for the next three series. He’s obviously up to the task.
The Cubs could well be primed for a run at fourth place if Hank can stay this hot. Oh, who are we kidding, if he played like 2002 Barry Bonds they’ll be lucky to hold off Pissburgh for last place.
But let’s take a moment to put Hank’s career milestone of 200 RBI (he added his 201st later in the game) in perspective.
His 201 RBI are 121 more than the great Tim Blackwell drove in in his career.
He’s only 56 behind Damon Berryhill’s career total.
He has an astonishing 183 more than Rick Wrona.
Only 29 more and he’ll tie Barry Foote.
Most importantly, with a hot streak–OK, a really hot streak–he could double Gabor Bako’s career total of 133.
Oh, and by the way, if you’re Juan Pierre’s agent, you might want to hide the fact that Hank’s on base average this season (.296) is higher than Juan’s (.295).
Ouch.
Viva Hank White!
Remember, the All-Star Game is just a few weeks away. It’s not too late to write in Hank for NL Catcher.
This is not just an ordinary man. This is Hank White. A guy who still holds the active mark with the lowest career batting average (currently .219) of any player in the big leagues with more than 1000 career at bats.
Seriously, Viva him.
That comparison stat between Pierre and White is simply embarrassing. I’m sure some fool will throw some money in JP’s direction in the off-season, but he has been awful.
I can’t wait for him to get his first steal.
The image of Hank receiving congratulations from Fast Freddie says all that can be said about the Cubs
Holy crap did Tim Blackwell really only drive in 80 RBI for his career? I knew he sucked (I was more of a Barry Foote man myself, as a youngster), but I would not have thought he sucked THAT bad. Wow.
What’s a Damon Berryhill?
That picture sumises all that is wrong with the Cubs…the fact that we have Fast Freddie Somebody and 64 year old John May-buh-ree using up Pie and Sing’s oxygen on the bench is just plain stupid.
*surmises*
Try “summarizes”
… summarises. I’m surmising that you mean summarises.
I dropped Mike Piazza for Hank on my fantasy squad. I’ve got Berut so this is strictly temporary. I just thought I’d let you know that since I did it this morning, that hot streak has officially ended. Nothing pours cold ice water on a hitting streak like a quick stint on my main squad. Sigh.
Unimpressed.
Thanks Apex, this marks a new low in my career.
No, I met surmise…jackasses.
For the last time, morans, I’m fucking injured!
Was surmise as nice of a guy in person as he seems on TV? Did you get an autograph when you met him? Is he really a he?
“With two outs and two on in the top of the fourth, Indians starter Jason Johnson hung a curveball to Blanco. “Hank White,” as he is affectionately known in the Wrigley Field bleachers, didn’t miss the pitch, depositing it into the left-center-field stands.”
Nice.
If you somehow got Hank written in as the starting catcher for the NL. I wonder if MLB would disqualify the entry if everyone wrote in “Hank White”
Brandon Sing…I did not know that. I surmise that I’m an assclown…I fit right in.
There is only one thought that comes to mind when the Great Hank White is carrying the team: Mr. Andy has probably dropped his zwieback toast in utter glee!!
10 second rule, Andy!
I’m a great snack — when dipped in fudge. Just ask Hendry.
Baker bristled, though, when the “underachiever” label was put on his club.
“No,” he said. “They’ve played as good as they can play. Everybody wants to throw ‘underachieve’ on something real quick. If they were underachieving, I’d tell them. I haven’t told them that one yet.
“They haven’t performed as well as some of them can over a period of time. I can’t say they underachieved.”
Ummmm, what’s the definition of under-achieving? I must have an old dictionary or something….
I’m ready for my first appearance, well, ever, in the bleachers.
thats it, it’s official, I’m bringing a hank white fan club sign to the game on monday,
Now More than Ever.
Regarding the quote in #22…
Whoa, sounds like Dust Fart is throwing his 700 lb. general manager under my bus. I mean, if your team is 15 games under .500 and it ain’t even July, but you say that they’re not performing beneath their potential, then how can you draw any other conclusion other than the players you have suck major Neifi ass? And who’s fault would that be?
That Dusty sure is a slick one.
Forget Sing and Pie. We need to someone no one’s ever heard of, like Marshall and Marmol, to start hitting. Sing and Pie, sounds like Hill and Guzman. (Still I love them… only citing past Minor League History with this team)
AL: Corey Patterson.
NL: Hank White
Main Entry: un·der·achiev·er
Pronunciation: “&n-d&r-&-‘chE-v&r
Function: noun
: a person and especially a student who fails to attain a predicted level of achievement or does not do as well as expected
Main Entry: un·der·achiev·er
Pronunciation: “&n-d&r-&-’chE-v&r
Function: noun
: The Chicago Cubs, 1909-2006
Dude, I should be the next Yogi Berra. I can say things like “they pay you cash, which is just as good as money”. That’s some deep philosophical shit right there.
Andy’s leaving us hanging…again. I need my funny, damn it!