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Celebrating the past and welcoming the future: Bay Area middle infielders
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A's second baseman of the 80's and 90's, Mike Gallego
It is natural for fans to gravitate toward one aspect of the game. There are home run lovers, defensive buffs, offensive enthusiasts, etc. Some people enjoy spewing out the stats, others are fond of the “web gems.” No matter the taste, everyone has their “thing” and in celebration of my birthday, we’ll examine my personal favorites: middle infielders.
To celebrate the youth one feels entering a new age decade, let’s look no further than Emmanuel Burriss. The San Francisco 2B/SS, has a definite spark in him that shined through during the 2008 season. As the Giants second pick behind Tim Lincecum in 2006, the long-time Giants fan, along with his father, were ecstatic.
"To say it's a dream come true would be an understatement," Burriss remarked.
Giants GM Brian Sabean has stated Burriss is projected to be the 2009 shortstop, but there’s a possibility he may be moved to second base, depending on off season acquisitions. While he split time between there and short stop, he seemed more built to man second base.
In 2008, the 23-year-old was part of the youth that breathed life into a Giants team that many wrote off before the season began. On an offensively-challenged team, he managed to have a .283 BA, tying Rich Aurilia, behind Randy Winn (.306) and Bengie Molina (.292). While the lackluster bats were frustrating, the hope the young players brought in made the losing season bearable.
To celebrate the irreplaceable years that have passed, bliss is found in looking toward Mike Gallego, one of my all-time favorite MLB players. While the former Oakland A’s second baseman (and new A’s third base coach) may not have won any Silver Sluggers with his career .283 BA, .320 OBP, 282 RBI, and 42 HR, his passion for the game left a lasting impression.
Sporting a .989 Fielding Percentage in 1991 (.977 overall), Gallego made me dizzily infatuated with the way he guarded the right side of the infield. Witnessing a 5'8 middle infielder (5'8 was very generous) make countless diving stops and turn run-saving double plays is priceless. The Walt Weiss-Mike Gallego combo used to make my heart flutter with baseball excitement.
At the peak of my Gallego obsession (1991) he hit 12 home runs. Understand, he was never the stellar hitter, with a career batting average of .239, so each of the 12 meant so much to me. Instead of loitering in local shopping malls I spent many afternoons in the confines of my bedroom listening to A's away games on the radio. There was nothing more important than an A's game in the early 90's. Somewhere in my mom's house it's possible to find complete Oakland A's games recorded -- some of which include Gallego home runs.
Many may have forgotten Gallego and the miraculous plays he used to execute, but I am not one of them. At (close to) 5'8 he was shorter than the average baseball player, but he had sparkling defense for a man of any height. Being small in stature simply added to the charm.
Mike Gallego epitomizes one of the things I love most about baseball -- the unexpected/unnoticed hero. Yes, each sport has their big superstars, but there's always the unsung hero who makes a huge difference. In a time where power hitters outshine defensive masters, it's rare to point to a strong defender and say, "he's the MVP" or "he won the game tonight." The recognition is hardly there, but without the swift guys with weighty contributions the game would be an incomplete masterpiece.
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