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Insider | Short Hops
Updated June 7
Tremendous news: The "What is a Paul Popovich?" essay contest has been extended to next week. I was shorted a couple of days' worth of Love Letters this week when the man in charge of forwarding them suddenly had to travel to Wisconsin for a cheese fix, so I'm starting with a few missives now and will run more next week for those who weren't quite as quick on the take. ...
From: Jeff M.; Ontario, NY
Scott:
Nice column! A bit of humor for a 36-year Cubs fan helps at the present time. Just to answer your essay question ... A 'Paul Popovich' is/was a utility infielder who played for the Cubs in the 1970s. I remember him and it seemed he was an important part of the team!
He did look great on a baseball card.
From: Pat
Paul Popovich could best be described as Mick Kelleher without the glamour.
Well golly, Kelleher WAS pretty glamorous -- for a guy who compiled 1,081 career at-bats without hitting a homer. Good news, Pat: You've moved into first place in the contest. Stay tuned next week.
From: Pritch
Popovich helped the Pirates win the 1974 and 1975 National League Eastern Division and was nicknamed Supersub for his utility work for the Cubs in 1969. The quality of his contribution did not stop manager Leo Durocher from commenting on one occasion, "Sit down, Paul, we ain't giving up yet." Citation needed.
Excellent essay until I read the next guy's. ...
From: Steve M.
c/o Love Letters: Paul Popovich was a fielder for the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates. He was nicknamed Supersub 1969 because of his utility work for the Cubs. Cubs manager Leo Durocher once said, "Sit down, Paul, we ain't giving up yet." The Cubs could have 25 Supersubs and they would still be incompetent.
... So I looked it up and darned if you two kids, Steve M., and Pritch, didn't both pretty much cut and paste from Wikipedia.com. I applaud your research, but "essay" means a short composition on a subject incorporating the author's point of view. This is Leo Durocher and Wikipedia's point of view. And you plagiarized. Please go straight to the principal's office.
From: Brendan
Scott,
Amazing article -- I only got half the quiz right but was Paul a bitch. My (friend) is a Cubs fan and we were laughing hysterically over the mockery of the Cubs. Write about our Buffalo Bisons soon.
The Bisons? I'm trying to keep this job, not lose it.
From: Brian
Total loser column.
Like it's possible to write a winner column about the Chicago Cubs?
From: Keith P.
This is an e-mail to say you are a sage, soothsayer, and the equal of Carnac the Magnificent when it comes to your prediction on the ChiSox bullpen. WHEW - we stink! What is wrong with the (Josh) Hancock family suing everyone is sight? I hope they come to their senses. Everyone is a victim in America today; nobody is responsible for anything anymore! Check out the new Wilco album.
Why, it's about time someone recognized my genius at seeing into the future. On the Hancock family, you could not be more right. Take some personal responsibility already -- and that goes for every single person walking on the face of the earth today. And regarding the new Wilco album: Is it anywhere near the quality of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot? I will check it out. And in case you missed my recent Bull Pennings, the new Fountains of Wayne disc, Traffic and Weather, is really good.
From: Brad F.; Los Angeles
Scott,
I just wanted to say I appreciate your material. Even though I don't always agree with you, your comments usually make me think. The thing that really drives me crazy is the comments from the many idiots who can't spell or form a sentence.
I actually think it's pretty funny, but I gave up trying to respond to these people or post myself because most of them are not capable of having an intelligent conversation. It usually ends up in a post with something about my team sucking or that I'm an idiot. So that's why I even respect you more because I'm sure you read those kind of e-mails every day.
Once upon a time I had dreams of writing myself, and reading good columnists like you keeps a little bit of those dreams alive for me. Thanks again and keep the good, thought-provoking, intelligent material coming.
Those people who tell you your team sucks and you're an idiot? They're the people who never got hugs from their mothers. When we allow them to unload on us, we're providing free therapy and saving some poor clerk at Target or 7-Eleven from taking the brunt of it. It's just the way it works.
From: Chris T.
Great article on Greg Maddux. Perhaps you could send it to Roger Clemens to give him an idea about a pitcher who still thinks of baseball as a team sport.
I no longer have his address -- he moves too often.
From: Mike L.
Scott,
I loved the article on Greg Maddux. I pitched years ago in high school and have always loved watching Maddux pitch, even though I'm a Reds fan. He's a true artist on the mound, and getting to read things like this is great. I can imagine how those kids pitching for the Padres feel talking pitching with him even thought I'm older than Maddux is.
Here's a little-known fact about Greg Maddux: The guy tells jokes almost as well as he pitches. Seriously.
From: John M.
Regarding your last comment in the article about Tampa Bay drafting David Price, it's Michael who's in the coffin on the TV show Lost. Pay close attention to all of the details regarding that scene and Jack's conversation with Freckles at the airport. It can only be Michael, you heard it here first.
I'm marking this down for safekeeping until September. You'd better be correct.
From: Tage
In your column, you wrote the pitcher for the Giants was Todd Lincecum, when in fact his name is TIM Lincecum.
Let's just say he can pitch under any name.
From: Peter G.
Scott,
Brien Taylor did not flame out. He tore the labrum in his pitching arm in a bar fight after his second minor-league season and never regained his velocity or location. He wasn't the brightest player around either, failing to get even one college scholarship offer due to REALLY bad grades in high school. And, of course, he was drafted out of high school, always a bad bet for pitchers. Comparing his to a college pitcher, and a guy who attends Vanderbilt, a rather well regarded academic institution, is not a fair or even reasonable comparison.
Bottom line still is Taylor was a first-round pick who, as you describe, flamed out. What is your definition of "flamed out?" Mine is that it describes a shooting star, someone for whom folks had high hopes -- and then that someone, for whatever reason, fades away.
From: Joe D.
Scott,
Not to demean or discredit you in the least, but I this article does not mention some pitching talent the Rays do have in their system in Andrew Sonnanstine, Jeff Niemann as well as a couple of prized prospects the Rays have in Jake McGee and Wade Davis. I know you don't study Tampa Bay necessarily and their farm system, but the franchise unfortunately is counting on these guys plus Price to be the answers to go with James Shields and Scott Kazmir. In this division, ultimately, you do have to take a risk and chance. I do not believe Andrew Friedman is up to the challenge to supplement his squad with real veteran leadership to go with a very talented core. The future is brighter in Tampa Bay but I don't think the elevator can go to the top floor here.
Fair letter, and you're a sage in that you wrote before Sonnanstine debuted in Toronto the other night. I know the Devil Rays have some pitching prospects, but with Crawford, Upton, Young and Co., they really need pitching NOW. The brilliance of what Milwaukee is doing is that they're bringing several youngsters along at once and doing a great job of timing everything.
From: Bob T.
You wrote statistics that show college pitchers usually make the transition to the majors more quickly than high school pitchers, and two from the 2006 draft already are on their way: San Francisco starter Tim Lincecum (10th pick overall last summer out of the University of Washington) and Seattle reliever Brandon Morrow (fifth pick overall out of the University of California.) How about Joe Smith of the Mets?
Thanks for bringing that to my attention, I shouldn't have overlooked one of the more underrated relievers in the game today. Smith was the Mets' first-round pick out of Wright State University a year ago. While I might have overlooked him in last week's draft column, I didn't in this May column .
