The David Newhan Story

[1X83Z]

Okay. Now, it's been unanimously agreed that David Newhan is far and away the best player in all of baseball. So I'll tell the David Newhan story that needs to be told:

June 18, 2004. Baltimore Orioles at Colorado Rockies. The Rockies take a 5-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth and "closer" Shawn Chacon strikes out Larry Bigbie for out number one. Next up is BJ Ryan, who's probably never batted before in his career. So they pinch hit for him with David Newhan, some guy. Newhan takes the first two for balls, swings and misses at the next one, and takes the next one 420 feet. Chacon got the next two out, and the Rockies won, but so began the legend of David Newhan.

It turns out that David Newhan batted 17 times for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2000, then again 6 times in 2001 before he was sent down to the minors and eventually picked up by the Texas Rangers system. The June 18 game was a night game, which was fortunate for Newhan, because the Orioles bought his contract from the Rangers, flew him to Colorado from the minor leagues, made him a uniform, and added him to their roster that day. He arrived during the game.

Currently Newhan is batting .345, the second-best mark in the AL with a minimum of 270 plate appearances. And the Texas Rangers are eating their own faces for letting him go.

And that's the David Newhan story. One day, I might tell the Calvin Pickering story, but only if he picks up his average. The Ryan Church story is also possible, but same deal.

 

[Klostrophobic]

I hate Clavin Pickering. I swear I saw him miss a curveball by at least a couple feet when he played for the Sox. The Red Sox are hurting that they don't have him - they need another slow, fat powerhitter who strikes out all the time.

David Newhan is just going to pan out as some mediocre hitter after this year. And he's an absolutely atrocious fielder with 5 errors in 39 total chances.

 

[1X83Z]

I hate Clavin Pickering. I swear I saw him miss a curveball by at least a couple feet when he played for the Sox. The Red Sox are hurting that they don't have him - they need another slow, fat powerhitter who strikes out all the time.

Calvin Pickering got his last major league hit on October 5, 2001 for Boston. It was a home run. You may not have heard about this because Barry Bonds tied the single season home run record the same day. Pickering got hurt, played in Mexico, and played in the minors before being called up last week for the Royals. His first hit back was also a home run - a grand slam. As was his second hit back, though it was just a lowly two-run. One more and he's got the record for consecutive at-bat homeruns. Of course, it didn't happen. Though he tripled in three the next day.

David Newhan is just going to pan out as some mediocre hitter after this year. And he's an absolutely atrocious fielder with 5 errors in 39 total chances.

He's a DH, for god's sake. All his errors came in, like, his first six games. What do you expect? He's a damn rookie. Ish.

One day we'll hear the Clint Barmes story. Today he hit a 3-run home run and got on Baseball Tonight with a Web Gem in his second major league game ever.