Don Mattingly hired as Miami Marlins manager: Report

The Miami Marlins have hired Don Mattingly to be their next manager, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who is not yet authorized to speak publicly.

Mattingly's  deal is for four years, according to the source. He will become the club's eighth manager since 2010. The Marlins are reportedly waiting until after the World Series to make a formal announcement, reported ViceSports.com.

Mattingly will move to Miami from Los Angeles, where the former Yankees star managed the Dodgers for the past five seasons. Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria grew up in New York as a Yankees fan.

During his time in Los Angeles,  Mattingly guided the team through a bankruptcy filing and an ownership change, and led the club to a 446-363 record. Mattingly managed to keep his job when general manager Ned Colletti was replaced by Andrew Friedman last October, and he went on to lead the Dodgers to their third straight NL West title. 

But after a disappointing first round playoff exit, the Dodgers and Mattingly mutually agreed to part ways last week. Mattingly is still under contract with L.A. for another year, and the Dodgers said they would pay him the remaining money he is owed. It is not yet clear if the Dodgers will be paying part of his salary next season now that he has landed a new job. Los Angeles has not yet hired a manager to replace him.

It is also unclear if Mattingly will be taking his coaching staff from Los Angeles with him to Miami.

But Donnie Baseball will always have this little incident with Andre Ethier in the NLDS to carry with him:

@gbaumgaertner Here is a Vine of Andre Ethier respecting Don Mattingly: https://t.co/sGYambIo35

— Sebastian Shepard (@seb_shepard) October 22, 2015

Don Mattingly's testy answer to question about Dodgers future

Don Mattingly's team hadn't even hit the showers after the Dodgers were ousted by the Mets in the NLDS Thursday night when the manager was asked about his future in Los Angeles — a question which has been the subject of intense speculation on and off this season.

“Seriously, you’re asking me that now?” said Mattingly who declined any additional comment on his status under first-year president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.

Mattingly, who is the first Dodgers manager to win three straight division titles and handled a lot of team issues and injuries all season, still has to wonder if the success of 162 games was enough to save his job.

“When you’re playing, we all expect to be back. … Donnie he expects to be back and every one here thinks he’ll be back managing this club,” said outfielder Andre Ethier who was involved in a dugout confrontation with the manager in the middle of the game.

Still, some wondered if the question was maybe just a little too soon.

Whoever asked Don Mattingly about his job security for next year in the post game presser should have his credentials permanently revoked.

— CJ Nitkowski (@CJNitkowski) October 16, 2015

Mattingly has proven to be an excellent manager of players and a decent in-game manager. But the Dodgers' expectations once again ended short of a World Series and it has been that way since 1988.

And although Mattingly and Ethier both downplayed Thursday night's dugout clash, with the manager calling it "nothing between us," one has to wonder if that scene is just a prelude to Donnie Baseball's departure.

Trouble in the @Dodgers dugout? See Andre Eithier flip out on his own team. http://t.co/YG7aiDi5lV https://t.co/g5e7jsAtmw

— New York Daily News (@NYDailyNews) October 16, 2015

While no Dodgers official has publicly spoken about the situation, the word around LA has been World Series or nothing.

And nothing it is.

Anthony Rizzo swipes bag of peanuts from kid in stands (VIDEO)

Kids, the next time time you see Anthony Rizzo chasing down a ball on the first-baseline, hide your peanuts.

On Thursday night in Cleveland, Rizzo and a teammate Chris Denorfia both chased down a foul and, while a group of young fans were distracted by Denorfia's generous offer of the wayward ball, Rizzo swiped a bag of peanuts from an unsuspecting kid.

A dastardly scheme planned by the two Cubs? Who knows? But before you scream Ratso Rizzo, the lefty had a change of heart and handed it back.

It's anyone's guess what Rizzo was thinking but a good guess is he was emulating another first-baseman who liked to lift a free snack from the fans — namely Don Mattingly.

MLB unveils ROC — its state-of-the-art replay center (PHOTOS)

Beginning with the Dodgers-Padres game at Petco Park on Sunday night — the U.S. opener of the 2014 season — players, managers and fans will start hearing a lot more of the ROC — technically known as Major League Baseball's Replay Operations Center.

The 900-square foot high-tech room in the Chelsea Market building in Manhattan's trendy Meatpacking District, is where umpires and technicians will make the decisions that could decide games and championships.

More than $10 million has been spent wiring the 30 big league ballparks with Fiberlink cable that will transmit the images from at least 12 cameras at every site, and MLB says it will take just 400 milliseconds for each image to arrive at the command center.

The ROC is housed in the offices of Major League Baseball Advanced Media in the historic building where the Oreo cookie was invented.

It's been called a technological marvel, outfitted with state-of-the-art video equipment. And it's the nerve center of MLB's expanded replay system. ROC will be manned by eight umpires from the existing pool of on-field arbitrators. Each umpire will have a technical assistant to run disputed plays from angles gleaned by 12 cameras at each ballpark.

Beginning Sunday, every play of every game this season that is subject to review will be analyzed in this room by at least one umpire and one trained technician. Whenever a manager formally challenges a call, or after the sixth inning, if the umpires on the field simply want a second opinion, this is where the ultimate decisions will be made.

Managers will have one challenge per game, and a second if the first is successful. They will not be able to challenge home run calls, the original impetus for the replay that started in 2008. Only game umpires can ask for replays on homers.

So if Don Mattingly disagrees with a ROC ump's call, he'll have to travel 2,760 miles to kick dirt on their khakis.

Carl Crawford makes spectacular catch while flipping over railing (GIF)

The Los Angeles Dodgers carried a six-run lead into the late innings of NLDS Game 3 against the Braves on Sunday night, thanks in large part to Carl Crawford's three-run homer in the second inning. In the eighth, he contributed with this spectacular play on the field.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly must have been clutching his heart while he watched his star player tumble into the left field stands — especially with a big lead in hand — but knows this is the playoffs.

Crawford was fine.

Here's Crawford's home run and catch on video below:

Puig robbed of unbelievable 280-foot throw to get Bryce Harper out at third

Yasiel Puig continues to be the victim of grand larceny in his first five weeks in the Major Leagues.  After being robbed of a spot on the All-Star Game earlier this week, the Los Angeles Dodgers sensation had an incredible throw and tag out of Bryce Harper taken away by the third base umpire's terrible call Friday night.

Replays show Puig's 280-foot throw before the tag caught the speedy Harper on the foot before he touched third base on Jason Werth's long fly ball to Puig in right field.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly came out to argue that the play was so good, it merited being an out.

Here's another angle:

Don Mattingly finally gets Bleacher Creatures roll call at Yankee Stadium

Don Mattingly ended his 14-year playing career with the Yankees in 1995. Yankee Stadium's Bleacher Creatures started their roll call tradition in 1997. When the Dodgers visited the Yankees on Wednesday, Mattingly -- now Los Angeles's manager -- finally had the chance to hear his name shouted in the roll call.

The Creatures have welcomed back other former Yankees (including Johnny Damon and Nick Swisher), but this was different. To "Bald Vinny" Milano, leader of the roll call, honoring Mattingly was "one of the most awesome things" the Creatures have ever done.

After the first pitch in the bottom of the first, the denizens of section 203 chanted "Donnie Baseball" over and over again. Mattingly appreciated the gesture.

"When I was here they never did that, so it was pretty cool," the Dodgers skipper said after the game.



Here's the uncensored version close-up from the bleachers.

Beanballs set off lengthy Dodgers-Diamondbacks brawl

As far as baseball brawls go Tuesday night's up-close-and-personal between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks was a pro-wrestling cage fight.

First,  Dodgers phenom Yasiel Puig was plunked by a pitch in the face by Ian Kennedy then, after Zack Greinke plunked Miguel Montero, Kennedy plunked Greinke high on the shoulder with a 92 mph fastball setting off a seventh-inning melee that involved former major leaguers including Dodgers manager Don Mattingly, coach Mark McGwire, bench coach Alan Trammell as well as D'Backs manager Kirk Gibson.

Mattingly even wrestled Trammell to the ground.

Punches were thrown at that point as a heated brawl involving players and coaches ensued, resulting in six ejections before the Dodgers rallied to beat the Diamondbacks 5-3 at Dodger Stadium.  

Kennedy, Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson and coach Turner Ward, along with Puig, reliever Ronald Belisario and Dodgers hitting coach Mark McGwire were ejected after the lengthy scuffle that nearly spilled into the stands.

Greinke hitting Montero was payback for Kennedy hitting Puig in bottom of the sixth - the ball deflected off Puig's shoulder and grazed his nose. It wasn't broken and he didn't sustain a concussion, the team said. Puig didn't appear at his locker after the game to talk with reporters.

"If you can't pitch inside without hitting someone in the head, you shouldn't pitch inside," Mattingly said.

Kennedy said he was just trying to pitch inside to Puig, who came into the game on a blistering hot streak while batting .500.

"I thought I got him on the shoulder, but by his reaction, I figure I got him somewhere in the face," he said. "I definitely did not want to hit a guy with two strikes and put somebody like him on base."

Kennedy then hit Greinke in the upper left shoulder - the ball deflected off his helmet - with one out in the seventh and the game tied 2-all. It was the 41st batter Kennedy has hit since the start of 2010.

"I honestly had no idea that it was that high until I saw the replay," Kennedy said.

Mattingly was outraged. "I thought it was B.S," he said.

After the game, Greinke said he didn't want to discuss the brawl either.

"That's when it kind of got out of hand," Tim Federowicz said about Greinke getting hit. "You can't do that."

Kennedy immediately was tossed and calmly walked toward the Diamondbacks dugout before players poured onto the field and relievers ran in from the bullpens.

"Everything happened so fast," Mattingly said. "It just gets a little crazy out there."

Former major league All-Stars rolling on the turf like kids. Crazy indeed.

Greinke breaks collarbone during Dodgers-Padres brawl (VIDEO)

Both benches cleared in San Diego's Petco Park when Carlos Quentin charged the mound after being plunked by Zack Greinke in the sixth inning of Thursday's Dodgers-Padres game.

Quentin obviously felt that the $150 million righthander's pitch was intended as retaliation for a Jason Marquis pitch which sailed by Dodger Matt Kemp's head earlier in the night.

After the dust had settled — and Greinke, Kemp, Quentin and Jerry Hairston were ejected by umpire Sam Holbrook— Greinke found out he had a broken collarbone.

It is unclear whether Greinke was hurt in the original brouhaha.  He dropped his glove and lowered his shoulder as the much larger Quentin barrelled into him.  They wrestled on the mound before both benches joined in the scrum.



After the players had initially returned to their dugouts, the Dodgers' Jerry Hairston ran out and stirred things up once again. A fuming Kemp had to be restrained by Dodgers manager Don Mattingly and pitcher Josh Beckett.

 

"He [Quentin] should not play a game until Greinke can pitch," said an angry Mattingly at the post game presser.

Greinke and Quentin are old adversaries.  This was the third time the Dodger has drilled Quentin — the last time being in 2009. Quentin has led the majors in HBPs the last two seasons.

The heavy-hitting Quentin could be facing a five or six game suspension for charging the mound if history is any indication.

The Dodgers ended up with a 3-2 victory but suffered a real loss with the injury to Greinke.

Mattingly suspended two games for 'arguing' with umpires

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly has been suspended for two games beginning with Saturday night's game against the Atlanta Braves.

The former Yankees player and coach was also given an undisclosed fine "for excessive arguing" with home plate umpire Angel Campos in Thursday's 10-6 loss in Pittsburgh.

The wild scene unfurled when Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp was ejected from the game after reportedly yelling "Let's go 'Dre" to his teammate Andre Ethier who was at the plate.  Campos took offense to the cheer and threw a riled Kemp out of the game.  Kemp had to be restrained by teammates from going after Campos.  Mattingly was tossed after he came to his player's defense.

The suspension was announced Saturday by Joe Garagiola Jr. , senior vice president of standards and on-field operations for MLB.

Mattingly admitted he was confused when he first heard of the suspension but later said he understood he was suspended because he did not attempt to restrain Kemp before jumping into the argument.

Kemp was not fined or suspended.

"I'm happy about that," said Mattingly.

At the Dodgers batting practice, Mattingly was asked where he would watch Saturday's game.

"I don't know.  I heard there's a suite somewhere," he joked.

Dodgers bench coach Trey Hillman will take over as skipper for both games

Chad Qualls has close shave after trade to Yankees

Newly acquired pitcher Chad Qualls found out what Don Mattingly, Reggie Jackson and a long line of other New York Yankees have discovered before him— that a clean-shaven Bronx Bomber is a welcome Bronx Bomber.  Going from worst-to-first can make that trip to the barber's chair a little easier though.

Qualls made his Yankee debut Monday night after being traded from the last-place Philadelphia Phillies but not before adhering to the Yankees' strict team rule— no facial hair below the upper lip.  Qualls retired both batters he faced in finishing the eighth inning.

Qualls said he didn't know about the team's facial hair restrictions before the trade.

"They're in first place — or , we're in first place— so anything I could do over here is a good change," said Qualls who appeared in 35 games for the Phillies.

Before Qualls arrived in Tampa Bay for last night's game against the Rays, he had one order of business— shaving the goatee he'd sported for virtually all of the past five years.

"My wife 's probably only seen me shaved twice," Qualls said.  "I think the first time, she told me, 'Don't ever do this again.'  But this time, I think she's going to have to bear with me on this one."

Playing Yankees numbers could have won you $640 million jackpot

If you were a lucky New York Yankees fan— who picked the numbers of Bronx Bomber legends Jeter, Gehrig, Lazerri, Mattingly, Pettitte and Ed Whitson— you are a very happy, and much richer, person today.

Too bad the winning ticket was picked in Cal Ripkin and Boog Powell territory.

The numbers 2, 4, 23, 38, 46 and 23 were the winning digits for the world record Mega Millions jackpot of $640 million yesterday.

Congratulations. You can now buy less than one-third of the Los Angeles Dodgers or take care of the Yankees payroll for the next three years and still have enough to buy out the rest of A.J. Burnett's contract.

Heck, you could purchase the Tampa Ray Rays, build a new stadium and buy Derek Jeter's mansion and hire him to be your pool boy.

Everyone who dropped a buck on a ticket with hopes of joining zillionaires Mark Zuckerberg and Mark Cuban— the easy way— faced odds of 1-in-176 million of winning.

In other words, you have about as much of a chance of getting struck by lightning (twice!), seeing Brian Cashman rappelling down a building with Louise Neathway or Joba Chamberlain on a trampoline any time soon.

The odds are so staggering, you have a better chance of getting every pick in your NCAA brackets correct or seeing Louisville and Kentucky fans hug it out after tonight's game.

If you didn't have a thing for Whitson's No. 38, you could have selected another Yankee fan's bane— Curt Schilling.

It would have been the same.

Yankees sign—you heard it right— Burt Reynolds

The New York Yankees signed a player named— get this— Burt Reynolds.

No, not the mustachioed actor from such films as Deliverance, The Longest Yard and the Smokey and the Bandit series.

According to the YES Network, this Burt Reynolds might not have any relation to the movie star, but has a strong bloodline— he is reportedly the cousin of Yankees star second baseman Robinson Cano.

Last season, the 23-year-old Reynolds batted .232 with 13 homeruns, 36 RBI's and 11 stolen bases for the Newark Bears of the Can-Am Baseball Association.

The third baseman/outfielder was originally a 30th round pick of the Washington Nationals in 2006 and is a native of San Pedro de Marcoris, Dominican Republic.  He spent three years in the Tampa Bay minor-league system before going to the independent Can-Am.

The 2011 Bears were managed by former-Yankee outfielder Tim Raines and had a couple of familiar names from the Yankees past in the lineup including Tim Raines Jr. and Todd Gossage, the youngest son of Hall of Fame closer Rich "Goose" Gossage.

It might have been nice to have the actor Reynolds— the world's biggest box office draw for most of the '70's— hanging around Yankees spring training.

The Yankees haven't had a good mustache on the team since the days of Don Mattingly.

Russell Martin's .600 Slugging Percentage Is Pretty Good So Far, Eh?

The New York Yankees have to be pleasantly surprised with their collection of garage-sale pick-ups this off-season and rising to the top of the scrap-heap is catcher Russell Martin.  The Dodgers cast-off, who was coming off two disappointing and frustrating seasons in Los Angeles, has a .600 slugging percentage this season; which ranks seventh in the AL.

Martin, who has caught every game this season except one, is taking over nicely for the veteran Jorge Posada.  The Yankee backstop's new-found positive attitude is showing too.  He blamed his poor performances in 2009-10 on being unfocused.  According to his new Yankees teammates, that is all in the past.

The young righthander's chemistry with his new battery-mates is blossoming as well.  He even painted his fingernails orange to make it easier for the pitchers to pick up his signals.

Starter A.J. Burnett--the recipient of three wins with Martin--joked that his new catcher might have just wanted his nails orange, but got serious when asked how the catcher is calling for more change-ups over fastballs in a game.

"He believes in it, and I'm starting to, more and more," said the 3-0 starter.

 Yankees GM Brian Cashman took a chance on Martin.  The Canadian native came up with the Dodgers in 2006 and had three solid years in a row before slumping in 2009 and breaking a hip in 2010.  He is a two-time all-star and has a Gold Glove award  on his mantle.  Last season looks like a faded ghost of the real Martin.  He hit only five home-runs in 97 games last year.

Now the new Yankee is hitting .289 with four home runs and 11 RBI's in 13 games.  If anyone believes a catcher, built like a fullback, can't steal bases, especially after watching Posada chug around the base paths, should know Martin already has a couple of stolen bases too.  

Martin chose the Yankees over the Boston Red Sox because he said the Yankees wanted him more.  He signed a one-year deal for $4 Million.  Now the insecurity of his last two seasons has been put far behind.

 "I want to prove to myself I can do it," said Martin.  "I'm 28 years-old.  I don't really feel old.  I don't really feel beat up.  I've healed from my injuries.  I feel back in shape and I' enjoying playing baseball."

Martin's transition from Dodger blue to Yankee pinstripes had to be made easier by associating with Dodgers and former Yankee idols--hitting coach Don Mattingly and manager Joe Torre.  Martin was under the tutelage of the two Yankee legends for the past few seasons and it's a sure bet Yankee tradition was not unspoken in the  L.A. dugout.

Cashman's flea-market pick-up of Dodger's reject Martin, so far, looks like an "Antiques Roadhouse" type bonanza.  One man's trash...

Besides his offensive resurgence and contributions, Martin has ingratiated himself to the veteran World Series-winning Yankee players with his sense of humor and humility.

The six-year veteran Martin actually went up to Posada, whom he is replacing, and asked the veteran catcher--with 16 years under his belt-- for advice at the beginning of the season.  Not a bad company move by Martin--even for a pro with a couple of All-Star appearances himself.

"On this team, they think about winning, whatever it takes," he said.  "It's just a good environment to be in."

Martin may be considered to be one of the first-place Yankees' consolation prizes after the losses of Cliff Lee and Carl Crawford; but has already proven to be healthy and back to All-Star form.  He said his injuries were blown out of proportion and claims he's had only one surgery to "cleanup" a knee and his broken hip has healed on it's own.

"You guys can't always believe what you read in the paper," he joked.

.

Top 10 Athletes: Careers Cut Short By Injury

By Tony Mangia

It's sad to see an athlete like Yao Ming go down again.  While the Houston center limped off the court after only six minutes last night,  the fresh legs of one of the opposing team's players was making a big statement.  The Big Panda could only watch as the Washington Wizards emerging star, John Wall, became the third youngest player to score a triple-double.

Ming, the Chinese behemoth is no stranger to aches and pains.  His career has been pockmarked with injuries and rehabs and hopefully last night's stress fracture of his left ankle tendon isn't career threatening.  The seven-time all-star is a warhorse from his thighs up, but but a fragile piece of china below.  Trotting a 300 pound body up and down the court can do that to you.

Another rising star, Matthew Stafford of the Detroit Lions, was knocked out  last Sunday's game because  of a separated shoulder--his second one this season.  Stafford has been one of the brightest beacons for the Lions and a major reason the team is actually winning after a decade of futility.

There was an interesting discussion on ESPN this morning about pro athletes whose careers were cut short in or before their prime.  As usual, the commentators went back to screaming at each other before finishing the debate, so I've come up with my own list.

The criteria: injured before prime, made team better, showed consistency and showed great promise (won or lead a major category or title).  Winning a championship is a bonus and being in a hall of fame is acceptable.

Some players still had major bodies of work in a short time--Sandy Koufax comes to mind--while others were hurt  (Ken Griffey Jr.) but still marched on to great careers.  Others, like the Cubs Mark Pryor, the Nets Jayson Williams and the Reds Don Gullet were peaking before their bodies gave out too soon.  Some managed to hang on for a few years.

While young players are laid up and compared to their contemporaries--Greg Oden to Kevin Durant--or come back from different kinds of diseases which could have hastened their careers--Josh Hamilton--there will always be the athletes who achieved greatness but make me wonder "How much greater could they have been?"

In all fairness, some of these athletes didn't benefit from the modern conditioning programs or surgical procedures of today.  There wasn't even 'Tommy John surgery' until...well, Tommy John.  Whatever fate has in store for Ming, Stafford or Oden, time will tell.  For now here are the athletes who should have had more time on the courts, gridirons and diamonds.

1.  Gayle Sayers.  The NFL's 1965 Rookie of the Year ran lights out his first four seasons.  It was the eighth game of the Chicago Bears 1968 season when Sayers battered knees first gave out.  The Kansas Comet was averaging 6.2 yards a carry and couldn't return until 1970 when he re-injured the knee and was sensibly done.  Sayer's heroic attempt at rehab was a sub-plot in the TV weeper "Brian's Song." He is still the youngest player ever elected to the NFL Hall of Fame.

2.  Bill Walton.  Big Red's first two seasons in Portland were marred by injuries and it wasn't until his third season under coach Jack Ramsey that the seven-footer made an impact and the Trailblazers won a world title.  While some of today's centers have names like Turiaf and Krstic, Walton battled against the likes of Jabbar and Unseld.  Early in 1978, Walton broke his foot, then broke it again in the playoffs.  It's hard to believe that  he was an all-star only twice and languished until being revitalized with Larry Bird and the Celtics in 1986 when he was voted "Sixth Man of the Year."

3.  Bo Jackson.  What can you say about the first two-sport performer named as an all-star and all-pro in MLB and the NFL?  Jackson might have been known for his Nike "Bo Knows" commercials but a Monday Night Football game where he rushed for 231 yards and knocked hot-shot Brian Bosworth on his ass made him famous.  A hip injury in 1991 put and end to his Oakland Raider days and he was never the same in a Kansas City Royals uniform either.

4.  Kerry Wood.  The flame-throwing rightie was a Chicago favorite.  In only his fifth start in 1998, the Cub pitcher had a one-hit, 20 strikeout game and many believe the hit should have been scored an error.  Tommy John surgery in 1999 put Wood out of action until 2001 when his fastball was called the fastest in the majors.  Wood struck out 266 batters in 2003 but a torn rotator cuff in 2006 sent him to the bullpen. His career as a starter was over and he became the poster-child for an excessive workload.

5.  Don Mattingly.  The six-time all-star and nine-time gold-glover may not seem like he should be on this list, but it is about the potential lost due to injury.  Donnie Baseball brought average, power and defense to the Yankees.  His MVP year in 1985 was one of the greatest all-round seasons in MLB history.  A 1987 back injury--attributed to horseplay with pitcher Bob Shirley--limited Mattingly's power numbers and reduced him to more of a slap-hitter.

6.  Joe Namath.  Another athlete who had a great career but makes you think what could have been.  Namath's world-famous knees were ravaged after his fourth season.  The 1965 Rookie of the Year's Broadway Joe persona could have contributed to Namath's health too.  Four knee operations and the numerous times his knees were drained at halftime will never compare to his partying and Hollywood lifestyle.  In between 1970-73, Namath missed 30 games.  He was the first QB to throw for 4,000 yards in a 14-game season, but also ended up with a dismal career QB rating of 65.5.

7.  Terrell Davis. Literally carried the Denver Broncos to two Super Bowl wins before blowing out his ACL in 1998.  Elway isn't compared to Marino thanks to the team's 6th round pick.

8.  Tony Conigliaro.  Maybe one of the most gruesome sports injuries in history.  At age 22, Conigliaro already had 100 home runs and was on his way to stardom when he was almost killed by a Jack Hamilton pitch to his head in 1967. Who can ever forget that Sports Illustrated cover with the Red Sox player posing with what resembled a purple plum in his eye socket.  Conigliaro was Comeback Player of the Year after returning to the team two years later.  He only hit 62 more home runs for the Sox.

9.  Mark Bavaro.  Rambo is the prototype for all tight ends today: they catch and block.  Phil Simms' go-to-guy.  Monday Night Football 1986:  Bavaro catches pass and runs down field with five 49ers on his back.  That one play made Bavaro a Giants legend then and now.  He once played six weeks with a broken jaw but bad knees finally knocked the big guy out.  He was never the same after the age of 29.

10.  Ernie Davis.  The Browns 1962 draft choice never got the chance to play alongside Jim Brown. Sadly, after a brilliant career at Syracuse, the running back was diagnosed with leukemia.  He wore # 45 once at a preseason ceremony at Cleveland Municipal Field in 1962.  After battling segregation and prejudice, Davis couldn't beat the dreaded disease.  What could have been?