The Keith Hernandez Quizzes

[batmagadanleadoff]

Apropos of that I'm reading I'm Keith Hernandez, young inexperienced babe in the woods Keith Hernandez arrives at St. Petersburg, Florida in 1972 for his first Spring Training. Lonely and out of place, one of the first things he does after settling into his hotel room is to go for his security blanket -- the 1971 Strat-O-Matic baseball set, which he had been playing obsessively over the past few months and which he had meticulously packed into his luggage -- only to discover that the set isn't there. Turns out that Keith's father had secretly removed the set from Keith's luggage so that Keith could concentrate on real baseball in Florida.



Who was Keith's first roommate during his first 1972 Spring Training?

Edited November 22, 2019 by Guest

[HahnSolo]

I read the book over a year ago, so I don't remember all the details. I'm thinking maybe Ken Reitz?

[batmagadanleadoff]

=HahnSolo post_id=26994 time=1574438929 user_id=63]
I read the book over a year ago, so I don't remember all the details. I'm thinking maybe Ken Reitz?

[whippoorwill]

Oh good question! I forget too.



Vince Coleman?

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

It's been more than a year for me too. Was it Mike Jorgensen?

[kcmets]

I'm sure he's mentioned this over the years but I have no clue. Lonnie Smith's

name immediately popped in my head but of course for much different reasons.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: It's been more than a year for me too. Was it Mike Jorgensen?

Impossible. Jorgy was a major leaguer in '72, and so would not have been roomed with a Spring Training invitee. Plus, he was a Met -- until he was traded to the Expos in the Staub deal in April of that same year.

Edited November 22, 2019 by Guest

[batmagadanleadoff]

=kcmets post_id=26999 time=1574442093 user_id=53]
I'm sure he's mentioned this over the years but I have no clue. Lonnie Smith's

name immediately popped in my head but of course for much different reasons.

[kcmets]

There isn't Mets connection he just popped in my head first. It was dumb, and he a few

years younger than Keith and looking at bbrdoccom he of course was a Phillie to boot.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Now I'm racking my brain for Met-Cardinals of the 1970s. Mike Phillips? And Jack Heidemann but he was a MLB guy in the late 60s.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Pete Falcone? Did they room pitchers and infielders together?

[batmagadanleadoff]

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: Now I'm racking my brain for Met-Cardinals of the 1970s. Mike Phillips? And Jack Heidemann but he was a MLB guy in the late 60s.

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: Pete Falcone? Did they room pitchers and infielders together?

Yeah, I think pitchers and infielders roomed together --- Tom Seaver and Bud Harrelson famously so on the Mets.



Well here's another clue(s) for you all:



Keith's first MLB roommate never did get to play a single game for the St. Louis Cardinals. In fact, he broke in with the Mets. And had a long enough MLB career that, service-time wise, was eligible for inclusion into baseball's Hall of Fame.

[whippoorwill]

=batmagadanleadoff post_id=27001 time=1574442437 user_id=68]
=kcmets post_id=26999 time=1574442093 user_id=53]
I'm sure he's mentioned this over the years but I have no clue. Lonnie Smith's

name immediately popped in my head but of course for much different reasons.

[dinosaur jesus]

Mike Vail?

[Edgy MD]

It was Ron Hunt.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Ronnie

[Edgy MD]

No, the only spring Huntie spent as a Cardinal was 1975, when he got released in March.

[kcmets]

I was gonna say Swan

[batmagadanleadoff]

dinosaur jesus wrote: Mike Vail?

Winner, winner! Chicken dinner! Step right up to collect your prizes.



First up, it's a Mike Vail 1976 Topps rookie card. And what an amazin' future that awaits Vail, fresh off his MLB record setting rookie consecutive game hitting streak record. Who the hell needs Rusty Staub any more, who's now popped up twice in this thread?



[fIMG=555]https://img.comc.com/i/Baseball/1976/Topps---Base/655/Mike-Vail.jpg?id=77033b7d-e46a-4fd2-9ce0-6588c7382eaa&size=original[/fIMG]



And then, it's a 2018 Typewriter Chewing Gum Mets total team set card (Code Name: Puppet, Pauper, Pirate, Poet, Pawn, King) of Kevin Kaczmarski.





https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49106229882_0f0c98e4a3_c.jpg>



This has been a Mark Goodson Bill Todman production. All prizes courtesy of Dicker & Dicker of Beverly Hills.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Up until his first full season at (AAA) Tulsa, Keith Hernandez's approach to hitting had always been simply to ensure that all of his batting techniques and mechanics were in order. But then, one of Keith's Tulsa teammates took an interest in the young up and comer and began mentoring Keith in the finer points of hitting -- teaching Keith that the battle between hitter and pitcher wasn't one-sided -- that the opposing pitchers had plans, strategies for retiring hitters, and that it wasn't gonna be enough for Keith just to focus on his swing. Keith was gonna have to begin to study the pitchers themselves, and to learn their pitches and other tendencies if he was gonna get ahead. It was a revelation to young Keith. Keith's mentor also introduced him to scotch liquor, the baseball player's choice drink, because it was relatively odorless and so wouldn't be detected by any nosy managers. Plus scotch was usually mixed with either water or club soda, which, according to Keith's mentor, had a healthy hydrating effect.



So who was this AAA mentor who taught Keith how to hit like a pro and to get drunk more efficiently?



Once again, think Mets connection.



And here's another hint: it's not Mike Vail.

Edited November 24, 2019 by Guest

[batmagadanleadoff]

=batmagadanleadoff post_id=27090 time=1574618594 user_id=68]
Up until his first full season at (AAA) Tulsa, Keith Hernandez's approach to hitting had always been simply to ensure that all of his batting techniques and mechanics were in order. But then, one of Keith's Tulsa teammates took an interest in the young up and comer and began mentoring Keith in the finer points of hitting -- teaching Keith that the battle between hitter and pitcher wasn't one-sided -- that the opposing pitchers had plans, strategies for retiring hitters, and that it wasn't gonna be enough for Keith just to focus on his swing. Keith was gonna have to begin to study the pitchers themselves, and to learn their pitches and other tendencies if he was gonna get ahead. It was a revelation to young Keith. Keith's mentor also introduced him to scotch liquor, the baseball player's choice drink, because it was relatively odorless and so wouldn't be detected by any nosy managers. Plus scotch was usually mixed with either water or club soda, which, according to Keith's mentor, had a healthy hydrating effect.



So who was this AAA mentor who taught Keith how to hit like a pro and to get drunk more efficiently?



Once again, think Mets connection.



And here's another hint: it's not Mike Vail.

Edited November 24, 2019 by Guest

[kcmets]

Keith Hernandez booze mentor... hmmm.



I always thought vodka was the odorless liquor of choice.

[G-Fafif]

Ken Boyer?

[batmagadanleadoff]

=G-Fafif post_id=27097 time=1574631175 user_id=55]Ken Boyer?

[MFS62]

Jeff Torborg?

Later

[batmagadanleadoff]

=MFS62 post_id=27100 time=1574640043 user_id=60]
Jeff Torborg?

Later

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Dick Selma was Keith's drinking teacher

[batmagadanleadoff]

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: Dick Selma was Keith's drinking teacher

Winner, winner! Chicken dinner! Selma and Boyer were Mets teammates on Wes Westrum's '66 and '67 Mets. Selma, like Vail, never did get to play a single major league game for the St. Louis Cardinals. Selma was a flamethrower who had his peak fastball while he was in the Mets org. Some though that Selma was the hardest throwing pitcher in the entire Mets system which would be some accomplishment under any circumstances, but especially then, when you consider the other pitchers under Met contract.



Here's a '67 Topps Selma, and a '67 Topps Boyer to complete the match -- your prizes.











And as a bonus, that 2018 Typewriter Chewing Gum (Code Name: Puppet, Pauper, Pirate, Poet, Pawn, King) of Amed Rosario, that I owe you from the 2020 Yoenis thread.



https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49120205267_f8eed70e82_c.jpg>

Edited November 24, 2019 by Guest

[MFS62]

IIRC, Selma was sent packing by the Mets when he underwent surgery on his own, without the consent of the Mets.

Later

[Edgy MD]

Now, suddenly, it's hard to look at that Selma card and not pick up a whiff of scotch.