Dying Quails

After his game-tying, two-out, pinch-hit home run Sunday, Micah Owings now has a .934 career OPS, which is higher than that of Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, and Ken Griffey Jr. Remind me why this guy isn't playing in the outfield on days he isn't pitching?



Just to add one more element to the whole Josh-Hamilton-is-a-really-great-guy storyline, as if it needed any more additions: during his minor league rehab assignment this past weekend, Hamilton and his mentor/Rangers coach Johnny Narron went out to dinner at a local Cracker Barrel. When they were done, they called a cab to go back to the team hotel. The cab never showed, so Hamilton hitched a ride back to the hotel with a local Little League team that was having dinner at the Cracker Barrel. In Hamilton's words, "I signed a few autographs and away we went." I know some people are probably tired of endless stories about how awesome a guy Hamilton is, but that is pretty damn cool. This guy started the All-Star game last year, and he's hitchhiking with a Little League team in Round Rock, Texas on his rehab assignment? What a baller.



And finally, Matt Stairs. I've been a casual fan of Stairs for a while now; it's hard not to like a fat guy who swings like all holy hell and actually makes it work. Stairs, though, isn't unaware that this is the reason why people like him- he knows damn well, and he actually embraces it! Here are a few quotes from the Big Guy:


[on whether his approach at the plate changed when he came to bat in the 8th inning the other day while the Brewers' Dave Bush was throwing a no-hitter] "Of course. It doesn't change. It will never change."

[Stairs hit a ball off the top of the foul pole in that at-bat to break up the on-hitter]


"Let’s face it, I’m not 6-foot-2 and trim. I’m 5-foot-9 and 2-I-really-don’t-care – I still keep myself in good shape," he said of his physique. "I don’t want to give the fans an excuse not to like me, but I guess when I hit a big home run they say, ‘Hey, that guy is just like us.'"

"I always say I take one swing for the fans, and the rest for my teammates."


And then there are his comments after Game 4 of last year's NLCS- as much as I love the Big Guy, sometimes people really don't think before they speak...which is a good thing. Keeps life interesting, that's for sure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqZDe4364BI

I have no earthly idea how anyone at that press conference kept a straight face. I really don't.