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Let's make one thing clear. All players at every level of the Professional Baseball Association (from National League down to the Gulf Coast Rookie League) and even the Independent Leagues are professionals. They all get paid to play this game. There are a few college summer leagues like the Shenandoah Valley League in Virginia, where the teams get them summer jobs to maintain their amateur status. I get so irritated at people who only think Major Leaguers when they say "pros." Thank you for letting me get that off my chest.
The players I really appreciated, however, were the ones Atlanta didn't appreciate. The guys who were either kept in Richmond too long or traded too soon: Craig McMurtry, Tony Brizzolara, Paul Runge, Brad Komminsk, Paul Zuvella, Brook Jacoby, Brett Butler, and Milt Thompson. Some of these had some success in the majors. Any ex-Richmond Brave who made the majors got my vote in the All Star ballots. Until Bobby Cox and Schuerholtz took over for Atlanta, they had little respect for their own farm talent, signing guys like Gary Matthews and trading for Len Barker! They didn't have much consideration for the Richmond fans either. One year, Richmond was playing Columbus for the Governor's Cup when they had a few rainouts. Ted Turner and George Steinbrenner arbitrarily awarded the Cup to Columbus and cancelled the Series. Then they brought players up for expanded 40-man roster in September. Why? Atlanta was going to finish last anyways. Let Richmond have her fun.
Later I sent a photograph for him to autograph. As you can see, he obliged. No major league professional has ever replied to my letters. |
George Brett and Tony Gwynn
are Hall of Famers (or will be), so they certainly achieved their
share of adulation. And I'm not about to deny it to them. I ,
however, didn't live in Kansas City or San Diego (two terrific
cities by the way.) I spent a decade in Richmond, Virginia, watching
the Triple AAA farm team for the Atlanta Brave. They won a few
Governor's Cups [International League championships]. I got to
see Chipper Jones and Tom Glavine and Mark Wohlers, which was
great. I even got to see the two-time National League MVP Dale
Murphy before they converted him from catcher to a Gold Glove
centerfielder. "The steal is on. Whoops, there goes another
throw over the shortstop's head."
I
caught up with one of these ex-Richmond Braves in Winnipeg playing
for the independent Northern League team the Goldeyes (it's a
fish). When I saw his name in the lineup I waxed poetic to my
wife about how great he played for Richmond. Atlanta messed him
up by switching him to third base. You probably saw him as the
Cleveland Indian who went over the wall (figuratively) in Baltimore
trying to catch a homerun ball. Anyway, he walks up to the plate
and hits a three-run homer. Later he doubles. He sure made me
look smart in front of my wife.