Best character baseball player?

I remember Zane Smith just owning the Mets when he played for the Pirates.

 

I remember every team owning Zane Smith when he pitched for the Braves.

 

I just remember the Mets of the early 1990s were always facing lefties. They just had a bitch of a time with them.

 

Garry Maddox was another good one. Great center fielder. In my mind, I can still see him lanking after fly balls at the Vet.

I've always thought of Tim Wakefield as being in this category, too. Guy's been a rock for some pretty good Red Sox teams, been around forever, but never has (and never will be) better than a No. 3 starter.

 

Also add Chone Figgins and David Eckstein (although he was a WS MVP).

 

figgins is too new of a major leaguer to be tossed into this salad. maybe eckstein, too.

 

Wakefield is a good call. I was in the stands for one of his two complete-game victories over the Braves in the 1992 NLCS when he was a rookie with the Pirates.

Then he fell apart for about two seasons. That's the tough part with Wakefield. If he has a feel for the knuckler that day, he is tough on anybody. If not, it gets ugly fast.

 

Wakefield...

Lord it would be nice to have him eating innings for the Buccos for the past 13 seasons.

Something like 17 wins for $4 million last year?

 

Aaron Boone agrees.

 

I'll give you Figgins, but Eckstein is in his eighth year as a starting shortstop.

 

Barry Bonds.