RIP Brad Corbett

Once called "Chuckles the Clown" by a reporter, Corbett's passion for winning was undeniable and he did take a franchise that was on life support coming out of Washington and made something of it. Seems as though he made one of his blockbuster trades standing in front of a urinal.

 

He was mostly before my time. But good lord, what a mess he was as an owner. Traded away three Hall of Famers and went through managers like shit through a goose.

 

Recall the name but that's about it. Think it was Bob Short who fired Whitey Herzog. Not a good move. Anyone know who made the decision to draft David Clyde, Short or Corbett?

 

I think it was Short, because the Rangers had only been there two seasons at the time.

Yankee fans are always grateful for Corbett, who pulled the trigger on a trade that netted him a washed-up Sparky Lyle for Dave Righetti.

 

Drafting Clyde wasn't the mistake. He was one of the greatest high school pitchers of all-time. It was the decision to start him off in the majors that was the mistake (though he pitched well in his first start).

And that was Short, not Corbett.

Corbett did, as f_b noted, trade away Fergie Jenkins, Bert Blyleven and Gaylord Perry. He also fired Billy Martin, but then, who didn't?

 

Yeah, Clyde was seriously mishandled. Not surprised to learn it was under Short's regime, either. I've still got Clyde's second-year Topps card.

 

Corbett had like four managers in the span of a month in the summer of 1977. Fired Frank Lucchesi, hired Eddie Stankey, a tightly wound conservative Southern guy who quit after one game after he determined he had a locker room full of freaks, interim manager Connie Ryan and then Billy Hunter, who would in that year help them win 94 games and finish second with what was then the best record in franchise history. He did make one of his trades while standing at the urinal during the winter meetings one year.

 

I remember Lucchesi and Hunter but had no recollection of such quick turnover. Thanks.