RIP Sparky Anderson

I used to wonder the exact same thing. Thought I was the only one.

 

RIP
Sparky was ALWAYS good for a quote. Baseball guys like him are truly missed.

 

Damn, sad news indeed. Figured it might be coming with yesterday's news, but didn't think it would be this fast.

RIP Sparky.

 

Wow, even though I was a Giants fan in the West, I admired the Big Red Machine and had nothing but good memories of Sparky. Could not believe the Reds let him go. Great to see the Tigers win it with him (one minor sore subject, how could the '87 Tigers lose to the Twins?).

 

They shot their wad catching up to the Blue Jays in the final 10 days -- who pulled one of the greatest choke jobs by any professional sports teams ever. Not 64 Phillies bad, but top 10.

 

First off, RIP to a great baseball man. Saw him in person once in a press box when he was on his way to visit the TV booth. One of two times in my career I've said to myself, Damn, that was xxxxxx. My grandfather, a big baseball fan his whole life, would have thought it was cool that I saw Sparky in person.

Second, I'll defend my '87 Twins for a second. Over a 162-game season, Detroit was a much better team. In a short series, the Twins pitched better, hit better and fielded better. And for the "They never won on the road" crowd, I'll point out that the Twins closed out the ALCS by winning at Tiger Stadium. Twice.

 

A beautiful tribute from Posnanski...the conclusion just broke my heart:

http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/11/04/george-and-sparky/

 

Like I said I greatly admired Sparky and am truly saddened by his passing.

But Juan Berenger as an integral part of a championship team? Seriously? (Loved his "quick draw" after a key out. Hilarious.)

 

Thanks for posting the Posnanski piece, 21, that was tremendous.

And as someone who came of age reading annual spring training stories in which Sparky called some guy I'd never heard of a surefire Hall of Famer, I loved the quotes about guys who never came close to meeting Sparky's hyperbole--especially this one:

3. “Chris Pittaro is going to be a great ballplayer, and that’s etched in cement.”

 

RIP, Sparky.