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From: mcal@ihuxb.UUCP (Mike Clifford)
Newsgroups: net.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: Personal vs. Team Glory (Gary Carter)
Message-ID: <1079@ihuxb.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 28-Jun-85 09:51:30 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxb.1079
Posted: Fri Jun 28 09:51:30 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 15-Jul-85 04:00:13 EDT
References: <367@petfe.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 44

> I was watching yesterday (June 26)'s Mets-Cubs game, where the Cubs won 7-3,
> and Gary Carter came within 5 feet of hitting for the cycle.  Unfortunately
> the 5 feet was how much he was out by trying to stretch a single into a 
> double (what he needed to complete it) in the 9th inning.  
> He was going out on a limb trying for that double, and he never should have, 
> but I think he wanted to hit for the cycle!  He was (since he was out so easil
> y) putting his own interests first, and when he was out, it looked awful.  
> The 2 questions I put forth for discussion are:  was it (in your opinion) self
> -serving?  and is there any time in a game when it's ok to serve one's own
> interests instead of the team's? 
> I have an odd opinion of Carter.  I think it's hard to dispute his playing
> abilities.  He is undisputably one of the best catchers in baseball.  (Anyone
> really want to argue that?)  But (and I am an avid Mets fan!), I don't like
> him.  This grandstanding fits perfectly the image of Carter I have been piecei
> ng together all season.  He talks (too) sincerely about the team's interests, 
> and all, but I somehow don't believe him.  He smiles too  much.  Nobody is tha
> t happy (not even a guy getting $1 million for playing a kid's game that he's
> great at)!  Before this incident I didn't feel really justified in that 
> distrust, it was just a gut feeling.  But now, I can justify it. 
> When the game ended, there were 2 on.  If Carter had been content with a 
> single, Heep would have batted with 1 out and bases loaded (if I recall 
> right).  They just might have pulled it out.  Maybe not, but now we'll 
> never know.
> --Evan Marcus
> -- 
> {ucbvax|decvax}!vax135!petsd!petfe!evan
>                          ...!pedsgd!pedsga!evan
I was at Wrigley Field (to see the historic loss :-)) Wednesday and witnessed 
 Gary Carter's one-man wrecking crew at work.  He is quite a ball player!
Since he's a Mets player, I don't see him in TV interviews or in the papers.
It seems I do see him in the 10:00 sports highlights, at least once a week
he's hitting the game-winning HR for the Mets!
About the play at second...he was out by a mile.  Sandberg had the throw from
Billy Hatcher and was waiting and waiting for Carter to come sliding in.
But I think Carter had the right idea going for two off of a hit like that.
He hit a shot into the gap in left-center, and like Dave Winfield ("whenever I
hit a ball into the outfield, I'm thinking two bases" (loosely quoted)) he 
was headed for second base.  The breaks went against him.  The ball caromed
off the wall cleanly, and straight into the hands of Hatcher.  The rookie
(only his 2nd game in the pros, just called up from AAA Iowa) makes a perfect
throw to Sandberg and Carter is history (YEA!).  If the carom is bad or the
ball stays in the ivy or Hatcher fumbles the ball or botches the throw 
Carter is safe on 2nd and hits for the cycle.  Go CUBS!
Mike Clifford