Friday, June 13, 2003
Goodbye Matty
Matt Williams recently retired. Now I feel really old. I remember when Matty was just a kid coming into the bigs. He was the Giants' big prospect, the one that Al Rosen wouldn't put in a trade even though everyone asked. When Jose Uribe's wife died in childbirth, the Giants brought Matty up to cover while Uribe was on the DL. Williams was clearly not ready for the major leagues. I remember a game where the other team loaded the bases and the next two batters hit the ball to short. Both times Matty went to the plate late. While his glovework was OK, even if he looked a little lost out there, his bat was nowhere near the game.
He turned into a great fielding third baseman, a joy to watch. He never did figure out some things with the bat. After watching him for about a year I knew the opposing pitcher's book on him. A pitch inside to back him off the plate, followed by a sweeping curveball on the outside. He would always swing for it, missing badly. He was still falling for that at the end of his career.
He always seemed a tragic figure. When he was recalled to the bigs for good in 1989, he arrived in San Francisco grieving the suicide of one of his best friends. His best year homer-wise was 1994, when his quest for Maris was stalled by the work stoppage. Injuries always were a part of his game. Many of his career choices were made with his children in mind, the careful planning made with an ex-wife from a bad divorce.
So he's hanging them up. He was projected by many as the next Mike Schmidt, but that's some big shoes to fill. He had a good long career. He won some rings. He'll have to pay admission to the Hall of Fame just like the rest of us, but he can look back and smile.
posted by David 2:34 PM
