Wednesday May 27, 2009

Thoughts on TO; Tigers in the Bigs

Thoughts on T.O.
I heard the news on Terrence Oglesby late yesterday afternoon and was very surprised. Since then I have been on the phone talking to some basketball sources and basketball people trying to get a hold on what this will mean to the 2009-10 team.

Last night I wrote most of a blog on Oglesby’s positives and negatives but want to talk to one more basketball mind before I put it out in the blog.

I mentioned on Friday’s E-Mail Bag about all of the things that are polarizing Clemson at this time and how Purnell and Dabo are two of the few who have unified. Interestingly enough, Oglesby was one of the few polarizing student-athletes at Clemson. No one points out anything negative or gets passionate arguing against almost every Clemson student-athlete. Oglesby is one of the rare exceptions.

On my radio show this morning, ninety percent of the calls dealt with Oglesby. This time of year it takes a bug story to steal the show but I knew that would be the case this morning. People love so much about Oglesby yet so many got fed up with his some of his negatives.

Look for tomorrow’s blog to concentrate on this subject. I want to give a complete run down of what will be missed from Oglesby’s departure and what could be gained. We will look at the basketball aspect and the off of the court issues as well. We will also look at what the 2009-10 squad will look like in Oglesby’s absence.

Clemson will be better in some areas and worse in others. Check in tomorrow for the details.

Tigers in the Bigs
I also spent a lot of Tuesday evening watching former Clemson pitcher Jason Berken make his major league debut. The Baltimore right-hander looked impressive and against the struggling Toronto Blue Jays. Berken went 5 innings giving up seven hits but only two runs. He walked three and strikeout three. Of his 89 pitches, he threw 57 strikes.

Berken became the second former Tiger to make his major league debut this season. Cleveland’s Tony Sipp has nine appearances out of the Indian bullpen. The left-hander has pitched 6.1 innings giving up four hits, three earned runs, eight walks and nine strike outs. He has a 4.26 ERA. Last week he was optioned but to AAA.

The two pitchers became the 42nd and 43rd Clemson players to play in the majors.

John McMakin was the first former Tiger to make to the big leagues. He was a left-handed pitcher that played at Clemson in 1900-01 and for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1902.

Jimmy Key is probably the former Tiger with the most success at the major league level. Key was at Clemson from 1980-82. He played with the Blue Jays from 1984-92, the Yankees from 1993-96 and the Orioles from 1997-98. In his 15 seasons, Key won 186 games and lost 117. He pitched over 2,500 innings and struck out1538 big league hitters. Key ended his career with 3.51 ERA.

Before Key, Billy O’Dell was perhaps the former Tiger with the most success at the highest level. O’Dell was at Clemson from 1952-54. He was with the Orioles from 1954-59, Giants from 60,-64, the Braves from 1965-66 and the Pirates from 1966-67. He was 105-100 in his 13 years in the big leagues.

Key and O’Dell are the only two former Tigers to play in the All-Star game. Key played in the 1985 and 1991 All-Star games as a Blue Jay and the 1993 and 194 All-Star games with the Yankees. O’Dell played in the 1958 and 1959 All-Star games as an Oriole.

The only other former Clemson pitcher to win 100 games was Flint Rhem who played at Clemson in 1922-24. He pitched for the Cardinals, Phillies and Braves from 1924-1936 and won 105 games.

John Curtis is the former Tiger who played for the most MLB teams. He broke into the bigs with the Red Sox in 1970 and stayed there until 1973. He played with the Cardinals from 1974-76, the Giants from 1977-79, the Padres from1980-82 and the Angels from 1982-84. Curtis played at Clemson in 1968 before playing with five major league teams.

Denny Walling is the former Tiger who played in the most major league seasons. Walling, who played at Clemson in 1975, played 18 seasons with the A’s, Astros, Cardinals and Rangers.

Bill Spiers has the most major league hits of any former Tiger. The shortstop was at Clemson from 1985-87 and later starred for the Brewers, Mets and Astros. In his 13 seasons, Spiers accumulated 922 hits.

Khalil Greene is about to break another record. His next home run will be his 87th which will break the tie he is in with Walling for the most big league home runs by a former Tiger.

Nine former Clemson players have played in 13 World Series. Rhem is the former Tiger with the most world series appearances with four. Four former Tigers have world series rings. The four Tigers who have won world series titles are Rhem (1926 and 1931 Cardinals), Tim Teufel (1986 Mets), Mark Davidson (1987 Twins) and Jimmy Key ( 1992 Blue Jays and 1996 Yankees).

The 2009 season has seen five former Tigers in the majors. Jeff Baker (Rockies), Khalil Greene (Cardinals), Kris Benson (Rangers), Tony Sipp (Indians) and Jason Berken (Orioles).

The Brad Hughes All-State Insurance Agency

Prayer List
We have started a prayer list on the blog. Here are the guidelines:
*If you are offended by prayer or prayer lists then I apologize in advance. The blog is free and the prayer list will be on the bottom of the page so you don’t have to read it.
*If you would like to add someone to the list please e-mail me at mickeyplyler@hotmail.com
*If you want the reason for the prayer to be added to the name please specify in your e-mails.
*Please let me know when it is appropriate to take the person off of the prayer list

Those who need our prayers include:
Finn Brookover, Mrs. Kathleen Bowers, Larry in Naples, FL, RTG-Pawsitive Tiger, Mary-Louise Pawlowski (John's daughter), Sandy Wright, Jo Ann Bachman, Frank Taylor, Kenneth Bryant, Pruitt Martin, Got igers and his family, David Rowland, Leonard Gillespie and his family, Jim S, Christine Hepfer, Daniel Rosborough, Amy Murphey, Jack Huffman, Nancy Winkler, Dr. Nancy Strom Morgan, John Reeve, Eileen Woodrum, Ethel Southard, Vinnie Brock, Jean-Pierre Bailey, Kaitlyn L, William Perry, Delores Weaver.