September 6, 2000

10:26 PM

Living the American Dream!
Texas utility man Scott Sheldon becomes only the third player in major league history to play all nine positions in one game.
posted by tamim (8 comments total)

That's pretty much a pointless "record." I can understand records of achievement like perfect games, and hitting a cycle...but this? It seems as though any bored manager and player can get this done whenever they feel like, so why is it such a big deal? I can see them talking before the game:

"Let's do something stupid to give us press."
"How about I play all positions for no apparent reason?"

Especially useless is the fact that through all this, he played the ball once (excluding the pitching). They could have just picked someone out of the stands, and it wouldn't have made much of a difference. I guess that's why I don't like baseball much.
posted by mkn at 11:16 PM on September 6, 2000

Personally, I think this was fabulous, and helps point out why baseball is the great, everyman's sport: Just about anybody can play just about any position and still contribute.

I'd like to see someone try this in football. No, really, I would!
posted by luke at 11:34 PM on September 6, 2000

I'd like to see someone try it in tennis.
posted by aaron at 11:46 PM on September 6, 2000

mkn:
Sheldon is a career journy man. He had paid his dues in the minors. He is not some uber athelete Ken Griffy Jr. type human highlight reel. While it might seem insignificant to most, but for Sheldon it is something he will remember and tell his grand kids. For us, well, we just lived through this event. The last time this happened was in 1968.

But I am happy for him. He even struck out a batter when he pitched!



Luke: Out side of Kordel Stewart or Deon Sanders no other pro football player actually has the atheletic abilities to play both defense and offense. I think during 1998 pre-season, Bill Parcells played Ray Lucas in almost every possible position. In one game he threw a touch down and in the kick off following his touch down, he played in the special team and made a tackle.
posted by tamim at 11:53 PM on September 6, 2000

In the last game of the season, St. Paul Saints infielder Ramon Valera played all 9 positions. From the article:

"Valera, the first Saints player to accomplish the feat, opened the game at catcher. He struck out two of the three batters he faced while pitching the ninth inning. He was 2 for 4 with two runs batted in and two stolen bases."
posted by jkottke at 7:53 AM on September 7, 2000

This is exactly why baseball is my favorite....this wouldn't be possible in any other (team) sport. Deion(sp?) Sanders and Kordell Stewart would make pretty silly looking tackles on either side of the ball. I guess basketball would be a little better than football, but there aren't many big men with the speed to play at point, and any decent point guard is going to get tromped trying to play center. Besides, that was probably one of the few things you could do with a 13-1 game to keep the players into it. The Rangers are just playing out the season, and this gives them something unique to remember about an otherwise disappointing summer.
posted by mildew at 8:16 AM on September 7, 2000

This is why I hate baseball. Hooplah over nothing. It says a lot about how interesting your sport is when the most impressive game is when nobody scores.

Football rules, baseball drools. :)
posted by owillis at 1:19 PM on September 7, 2000

Tamim, how could you forget "Refrigerator" Perry? (regarding playing both parts in football)

For shame! (and you call yourself a fan!)
posted by Steven Den Beste at 4:17 PM on September 7, 2000