Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site watrose.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!watnot!watrose!gbelleville
From: gbelleville@watrose.UUCP (gbelleville)
Newsgroups: net.sport.baseball
Subject: Re: What's wrong with Hubie Brooks?
Message-ID: <7783@watrose.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 28-Jan-86 12:48:08 EST
Article-I.D.: watrose.7783
Posted: Tue Jan 28 12:48:08 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 29-Jan-86 04:27:47 EST
References: <917@houxa.UUCP>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 42

> <As an Expo fan, I hope you're right. Unfortunatly, I suspect the Expos
> <won't be able to stay very close this year. Everyone always says that
> <a team must be "strong up the middle", but look at who the Expos have.
> <Fitzgerald, Brooks, and Winningham. (That's right, the debris of the Carter
> <fiasco)  
> 
> Wooooaaa!  Wait a minute!  You don't like Brooks?!?  Why on earth not?
> I'm personally happy the Mets got Carter last year, but I really wish
> they could have kept Brooks.  (talk about having your cake and
> eating it, too).  So, if Expo fans aren't happy with him, PLEASE SEND
> HIM BACK.

Thanks, but no thanks.

     I speak for most Expos fans when I say that Brooks did an
admirable job last year.  Whenever the 'Spos had men in scoring
position Hubie came through with the clutch hits.  In fact Brooks led
all NL shortstops in RBI's, and did a reasonable job of fielding his
position.  If the Expos are to even make a token run at the division,
then Brooks is one of the keys.
  
     I think the original criticism refers to Fitzgerald and Winningham.
Fitz did a mediocre job behind the plate and was battling all season
to keep his average above the Mendoza line.  Something tells me things
are going to be the same this year, except it will be Dan Bilardello
trying to bat his weight.
     The Winningham situation is a little different.  He did a good job
for a rookie center fielder, but there is still a lot of room for 
improvement (Especially in the home run department).  Hopefully he will 
blossom into another Andre Dawson.
     The bonus in the Carter deal was Floyd Youmans.  This man can throw the
baseball.  If what we saw in September was any indication, the Expos
may still come out ahead on this deal.
     Realistically, they don't have much of a chance in '86.
    (How far can they go with three third basemen starting in the infield??)

But watch out for those 'amazin Mets.
                     
                               Gary.

"The outcome was never in doubt!"-  Duke Snider after any one-run Expos victory
         that Reardon et al came within an eyelash of blowing.