FEB
02
Birthday Time: Take 33 — Buddy Biancalana
Posted February 2nd ago via Bugs and Cranks
1 Dirtlocker Point for each player mentioned in this post:





The following is a portion of the full post
Images and full post at Bugs and Cranks

Our birthday boy for February 2nd is not the Kansas City sports legend that say someone like George Brett, or Bret Saberhagen, or Dan Quisenberry or Frank White is. However, this particular player's futility and name make him memorable and let's face it, kid played shortstop for the only Royals team to ever win a World Series — not Freddie Patek or Jay Bell, but Buddy Biancalana.

(Our man is curiously absent)

It's not like he didn't do his part, but then again, he didn't do what Bye Bye Balboni did, either. In any event, he has a ring while none of us do so — whattaya say we wish the man a happy birthday, huh?

*****

For ‘85 homeboy ripped the AL up at a .188 clip and managed to collect just 6 RBI and 17 walks in 81 games along the way. For the 14 post-season games he played that championship season, Biancalana hit .250 with 3 batted in and 6 walks. So apparently big man was saving his 'A Game' for October. Or something like that.

Buddy 'upped' his game enough the year after KC's only title to bat .242 but managed to bat just .155 in 55 games for the 1987 season and at the age of 27 was out of the Major League game.

But in 1985, Biancalana teamed with Onix Concepcion to help the Royals win their one and only World Series trophy

For batting less than .200 for a championship club, for being a switch-hitter when there was no scientific way to determine which was his strong side, for joining Onix to form one of the worst platoons in memory but above all else — for having a ring that no one can take away from him; B & C salutes Buddy Biancalana and wishes him a very happy 48th birthday!

*****

We have love for you too!

Born o...

Read the full post at Bugs and Cranks




Related Posts