So my roommate and I were talking...

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  • dieselboy
    --------------
    • Dec 2002
    • 18040

    #1

    So my roommate and I were talking...

    Just about baseball players and such. Well, we just pondered some former players and teams. For example, Billy Koch. I mean, what ever happened with him? Or, Dante Bichette, do you guys remember how good of seasons he had? (In 1996, he hit 31 HRs, 141 RBIs, 31 SB, .313 avg, in 1995 he hit 40 HRs). Or how about Brady Anderson's 50 hr season?
  • Psyblast
    2023 National Champions
    • Jun 2003
    • 42584

    #2
    Re: So my roommate and I were talking...

    I'm curious to know what happened to Billy Koch too...

    Comment

    • nyisles16
      All Star
      • Apr 2003
      • 8317

      #3
      Re: So my roommate and I were talking...

      actually i saw about Bichette (i think it may have been either during the All-Star game or WS) that he simply walked away from the game to be with his family...

      Comment

      • Psyblast
        2023 National Champions
        • Jun 2003
        • 42584

        #4
        Re: So my roommate and I were talking...

        Didn't Bichette have knee problems, too?

        Comment

        • nyisles16
          All Star
          • Apr 2003
          • 8317

          #5
          Re: So my roommate and I were talking...

          Originally posted by Psyblast
          Didn't Bichette have knee problems, too?
          i believe so... ohhh - now i remember.. his son was on one of the LL WS teams last year..

          Comment

          • snepp
            We'll waste him too.
            • Apr 2003
            • 10007

            #6
            Re: So my roommate and I were talking...

            If I recall correctly, Bichette had some of the most skewed home/away splits in the history of the game. Of course alot of Rockies players had nasty splits, but his were way out there. I could be completely wrong too.

            I believe Koch had all sorts of arm problems.
            Member of The OS Baseball Rocket Scientists Association

            Comment

            • SPTO
              binging
              • Feb 2003
              • 68046

              #7
              Re: So my roommate and I were talking...

              Originally posted by Psyblast
              I'm curious to know what happened to Billy Koch too...
              He was signed by the Blue Jays in '05 on a whim. The Jays were ostensibly giving him a shot at sticking around the Big Leagues but management didn't like what they saw from him in Spring Training and he was released.

              I don't think arm problems were the main factor in him being washed up now. He had an electric fastball but that was the only real ML pitch he had. Batters started figuring him out and because he didn't really have much of a 2nd or 3rd pitch he was basically done for.

              He was also one of those closers who had Mitch Williams-itis. You know, having an adventure everytime he steps on the mound.


              BTW I looked at his page at baseballreference. I had no idea he played for the Marlins for a short time.
              Member of the Official OS Bills Backers Club

              "Baseball is the most important thing that doesn't matter at all" - Robert B. Parker

              Comment

              • ILLCHILL
                MVP
                • Feb 2004
                • 2820

                #8
                Re: So my roommate and I were talking...

                Koch was nasty when hecould hit regularly hit 98 on the gun, but when his fastball tuned down to 95, it was so straight he got rocked every time. He was pretty good back in the day.

                Bichette was a BoSox fan favorite, and I don't know what happened to him. Didn't know he had that insane year in '96 though.

                Comment

                • Macar91
                  Running of the Bulls
                  • Mar 2005
                  • 2574

                  #9
                  Re: So my roommate and I were talking...

                  Originally posted by SPTO
                  He was signed by the Blue Jays in '05 on a whim. The Jays were ostensibly giving him a shot at sticking around the Big Leagues but management didn't like what they saw from him in Spring Training and he was released.

                  I don't think arm problems were the main factor in him being washed up now. He had an electric fastball but that was the only real ML pitch he had. Batters started figuring him out and because he didn't really have much of a 2nd or 3rd pitch he was basically done for.

                  He was also one of those closers who had Mitch Williams-itis. You know, having an adventure everytime he steps on the mound.


                  BTW I looked at his page at baseballreference. I had no idea he played for the Marlins for a short time.
                  I remember the White Sox traded him to the Marlins, but I'm not sure what they got in return.
                  Originally posted by billmatic
                  Radman is more like the ******** homeless man's version of Okur.

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                  • Skerik
                    Living in this tube
                    • Mar 2004
                    • 5215

                    #10
                    Re: So my roommate and I were talking...

                    Originally posted by Macar91
                    I remember the White Sox traded him to the Marlins, but I'm not sure what they got in return.
                    According to Baseball-Reference, the CWS received Wilson Valdez and cash for him. I always heard Koch's problem was that he could throw about eight pitches, but none of them were any good besides his fastball. As SPTO said, he likely would have had a better career if he had abandoned some of those pitches and really developed a MLB caliber 2nd or 3rd pitch.

                    As for Bichette, his home/road splits were indeed massively skewed. It was always amazing to me how productive he was for being such a hacker. The year he hit .340 and knocked 40 HRs, he only walked 22 times. It's amazing pitchers spent another four years feeding him fastballs, given that he was like the Jeff Francoeur of his time.
                    Helen: Everyone's special, Dash.
                    Dash: [muttering] Which is another way of saying no one is.

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                    • ehh
                      Hall Of Fame
                      • Mar 2003
                      • 28962

                      #11
                      Re: So my roommate and I were talking...

                      Bichette was also 38 years old when he retired, not exactly a spring chicken.


                      Nasty numbers in '95.


                      1995 31 COL NL 139 579 102 197 38 2 40 128 13 9 22 96 .340 .364 .620
                      "You make your name in the regular season, and your fame in the postseason." - Clyde Frazier

                      "Beware of geeks bearing formulas." - Warren Buffet

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                      • glucklich
                        Banned
                        • Jun 2004
                        • 4272

                        #12
                        Re: So my roommate and I were talking...

                        Originally posted by Skerik
                        According to Baseball-Reference, the CWS received Wilson Valdez and cash for him. I always heard Koch's problem was that he could throw about eight pitches, but none of them were any good besides his fastball. As SPTO said, he likely would have had a better career if he had abandoned some of those pitches and really developed a MLB caliber 2nd or 3rd pitch.

                        As for Bichette, his home/road splits were indeed massively skewed. It was always amazing to me how productive he was for being such a hacker. The year he hit .340 and knocked 40 HRs, he only walked 22 times. It's amazing pitchers spent another four years feeding him fastballs, given that he was like the Jeff Francoeur of his time.

                        In Colorado the altitude flattens out breaking pitches. So, they can either throw diminished breaking stuff or fastballs.

                        Comment

                        • Blzer
                          Resident film pundit
                          • Mar 2004
                          • 42520

                          #13
                          Re: So my roommate and I were talking...

                          What about Ellis Burks, Raul Mondesi, or Rod Beck?
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                          • bergie56
                            T*rg*t F**ld
                            • Mar 2004
                            • 3984

                            #14
                            Re: So my roommate and I were talking...

                            Last thing Mondesi did was play for the Atlanta Braves. He didnt hit very well either that year but I am not sure if he retired by choice or just never signed any where.

                            Comment

                            • Heelfan71
                              Hall Of Fame
                              • Jul 2002
                              • 19940

                              #15
                              Re: So my roommate and I were talking...

                              Dante Bichette was at the Little League World Series coaching his sons team. They were a Florida team that went really far in the tournament. His son looks just like him and is very good.


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