Re: The Career of Bryan Hurst (MLB 09)
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Re: The Career of Bryan Hurst (MLB 09)
Toledo (AAA) -- June 20-22, 2010
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Re: The Career of Bryan Hurst (MLB 09)
Easily the best dynasty I've ever read. I really hope you keep this up and we all live to see "The Hurst" make it to The Show.
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Re: The Career of Bryan Hurst (MLB 09)
I think its the best RTTS dynasty as well. I hope that he keeps it up as well and by the looks of things so far, I think that number "99" is there for a reason. I'm guessing that it is the odds of a really good rookie ever making it to "The Show".
BTW, the graphics difference between the ps2 and ps3 are remarkable. It actually looks like the player is actually at a ballpark. I definitely need to purchase the ps3 and get with "modern times".Last edited by doncoryell; 01-13-2011, 08:17 PM.If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in english, thank a soldier.Comment
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Re: The Career of Bryan Hurst (MLB 09)
Toledo (AAA) -- June 23-27, 2010
Last edited by bhurst99; 01-23-2011, 10:00 PM.Comment
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Re: The Career of Bryan Hurst (MLB 09)
Toledo (AAA) -- June 28-29, 2010
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Re: The Career of Bryan Hurst (MLB 09)
awesome stuff
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Re: The Career of Bryan Hurst (MLB 09)
June 30, 2010
"Stop crying! Stop crying!”
Sometimes Lou Whitaker forgot that he was dealing with ball players who were really just kids. He knew his criticisms could sting and that his demeanor could be gruff but he didn’t mean anything by it. As the Detroit Tigers roving minor league baseball hitting instructor it was his job to make these kids better ball players even if it killed them.
“Oh, just stop it,” demanded Whitaker.
Bryan Hurst wasn’t the first player who had his ego shattered by Whitaker’s criticisms, but Whitaker couldn’t remember anyone crying like this. You would have thought he had told a child Christmas was cancelled because Santa Claus was holding out for more money.
“I’m sorry Lou. It’s just that the whole season has been one long nightmare,” Hurst said. He had been crying so hard, snot was running down his nose and he brushed it off with the bottom of his jersey as he stood with the bat in his left hand in the Toledo batting cage.
“The media keep saying the trade for me was a disaster. The away fans boo me. The home fans boo me. I can’t sleep at night. I’m starting to dread going to the ball park. There are days when I’m overwhelmed. You wouldn’t believe what some of the fans say to my face,” Hurst said.
Whitaker thought back to when he was in the minors in the 1970’s when his pro career was just beginning in the Tigers organization. There had still been people ignorant enough to yell racial slurs at him. People with hatred they couldn’t contain.
“What do they say to you?” Whitaker asked.
“They say I’m terrible,” said Hurst.
“You’re hitting .170. That is terrible.” As soon as Whitaker said it he realized that he had made a mistake. Hurst slouched even further in the batting cage, his head down. Whitaker prayed Hurst didn’t start bawling again.
Hurst put down the bat and sat down on a stool outside the batting cage.
“You know what else they call me, Lou?” Hurst spoke slowly and quietly now.
“What?” worried Whitaker.
“Hershey bar,” replied Hurst.
“Huh? That doesn’t even make any sense,” said Whitaker.
“I think it’s a play on my last name, Hurst. Hurst, Hershey bar. I think they are saying I am soft like a chocolate bar,” Hurst said, looking at the ground.
Whitaker thought Hurst was crazy. He was trying to remember why he had taken this job.
“Does a Hershey bar have nuts in it because maybe they are trying to tell you something?” Whitaker said.
‘No, you’re thinking of an Oh Henry bar. Plenty of peanuts in those,” Hurst said.
Whitaker was losing his patience. If the Tigers thought this kid was a prospect good enough to play in Triple A, how bad were the players in Double A and Single A? The thought flashed in Whitaker’s mind that some of them must be handicapped.
“Listen, kid, I’ve watched some of your games and I have some advice,” Whitaker wanted to get out of there.
"What’s that, Lou?” Hurst asked.
“Number one, from this moment forward you’re going to stop being a baby. No more crying, no more ‘I don’t want to play shortstop.’ That ends today. You’re a man, act like a man. That pitcher is your enemy. He is trying to throw the ball past you because he doesn’t like you, because you are between him and his dream of making it the big leagues. You take your bat and you send that ball back at that *&*!^)!@ with your bat. You got that.”
“Yes,” said Hurst, wiping away the tears from his face.
“Number two, patience. You’re swinging too early in the count and when you swing you are way out in front. Nobody can lace a hard line drive down the first base foul like you. You’ve given more free souvenirs to the fans in the first base seats than anyone else,” said Whitaker.
“Thanks,” said Hurst.
I didn’t mean that as a compliment, thought Whitaker.
“You remember how I said it’s like a war. Well, you got to bide your time like the Viet Cong lying in the rice paddies and jungles of Vietnam, patient and silent, waiting for the right time to strike. You just don’t go out there and swing at the first pitch near the strike zone. You wait for something in your zone then you strike like a cobra. Make the enemy come into your zone, don’t chase. Wait for the pitch,” said Whitaker.
“Strike like a cobra,” said Hurst. He liked the sounds of that. Who didn’t want to be a cobra?
“Patient like a cobra,” corrected Whitaker, hoping that maybe he had used enough crazy to get through to this crazy kid.
“Patient like a striking cobra,” said Hurst. He smiled.
“That’s right, kid. Look my third full year with the Tigers in 1980 I only hit .233 with eight stolen bases. I came around and had a great career. You can do it, too,” said Whitaker. I should get an Oscar for my performance here today, he thought.
“You mean, you played with the Tigers?” asked Hurst.
“Back in the batting cage, kid.”Last edited by bhurst99; 02-03-2011, 02:15 PM.Comment
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Re: The Career of Bryan Hurst (MLB 09)
Toledo (AAA) -- July 1-5, 2010
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Re: The Career of Bryan Hurst (MLB 09)
Wow, maybe this is the month where you turn it around.
Although you're still a lot slower than in MLB 09 for whatever reason.Comment
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