Roberto Alomar: Best Second Baseman Since 1980 Could Have AIDS
"In papers filed in state and federal court, (former girlfriend Ilya) Dall said Alomar finally got tested in January 2006 while suffering from a cough, fatigue and shingles. "The test results of him being HIV-positive was given to him and the plaintiff on or about Feb. 6, 2006," the $15 million negligence suit says.
Nine days later, the couple went to see a disease specialist who discovered a mass in the retired second baseman's chest, the court papers say. Alomar's skin had turned purple, he was foaming at the mouth and a spinal tap "showed he had full-blown AIDS," the suit says.
"
Foaming at the mouth...yikes! Something tells me that if you turn purple and need a spinal tap to figure out why, things aren't going to end well. I will spare you some of the other details as you can look them up for yourself on Google.
In the meantimeโฆtruth or dare?
Dare, you say?
Fair enough. I want you to go outside right now and ask the first person you see who the bestย second baseman was over the last quarter century. And when the person answers โRyne Sandbergโโฆpunch him in the face.
Why? Theyโre lying to you.
Unquestionably, Ryno was good. But he isnโt the best to play the position this side of 1980. I know, I know, Sandberg was the NL MVP in 1984. He once had the most home runs by a second baseman and nabbed nine straight Gold Gloves.
He was pretty good.
But Roberto Alomar was better. Hands down.
Matter of fact, he might be the best modern day second baseman...even though Joe Morgan would tell you otherwise.
Some people might even tell you that Alomar wasnโt ever the best player on the field for any of the seven teams he played for. Much like Morgan, Iโd tell you that neither were Craig Biggio and Jeff Kent, and theyโre both Hall of Fame caliber middle infielders.
Letโs break this down, plain and simple. The case for Alomar is an easy one, and even easier when compared to the most recent Hall inductee at second base, Ryne Sandberg.
Here ya go:
- Alomar went to 12 straight All-Star games (nine as a starter), compared to Rynoโs 10.
- His 10ย Gold Gloves over a span of 11 years is the most ever by a second baseman and his .984 fielding percentage is a hair behind Sandbergโs .989.
- His 2,724 hits (and career .300 batting average) is the most by any everyday second baseman since Charlie Gehringerโs 2,839. Gehringer was inducted in 1949. FYI, Sandberg finished with 2,386 and a .285 batting average.
- Even, Alomarโs OPS+ (a stat that I am not that high on, but some people are) of 116 is smack dab in the middle of the pack when you look at those already enshrined. For the record, Sandbergโs was 114. Joe Morgan, a surprising 132.
- Alomar even slugged .347 in back-to-back World Series victories for the Blue Jays.
- Alomar lacks an identity. His longest stint with any team was five years with the Blue Jays.
- As mentioned, Alomar was overshadowed on nearly every team he played for, Tony Gwynnย in San Diego, Joe Carter in Toronto, Cal Ripken in Baltimore and Albert Belle and Manny Ramirez in Cleveland.
- When he is eligible in 2010, heโll likely be up against Tim Raines, Barry Larkin, Fred McGriff and Edgar Martinez. Granted, theyโre notย all Hall of Famersโฆbut theyโll garner some attention and steal (pun intended in Raines' case) some votes.
- And, unfortunately, the spitting incident with umpire John Hirshbeck.
Alomar was the type of player that, because he was so damn solid for nearly 17 seasons, people forget that he was a hitting machine.ย From his second year in the majors (1989) until 2001, Alomar hit under .295 only twice. He even had an impressive run of nine out of 10 years where he hit .300 or better.
Open your doors for Robbie, Cooperstown, Iโll be watching...all the while knowing that the best second baseman I ever saw play is getting his just desserts. I just hope you'll be there to enjoy it.
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