The funny thing about TTO guys is that teams admire their production from afar....but don't actively chase them, unless they Dunn's, models of consistency. Teams also discount, I think, MILB guys with that skill set.
Sure, Dunn is a hot commodity now...but even a year ago his value was poo pooed. Cust is out in the cold, for goodness sakes.
Luzinski and Tettleton were admired, but almost in a carnival freak-show type of way. "Come see the TTO! Wonder at his freakish ways!" You almost expect a Kingman or Cust to growl "I am not a monster!"
Teams stare...but don't touch.
Mike Wilson knows this attitude.
The stupid thing is that a year ago many baseball types scoffed at the $10M per for Adam Dunn, but outside of some SSI'ers, there certainly didn't seem to be much scoffing going on when the M's paid Figgy $8M per.
Where is Gorman Thomas when we need him?
(Wouldn't you love to have GT during his Wallbanger years? Heck...wouldn't you love Wilson to have a line of .215/.330/.450 with 32 taters, 84 walks and 124 K's next year. Thomas did that for the M's in '85! OPS+ of 112. To get the same OPS+ today you would need to add another 10 points each to OPB and SLG, or so. But I would be tickled pink for a duplicate performance by Wilson....or Halman...or Reynolds...Hint, hint)
TTO's? I love 'em
moe
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