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From Hey Bill:
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The recent mention of Mike Hessman brings to mind a similar player, active at the same time, with less defense but more offense: Russell Branyan. Should someone have just stuck him in the lineup every day, at least against right-handed pitching, and lived with the strikeouts? He hit 31 home runs in 431 at-bats for the Mariners at age 33, but never had another season with 400 at-bats.
Asked by: WarrenJohnson
Answered: 12/1/2015
Not sure how to explain this, but Branyan had some off-field issues that he could not get past. Athletes are a certain way; they take pride in their appearance, they tend to spend money on clothes, they have certain values. Branyan didn't fit in, and this was used against him throughout his career. You are correct that, in a logical universe, he might have had a better career, but his career average was just .232, although it was a very productive .232, but still. . .232. If you're going to swim upstream you have to swim faster than that.
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During Branyan's time here, I personally could never divine a THING from the TV announcers to this effect. It was obvious something was driving executive bias against him, but what it was, had no clue. So, credit to them.
Bill seems to be saying, very nicely, that Branyan was too much of a slob to be welcome in an MLB clubhouse. That he had no friends because he wouldn't take a shower and brush his teeth. If so, that's a new one on me.
Great last line Bill had there. I think sometimes SSI needs to swim real fast, too ...