8/12/07 - Brewers (Vargas) at Astros (Williams) - 1:05pm CT. Tribute to the Great Memories of Izzy Alcantara IGT

[SlideBernieSlide]

Well, for two days now we've had a little luck with lo-fi IGTs dedicated to teams and Brewer players of the very forgettable past. So today we're going to attempt to keep that going. This time it's a tribute to as brettac1 calls it, "the great memories of Izzy Alcantara's 32 AB run of terror as a Milwaukee Brewer in that magical season of 2002".

Ah the memories…"Milwaukee Brewers centerfielder Alex Sanchez trotted over to Izzy Alcantara after the rightfielder fell on his face trying to make a play in the first inning Thursday at Miller Park, and the two shared a laugh" … "Alcantara, shaky in the field, had little chance to catch Mike Lieberthal's looping hit but dived for it anyway. His face hit the grass and the ball rolled past him for a triple that scored two runs for a 3-0 Phillies lead. Brewers manager Jerry Royster said he didn't notice his outfielders' chuckles, but added that "those two shouldn't be laughing about diddly-squat."" http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=68305

Diddly-Squat? Sometimes I wonder how did we all survive the Jervey Lopster days??

So now go ahead and post your favorite picture, video, or story of Izzy. It's his day!

[brewers19]

[BrewCrewForever]

Diddly-Squat? Sometimes I wonder how did we all survive the Jervey Lopster days??

 

Jervey Lopster, that is awesome. So were the 2002 Brewers. Okay not really, but they were comedic.

[phatmatt1215]

That video is about the only thing I remember about Izzy. It's probably the only memorable thing he has ever done.

[Brily0204]

Here was the starting lineup on 22 August 2002, Mr. Alcantara's last game as a Brewer:

 

E Young 2B

A Sanchez CF

R Sexson 1B

J Hernandez SS

I Alcantara RF

R Thompson LF

R Belliard 3B

R Machado C

J Osting P

 

I, for one, will look back at that lineup the next time I feel like getting frustrated with this year's team.

[razzzorsharp]

Per wikipedia....

 

He played two years for the Boston Red Sox, debuting in the Major Leagues on June 25, 2000. In his first season, he hit .289 with 4 home runs in 45 at bats. The next year his average declined to .263 with no home runs in 38 at bats. Before the 2002 season, he was signed as a free agent by Milwaukee where he hit .250 with 2 home runs in 32 at bats. His final major league game was on August 22, 2002 and he was released by the team after that season. For his career Alcántra hit .270 with 6 home runs in 115 at bats.

 

 

 

(Also, who is Osting and why have I never heard of him before)

[DHonks]

(Also, who is Osting and why have I never heard of him before)

 

A solid lefty with great AAA numbers. I met him one night and he was a great guy...one of the few non-cocky ballplayers I've met ( I could make a short list). The only problem was he kept saying "I am surprised they haven't sent me down yet." He had some terrible luck in Milwaukee (poor defense behind him, errors) and actually threw alright, but had terrible results. I believe he went overseas after that season, and hasn't re-appeared in the big leagues.

[brettac1]

Jimmy Osting. Wow.

 

That lineup reminds me that Ryan Thompson is due for some appreciatin', too. And good old Robert Machado. Man were the catchers awful, I remember the immortal Marcus Jensen and Jorge Fabregas behind the plate, too. How many guys had their careers die immediately after coming into contact with that 2002 team?

 

Do it for Izzy!

[phatmatt1215]

I'm laughing so hard at all these names you guys are bringing up... Man, we had some AWFUL players back in the day.

[Brily0204]

Forty-five different Brewers took the field in 2002. I would argue that any of those 45 aside from Sheets, Jenkins, Sexson, and perhaps Jose Hernandez would be a good candidate for an appreciation thread. My vote is for Jose Cabrera, who posted a 6.76 ERA and still managed to get into 50 games. Good times.

[Scooter1027]

Forty-five different Brewers took the field in 2002. I would argue that any of those 45 aside from Sheets, Jenkins, Sexson, and perhaps Jose Hernandez would be a good candidate for an appreciation thread. My vote is for Jose Cabrera, who posted a 6.76 ERA and still managed to get into 50 games. Good times.

 

Eric Young was a decent (stress "decent") ballplayer, and Loretta was solid. Bill Hall was on that team for awhile too. And there were a few good relievers with Vizcaino, King, a good year from DeJean. Otherwise, yeah, a lot of names that we'd all like to forget (or only remember in this context).

[Brewcrewin07]

Lineups:

 

R. Weeks-2B

C.Hart-RF

R.Braun-3B

P.Fielder-1B

B.Hall-CF

G.Jenkins-LF

D.Miller-C

JJ Hardy-SS

C. Vargas-P

 

 

C.Biggio-2B

M.Loretta-SS

L.Berkman-1B

C.Lee-LF

L.Scott-RF

T.Wigginton-3B

J.Lane-CF

B.Ausmus-C

W.Williams-P

[Brily0204]

I missed Hall--hard for me to count and read at the same time, I guess. I would have included DeJean, but the memory of his on-the-mound argument with Royster seems somehow emblematic of those years.

[TerraceReserved]

Vargas, please don't suck today. That would be really, really nice. Honestly, I'd be happy with 5 innings, and 4 or less runs.

[brewcrewnation]

There may be a delay in the start of the game today, Houston is honoring Craig Biggio on his 3000 hit.

[cruiserx43]

and Loretta was solid.

Yes he was, unfortunately the Lopes-Royster managerial dynasty saw fit to have him on the bench way too often.

 

 

[SlideBernieSlide]

Who was that crazy japanese reliever the Crew had in 2002? The guy was like 4 feet 8 and couldn't throw a strike for the his life.

[BrewCrewForever]

Here was the starting lineup on 22 August 2002, Mr. Alcantara's last game as a Brewer:

 

E Young 2B

A Sanchez CF

R Sexson 1B

J Hernandez SS

I Alcantara RF

R Thompson LF

R Belliard 3B

R Machado C

J Osting P

 

I, for one, will look back at that lineup the next time I feel like getting frustrated with this year's team.

Besides Richie, that is a very awful lineup.

[brettac1]

Takahito Nomura?

[phatmatt1215]

Takahito Nomura

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/players/6877/

[adambr2]

Honest question --

 

When there is a day game following a night game, opposing one lefty pitcher and one righty pitcher, why doesn't Ned just always start Miller against the lefty? Matchup-wise, wouldn't that make more sense? I don't get it.

[SlideBernieSlide]

Yeah thats him. Nomura.

[BrewCrewForever]

Who was that crazy japanese reliever the Crew had in 2002? The guy was like 4 feet 8 and couldn't throw a strike for the his life.

That would be the "great" Takahito Nomura.

[SlideBernieSlide]

Jervey Lopster, that is awesome. So were the 2002 Brewers. Okay not really, but they were comedic.

I think if your combine the Brewers 2001 2nd-half collapse (record after the sweep suit incident) with the whole 2002 season. I think the Brewers combined record over that period was like 30-200. Actually thats not even close, but it sure felt like it.

[yogallardo43]

I would like to be the first to nominate Tyler Houston for the next in game thread. It has gotta be him or Chris Magruder.