FanPost

Favorite Non-Oriole

This was not as easy as it should have been seeing as who I eventually chose.

First, my brain went back to the 80's. Schmidt? Ryan? Strawberry? No. Of course not. Seeing as I didn't start following baseball until 1985-87ish and I was less than two handful of fingers old, there was no way I could really know these players.

Then to the 90's. Most of my favorites from the 90's were Orioles, obviously, but two names stuck out like a sore thumb: Thomas and Griffey Jr. I hated both of them. Not because of who they were, but because every bandwagon-er in Marley Middle School loved these two even if they had no idea who else was on their team, what stadium they played in. Almost everyone else in the late 90's is sullied from steriods.

The Orioles made the 00's a blackhole from which no notable names can escape.

So now, we are back in the present time. Honestly, I prefer players who don't answer with stupid robot answers, play as hard as they can, and above all see like they enjoy it. Hunter Pence, immediately came to mind (as did Bryce Harper to my own surprise), but then I realized that my wonderful wife has a crush on the man who is my favorite non-Oriole player:

Chris Archer.

Let's focus on a few reasons why he takes this title from the thousands of other ball players that played before him. (Listed in no particular order)

First: His stats. This guy is a fantastic pitcher. Granted, he has had some rough breaks this early in the season, but seeing how many mediocre teams Mussina had to struggle through, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt.

Second: his dedication to his craft. During an interview on Hot Stove, he made mention that he was working on his feet and toes this off season because of the transfer of weight/power at the end of the pitching delivery is just as important as throwing the ball. I've been following baseball for close to 30 years now and have NEVER heard such a thing. (Granted, I was never a pitcher either) If I am a ball player, I want all my teammates to be that rigorous in their training, none of this 25 lbs-overweight-into-camp-garbage.

Third: His broadcasting prowess. We will see this guy in the broadcast booth when his career is finally over. He can talk and he does it with a poise that I know I never had when I was 20 something and knew I had cameras on me.

Fourth: His character. Humility is not something you see much in sports or anywhere. During the aforementioned interview, when asked how he even thought up such training his first reply was "I surround myself with people who are smarter than I am". In the same vein, he has set up a charitable organization and received the Rays 2015 Roberto Clemente Award nomination.

I know he is a division rival and when he pitches against us, I hate his guts. However, if the Rays are on and Archer's pitching, I can't help but catch myself rooting for the guy to win.

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