Top 100 Angels: Bobby GRICH #6

by Rev Halofan on Mar 29, 2009 11:42 PM PDT in 100 Top Angels Comment 12 comments

#6 - BOBBY GRICH - 2B (1977 - 1986)

Bobby dropped from #4 to #6 on our 2005 Top 100 Angels feature but the words from that compilation all still apply...

The fact of Grich's greatness is best illustrated to me by what happened in his aftermath - Wilfong, McLemore, Johnny Ray for 3 years, Luis Sojo for 2, Lovullo, Reynolds, Easley, Velarde, Alicea, Baughman, and then, in 2000, 14 seasons later, Adam Kennedy.

Some Angel fans had plenty to say about the bat and glove of Bobby...

The Chronicler:
Here's Bobby Grich for you: in 4100 career at-bats with the Angels, he posted an OPS+ of 124. Troy Glaus' career OPS+ with the Angels was 119, and Tim Salmon's is 129. So Grich was, as a hitter, somewhere between Troy Glaus and Tim Salmon, only without the strikeouts. And he played defense like Adam Kennedy Plus. Bobby Grich was a Gold Glove second baseman who hit like a DH, and was a huge part of the Angels' first three Division Championship teams.
Read more of The Chronicler at his Chronicles of the Lads blog.

Rich Lederer:
Grich was the first inductee in the Angels HOF, and one of the greatest defensive 2B of all time. He combined fielding and hitting prowess as an Angel for 10 seasons.
Read more of Rich Lederer at his Peter Gammons-endorsed Baseball Analysts site.

Brent Carter:
Grich can claim some of the most dramatic hits in Halos history, especially the 9th Inning Home Run off Ron Guidry of the Yankees just prior to the All-Star break in `79, which finished off a weekend sweep of the two-time defending champions, in what was, for my money the greatest regular season series in Angels history. Any arguments? He also hit that big three-run homer against Boston in `86 in the infamous "Donnie Moore" game. There are just too many great memories of Grich to list them all. Players like Grich make being a fan a rewarding experience.
You can hear Brent call in to Angels Talk throughout the season, and he really let's them have it when he does.

Career Stats

If you are of the generation who became an Angels fan when Bobby was an Angel, Grich is synonymous with Second Base, and he is our #6 Angel of all time.

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"Career Stats

If you are of the generation who became an Angels fan when Bobby was an Angel, Grich is synonymous with Second Base, and he is our #4 Angel of all time."

No he isn’t.

I brought sexy back, but they only gave me store credit....

by PhiSlamma on Mar 30, 2009 12:01 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

whoops

cut and pasted too quick. Actually Grich was JERSEY #4 so that is cool

by Rev Halofan on Mar 30, 2009 12:41 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Second base

Grich was great and he was the best of the free-agent signings by the Cowboy that fateful winter, but 2B for me still begins with Bobby Knoop. His bat couldn’t honestly sit alongside Grich’s, but Knoop was his defensive equal, and he played for that sadsack team of the 60s with Fregosi, still turning a beautiful double play, even if the team was down by 5 in the 8th.

If Kendrick can keep his body from breaking down and continue to improve his defensive ability (thank you, Alfredo Griffin!), he’ll soon join what is (for me) the exclusive club of memorable Angel 2B: Knoop, Grich and Kennedy.

by George Kaplan on Mar 30, 2009 6:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs