Comments on: Most homers, first 2 career games

By: Mike Minetti

Mike Minetti — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:22:18 +0000

A joke - that's my high school graduation picture (1977). When they asked me to send in a pic, I thought that would be a good one. The one on cardplayer is from the 2006 WSOP. As you can see the hair is now long gone!

By: Andy

Andy — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:12:48 +0000

what's up with the photo here?

http://www.pokerpages.com/players/profiles/7195/mike-minetti.htm

By: Mike Minetti

Mike Minetti — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 23:46:47 +0000

Re: #7
Well, OK, I am the poker player. Wouldn't call myself famous by any stretch though. )

By: Raphy

Raphy — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:56:27 +0000

Regarding #9 Johnny - Estalella Jr.'s personality issues and hitting talent may be one in the same (see The Mitchell Report).

By: Raphy

Raphy — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:49:33 +0000

Manny grew up in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan.

By: Andy

Andy — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 20:50:54 +0000

I know Manny was born in the Dominican Republic, but didn't he spend some time growing up in the Bronx? I thought that was also a reason why he got a lot of attention in those first few games of his career.

By: Johnny Twisto

Johnny Twisto — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 19:33:39 +0000

I was at that Manny Ramirez game. Besides the two HR over the LF wall, he also banged a double off the LF fence. And a large contingent of supporters in the upper deck waved Dominican flags and cheered loudly for each at bat.

I think Bill James wrote some about how Bobby Estalella's father got screwed out of a career because he was light enough to get chances in the majors, but too dark for teams to feel comfortable keeping him around for an extended time. And despite obvious hitting talent, Estalella Jr. also seemed to get jerked around -- that may have been due to personality issues.

By: Andy

Andy — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:54:43 +0000

Well I checked and I see that he hasn't played in the majors since 2004. Sometimes I confuse him with Johnny Estrada, as they were both Latino catchers who started out with the Phillies. Estrada is still around, but Estallela probably is not, although from here you can see that he went to spring training with the Mets in 2006.

By: Andy

Andy — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:50:29 +0000

For one, there is a professional poker player with that name.

Raphy--Estalella is still active I think, so he might still get more homers.

By: Mike Minetti

Mike Minetti — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 14:24:27 +0000

Re: #4
No Andy, I am not famous, but that is my real name. I didn't know there was a famous guy with the same name - what is he known for?