Coral Gables, Fla. (VIP-WIRE). “My admired Mike Hessman…: Mickey Mantle writes to you.
They say I’ve been the most powerful hitter, both left and right. But that’s not the topic today, but your impressive record, I think unbeatable, of 433 home runs in the minors. I say that it will not be surpassed, because today nobody stays 19 years in the minors, as was the case with you. That is to say, now, either they raise you, or they let you free.
The inexplicable thing is that you didn’t stay in the Major Leagues, even though you did appear in 109 games up here with the Braves, Tigers and Mets, and hit 14 homers. See if your record is sensational, that the previous one, the one you surpassed, was 432, only one less, and it had been imposed by Buzz Arlett, who wandered through the minors for 17 years, since 1931, when he had already turned 32.
Arlett didn’t stay in the Majors either, he was only with the Phillies in 1931 and with very good numbers, average of 313, 18 home runs, 72 RBIs. With that performance and yours, any one of yours earns 300 million a year today. How people change!
Arlett and you were paid just $300 for the season, $50 a month. In this case it is not even possible to say that “something is something”, because that was nothing. And I know, my dear Mike, that there is nothing more difficult in any sport than hitting. Now, hitting with power and often, as was the case with you, is something special.
Imagine, after 152 years of Major League Baseball, only three have reached 700 home runs: Barry Bonds 762, Hank Aaron 755 and Babe Ruth 714. Considering the story that Bonds might not have hit that number without the help of steroids .
How to understand that a hitter with such natural movements at bat, with such strength in his muscles, like Willie Mays, could not enter that group of 700? He only shot 660. Of course, my respects to Alex Rodriguez, who finished his career with 696, and to Albert Pujols, who still struts around swinging balls over the fences.
As for me, with all the history of the power of both sides of the plate, I could only hit 536 home runs. Bonds beat me by more than 200. Well, you’re the Barry Bonds of the minor leagues, with your 433 home runs. You can and should be proud, because surely that job in your hands now, as hitting coach for the Tigers in Detroit, is the product of your home run merits.
I wish you all the best, Mike… Mickey.
Thanks to life that has given me so much, even a reader like you.
#Letters #champion #HRS #minors