With everything that has been going on lately, this just slipped under my radar. Apparently, the Cubs, in all of their infield/outfield/injury position shuffling, called up Bobby Scales to play 2nd and 3rd bases at the beginning of May. I'm late to the party, but he was recently sent back to the minors, although there are grumblings that he may make his way back to the show, given his solid performance.
You will remember, of course, (by which I mean, you totally won't remember), that Bobby Scales was the beloved Michigan second baseman on the 1997 Big Ten Champion team and 1999 Big Ten Tournament Champion squad. He was the major stud on the teams alongside a pitcher by the name of J.J. Putz. If I can find my signed team poster from that year (I think it's still in Michigan) I'll post it up for all to see. This was in the era when you could head down to The Fish as a kid to catch a weekend doubleheader and every time a foul ball was hit you (and all the other kids) could run out of the stands, out of the stadium, into the parking lot to get (and keep) the foul ball.
My good friend Rob and I got so good at this, that one weekend we were getting every single ball before the freshman player designated to retrieve the balls got there. A stink was raised because we didn't want to give them back and they threatened not to let us back into the stadium. Thanks to some shrewd negotiating by Rob's dad, we cut a deal. In the middle of the first game, the team gave us two practice jerseys to wear and it became our job to get the foul balls. As a middle school kid, I can tell you that is was a pretty cool experience. The icing on the cake was that I was wearing the practice jersey of J.J. Putz and Rob had Bobby Scales.
Now, the 31-year old Scales finally got his shot. He stuck with it and was rewarded, taking advantage to the tune of 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, a .381 OBP and a .838 OPS during his 14 game stint.
With that I ask that somebody make a Bobby Scales baseball card. This is the type of guy who deserves one--he fought and fought in the minors for 10 years before getting his shot. It might be the only one he gets. Would it be too much to ask to throw him into Updates and Highlights? Maybe as part of Upper Deck's enormous base sets? If you don't do it, how will I ever add him to my nascent collection of rookie cards of U-M alumni?
Fingers Crossed.
