Thinking of Roger Repoz

It had to be difficult for the many New York Yankees’ prospects during or just prior to the team’s truly lean years (1965-1969), as some were touted to be great, “the next Mickey Mantle,” for example, and of course, there was just one Mickey Mantle.

One such player, Roger Repoz actually had a better career than perceived, playing 9 seasons in the big leagues with 3 different teams. Subsequently, he played baseball in Japan.

While as is the case with Bob Costas, I feel sabermetric statistics are talked about way too often and like Costas, knew about Bill James and this “measure,” long before he gained fame, I will note one sabermetric regarding Roger Repoz.

He is the only player in baseball history to have an OPS (slugging average added to on-base percentage) over .700, while having a batting average under .200, with at least 100 plate appearances.

On a day I saw Rachel Nichols say a Cavaliers win tomorrow night is “against perhaps the greatest odds imaginable,” when they are less than 2 to 1 underdogs, the thought of Repoz and better sports days, without the intrusion of Nichols and so many like her (I do not cite her because she is a woman, oh no, it is the incredible number of sportscasters,, be they a man, woman, green or robot,  who just do not get it, nor research it before opening their mouths) is truly refreshing.