Before we go any further about our brilliant 1990 season….I need to take a timeout to point something out here. Yeah, it was our first season…yeah, we played all of the games on the road….I can (and will, by the way) go on and on about what that Team did. But once again, “The Numbers Just Don’t Lie.” And when you take a close enough look at the numbers it all starts to paint a very clear picture…that we had the BEST outfield in the 20th District that year.
Damon “Spongy” Martin in left. “C’mon Vic” Ramirez in Center. And “THE WEAPON” in right……is there anything else to say besides those three names?
Personally, I don’t think anything else needs to be said….but let me keep selling if you insist!
These three guys combined for 67 hits that season, 26 by Martin. They stole 37 bases for us, 19 by Ramirez. Let me put it to you this way…our 1991 TEAM stole only 20 bases (and still managed to go 13-9). Martin led the DISTRICT…that’s right….THE DISTRICT in Doubles with 10. Vic was second in the District with his 19 stolen bases. Weapon led our Team in RBI with 16. Add in the fact that these guys all had killer arms and played pretty much flawless defense, and could all pitch an inning or two here and there and not hurt you and…well, maybe you can see the picture that is emerging.
Martin hit .407. Ramirez hit .390. Although Weapon hit only .281 for us…he hit a HARD .281…..leading the Team in RBI. Weapon was clutch. Weapon was a presence on the field as well. I would get so many people who would ask me “What’s the deal with #22 (Weapon) out there glove-flickin’ when he makes a play on a routine fly-ball?” I’d just say…”Have you ever seen him drop one?”
Nothing looked cooler than a routine fly going Weap’s direction. Balanced, behind the ball, both hands down around waist-high with palms down and parallel to the ground like a cat ready to pounce. Then as the ball came down towards him, he’d get that left hand up just above his head and FLICK DOWN ON IT as he made the catch. I remember a couple of times telling him to intentionally sand-bag it from right field during pre-game to actually ENCOURAGE the opposition to try and take an extra base on him……just so he could gun them down in the game!
People would ask me “Why do you let him glove-flick like that?”
I would just smile and say…”We actually ENCOURAGE him to do that!”
You’ve seen the “pop-up slide” haven’t you? Sure, we all have. Well, sliding conventionally (feet first) was just not in The Weapon’s arsenal. It was always full-tilt with Weapon. Head first all the way…every time. He even was the first guy I ever saw who did a “pop-up slide”….HEAD FIRST. Most guys when they go in head-first stay down for a while after the slide…….With Weap? Hell no!…he just popped right out of it! If you blinked your eyes you just might miss it.
If this team had been a pro club where the players were getting paid…we would have PAID Weapon to do exactly what he did for us. Weap was always looking to hurt the opposition. The deep SHOT blasted over everyone’s head…the diving catch…gunning down runners from right…some kind of play where the other team just kind of says…”fuck…did you see what that guy just did?” There’s only one word to describe Weapon’s style of play…ELECTRIFYING.
“Spongy” Martin…who was given this nickname because the guys thought his hair kind of looked like a sponge was just as fun to watch. The place-kicker for the High School football team. I can guarantee you he didn’t hit .407 for his High School team that season…but he did for us. Wide stance at the plate, kind of crouched over, short, abrupt swing….high stirrup socks…he just had that old-school ballplayer look that said SCRAPPY. And everytime I turned around…there he was again standing on second base after another double. And this guy was CLUTCH. Nothing fazed this kid. I never saw him once get rattled……
Everybody loved Spongy, players and coaches…….he was a great acquisition for our Ballclub. He was second on the team in hits that season with 26. Led the District in Doubles with 10. Second on the Team in runs scored with 16. Was seventh in The Distict with 11 stolen bases….yeah, he could run, too. His slugging percentage led our Team at .609 and he only struck out five times the entire season. Add in some brilliant defense for us…a few runners he gunned down from left….. and maybe this picture I’ve been trying to paint from the beginning of this story is starting to make sense….but I’m STILL not done!! Please….allow me to keep selling!
And finally….Vic Ramirez. I would love to just stop right there. Just the name should be enough for those of you who knew him. But I can’t stop here….I’m trying to build a case here, you know?
Ramirez had just finished a great season at Glendale College. And somehow he ended up playing for us! He could hit, run, throw, hit for power, hit for average, and was a LEFTY!!! He was second in The District in Stolen Bases with 19 (still a Verdugo record). Second in The District in Triples with three. He led our Team in On-Base Percentage at .549….Runs with 18…..Times Reached Base with 45……and Runs with 18. He was second on The Team in RBI with 15. He was a human highlight film.
You know…two-thirds of the earth is covered by water, the other third is covered by Vic Ramirez. That’s how much ground he covered in the outfield for us. Having Weap and Spongy out there probably made it a little easier on Vic….but let me tell you something….this guy could fucking motor!!!
Vic was a quiet leader for us. It is only fitting that he drove in the tying run…and SCORED the winning run in our first victory against Burbank. But that was just the tip of the iceberg. He was instrumental in showing our younger guys the ropes……ask some of our Rookies we had that year like Robb Turner what is was like to watch Vic Ramirez play the game of Baseball. Let me tell you…it was something special to see……….
Vic was also one of two guys we had who made the All-Star Team that year.
Yeah…..The Numbers Don’t Lie…..and I’m going to say this right here and now….Verdugo Hills Post 288 had THE BEST 1-2-3 punch in the outfield of any team in the 20th District in 1990. Bar NONE!!! These guys were Total Warriors!! They had the numbers…they hit for power…they hit for average…they electrified….they hustled…they scraped up their bodies…they took extra bases…they stole bases….they were CLUTCH….they crashed into fences….they stole games from and broke the hearts of the opposition……they gunned baserunners down from the outfield….they got their uniforms dirty……they did WHATEVER IT TOOK……..VERDUGO-STYLE!!!
And you know what? That’s pretty much what the WHOLE TEAM did that year!!!!!!!!!! So go ahead…line up every starting outfield in the 20th District in 1990….go ahead. And, soon enough – you’ll see the exact picture I’ve been painting from the beginning of this Post. And we all know how “The Numbers Just Don’t Lie”……….
When you’re painting a picture like the one I’m painting here…there are only three colors you can use – Martin, Ramirez and Anderson!
Yes-sir-ree………….our 1990 Outfield……….THE BEST in the 20th District that Season. BAR NONE………..
verdugo288 