Domingo Santana
Posted by Steve L. on August 16th, 2011 · Comments (7)
“Domingo Santana” rolls off the tongue like “Inigo Montoya.”
Astros just got him from the Phillies. He’s just 18-years old. So, no one knows if his bat will ever let him move up. But, boy, can he throw. I loved watching him let loose from right field.
That always gets me – someone with a cannon out in right.
Yankees have had a few in my time: Winnie, Barfield, Mondesi, Gerald Williams. And, out of those, I would say that Barfield was the biggest “shut down” arm they had out there. He had a true weapon.
It’s a gift. And, only a few get it.
Yes, I remember a throw he made to nail a runner @ 3b (was it Puckett?) in the Metrodome. Great arm, and accurate too.
A shame he hurt his wrist while with the Jays, he was never the same after that, or at least it seemed that way to me.
Raf wrote:
I remember that well too – from the warning track in RCF, on the fly, thigh high perfect strike. I think this was the game, bottom 2nd – turns out he gunned down a future Yankee:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN199106110.shtml
I remember when Montreal had Ellis Valentine, Warren Cromartie, and Andre Dawson in the outfield, in the late ’70′s-early ’80′s. Pundits were saying that they had the greatest collection of outfield arms, ever. When you think of all the great players that played for the Expos it’s a shame they never won anything…
I’ve always appreciated power arms as well and these comments bring back memories of the Red Sox of the late 70′s when Evans, Burleson, Lynn and Fisk would show off their exceptional arms when playing catch before games in front of the Red Sox dugout. They would start about 40 feet apart and gradulally move to a distance of about 120, all the while throwing bb’s to each other. When properly warmed up, their throws looked like guided missels and you could actually hear the balls whistling as they passed by. Plus, they would catch balls in a way that would create a loud pop that would echo throughout a stadium. It was impressive to watch!
Evans had a cannon. Him and Dave Parker threw peas back in the day.
lordbyron wrote:
It’s amazing to watch MLB’ers long toss. They’ll throw 300′ on a line, effortlessly.
Steve L. wrote:
I seem to recall reading a story that Parker, Winfield, Ellis Valentine and Reggie Smith got together after BP at the workout day at the 1977 All Star Game at the Stadium and stood on the RF warning track trying to aim their throws on the fly into an empty garbage can on the top step of the NL dugout on the 3rd base side.
Forget HR Derby – that’s something you’d pay to see.