Andy Etchebarren passed away

[Redskins Rick]

5 hours ago, ShaneDawg85 said:

Any thoughts on why he still has never made it into the team Hall of Fame?  I can only conclude it stemmed from issues with ownership, because a 12 year playing career plus several years later of service in the minor leagues would justify induction to me.

Of the starting 8 non pitchers of the 1970 WS, Andy is the only one, not in the Oriole HOF.

Quote

John Wesley “Boog” Powell, a first baseman who played with the Orioles from 1961 through 1974, said Etchebrarren was “a gamer” who “understood the game as well as anybody” and would put his body on the line for the team. He said that, during one game a foul tip hit Etchebrarren’s hand during a play and, when it was over, the catcher tried to play it off as if nothing was wrong.“I went over and I said ‘Andy, are you alright?’” Powell said. “There (was) a bone sticking out through the right side of his hand.”He said that, despite there being a visible bone protruding out of the catcher’s skin, Etchebrarren assured him everything was fine and proceeded to push the bone back into place.Powell said he had to call the medical staff himself to get them to look at the catcher.

 

[Frobby]

18 hours ago, Redskins Rick said:

Of the starting 8 non pitchers of the 1970 WS, Andy is the only one, not in the Oriole HOF.

But much of that is on the merits.

Powell - 39.0 rWAR

Johnson - 27.6

B. Robinson - 78.4

Belanger - 40.9

Buford - 36.3

Blair 37.8

F. Robinson 107.3

Etchebarren, by comparison, is at 10.8, barely 1/3 of the second-worst total, Davey Johnson’s 27.6. He wasn’t as good as the others on that team.

His best argument is that Elrod Hendricks (7.5 rWAR) is in, and that while Ellie had a very long coaching career for the Orioles, Etch also had a good bit of service as an Orioles coach.

 

[Redskins Rick]

23 minutes ago, Frobby said:

But much of that is on the merits.

Powell - 39.0 rWAR

Johnson - 27.6

B. Robinson - 78.4

Belanger - 40.9

Buford - 36.3

Blair 37.8

F. Robinson 107.3

Etchebarren, by comparison, is at 10.8, barely 1/3 of the second-worst total, Davey Johnson’s 27.6. He wasn’t as good as the others on that team.

His best argument is that Elrod Hendricks (7.5 rWAR) is in, and that while Ellie had a very long coaching career for the Orioles, Etch also had a good bit of service as an Orioles coach.

 

Good Post.

[NCRaven]

I suspect that it was considered many times and that Etch may have declined.  I don't know of any reason that the Orioles Advocates would not honor Etch, but he was very disappointed (mild term) over his firing in '07.  Etch was my manager at fantasy camp in '96.  Was one of the best times of my life - at least as far as sports are concerned - and Etch was a big part of that.  He, Mike Cuellar, and Brooks made it a great time for everyone on our team.  One of the good guys in the sport.

[Frobby]

Long part in this article about Etchebarren: https://tht.fangraphs.com/three-for-the-memories/

[Tony-OH]

Etch was one of the managers in the Orioles system when I started to go to games and really started to scout guys in the system. He was an intimidating guy to deal with as "press", no doubt, but the more I got to know him and him me, he started to open up on how he felt about players to me.

I'll always remember the time when he was managing at Bowie and he had a catcher named Jayson Werth (You might know him, haha). Werth used to piss Etch off all the time because he wouldn't listen to coaching. He would tell me that Werth had to stop hitting off his front foot because he would never tap into his natural power, but that Werth refused to listen.

He also told me flat out that Werth would never being a major league catcher (this is back before anyone had reported or suggested he needed to move). Werth of course was traded by Syd Thrift for minor league league run of the mill lefty John Bale (one of the dumbest trades Thrift ever made and that's saying something) after that season with Etch. Sure enough though, as Etch knew, Werth wasn't a catcher (he was converted by the Blue Jays to outfield) and someone finally convinced him to stop hitting off that front foot and he ended up a good power hitter in the major leagues for a long time.

I always appreciated the time Etch took with me back when I was starting out. He was a good man, and hell of a player and baseball man.