Since Caminiti left us in 1998, who has been our best third baseman? Let's review our options:
Phil Nevin - Carried the team on his back (along with Ryan Klesko) for about three years as a third baseman. Let's not forget that as we talk crap about him and Klesko. All the crap we've been talking has been a carefully planned media campaign put on by the Padres in an effort to get us to dislike them enough to facilitate them getting the boot out of San Diego. Keep in mind that it's management's fault that they got such ridiculous contracts. If it weren't for Phil Nevin and Ryan Klesko, then those three or four years after 1998 would have been extremely depressing.
"Oh look. Here's another old guy the Padres brought in to try to reach a career milestone. Oh what? We're 16 games out of first? At least these old guys are getting milestones. Cause that's what's gonna get me to buy a hot dog. F_ckin' milestones and shit."
Sean Burroughs - For whatever reason, the Padres moved the two guys who had produced anything at all and forced them into new positions so that the Miracle That Is Burroughs could play third base and make funny faces, while getting in Khalil Greene's way and not hitting worth a damn. You want singles? Sean Burroughs your guy as long as you don't mind them coming at a click of one a game with no walks. But they tell me his defense is great and he's deceptively speedy. I say he's fat.
Vinny - Ummm... yeah.
So... In conclusion... Phil Nevin was our best third baseman and somehow the Padres decided to eff it all up. I grant you that Phil's production really tailed off and he started whining about not being able to hit at Petco even though it's the greatest home run park in the league. But a big part of me suspects that it's the way that he was treated that turned him so surly and started his downward spiral. The post '98 Padres third baseman saga has been a story of tragedy and comedy, and Nevin is its unlikely hero.
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