I looked it up and he got the nickname back in 2012. I, too also like it. How did he get the nickname "Uncle Mike"?
He did trust Hartman to go longer than Javier last night. Scrubb got the call immediately after being called up. Paredes got thrust into high leverage immediately after coming back from corpus. I expect the same thing will happen when James/Pruitt/Baez/whoever comes back. Hinch did like to try to get guys in soon after call ups so they wouldn’t have to think too much about it. Seems like they’ve taken that strategy and made it somewhat mandatory. And I guess Pressly needs work.
Pretty sure it was Kemp or Springer during his first ST here. eta: and here ya go: “I don’t know if he’s annoyed with me yet, but I’ve just been picking his brain, asking him a lot of questions on the plane and on the bus and especially when we shag in the outfield,” Tony Kemp said of Brantley. “He’s been great. From a standpoint of getting better and a standpoint of your mental toughness in this game, he’s one of the best.” “He’s got a good grasp on what he’s doing and how to address it with people. He’s a pro’s pro,” Jake Marisnick said. “He’s so good at just maintaining himself. This game’s about staying on an even keel. That’s what he does in the box, off the field and in the clubhouse.” His calmness is an attribute teammates cite frequently when discussing Brantley. For much of his career, Brantley has been associated with the nickname “Dr. Smooth,” given to him years ago by a Cleveland sports writer. But in spring training, as Brantley got to know his new teammates, Springer had another idea. During their six-week stay in West Palm Beach, Fla., “Dr. Smooth” became “Uncle Mike.” “He watches over everybody,” Springer explained, “like your uncle.” Full article here, free to read with a google/facebook signup: https://theathletic.com/930457/2019...ue-to-the-astros-extends-well-beyond-his-bat/
I can't quite remember the guy that posted it, or I'd track him down. We need more of this. eta: Bingo, J.R. Who was in charge of posting that one?
