Exactly wrong. Did you ever see him in the locker room? Because I have acquaintances who did. It was also pretty documented/commented on in the media. (To repeat myself,) dude hit the weights even *harder* after landing the big contract and lost a lot his limberness/flexibility. He wasn't as fast, lost bat speed, and messed up his swing mechanics altogether. They even kept him in Houston after either '01 or '02 for a while and did flexibility exercises with him, very little weight training. Well, he is as suspect as anyone else in this era.
It looked like his gut was getting larger along with his biceps. His gut was practically hanging in the strikezone after his contract year.
My impression was that he was fat as well. But I had an acquaintance who had a press pass in 2000, 2001, and 2002 and was in the locker room several times. He said that Hidalgo was a freak of nature after 2000--he had hit the weights (and maybe the juice) WAY too hard. The guy said that there was no fat--just lots of tight, rock solid muscle. I really didn't have a leg to stand on to argue with the guy--I've never seen (and don't care to see) Richard Hidalgo in nothing but a towel.
Here are ensberg's 4 full season in the majors (inc this one) obp/slg 03 377/530 04 330/411 05 388/557 06 390/500 which one of these is not like the others? looks fairly consistent to me I don't get some of the hatred and gripping towards ensberg. It certainly is not rationally based on his production or playing. Sure he has struggled mightly the past month, but i doubt that is the cause of it because it's been occuring since he was brought up. In fact, in hindsight, William's strange hesitation to play ensberg in 03 probably cost the team the playoffs that year. Even taking into account as bad as he has the last month and a half, his season this year is still better than any full year Huff has ever put up. Furthermore, morgan is one of the better defensive 3rd base in the league, below one the rolen type elite of the league.
If they ever have the top 10 on ESPN of fluke season by baseball players Brady Anderson should be Number one...you can put Lima up there as well lol
Interesting that his only good season post-2000 came after he was shot in the stomach during the offseason...and couldn't work out much while recovering.
I hear Richard really liked BW3. Especially the Rice Village location. Typically around 5:00 on a Saturday afternoon.
Hidalgo = Beltre Played a few ok years, had 1 big year (contract year, no surprise), got the contract, then went back to normal, or even worse. Pugs
