The problem is that their neighbors often don't share that opinion. It seemed to quietly slip through the media's radar screen until yesterday, so I'm not surprised if it got missed, but I don't recall seeing any comments about Ken Hill 's renaissance with the Reds. He was signed to a minor-league contract and has been pitching first in extended spring and now in Louisville. I think you're selling Rusty Staub short as a fielder . I wouldn't say Staub was always a lousy fielder, because frankly I'm in no position to know.
Defensive data is of questionable value at best, and anecdotal information even less.
I would say that by the late '70s, you probably didn't want to have Le Grand Orange thundering around out there. That said, it seems strange that he stuck with the NL at the end, because he had some very productive years DHing for the Tigers, and he did the Rangers some good as late as 1980. It should be mentioned that Craig Grebeck has threatened retirement, and that the seriousness of that threat has been bandied about as the popular theory for why he is still on the roster . I had looked at Louisville Riverbats stats for several games, and it appeared that Wilton had played very well, at least on offense. Recently, he has disappeared from the Riverbats line-up.