Sunnyday 2/Marc has mentioned him a few times. Is there a case for him when adding in his MLEs?

Not to change the subject too soon, I mean, yes, I mentioned Ike Boone as the real Buzz Arlett, so I am anxious to see who Ike Boone turns out to be.

But.

The other guy I am really curious about, though not eligible for a long while yet, I guess, is...

Hector Espino.

Bobby Estalella comes eligible next year, didn't he have a good minor league/negro leauge career? I know that Bill James talks about him in the NBJHBA.

And I too hate changing the conversation. ;-)

June 30, 1930: Brooklyn, in need of an OF, buys Ike Boone from the San Francisco Missions (PCL) where he was hitting .448 through 83 games. In 1929 Boone compiled an all-time record of 553 total bases while hitting 55 homers and batting .407. Boone wasn't even Brooklyn's first choice; the Robins preferred another PCL batting star, Buzz Arlett, who had his eye injured in a postgame fight with umpire Chet Chadbourne, who slugged the Oakland OF with his mask.

Do I read this right? 1929 for SF? The 1928 SF team had the best OF in minor league history (Averill/Jolley/RJohnson) and they pick up a guy like Ike Boone the next year?

Do I read this right?

Actually, you do not read this right.

Averill, Jolley, et. al. played from the San Francisco Seals, who obviously won the PCL pennant in 1928. In 1929, Ike Boone joined a different team -- officially called the Mission Bells, known also as the Mission Reds, but called most often just the "Missions". Since the Mission is a neighborhood in San Francisco, San Francisco Missions would also be appropriate.

The Missions were therefore a completely different team, managed in this era by Red Killefer.

The Missions finished fourth in 1928, but in 1929, with the addition of Ike Boone, they pushed the Seals down the second. In 1930, they dropped down to 7th out of 8.

OK... thanks for clearing that up.