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Wednesday, December 09, 2009

MASN: Wood: Remember George Lombard?

Swing High, Swing Low…scouts still loves Lombard!

At 34, George is ready to hang up the cleats. I ran into him this afternoon in the hotel while I was chatting with Manny Acta. He’s here looking for a coaching gig in someone’s system - or something else.

Having been in broadcasting for nearly 37 years, I think I have a pretty good handle on spotting raw talent. And believe me, it wouldn’t take a genius to figure out quickly that George Lombard has the kind of intangibles that could translate easily into television.

George is a good looking guy, has a good set of pipes, speaks in complete sentences without vocalized pauses (no infuriating “y’knows”), and understands the game without a doubt.

We’ve seen that you don’t have to be an All-Star to be an effective broadcaster. Joe Simpson, a .242 career hitter in the big leagues 1975-83, did the Mariners’ games for 5 years before joining the Braves’ broadcast crew in 1992. Heck, Jack Graney, the very first ex-player to broadcast baseball, was a .250 hitter over 14 seasons with the Indians.

George Lombard may leave Indianapolis on Thursday with a coaching job, and I wish him well in that pursuit. If not, maybe he should think about getting an agent, an 8 X 10 glossy, and trying “something else,”.

Repoz Posted: December 09, 2009 at 02:38 PM | 18 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: announcers, media, nationals, television

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1. Barnaby Jones Posted: December 09, 2009 at 03:11 PM (#3407780)

We’ve seen that you don’t have to be an All-Star to be an effective broadcaster.

No one would ever claim that. In fact, my gut reaction is that "All-Stars" tend to be much crappier announcers.

*stares menacingly at Tom Paciorek*

2. Elvis Posted: December 09, 2009 at 04:29 PM (#3407863)

Is Joe Simpson someone you want to point to in a good way? I realize he's held down a job forever but I find him infuriating. I don't expect the local broadcaster to know everything about the visiting teams, but you should at least know about the teams in your division, and his knowledge of the NL East seems limited.

I was at a minor league All-Star game in the mid-90s and the Braves contingent was raving about what a great guy Lombard was. Whenever the team had community outreach programs, he was the first one to volunteer and ask what he could do to help. I hope he lands a coaching job or TV gig this season.

3. Cuban X Senators Posted: December 09, 2009 at 04:31 PM (#3407865)

Ah Phil, after your long night, the dawn of so many new momentary Washington ballplayers to collect and catalog. Enjoy.

4. The cushions are crowded for Edmundo

Posted: December 09, 2009 at 04:38 PM (#3407873)

Remember him? Did he ever get freed?
2 late 90s "Free X" stars get posts in one day (see Jon Nunnally).

5. deputydrew Posted: December 09, 2009 at 04:55 PM (#3407893)

I remember clearly that someone (I thought a Braves exec) said something along the lines of "If he wasn't playing baseball, George Lombard could be President." A very quick and sloppy Google search didn't turn it up, however. So, maybe he'll consider that for his next career.

6. billyshears Posted: December 09, 2009 at 05:02 PM (#3407900)

George Lombard, always a prospect.

7. Elvis Posted: December 09, 2009 at 05:26 PM (#3407930)

#5 - that sounds like a Gammons note.

8. Kyle S at work Posted: December 09, 2009 at 05:28 PM (#3407931)

How smart could he be - he's a Lovett grad!

I kid, I kid. I was always sad that he didn't go on to have a great career. He was a tremendous high school football player as well if I remember right.

9. Enrico Pallazzo Posted: December 09, 2009 at 06:06 PM (#3407974)

Heck, Jack Graney, the very first ex-player to broadcast baseball, was a .250 hitter over 14 seasons with the Indians.

Funny he should mention Jack Graney as I spent several hours procrastinating last night and ended up reading his wikipedia page. First player ever to wear a number on his back, first batter to ever face Babe Ruth, and first ex-player to broadcast.

What was more intriguing to me, however, is that he was from my hometown in Ontario.

10. Rowland Office Supplies Posted: December 09, 2009 at 06:21 PM (#3408013)

I kid, I kid. I was always sad that he didn't go on to have a great career. He was a tremendous high school football player as well if I remember right.

Yeah...Lombard walked away from a University of Georgia football scholarship (where he was generating "the next great Bulldog tailback" kind of buzz) to sign with the Braves.

11. JoeHova Posted: December 09, 2009 at 06:26 PM (#3408030)

This is the guy that Peter Gammons was in love with because his dad was the President of Harvard or something, right? Or was that somebody else?

12. Best Dressed Chicken in Town Posted: December 09, 2009 at 06:50 PM (#3408084)

Who was the Australian mega-prospect SS that the Braves signed for 40 billion dollars when he was like 17?

13. CFBF Hates Hyphens Posted: December 09, 2009 at 07:42 PM (#3408192)

The Braves traded Lombard to the Tigers for Kris Keller in the middle of the 2002 season. It was a roster squeeze situation. That was my first real exposure to the way a fanbase can fetishize homegrown players. Lombard's star had already dimmed considerably by that point, but there was a strong contingent of fans on the Braves message board I frequented that was apoplectic at the deal. The idea of giving up George Lombard (and for Kris Keller!) absolutely appalled them. They just knew he was going to figure it all out.

14. base ball chick Posted: December 09, 2009 at 08:05 PM (#3408225)

good-looking?????

i don't THINK so - unless someone got a bettr pic then what is on google

15. Rowland Office Supplies Posted: December 09, 2009 at 08:09 PM (#3408238)

Who was the Australian mega-prospect SS that the Braves signed for 40 billion dollars when he was like 17?

That would be THE Glenn Williams. Last I heard (and it was a couple of years ago), he was still schlepping around in the minors. He also pulled a stint with Australia's Baseball World Cup team.

16. flournoy Posted: December 09, 2009 at 08:15 PM (#3408255)

BDC in T:

You're probably thinking of Glenn Williams, though I don't really remember him being a mega-prospect. You might also be thinking of New Zealandian second baseman Travis Wilson, who I remember being sort of well regarded. Obviously neither one amounted to anything.

EDIT: Rowland beat me to it. Maybe Williams was a mega-prospect and I just don't remember that.

17. Rowland Office Supplies Posted: December 09, 2009 at 08:23 PM (#3408267)

I don't remember Williams's prospect status as much as I do the whole "Aussie-Aussie-Aussie, Oy-Oy-Oy!" aspect of his signing. The Atlanta media acted like the Braves had just signed Crocodile Dundee. (And he did get a fair dinkum signing bonus: $925,000.)

18. Barnaby Jones Posted: December 09, 2009 at 08:40 PM (#3408304)

That would be THE Glenn Williams.

Proud owner of a career .902 OPS in the majors. Williams did manage to make the BA top 100 in both 1994 and 1995, and was in the Braves top 10 until 1996.

Travis Wilson never made any prospect lists because he was terrible. He only achieved notoriety because he hit .400+ in spring training one year, tempting the Braves to put him on the 25-man. Thankfully, they came to their senses. Fun fact, in his best, full minor league season he had more HBP than BB.

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Wednesday, December 09, 2009

MASN: Wood: Remember George Lombard?

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