Billy Ballgame
Name: William Richard Mueller
Called: “Billy Ballgame” by his teammates, “The Professional” by Red Sox fan board members, “Yankee Kueller” by me
Born: March 17, 1971
Hometown: Maryland Heights, MO
High School: DeSmet High School
College: Southwest Missouri State
Major League Debut: April 18, 1996
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 180 lbs
Position: 3B
Bats: Switch
Throws: Right
Salary: $2.1M
Memorable Moments: Where to begin? We know them all by rote, but I’d be remiss not to relive some of them again.
July 29, 2003: 9 RBI game. He hit three home runs, including two grand slams, the first player to ever hit a GS from both sides of the plate in a single game.
July 24, 2004: Game-winning home run against Mariano Rivera in the 9th inning.
October 17, 2004: Single up the middle. Tie game. Against Rivera. Wow.
Why this guy doesn’t get more attention is beyond me. Some people just fly under the radar, I suppose. I’ve heard people chanting Pokey Reese, Gabe Kapler, even Freddie Sanchez’s name, but never Mueller’s. He probably prefers it that way, too.
There’s a nice article on him in the Boston Globe today. His goal is to start more games this season than he has in any other. He is the anti-Alex Rodriguez. He is humble. He does not act as if you should be honored to watch him, he is honored that you come to see him play. He is what fans hope players are like in real life. Sometimes, they do make them like they used to.
Comments
Bill Mueller is the man! I remember watching that 9 RBI game and screaming out "HE DID NOT JUST DO THAT!!! HE DID NOT JUST FUCKING DO THAT!!!" as he hit his second grand slam....I was stunned
Anyways...Bill Mueller saved our season not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES!!! THREE!! In 04 I means...
July 8th: Mueller hits a walkoff double, including Damon's mad dash from first to home. However, it's overshadowed by Damon's mad dash and just getting in under the tag. We lose this game--I dunno where the team would be..
July 24th: Walkoff HR off of Mariano Rivera. Overshadowed by the brawl, most of all, but it's up on it's own goodness. They lost this game--dead!
October 17th: single off of Rivera to bring home Dave Roberts. Everybody focuses on The Steal, but Mueller was a lot bigger when you think of it. And also an VERY overlooked but HUGE play from that game was that failed bunt attempt. It moved the fielders around which allowed the single to trickle into CF. Would've been a double play if not for the bunt attempt. Probably the biggest play of the entire year
Mueller's not a very flashy guy...and I like him for that. He's humble and a total team guy. My Giants buddies told me when we first got him that we signed a helluva player. Now I know they're right.
Besides, fellow Pisceans have to stick together(Billy's a Pisces too) :D Don't worry empy, I'm not moving in on your guy...I'm just fine with Bronson :)
PTH ∙ 27 February 2005 ∙ 9:25 PM
I'll never forget the interview he gave after the two grand slam game. Possibly the record for humbleness-itude-age. Wish he'd take credit over Jesus, but that's just me. Also, my friend was at the bar that night, and I was watching at home, must've been on ESPN (if not, I was listening on radio), and the bar has the game on dish, which is like 5 seconds behind cable. So I'm talkin' to him about Bill's first slam, and then I start saying, "Grand Slam, again!!" and he's like "What?" and then a few seconds later he sees the second slam.
jere ∙ 27 February 2005 ∙ 10:59 PM
dont be offended by this but as apoint of clairification, He his 1 GS frome EACH side of the plate, not 2GSfrom both sides....:)...
A bit of symantics, however the way it is worded he hit 4 GS which would have given him 17 rbi's in 1 game......Quite a feat I would say....
BTW, nice to see some love for PRO....A good ballplayer and a GREAT guy...
Mike
beat ∙ 28 February 2005 ∙ 11:01 PM
Thanks for catching that error, Mike. I would hate to incorrectly chronicle the feats of the Professional.
I think I was similarly confused watching the game, Jere. For a second, I thought it was a replay. When I go to the Hall of Fame, I'm making a point to see his bat.
I've always found astrology a little fishy, but if Piney and Mueller are both Pisces, it's a good thing.
Empyreal ∙ 28 February 2005 ∙ 11:27 PM
I know I know, I'm blog-mining (is that a real phrase?,) but I felt obliged to comment.
A tearful confession:
July 28, 2003: While examining my fantasy baseball team, I am greatly concerned with my production at 2B. To help give myself some roster flexibility, I decide it is in my team's best interests to drop The Professional for Placido Polanco, who at the time had been producing at a similar level, and was eligible at both 2B and 3B. Imagine the ashen look of horror I wore while watching the Texas game in it's entirity the very next day. Two days later, Polanco went on the DL without ever making a start for me. I finished a close 2nd in the league that year, and can easily point to that transaction as costing me the pennant. It is a shame I've had to live with, and has haunted me in every transaction I have made since.
I only hope that Bill Mueller can ever forgive me.
--NU50
NU50 ∙ 2 April 2005 ∙ 8:17 AM