the hit man cometh, goeth, and signeth

there is some harmonic convergence going on in the next few weeks between this site and my other one, oh my o-pee-chee!  of course, it's because i am making it be that way.  yesterday i featured steve garvey on both sites, and today, it's mike easler's turn.  you may know him by his nickname 'hit man'.

a few years ago, when joe torre took over as the dodgers' skipper, he wanted to bring don mattingly with him to be the hitting coach.  mattingly accepted the job, but had some personal issues to tend to in indiana or wherever.  so, mike easler was tapped to fill in.  in doing so, he got to be included in the 2008 topps dodgers premium team set, that 55 card extravaganza from which i may someday showcase each card.

he had previously served as hitting coach for the brewers, red sox, and cardinals before the dodgers hired him to be a minor league coach for the 2006 season.  he is currently the hitting coach for the buffalo bisons, which is where i sent a copy of his 1978 topps rookie card for him to sign

by the time that card was issued, easler had played in parts of 5 seasons for the astros, angels and pirates.  to further confuse things, he didn't make it out of the minors at all during the 1978 campaign.  he did get to the big club in 1979 and was a member of the pirates' 'family' that won the 1979 world series.  he stayed with pittsburgh until they traded him to the red sox for john tudor in december of 1983, creating the need for the variation card which is celebrated today at oh my o-pee-chee!

there is another mike easler card i think is worth celebrating - his 1982 fleer card

it features the hit man in the visitor's dugout at dodger stadium with a lurking luis tiant (and a dude in streetclothes) in the background.  26 years later, easler was sitting in the other dugout.

voici a vous, hit man! thanks for signing my card!