New York Yankees: Alex Rodriguez Retires Short of Milestone
By Ron Juckett
RUSTY STAUB
In reality, Rusty Staub would never be a Hall of Fame player. If we honored players for being very good, however, he would be near the top of the list.
A folk hero on both sides of the border—he was an original member of the Montreal Expos—Staub was the catalyst of the New York Mets improbable 1973 National League pennant run. Owning a power bat that swatted doubles and homers, he was a feared hitter for nearly three decades. Staub led the NL in doubles with the Houston Astros with 44 in 1967.
By the mid-1970s, and in his 30s, he settled in as a designated hitter with the Detroit Tigers. Not one to own a magic glove in right field, he often hit 20+ homers and drove in 100 RBI as Detroit’s extra hitter. A near trade-deadline deal sent him back to the Expos and the NL in 1979. They fell short of a division crown and he eventually would sign with the Mets as a pinch hitter before the 1981 season.
Turning into a good pinch hitter and role player for New York, Staub stayed five years. When he retired, he had 499 career doubles. Good enough now for 62nd all-time, but by not remaining in the American League, he never gave himself a chance at 500 and an outside shot at Cooperstown.
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