#260 Ralph Garr

 The Road Runner….Fast that fact helped Ralph’s cause….used bunts, choppers, line drives to hit extremely well out of upon full time employment with a .342 clip in 1971….not edible for ROY for he had garnered too much time in multiple call ups over three years earlier…arguably a better replacement for Rico Carty, who was out for the year….Hits just kept on coming in 72, 73, and 74…the last year won the NL batting title…..had one of the best hit total of all time for his fourth full year beaten only by Ty Cobb….cooled off a bit to a still respectable  .278 in 1975 as defenses adjusted….took his speed to the White Sox for 1976…bad team but good performance as Ralph rebounded to .300… repeated his .300 clip as Sox improved by 26 games in 1977…continued in Chicago as his imported teammates departed….hit at step lower .270’s for 1978 and most of 79…sold to Angels late 1979 but was inconsequential…poor 1980 resulted in release mid 1980. …if only the hits could have continued.