Hall of Scrubs

What was Rufino’s birth name? That is a common question when discussing this former scrub outfielder for the Braves and Angels.  Rufino was actually named Rufino De La Cruz Linares.  He shortened it to Rufino Linares when he signed with the Braves in 1973.

Rufino was not related to Omar Linares, the greatest third baseman never to play in the majors.  Omar, of course, is from Cuba while Rufino was from the Dominican Republic. 

Rufino got a chance to establish himself as a part-time outfielder in Atlanta in 1981 after spending many years in the minors.  He responded nicely by hitting .265 in 253 AB’s.  He followed that with a .298 average in 1982.  Surprisingly, he did not play in the majors in ‘83.  He returned in ‘84 and managed to play two more years before getting released by the Angels in 1985.

 Rufino was killed in a car accident in the Dominican Republic in 1998 at the age of 47.

You can view Rufino’s stats at www.baseball-reference.com:

Rufino’s stats

Let the great debate begin. Was John Shelby really a scrub? We say yes, and we say he was one of the best. Some people may claim he was a starting outfielder, a star performer. They point to his year in 1987 when he hit 21 homers and stole 16 bases. Guess what…. everybody hit 20 homers in 1987. Even Larry Sheets managed to do that.

John was a solid player, but he was no star. Other than his 1987 year, he averaged about 390 at bats with 9 homers and 10 steals. Not bad for a skinny kid from Kentucky.

The good news for Shelby fans is that his son, John Shelby, Jr., is a top prospect for the White Sox. He may emerge as the true star in that family.

John Shelby, Sr.’s career began in Baltimore as a platoon outfielder. He was a member of the championship team in 1983. In 1987, he was traded to L.A. where he established himself as a starter. He got a second ring in 1988 when Kirk Gibson led the Dodgers to World Series championship.

John struggled after 1988 and ended up as a reserve for the lowly Tigers in 1990 and 1991. He ended his career in Detroit after hitting .154 - well below the Mendoza line.

You can view John’s stats at www.baseball-reference.com:

John’s Stats