Nettles was my favorite player when I was a kid, especially after Bobby Murcer was traded. His fielding skills are certainly Hall-worthy.

I'll never forget all the home runs he hit in April of 78. I think he broke the AL record and tied the ML. I assume it no longer stands. I think it was later that year that his bat cracked and a bunch of superballs fell out and bounced off the plate and around the batter's box. I saw him play live hundreds of times between 73 and the early 80s. Nettles, Munson, Roy White and Mickey Rivers impressed me more than any other non-pitching Yankees in that era. Piniella, too, as a hitter and just based on crazy hustle.

And that record was for 32 homers in 76. 32! Those were the days!

"The more we lose, the more Steinbrenner will fly in. And the more he flies, the better the chance there will be for a plane crash."—Graig Nettles