A model of this tale was to begin with created upon Feb. 19, 2022. Consider Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente inside the identical outfield for the Giants. Already visualize oneself're the 1954 Dodgers thinking Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente in just the exact same outfield for the Giants. The Dodgers-Giants contention is well known for its extensive and abundant lore, nonetheless a small-acknowledged chapter inside of that tale presents us one particular of the even more attention-grabbing "what if" situations inside of baseball historical past. Clemente is known as 1 of the major directly fielders of all period, a Corridor of Famer who experienced precisely 3,000 hits and racked up 12 Gold Glove Awards just before his tragic dying within just an aircraft incident upon Dec. 31, 1972. His Largest League achievements arrived in just a Pirates uniform, however it wasn't with that business enterprise that his experienced baseball trip started off. Within early 1954, once watching Clemente participate in in just the Puerto Rican Wintertime League, numerous Largest League groups have been displaying awareness, such as the Braves, Pink Sox, Cardinals and Giants. With the rival Giants naturally adhering to Clemente, the Dodgers outbid them with an present of $10,000 as a signing reward and a $5,000 to start with-calendar year income. The Braves reportedly provided a great deal much more, yet Clemente sought after in the direction of engage in inside of Contemporary York mainly because he experienced household and buddies there. Therefore he signed with Brooklyn upon Feb. 19, 1954. The Dodgers the employees of Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Roy Campanella, Gil Hodges, Pee Wee Reese and Wear Newcombe, which would get the International Sequence the Quite upcoming 12 months experienced Roberto Clemente. However they wouldn't consist of him for lengthy. Back again then, there was a rule governing signing bonuses of $6,000 or superior if a club signed a participant for a reward at or earlier mentioned that threshold, he experienced in the direction of pay back 2 calendar many years upon the employees's Biggest League roster in opposition to the day of signing, differently he would be qualified for the Rule 5 Draft. Clemente wasn't safe versus the Rule 5 Draft since he was quickly assigned towards Triple-A Montreal. The 19-yr-previous merely performed inside of 87 video games for the Royals of the Global League inside 1954, hittingwith 2 property operates within 155 plate appearances. In accordance towards a 1962 posting inside The Donning Information, Clemente felt he was becoming "concealed" versus the broader baseball environment out of issue that if he performed very well, he would be taken by means of one more club within just the Rule 5 Draft. "Clemente, upon the other hand, felt and nonetheless does that the Royals saved him out of the regular monthly lineup hence significant league groups would believe that him a inadequate likelihood and overlook him inside the postseason draft for which he'd be accessible as a reward participant if he weren't enhanced towards the Brooklyn roster," wrote the creator of the report, Howard Cohn. Dodgers total supervisor Buzzie Bavasi reported signing Clemente inside the initially Space was a make a difference of maintaining him absent against the Giants, even though he reportedly gave many causes for Clemente's assignment in direction of Triple-A more than the a long time. The male who was in just the GM's chair for the Pirates at the period of the 1954 Rule 5 Draft was none other than Department Rickey. Rickey experienced been the Dodgers' GM against 1942-50, famously signing Jackie Robinson within just 1945 ahead of Robinson broke baseball's colour barrier 2 decades later on. Rickey and Dodgers proprietor Walter O'Malley experienced a slipping out, which led toward Rickey's departure versus Brooklyn. Presently, even whilst Rickey in the beginning wasn't all that astonished with Clemente, he swiped him against his prior club. Within just his 1955 scouting write-up, Rickey wrote that though he experienced been informed Clemente experienced Wonderful rate, Clemente's "working type is undesirable, totally terrible, and based mostly on what I noticed tonight, he includes simply a little bit higher than-ordinary Weighty League functioning rate. "Continue to, there were being some simple pros inside of Clemente's match that Rickey documented as perfectly. "He is made up of a interesting throwing arm," Rickey wrote. "He throws the ball down and it exceptionally goes locations ?his style at the plate is suitable ?I would not course him, Regrettably, as even a probable house operate hitter. "All round, Rickey's investigation of Clemente was that though he may well at some point turn out to be a profitable Key League participant, that would be yrs absent. "I do not think he can both do a Significant League club any Great inside of 1955," Rickey wrote inside his short article. "Thus, we are caught with him trapped yes, until eventually this kind of period as he can incredibly support a Hefty League club. "Whichever Rickey thing to consider of Clemente's expertise the to start with period he observed him, everything he informed the Pittsburgh Drive around 2 months soon after drafting Clemente proved prescient:"We could comprise a sleeper in just Roberto Clemente, whom we drafted versus Montreal. "Clemente didn't strike his stride right up until 1960, at the time he gained the initial of 12 All-Star decisions previously mentioned the becoming 13 seasons of his job. He gained 12 specifically Gold Glove Awards towards 1961-72, and was ahitter with 240 dwelling operates within just an 18-yr occupation with Pittsburgh. He assisted the Pirates get the Worldwide Sequence in just 1960 and '71, having household Globe Collection MVP honors following the Bucs defeated the Orioles inside of the '71 Drop Standard. All of that can be traced again in direction of Nov. 22, 1954, Though Rickey and the Pirates drafted Clemente absent in opposition to the Dodgers for $4,000. Background could incorporate became out Very in different ways if the Dodgers experienced put Clemente upon their large league roster within 1954. It could possibly even incorporate became out in a different way if Brooklyn hadn't authorized Clemente in direction of engage in winter season ball within his indigenous Puerto Rico that offseason, where by he was sensational immediately after the underwhelming functionality for Montreal. However one more size of how elements may possibly incorporate been choice lies with the Giants if they experienced upped their provide, Clemente's status could possibly comprise been upon a roster with Mays'. Mays and Clemente within the similar outfield is enjoyment toward consider regarding. Still it isn't a purely theoretical physical fitness since it practically transpired, particularly not with the Giants. Any time Rickey was using notes for his scouting write-up, Clemente was enjoying remaining business for the Cangrejeros de Santurce within just the Puerto Rican Winter season League, and the guy inside of heart was Mays. With each other, they mixed for 7 hits, such as a couple of triples against Clemente, within an 11-3 victory more than Panama for the Caribbean Sequence championship upon Feb. 14, 1955. Clemente built his MLB debut 2 weeks afterwards versus the staff members that shed him the 12 months in advance of https://www.losangelesfanshop.com. His to start with huge league strike, an infield solitary, arrived in just his 1st plate visual appeal from the Dodgers at Forbes Sector upon April 17, 1955. It was the 1st of 395 hits Clemente would acquire from the Dodgers inside his vocation. His. 345 batting typical versus them is the optimum he released versus any club in just his vocation. Probably a baseball government who viewed the Dodgers eliminate Clemente place it least complicated upon the working day of the 1954 Rule 5 Draft:"I feel the Brooklyn club outsmarted alone within just the child," White Sox GM Frank Lane informed the Related Drive. "It by no means really should consist of allow him enjoy wintertime ball. That's in which he captivated all the consideration. "