Last November I wrote a post concerning ten things you don't know about Dan Spillner. After name-dropping Henry Rollins, Robin Yount, Henry Rollins, Rick Monday, and Henry Rollins, among others, the tenth fact dropped a less iconic name.
Spillner was traded by the Padres to Cleveland on June 14, 1978, in exchange for Dennis Kinney. But more about him on February 26.
Since it's February 26 and I'm a man of my word... well, usually... I mean, I try to be... okay, you got me. I'M A LIAR!
YEAH, I'M A LIAR
I'LL RIP YOUR MIND OUT
I'LL BURN YOUR SOUL
I'LL TURN YOU INTO ME
I'LL TURN YOU INTO ME
'CAUSE I'M A LIAR, A LIAR
A LIAR, A LIAR, A LIAR
But today I'm going to keep one promise just to give you hope that you're starting to change me. Here's a stack of facts about Dennis Kinney:
- Kinney was a tenth-round pick by Cleveland in 1970. He was one of just five players picked in that round to reach the majors. The most notable of the quintet is Ray Knight, who was selected by the Reds as a pitcher. The Padres selected local boy Edward Evilsizor, who took his awesome name as far as AA.
- Dennis is the only player from Bedford High School in Temperance, MI, to reach the majors.
- Kinney wore number 48 in his two-and-a-half seasons with San Diego, the same number Spillner had worn. They're the same height and were roughly the same weight during their playing days, so it wouldn't be a stretch to assume that Kinney inherited Spillner's actual jerseys.
- 1980 was Kinney's only season without spending time in the minor leagues. He recorded the only four wins of his major league career that year. He also lost six games that season, but those numbers are pretty useless. Dennis compiled a 4.25 ERA in 82.2 innings over 50 games (over half his career total).
- Of the 12 home runs Kinney surrendered in his career, all but two were hit by All-Stars. Lee Lacy and Merv Rettenmund were the other two; Rettenmund, like Jack Clark, hit one of two grand slams allowed by Kinney.
- After the 1980 season, Kinney was traded to Detroit for Dave Stegman. But more about him on January 30.
That might not be the ten facts that Dan Spillner got, but it is a six pack and that brings us back around full circle to Henry Rollins.