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| 1998 Collectors Choice # 235 |
I can only imagine the potential that Giants fans thought this guy had after the 1997 season. Estes made the All Star game, and won 19 with a 3.18 ERA, despite leading all pitchers with 100 BBs. Sadly for the Giants and 6 other clubs afterward, 1997 would be Estes' career best season, as he wound up with a career 4.71 ERA with 101 wins total in 13 big league seasons.
Estes was actually a decent hitting pitching during his career, getting double digit hits during a season 4 times over his career, including a career best 17 hits in Colorado (gee, imagine that) in the 2004 season. Shawn also holds the distinction of being the only pitcher in Giants history to have ever hit a grand slam. Shawn is shown above on his '98 Collectors Choice card showing off his bunting skills.
What I didn't know is that he signed contracts with the Dodgers in 2009, and the Nationals in 2010, but didn't throw a pitch in the majors during those two seasons. Shawn left the Dodgers organization after 13 starts in 2009 because he didn't want to pitch in AAA. In 2010, the Nats actually released him at the end of spring training, and shortly thereafter Shawn retired from baseball.
Even better are the nicknames of some of the minor league teams he played for during his career. Let's see, there's the Foxes, Captains, Timber Rattlers, Bees, Firebirds, Grizzlies, Sidewinders, Storm, Beavers and the Isotopes.
Oh, to be in Portland and get to play with the beavers.....
Thanks for reading, Robert
You said Beavers.
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