Lets take a look at the stats for 3 utility infielders during the first 3 years of their career:

[TABLE=width: 625]

[TD=class: xl65, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent][/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]G[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]AB[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]R[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]H[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]2B[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]3B[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]HR[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]RBI[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]SB[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]BB[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]SO[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent]BA[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent]OBP[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent]SLG[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent]OPS[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65, bgcolor: transparent]Player A[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]117[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]363[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]57[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]78[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]20[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]1[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]11[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]39[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]3[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]32[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]91[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent].215[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent].283[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent].366[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent].649[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65, bgcolor: transparent]Player B[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]106[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]317[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]32[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]69[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]12[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]0[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]8[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]33[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]4[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]24[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]92[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent].218[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent].277[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent].361[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent].609[/TD]

[TD=class: xl65, bgcolor: transparent]Player C[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]211[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]665[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]57[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]146[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]19[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]4[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]2[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]37[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]12[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]37[/TD]

[TD=class: xl66, width: 46, bgcolor: transparent]128[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent].220[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent].264[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent].269[/TD]

[TD=class: xl68, width: 64, bgcolor: transparent].533[/TD]

[/TABLE]

All of these players provide relatively comparable offensive skills. Players A and B give you a little more power, but give up speed to player C. All three have been described as "gamers" and "gritty". Players A and B have played for the Twins the past few years. Player C never played for the Twins, but is definitely more well known. Think you got it?

The first two you should have figured out to be Trevor Plouffe (Player A) and Luke Hughes (Player .

Player C, well lets give you a little more information on him. After three years of baseball, he left to play another professional sport. While not a superstar, he became a starter on a team that won two championships, and two other teams that were the runner-up. Not there yet?

One more hint: at the time of his retirement he was one of two NBA players to have over 900 made 3-pointers. The answer?

Danny Ainge. Ainge was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1977. He played 3 seasons with the Blue Jays before being drafted by the Boston Celtics. He quit baseball to play basketball. He went on to win championships with the likes of Larry Bird and Kevin McHale. He was known in the NBA for being aggressive, fiery, and hard-nosed.

If Ainge was in the Twins organization today, you know he would be a lifer.

One more fact about Ainge: He was the only person to be a High School All-American in sports: Baseball, Football, and Basketball. Bo Jackson, eat your heart out.

Ainge definitely "battled his tail off."

I am glad(den) you enjoyed your time putting these stats together. Why Danny Ainge? Why not Chuck Connors or Neon Deion? What is the point? I would much rather read a comprehensive article on how you think Dan Gladden should be immasculated, fired from his job and run out of town. At the very least, an article about his ****ty mullet from the late 80's would have sufficed, Danny Ainge is ho hum...