2024 Baseball Season

[samhexum]

On 7/28/2024 at 8:34 PM, viewing ownly said:

I stopped by to see of any mention of only the 2nd no-hitter thrown by a San Diego Padre in over 50 years of existence at the pro level, but instead got to see a photo of a pumpkin throwing up.

I stopped by to see of any mention of Blake Snell, who'd never completed 8 innings in a game, throwing only the 2nd no-hitter thrown by a current or former San Diego Padre this year.

[viewing ownly]

6 minutes ago, samhexum said:

I stopped by to see of any mention of Blake Snell, who'd never completed 8 innings in a game, throwing only the 2nd no-hitter thrown by a current or former San Diego Padre this year.

That was me, about 20 minutes ago, first time ever losing a baseball parlay because of a no-hitter (although I have just a touch more "hair" on top of my head than it).

[samhexum]

2 minutes ago, viewing ownly said:

That was me, about 20 minutes ago, first time ever losing a baseball parlay because of a no-hitter (although I have just a touch more "hair" on top of my head than it).

entered the 9th w/ 108 pitches, got a 4 pitch K, then 2 one-pitch outs.

[BuffaloKyle]

Happy for Blake Snell as his reputation, rightly or wrongly, is he's a 5 inning pitcher and can't go deeper into games most of the time. He's definitely going to be opting out now of his $30 million option for next year and going back into free agency. His last two starts have been amazing.

Edited August 3 by BuffaloKyle

[samhexum]

DUDE, DID YOU SEE WHO OUR NEW INTERIM MANAGER IS?

He joins my list of managers I would've slept with:  Lee Mazzilli, Gabe Kapler, Joe Girardi, Brad Ausmus

1. Reasons to love baseball!

   Wrestler replied to marylander1940's topic in Legacy Gallery

   ...Aptly named Grady Sizemore. 
   •  October 14, 2016
   • 
      Your most handsome baseball player please...

2. IndyGuy replied to armadillo's topic in Legacy Gallery

   Grady Sizemore still trips my trigger!! Formerly of the Cleveland Indians... http://intheneutralzone.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/grady-sizemore-baseball1.jpg
   •  September 11, 2014

Edited August 8 by samhexum
To maintain the incredibly high standards I have established here

[+ WilliamM]

17 hours ago, samhexum said:

THE JACKSONS ARE COMING!

THE JACKSONS ARE COMING!

HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT CHOURIO, MERRILL, & HOLLIDAY HAVE BEEN EN FUEGO AND ARE COLLECTIVELY MORE THAN 2 DECADES YOUNGER THAN @marylander1940?

 

But he goes to the gym most days 

 

[+ WilliamM]

23 hours ago, samhexum said:

THE JACKSONS ARE COMING!

THE JACKSONS ARE COMING!

HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT CHOURIO, MERRILL, & HOLLIDAY HAVE BEEN EN FUEGO AND ARE COLLECTIVELY MORE THAN 2 DECADES YOUNGER THAN @marylander1940?

 

But he goes to the gym most days 

 

[samhexum]

Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran said he "fell far short" after directing an anti-gay slur toward a fan during Sunday's 10-2 home loss to the Houston Astros.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, in between pitches with the count 1-2 and Duran 0-for-2 with two strikeouts, a fan behind home plate could be heard shouting, "Tennis racket! Tennis racket! You need a tennis racket!"

Duran looked at the fan and could be heard on the game telecast saying, "Shut up you f---ing f----t."

"During tonight's game, I used a truly horrific word when responding to a fan," Duran said in a statement released by the Red Sox. "I feel awful knowing how many people I offended and disappointed. I apologize to the entire Red Sox organization, but more importantly to the entire LGBTQ community. Our young fans are supposed to be able to look up to me as a role model, but tonight I fell far short of that responsibility. I will use this opportunity to educate myself and my teammates and to grow as a person."

The Red Sox said they "addressed this incident with Jarren immediately following today's game."

"We echo Jarren's apology to our fans, especially to the LGBTQ community," the team said in a statement. "We strive to be an organization that welcomes all fans to Fenway Park, and we will continue to educate our employees, players, coaches and staff on the importance of inclusivity."

The exchange with the fan came after Duran was honored during a pregame ceremony as the team's recipient of the Heart and Hustle Award, which recognizes one player per team who "demonstrates a passion for the game and best embodies its values, spirit, and traditions." unfortunately, homophobic bigotry IS part of America's sporting traditions.

Last month, Duran became the fifth Red Sox player selected All-Star Game MVP after hitting a decisive home run in the contest. In 116 games this season, he is batting .291 and leads Boston with 143 hits.

 

[samhexum]

On 8/8/2024 at 5:22 PM, samhexum said:

THE JACKSONS ARE COMING!

HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT CHOURIO, MERRILL, & HOLLIDAY HAVE BEEN EN FUEGO AND ARE COLLECTIVELY MORE THAN 2 DECADES YOUNGER THAN @marylander1940?

Jackson Chourio, Milwaukee Brewers

The 20-year-old rookie, signed to that eight-year, $82 million contract in the offseason before he had played a major league game, looked overmatched the first two months, hitting .206 in April (with 34 strikeouts in 27 games) and .215 in May. But the Brewers stuck with the youngster -- perhaps understanding that he had improved throughout the season when jumping levels in the minors. He hit .315 in June and has been scorching hot since the All-Star break with a .358 average and five home runs in 19 games. In his first 50 games, he had a 47% strikeout rate; in his next 50, it was 16.5%. He has been a huge key to a Milwaukee offense that continues to score runs even without the injured Christian Yelich.

Jackson Holliday, Baltimore Orioles

Talk about overmatched. We all remember how poorly his initial 10-game stint in April went: .059 (2-for-34, 18 strikeouts). Sent back to Triple-A Norfolk, he showed a propensity for getting on base (.431 OBP), although he was still whiffing quite a bit (77 strikeouts in 73 games). He was called back up on July 31, however, and has been dominant, hitting .250 with five home runs and 12 RBIs in 11 games, with his strikeout rate at an acceptable 27.3%. The Orioles have scuffled along as a .500 team since the middle of June, but a hot Holliday could help turn a very good offense into a great one.

Jackson Merrill, San Diego Padres

It's a good year to be a rookie named Jackson. Merrill continued his outstanding season -- which included a trip to the All-Star Game -- with a game-tying home run on Saturday in the eighth inning, a day after hitting a game-tying home run in the ninth. The Padres won both games in extra innings to run their win streak to seven games (before dropping one to the Marlins on Sunday). A couple of days before that, he went 4-for-5 with two home runs in another extra-inning win. Merrill has five game-tying or go-ahead home runs in the eighth inning or later, tied with Mel Ott for the second most in a season by a player 21 or younger (Frank Robinson had six in 1956). His second-half numbers: .347/.376/.693, five home runs and 18 RBIs in 20 games.

Question:

What reliever has seven consecutive appearances of one inning and no walks, and 11 out of his last 12? 

Answer: 

Aroldis Chapman

There's never been a season with 3 10-war players in one league. Judge, Witt, Henderson are all on pace and as of a couple of days ago, Soto – the guy who hit two homers and threw somebody out on the bases today – was on pace for 9.8.

And at the start of the year, if I would've told you what Judge's statistics would be at this point, you would have said "well then, I guess he's neck and neck with Bobby Witt Junior for the MVP award", right?

The Braves were leading 8 to 2 with one out and nobody on in the bottom of the eighth in Colorado today, then 8 to 4 with two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the eighth.

The Braves' ninth consisted of a lead off single, a double play, and a strike out looking which concluded a 9 to 8 loss, which has to be worse than anything The Mets or Yankees have managed this year.

And I am just thrilled that if the Astros can get Verlander back and pitching decently and Kyle Tucker back and playing well, they have an excellent chance to win the west, and in that case would seem to have as complete a roster as any team in baseball, with playoff tested starting and relieving, and a high-powered offense to boot.

A couple of "did you notice" stats:

Arizona has now out-scored the Yankees by 10 runs in an equal amount of games and is the highest scoring team in baseball and, of all teams, the Brewers have the second best run differential in baseball, after the Yankees. 

[samhexum]

The Red Sox announced that they have suspended outfielder Jarren Duran for two games. During yesterday’s game, the outfielder was caught on microphone using a homophobic slur in response to a heckler (X link with video, including audio of the slur, from Awful Announcing).

“In consultation with Major League Baseball, the Red Sox today issued an unpaid two-game suspension to outfielder Jarren Duran beginning with tonight’s game against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park,” the club statement says. “Additionally, Duran’s salary from the two-game suspension will be donated to PFLAG (Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), the United States’ largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people and those who love them.”

[+ WilliamM]

Feel sorry for him.  The incident will be in his obituary 

Edited August 13 by WilliamM

[dutchal]

17 hours ago, samhexum said:

The Red Sox announced that they have suspended outfielder Jarren Duran for two games. During yesterday’s game, the outfielder was caught on microphone using a homophobic slur in response to a heckler (X link with video, including audio of the slur, from Awful Announcing).

“In consultation with Major League Baseball, the Red Sox today issued an unpaid two-game suspension to outfielder Jarren Duran beginning with tonight’s game against the Texas Rangers at Fenway Park,” the club statement says. “Additionally, Duran’s salary from the two-game suspension will be donated to PFLAG (Federation of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), the United States’ largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people and those who love them.”

There's a bit of irony in Duran surfacing as one willing to use homophobic language.  He's phenomenally hot and, if he had played his cards right, could have had a serious gay following like Kapler did.

[BuffaloKyle]

There is an article on ESPN today about MLB adopting a six inning minimum rule for starting pitchers to try and make starters more relevant again. It's a good read:

Could six-inning minimum starting pitcher rule come to MLB? - ESPN

WWW.ESPN.COM

---

Could one big rule change make starters stars again and inject offense into the game?

[samhexum]

Former major leaguer Pete LaCock's dad died.

He used to host a TV show called HOLLYWOOD SQUARES.

[samhexum]

A's catcher Shea Langeliers is 3-3 with a double and a walk today.

Tuesday he was 4-4, 2 doubles, a HR, & a HBP.

The game before he was also 4-4.

He had a game in May where he was 3-5, single, triple, HR, then two games later was 3-4, double, triple, HR (it drives me nuts the couple of times a year they miss a cycle by a single).

He had a 3HR game in April.

How is he only batting .230/.296/.469?

 

[viewing ownly]

5 hours ago, samhexum said:

A's catcher Shea Langeliers is 3-3 with a double and a walk today.

Tuesday he was 4-4, 2 doubles, a HR, & a HBP.

The game before he was also 4-4.

He had a game in May where he was 3-5, single, triple, HR, then two games later was 3-4, double, triple, HR (it drives me nuts the couple of times a year they miss a cycle by a single).

He had a 3HR game in April.

How is he only batting .230/.296/.469?

 

Those were the only days he got hits....

[samhexum]

The enigmatic life and complex legacy of Pinky Deras, America’s greatest Little Leaguer

At his funeral in 2022, the family made a display with photos from his Little League days, and mourners recounted his legendary statistics: 108 innings pitched and an astonishing 298 strikeouts, an 18-0 record with 16 shutouts and 10 no-hitters for a 1959 team that won the Little League World Series.  On two occasions, he threw six-inning perfect games in which he struck out all 18 batters. They clocked him at 71 mph off the Little League mound, the equivalent of a 100 mph fastball from the major-league distance. At the plate, he hit .641 and smashed 33 home runs. He hit a grand slam in the Little League World Series semifinal, then threw a three-hitter in a 12-0 championship win against a team from West Auburn, Calif.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5703670/2024/08/16/little-league-world-series-pinky-deras/

 

[samhexum]

HE’S DOING IT AGAIN, FOLKS… ONLY BETTER

After a miserable first month, over his last 100 games, Judge is batting .378/.505/.835 with 45 home runs, 106 RBIs and 84 walks since April 27.  Nobody has ever done that.  With 5 HR in his last 4 games, he's on pace for 62 again.

Since 1930, only three seasons have statistically rated higher than Judge’s 224 wRC+ (meaning he’s 124 percent better than the league average hitter): 2002 Barry Bonds, 2001 Bonds and 2004 Bonds. 

Judge has developed into the most-feared hitter in the sport. His 224 wRC+ is 36 percentage points better than Soto’s 188, who ranks second in MLB. As of Friday night, his .728 slugging percentage was higher than the OPS of 18 MLB teams.

Danny Jansen to join Red Sox's lineup at start of suspended game vs. Blue Jays, play for both teams

Jansen will be the first player in MLB history to play for both teams in the same game.

 

D-Backs' Jordan Montgomery says Scott Boras 'kind of butchered' his free-agency negotiations

 

Ohtani stole his 40th base tonight then later hit a 2-out walk off grand slam to become the fastest ever to 40/40.

We've never seen anything like this before and we may well never see it again, even from Ohtani. One of the biggest factors in Ohtani's breakout on the basepaths is the fact that he isn't pitching and doesn't have to preserve his lower body to the degree that he will next year, when he returns to mound action. And the Dodgers almost certainly won't ask him to run as much knowing they want him to take a turn in the rotation every five or six days.

Then there is Ohtani's age, which hit 30 on July 5. He's nowhere near a decline phase but even if he eventually gives up pitching, it'll be down the line when his speed and overall durability is likely to be less than it is right now. The confluence of factors that made this 40-40 season (and maybe 50-50) possible is unlikely to ever happen again.

He, Judge, & Bobby Witt, Jr. are having legendary seasons.

Have we seen many shooting stars like Bobby Witt Jr. streaking across our skies? I don’t think we have.

He ranks No. 1 in the sport in sprint speed. He ranks No. 1 among all infielders in outs above average. His batting average since the All-Star break is .445.

The 140-220 Club — If the Royals shortstop keeps filling up the Runs and Hits columns in the box scores at this clip for another six weeks, he’s going to finish this season with 141 runs scored and 227 hits. Just so you know how cool that would be, the 140-220 Club hasn’t admitted a new member in 88 years.

Last to get there: Charlie Gehringer in 1936. … The only other American League player to do it in the past 100 years: That Lou Gehrig guy again, in 1930. … The only other AL hitters to top 140 and 220 before that: Ty Cobb (1911) and Nap Lajoie (1901) … who both did it before the invention of the refrigerator!

Now sprinkle on a little 30-30 seasoning — But Witt is also cruising toward 30 homers and 30 steals. So now let’s ask: How many players in history have made it into that 140-220 Club and the 30-30 Club in the same season? If you guessed zero, that’s some astute guessing.

Speaking of 30-30 — I started wondering how rare it is for any man to lead the major leagues in batting average in a year when he was also going 30-30. Is once in history rare enough for you?

Mookie Betts did that in 2018. But even if we lower the bar to admit guys who just led their own league in hitting, only Christian Yelich (2019) joins the fun. Amazing. But hang on, because here comes an even cooler club Witt could enter …

Batting champs who played ’em all — It’s the fourth week of August, and how many games has Witt missed? Not one. Does he ever get tired? I only ask because in modern times, we never see batting champs who play every single game.

He has a shot at the XBH-single Double-Double — Finally, is anyone else rooting for Witt to lead his league in extra-base hits and singles? It isn’t out of the question.

Witt is five back of Aaron Judge for the AL lead in extra-base hits. And he’s nine behind Jose Altuve for the league lead in singles. I know this is a long shot, but I mention it because this one is really hard to do.

The last man to lead his league in both categories in the same year: Stan Musial (yeah, him again) … nearly 80 years ago, in 1946. The only other player to do it in the live-ball era: Musial’s Cardinals teammate, Enos Slaughter, in 1942. The only two to do it in the dead-ball era: the usual suspects! In other words … Ty Cobb twice and Nap Lajoie twice.

Sometimes, nature calls at inopportune times.

Just ask the Clearwater Threshers’ new bat dog.

The Single-A affiliate of the Phillies debuted a new team pooch, Lucy May, after the third inning of their game against the Dunedin Blue Jays.Lucy May for sure left her mark at BayCare ballpark, quite literally — by defecating on the infield.

The team, using the alternate identity “Beach Dogs” on Friday night, officially changed bat pups, with veteran Layla giving the duties to Lucy May.

Lucy May did her business on the field.

Lucy May was let loose to retrieve the bat left near the left-hander’s batters’ box, but had almost no interest in going for the lumber, and instead ran toward the first-base coach’s box before going down into the visitors’ dugout.

She was eventually coaxed out of the Blue Jays’ bench with a bat, but again, had next to no interest in it, zooming past the wood and taking a lap around the infield grass.

And then, standing on the right side of the infield, Lucy May went to do her business, much to the delight — and shock — of the 2,682 in attendance.

She was eventually corralled by the Clearwater staff and given one last chance at grabbing the bat — but to no avail.

Lucy May even said hello to the team’s pitcher.

Lucy May wanted to say high to relief pitcher Jonh Henriquez, who seemed almost unfazed by the hilarity of it all.

“Lucy May’s debut was more entertaining than we ever could have imagined,” the team wrote on X along with crying and poop emojis.

Fans on X seemed to enjoy the video as it went viral on social media.

“She got the excited poops! Completely understandable,” wrote one. “Try to fire her and I will file a wrongful termination lawsuit on her behalf.”

Rest assured, the Threshers aren’t getting rid of Lucy May any time soon.

“We would never! Happens to the best of us,” they wrote in a reply.

Lucy May didn’t bring the Threshers any luck, however, as they lost 6-0.

Edited August 24 by samhexum
to ensure maximum delight for the reader!

[+ WilliamM]

On 8/24/2024 at 1:24 AM, samhexum said:

HE’S DOING IT AGAIN, FOLKS… ONLY BETTER

After a miserable first month, over his last 100 games, Judge is batting .378/.505/.835 with 45 home runs, 106 RBIs and 84 walks since April 27.  Nobody has ever done that.  With 5 HR in his last 4 games, he's on pace for 62 again.

Since 1930, only three seasons have statistically rated higher than Judge’s 224 wRC+ (meaning he’s 124 percent better than the league average hitter): 2002 Barry Bonds, 2001 Bonds and 2004 Bonds. 

Judge has developed into the most-feared hitter in the sport. His 224 wRC+ is 36 percentage points better than Soto’s 188, who ranks second in MLB. As of Friday night, his .728 slugging percentage was higher than the OPS of 18 MLB teams.

Danny Jansen to join Red Sox's lineup at start of suspended game vs. Blue Jays, play for both teams

Jansen will be the first player in MLB history to play for both teams in the same game.

 

D-Backs' Jordan Montgomery says Scott Boras 'kind of butchered' his free-agency negotiations

 

Ohtani stole his 40th base tonight then later hit a 2-out walk off grand slam to become the fastest ever to 40/40.

We've never seen anything like this before and we may well never see it again, even from Ohtani. One of the biggest factors in Ohtani's breakout on the basepaths is the fact that he isn't pitching and doesn't have to preserve his lower body to the degree that he will next year, when he returns to mound action. And the Dodgers almost certainly won't ask him to run as much knowing they want him to take a turn in the rotation every five or six days.

Then there is Ohtani's age, which hit 30 on July 5. He's nowhere near a decline phase but even if he eventually gives up pitching, it'll be down the line when his speed and overall durability is likely to be less than it is right now. The confluence of factors that made this 40-40 season (and maybe 50-50) possible is unlikely to ever happen again.

He, Judge, & Bobby Witt, Jr. are having legendary seasons.

Have we seen many shooting stars like Bobby Witt Jr. streaking across our skies? I don’t think we have.

He ranks No. 1 in the sport in sprint speed. He ranks No. 1 among all infielders in outs above average. His batting average since the All-Star break is .445.

The 140-220 Club — If the Royals shortstop keeps filling up the Runs and Hits columns in the box scores at this clip for another six weeks, he’s going to finish this season with 141 runs scored and 227 hits. Just so you know how cool that would be, the 140-220 Club hasn’t admitted a new member in 88 years.

Last to get there: Charlie Gehringer in 1936. … The only other American League player to do it in the past 100 years: That Lou Gehrig guy again, in 1930. … The only other AL hitters to top 140 and 220 before that: Ty Cobb (1911) and Nap Lajoie (1901) … who both did it before the invention of the refrigerator!

Now sprinkle on a little 30-30 seasoning — But Witt is also cruising toward 30 homers and 30 steals. So now let’s ask: How many players in history have made it into that 140-220 Club and the 30-30 Club in the same season? If you guessed zero, that’s some astute guessing.

Speaking of 30-30 — I started wondering how rare it is for any man to lead the major leagues in batting average in a year when he was also going 30-30. Is once in history rare enough for you?

Mookie Betts did that in 2018. But even if we lower the bar to admit guys who just led their own league in hitting, only Christian Yelich (2019) joins the fun. Amazing. But hang on, because here comes an even cooler club Witt could enter …

Batting champs who played ’em all — It’s the fourth week of August, and how many games has Witt missed? Not one. Does he ever get tired? I only ask because in modern times, we never see batting champs who play every single game.

He has a shot at the XBH-single Double-Double — Finally, is anyone else rooting for Witt to lead his league in extra-base hits and singles? It isn’t out of the question.

Witt is five back of Aaron Judge for the AL lead in extra-base hits. And he’s nine behind Jose Altuve for the league lead in singles. I know this is a long shot, but I mention it because this one is really hard to do.

The last man to lead his league in both categories in the same year: Stan Musial (yeah, him again) … nearly 80 years ago, in 1946. The only other player to do it in the live-ball era: Musial’s Cardinals teammate, Enos Slaughter, in 1942. The only two to do it in the dead-ball era: the usual suspects! In other words … Ty Cobb twice and Nap Lajoie twice.

Sometimes, nature calls at inopportune times.

Just ask the Clearwater Threshers’ new bat dog.

The Single-A affiliate of the Phillies debuted a new team pooch, Lucy May, after the third inning of their game against the Dunedin Blue Jays.Lucy May for sure left her mark at BayCare ballpark, quite literally — by defecating on the infield.

The team, using the alternate identity “Beach Dogs” on Friday night, officially changed bat pups, with veteran Layla giving the duties to Lucy May.

Lucy May did her business on the field.

Lucy May was let loose to retrieve the bat left near the left-hander’s batters’ box, but had almost no interest in going for the lumber, and instead ran toward the first-base coach’s box before going down into the visitors’ dugout.

She was eventually coaxed out of the Blue Jays’ bench with a bat, but again, had next to no interest in it, zooming past the wood and taking a lap around the infield grass.

And then, standing on the right side of the infield, Lucy May went to do her business, much to the delight — and shock — of the 2,682 in attendance.

She was eventually corralled by the Clearwater staff and given one last chance at grabbing the bat — but to no avail.

Lucy May even said hello to the team’s pitcher.

Lucy May wanted to say high to relief pitcher Jonh Henriquez, who seemed almost unfazed by the hilarity of it all.

“Lucy May’s debut was more entertaining than we ever could have imagined,” the team wrote on X along with crying and poop emojis.

Fans on X seemed to enjoy the video as it went viral on social media.

“She got the excited poops! Completely understandable,” wrote one. “Try to fire her and I will file a wrongful termination lawsuit on her behalf.”

Rest assured, the Threshers aren’t getting rid of Lucy May any time soon.

“We would never! Happens to the best of us,” they wrote in a reply.

Lucy May didn’t bring the Threshers any luck, however, as they lost 6-0.

What do you wrote, Stan Musial him again?

[samhexum]

12 minutes ago, WilliamM said:

What do you wrote, Stan Musial him again?

He'd been mentioned in an earlier part of the article about a couple of other things.

[+ WilliamM]

14 hours ago, samhexum said:

He'd been mentioned in an earlier part of the article about a couple of other things.

Not very helpful, Sam

[samhexum]

The Angels' brand of baseball has been comedic for years, but they are taking it to a Shakespearean level this weekend by starting one gentleman of Verona... Samuel Aldegheri.

[samhexum]

The reminders arrive at least three times a week, 3 ½-by-2 ½-inch snippets of the life he should have had. People still want Gil Patterson to sign his baseball card from 1977. He wonders why they care, but he’s flattered, anyway, and returns each card with his signature across a photo of somebody else. 

Patterson is 68 years old and has reached 50 seasons of working in baseball. In 1977, at 21, he was the best prospect in the New York Yankees’ farm system at the height of their Bronx Zoo glory. That spring, Topps awarded Patterson a coveted spot on a four-player rookie card.

Clockwise from left, card No. 472 depicts Don Aase, Bob McClure, Dave Wehrmeister…and Sheldon Gill, a catcher who barely made it out of A-ball. The Yankees, apparently, had sent Topps an image of the wrong Gill/Gil, and that’s the player shown above Patterson’s name.

 

Gil Patterson’s erroneous 1977 Topps rookie card (Tyler Kepner/The Athletic)

“Don’t worry, you’ll have 15 more,” Sy Berger, the Topps impresario, told Patterson that spring in the Yankees’ Fort Lauderdale clubhouse. “You’re only 21 years old.”

But there would be no more Topps cards for Patterson. While the others on his card combined for more than 1,200 major-league appearances, Patterson made just 10. He beat a Hall of Famer, Bert Blyleven of the Texas Rangers, in his fourth career start. He never won again.

“I still owe George 299 wins,” Patterson said last weekend. “I promised him 300. I’m 299 short.”

Now the minor-league pitching coordinator for the Oakland Athletics, Patterson was back at Yankee Stadium for Old-Timers’ Day last Saturday. He wore his 1977 championship ring, as he always does, and slipped into a pinstriped jersey with his old No. 22. That was Patterson’s age when the Yankees won the World Series without him that fall; he was home in Florida with a dead arm.

Patterson’s rise had been swift: three levels by age 20, with a 24-8 record and a 2.26 ERA across two seasons. Before the ’77 season, the Yankees refused to trade Patterson to the Cincinnati Reds, straight up, for Tony Perez. They would not include him in a deal for Bucky Dent, either, acquiring Dent from the Chicago White Sox only when they substituted LaMarr Hoyt, a future Cy Young Award winner. 

“Gil Patterson’s arm has sunk a million trades,” wrote Moss Klein, the Yankees’ beat writer then for the Star-Ledger. The Yankees, he added, were “expecting many big seasons” from their untouchable future ace.

“Oh, he’d have been outstanding,” Dent said last week. “Had a great feel for the game, great stuff. That game in Boston, he struck out Lynn, Rice and Yastrzemski on, what, nine pitches or something?”

Not quite, but Patterson did fan eight Red Sox in 5 ⅔ innings at Fenway one night. Carl Yastrzemski was so impressed that he called Patterson one of the five best young pitchers he’d ever seen.

“Nolan Ryan, you can see the fastball coming,” Yastrzemski told Newsday. “This guy, he sort of short-arms it and it explodes on you.”

Alas, by then, Patterson had already lost his best fastball. In the majors, he said every pitch “was like a knife going through my arm.” Long before pitch counts and innings limits, the Yankees – under general manager Gabe Paul – had sent Patterson to instructional league and then winter ball after his magical 1976 season.

Altogether, he estimates, he threw a staggering 280 innings in that age-20 season. Nobody thought to protect him from himself.

“I’m 21 getting told to go pitch, so you go pitch,” Patterson said. “That’s why nowadays, you’ve got to tell the pitchers they’re done. Not too many people ever want to come out of the game, so you can’t ask them how they feel. If you think they’re done, get them out.”

Patterson had eight operations in all, to his rotator cuff, labrum, ulnar collateral ligament and so on. He missed two full seasons and played parts of the next three in the low minors. Out of work in 1983, he took a job parking cars at a restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, throwing left-handed against the outside walls after closing.

 

Patterson shows off one of the many surgical scars on his right pitching arm at Old Timer’s Day in the Bronx last weekend. (Tyler Kepner/The Athletic)

Steinbrenner went to the restaurant one night, recognized Patterson and offered him a coaching job for life. It was a kind gesture, but the work didn’t last: coaching for a Yankees farm club in 1984, Patterson refused an order to have Al Leiter – a hard-throwing, sore-armed teenager – pitch through pain. 

The Yankees fired Patterson after that season, and when injuries indeed slowed Leiter’s progress, Patterson – in a gesture of friendship – helped him rebuild his delivery and save his career. He went on to instruct at Dent’s baseball school and has spent the last 33 seasons in various coaching roles for the Oakland A’s, Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks and Toronto Blue Jays; Roy Halladay won a Cy Young Award under Patterson’s guidance with Toronto in 2003.

“He has done in coaching what a Hall of Famer does on the field,” said Craig Lefferts, the longtime assistant to Patterson with the A’s. “He loves what he does. He loves his players, and he goes to bat for them like nobody else.”

Lefferts made his mark in a dozen major-league seasons; he saved a World Series game, led the league in appearances, and even hit a walk-off home run. What feats would Patterson have achieved, with the arm he once had? That chapter will never be written.

“He’s always talking about all the great things I did, and I tell him, ‘I was nothing like you,’” Lefferts said. “I mean, he was going to be one of the greats. We have that conversation all the time: what could have been?”

The question has gnawed at Patterson for 47 years. Maybe he’d have struggled. Maybe he’d have thrived. Maybe he’d be rich – but that’s never been the point.

“It’s funny, would I rather have won $500 million in a lottery when I was 21 or pitched for 10 years but only made, like, $20,000 a year and lived in a three-bedroom, two-bath house like I was brought up in, with five brothers and a sister,” he said.

“I’d rather do that and play for 10 years than have the money. Because I loved pitching, oh my God.”

Patterson laughed softly. He made the majors with a storied franchise, and he’ll always be proud of that. But there’s no video footage of himself on the mound – if it hasn’t surfaced by now, it probably never will – and he yearns for something else to mark his brief stay at the top: another Topps baseball card. 

He’s trying.

“I called them and I told them the story: ‘I’m 68 years old and I’d like to have a card with my picture on it,’” Patterson said. “They said to send an email. So I sent the email and the heading was ‘Sad baseball card story,’ and I explained it.”

Topps typically does not issue coaches’ cards, but a representative sent Patterson an encouraging response. He would seem an ideal fit for their Allen & Ginter set, a vintage-styled product that produces cards for all sorts of figures in and around the game – including, ahem, some of your favorite baseball writers at The Athletic. And if sportswriters can have their own baseball cards, it’s only fair that Gil Patterson, with 10 games on the mound but half a century in the game, should have one too.

With his own picture on it this time.

[+ WilliamM]

On 8/15/2024 at 1:48 PM, samhexum said:

Former major leaguer Pete LaCock's dad died.

He used to host a TV show called HOLLYWOOD SQUARES.

So his name isl La Cock 

Why is that a story?

[samhexum]

19 hours ago, WilliamM said:

Why is that a story? 

The Cardinals won in the Bronx yesterday for the first time since the 1964 World Series.  I believe that was right around the time @WilliamM turned 40.

Milwaukee's newest player was born to be a Brewer.

The Brewers recalled outfielder Brewer Hicklen from Triple-A Nashville before their game Sunday against the Cincinnati Reds. This marks the first time in franchise history that the Brewers' roster has included a player named Brewer.

Hicklen was in the Brewers' starting lineup batting fifth and playing right field Sunday as he made his first major league appearance since 2022. Hicklen played in six games and made four plate appearances that season with the Kansas City Royals, who selected him out of UAB in the seventh round of the 2017 amateur draft.