Just One Shy

Today (Sept 2) marks the 37th anniversary of Chicago Cub Milt Pappas' razor thin close call with perfection (in 1972 for those math challenged). After retiring the first 26 batters in a row and reaching a 3-2 count on the 27th batter (Larry Stahl of the San Diego Padres) Pappas was one pitch shy of perfection. Unfortunately the call was a ball (lets not over react to a correct call made by then plate umpire Bruce Froemming) and perfection was "ruined". Pappas did however retire the next batter to secure the no-hitter and an 8 - 0 victory at Wrigley Field. Still today, Pappas has the unique honor of being the only pitcher to have a perfect game "ruined" by a base on ball to the 27th batter.

{1973 #70 love those "earmuffs"}

Pappas's career began in1957 with the Baltimore Orioles appearing in only 4 games, yet 1958 began a string of eleven years in a row of double digit victories. Prior to that infamous day in 1972, Pappas was probably best known for being traded to the Cincinnati Reds during the off season of 1965 for the "old" superstar Frank Robinson.

{1958 # 457 "oh so young"}

Two and half years in Cincinnati and a couple of stints with the Atlanta Braves, Pappas was traded to the Chicago Cubs in June of 1970. Arguably, his finest year was in 1972 as Pappas compiled a 17-7 win-loss record and a top ten in the Cy Young award voting.

Pappas finished his career in 1973 with a 209 - 164 record, 3186 innings pitched and a better than 2 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio (1728 to 858). With 110 wins as an Oriole, Pappas came within one win shy of achieving 100 wins in the NL as well. Pappas would have been just the eighth pitcher to achieve 100 wins in both leagues joining; Cy Young, Al Orth, Jim Bunning, Gaylord Perry, Nolan Ryan, Ferguson Jenkins and Dennis Martinez.

Once again, Pappas was just one shy of being part of an exclusive club. So today I honor Milt Pappas and being just one shy . . .

Ted Lilly . . . the next Greg Maddux ?

Don't even get me started . . . the answer is a resounding NO !

To be be fair, there may never be another Greg Maddux (355 wins, 8x all-star, better than a 3 to 1 strikeout to walk ratio, 4 Cy Young awards, 18 x gold glove and 17 consecutive years with 15 + wins, future first ballot HOF'er) but . . . I just read an article, published by a "reputable" resource (to remain un-named for their safety) that compared Lilly to Maddux in this regard.

Yesterday's spring training game against the Indians (Cubs lost 7-5) where Lilly gave up two home runs to DeRosa (almost had a third if not for that tall wall) it was mentioned that Lilly was "setting up" DeRosa for later on in the season as Maddux had done throughout his career to perfection.

May I just suggest that Lilly is NO GREG MADDUX. Lilly might have been rusty, having pitched only 3 + innings in the WBC and DeRosa is a solid power hitter but Greg Maddux, is one of the greatest students of the game and in the top tier of smartest pitchers of this or any generation.

So to those "reputable" journalists out there . . . Dont insult Maddux . . . and don't put unrealistic expectations on any pitcher.

For the record, Ted Lilly is a solid pitcher; has three consecutive years of 15 + wins, hopefully will win # 100 this year, has a $ 10,000,000 contract and wears uniform # 30 (close to Maddux's #31) . . . but is NO GREG MADDUX !

Duplicate Initials: D.D.

In my ongoing "irregular special feature" that is called Duplicate Initials I am up to D.D.

There are many players with D.D. as their initials like: Doug Dascenzo, Darren Daulton, Doug DeCinces and Delino DeSheilds. There are old-timers Dizzy Dean and Dom Dimaggio. And I could not forget to mention Doug Drabek, Dan Driessen or Dave Duncan.

But D.D. is more complicated than that. I sort of wanted to present, Dave DeBusschere but . . . . . . he is more of a NBA star. One of only eleven (11) other players to play in both the MLB and the NBA, DeBusschere did pitch for the Chicago White Sox in 1962 and 1963, going 3-4 with a .290 ERA. DeBusschere really made his mark as an NBA star for twelve (12) years playing and coaching for the Detroit Pistons and N Y Knickerbockers. An eight (8) time NBA all-star and elected to the NBA Hall of Fame in 1983 Debusschere would certainly have been a good choice.

But D.D. is a struggle for me because there is also Dodger (Brooklyn and Los Angeles) great Don Drysdale.
The 1962 Cy Young winner, played 14 years going 209-166, Drysdale was one of the greatest pitchers of his day. I will leave it at that, since there are so many Dodger bloggers out there I could not do Drysdale justice.

But those two aside my pick as my "favorite" D.D. is . . . . Dave Dravecky !

For those of you who remember, Dravecky was a solid starting pitcher for the Padres and Giants for the better part of eight years (1982-89) having a career record of 64-57. However, Dravecky's career will always be remembered for that one day in July of 1989, pitching for the Giants, in the sixth inning facing Tim Raines . . . when his arm and body went forward to pitch and his humerus bone broke - right there on the mound, his arm breaks and he is writhing on the mound in excruciating pain. This was after a tremendous fight and successful return from cancer in October of 1988 and bouncing back to pitch in the majors in less than a year.

The Giants went on to win the pennant in 1989 and in the post-game celebration Dravecky would break his arm again and during the examination doctors would notice the cancer had returned. Just three weeks later Dravecky would retire from baseball. That year he would earn the Willie Mac award for courageous spirit and leadership.

What makes Dravecky a personal choice for me is two things: one he is a cancer survivor and a battler (need I say more) yet secondly is that on July 18, 1991, after two more surgeries, his arm and shoulder were amputated -the exact same day (almost to the minute) as my daughter was born.

Dravecky has gone on to be an author and motivational speaker as well as my favorite D.D.

The Year of the "Bulldog"

Another beautiful evening in Sarasota, Florida gave me the opportunity to walk my dog (our five year old shetland sheepdog named Winnie) around the block and enjoy the dark blue sky with millions of stars. Upon our walk, we met a new neighbor who also had a puppy, a bulldog puppy. Now I can not honestly say that I like bulldogs but this puppy was cute.

When we got home, Winnie got her cookie and like any good dog owner I left her alone and went back to my baseball card collection, it was there I came across another "Bulldog", named Orel Hershiser.

Hershiser was given this nickname by manager Tommy Lasorda and lived up to that toughness. As most of my usual posts are directed to baseball and cards from the 60's and 70's I must take this time to acknowledge Hershiser.

To go back a few years, many would consider 1968 "the year of the pitcher" with Gibson' year ending ERA of 1.12, McClain winning 3 games and Louis Tiant having batters hit only .168 against all year. This was also the year that Yaz won the AL batting title with an anemic .301 BA. Throughout the sixties, pitchers were gaining the advantage over hitters and it was the year 1969 that MLB lowered the pitchers mound (from 15" down to 10") and restored the strikeout zone to the larger pre-1963 area. Hitters were now the focus of baseball . . . but here came Orel Hershiser and his glorious year of 1988 "the year of the bulldog".

Hershiser went 23 and 8, had a .226 ERA and pitched 267 innings. He was voted to the All-Star team, earned a gold glove and won the Cy Young award. Though that was just the beginning.

He ended the year with 59 (yes, fifty nine) consecutive scoreless innings (eventually broken on opening day 1989). Behind Hershisers pitching, the Los Angeles Dodgers went on to win the National League Pennant and World Series, crowning Hershiser MVP of both. Hershiser went 42 2/3 innings allowed only 5 earned runs, went 3-0, with 3 CG and 1 save in the postseason. 1968 may have been the end of an era favoring pitchers but 1988 was certainly the year of this pitcher, the "bulldog".

Maybe tomorrows walk I will come across a penguin, ryno, snake or a goose ?

"Brock for Broglio"

Ernie Broglio was on the wrong end of the “most lopsided” trade in major league baseball. That is the end of the story, because in June of 1964, the three for three trade was originally deemed in favor of the Cubs.

Broglio was a fixture in the St. Louis rotation for five plus years, posting 18 victories in 1963 and in 1960 had his career year with a 21-9 record and 2.74 ERA, finishing third in the Cy Young voting. After his slow start in the 1964 campaign, winning only 3 and losing 5 games for the Cardinals, he was traded along with Doug Clemens and Bobby Shantz for Jack Spring, Paul Toth and . . . Lou Brock.

Brock had been a disappointment for the Cubs, the Cubs had lost patience with this speedy outfielder and Broglio was a top-flight pitcher.

In two and half years in Chicago Broglio posted a record of 7 and 19 and Brock went on to bat .348 for the remainder of the 1964 season, help the Cardinals win the World Series that year, “star” in 2 more series’ (67 and 68) and play for 15 more years. Brock set the career mark for stolen bases at 938 (since broken by newly elected HOF Ricky Henderson). Lou Brock was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985 and Broglio stormed out of Wrigley Field in 1966, burned his uniform and never returned to Major League Baseball

I highlight this 1966 Broglio card for a couple of reasons. First and for most he is in a Cubs uniform. Secondly, as is my usual theme for “vintage” cards, the back is more interesting. The top right cartoon indicates Broglio led the league with 21 victories in 1960 (the year of my birth by the way) and describes the June15th 1964 trade in detail.

In my opinion, Ernie Broglio does not deserve the lifetime tagline of “Brock for Broglio – the most lopsided trade in baseball history”, no one’s deserves that.

Jim Palmer - 1973 and 100 Wins !

In another one of my entries that I term a “Clemente-ism” I present Jim Palmer and his Topps 1973 card # 160.

Before I continue, let me explain what I mean. The term “Clemente-ism” is my way of describing a statistical rarity on ones baseball card (honoring Clementes’ 1973 card # 50, his last card and eerily career ending with exactly 3000 hits) I have had two previous “Clemente-ism” posts; one Clemente and the the 1970 Willie Mays 600HR on card # 600 in Dec 2008). I like the backs of cards as much as the fronts, maybe that is because the “vintage” cards had weak photography on the front (most of the time) in comparison to today’s action shots. So, I have extended this “Clemente-ism” to any card that has a milestone (or coincidence) that culminated at year’s end.

Jim Palmer, one of the premier pitchers of all time won 3 time Cy Young awards, voted a 6 time all-star and enshrined in the Hall of Fame, spent his entire 19 years as a professional with the Baltimore Orioles (1965 – 1984) and his uniform # 22 is naturally never to be worn again in Baltimore. From the years between 1970 and 1978, Palmer won 176 games, reaching the 20 victory plateau in 8 of those nine years (almost besting Ferguson Jenkins in the 20 win streak category).

One unique factoid; in 575 games played (including 17 postseason games) Palmer never allowed a grand slam.

An in regards to why this card is a “Clemente-ism”; at the end of the 1972 campaign as indicated on this card, Palmer had 100 wins !

Ok, just one of my quirky things I notice about the stats on the back of some cards. Let me know if you have noticed any of these statistical coincidences . . . stay tuned for more of my “Clemente-ism’s” . . .