Thursday, July 28, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Fathers and Sons
Baseball, A Dad playing toss with his son, sons.
Watching Robbie Cano hit in the HR Derby with his Dad pitching was amazing. McGuire picking up his son after hitting #62.
There is no other game that is quite like baseball for this. Griffey Sr. and Griffey Jr. hitting back to back homers for the Mariners. Classic. The game of catch in Field of Dreams, tearjerker.
Baseball is a spiritual game. It is a man's game. Women don't play it. Not really. Kinda like a man lactating. Not right.
The connection between Dad and Son is spiritual, deep, generational with baseball. My dad tossed to me and told me stories of Carl Furillo. I played toss with my sons and told them stories about the Mick, Yogi and Reggie.
They will toss with their sons and tell them stories of Griffey and Jeter. Watching them play. Bobby will tell about the game in Baltimore where we watched Richie Sextson and Ichiro take BP. Then the game in Pittsburgh where we watched Pujols KILL the ball.
Nate will go on and on about section 39 in the Old Stadium and the tour when we stood on the same grass as the Babe, the Mick, Joe D and Jeter, sat in the dugout and went into the dressing room where Lou dressed. The roll call and the bleacher weirdo's.
Then there was the Spring Game where Griffey went horizontal and made an amazing catch to rob the Yankees, and it was so amazing we didn't care it hurt the Yanks.
One of my favorite things about the MLB All Star Game is watching the players with their kids.
When Robbie won the derby, he ran and hugged his dad, kissed him on the neck and said I love you Dad.
When he was asked about his swing in the typically stupid interviews after he said, its not my swing, it was the gentleman who was pitching to me. He is one of the best dad's in the world...
It was classy, nice, touching.
We are all trying to get to home.
Watching Robbie Cano hit in the HR Derby with his Dad pitching was amazing. McGuire picking up his son after hitting #62.
There is no other game that is quite like baseball for this. Griffey Sr. and Griffey Jr. hitting back to back homers for the Mariners. Classic. The game of catch in Field of Dreams, tearjerker.
Baseball is a spiritual game. It is a man's game. Women don't play it. Not really. Kinda like a man lactating. Not right.
The connection between Dad and Son is spiritual, deep, generational with baseball. My dad tossed to me and told me stories of Carl Furillo. I played toss with my sons and told them stories about the Mick, Yogi and Reggie.
They will toss with their sons and tell them stories of Griffey and Jeter. Watching them play. Bobby will tell about the game in Baltimore where we watched Richie Sextson and Ichiro take BP. Then the game in Pittsburgh where we watched Pujols KILL the ball.
Nate will go on and on about section 39 in the Old Stadium and the tour when we stood on the same grass as the Babe, the Mick, Joe D and Jeter, sat in the dugout and went into the dressing room where Lou dressed. The roll call and the bleacher weirdo's.
Then there was the Spring Game where Griffey went horizontal and made an amazing catch to rob the Yankees, and it was so amazing we didn't care it hurt the Yanks.
One of my favorite things about the MLB All Star Game is watching the players with their kids.
When Robbie won the derby, he ran and hugged his dad, kissed him on the neck and said I love you Dad.
When he was asked about his swing in the typically stupid interviews after he said, its not my swing, it was the gentleman who was pitching to me. He is one of the best dad's in the world...
It was classy, nice, touching.
We are all trying to get to home.
Monday, July 11, 2011
A Better Way to Pick All-Stars
Using stats of the last calendar year, rather than three months of the current season, this is what you get.
Catcher- Victor Martinez -- Brian McCann
1st. - Paul Konerko -- Joey Votto (Texeira has best over-all power numbers)
2nd - Robinson Cano -- in NL it is close between Rickie Weeks and Dan Uggla but Neil Walker is very close
3rd. - Jose Bautista -- Aramis Ramirez
SS - Asdrubal Cabrera -- close between Troy Tulowitzki and Jose Reyes
Outfield - AL Josh Hamilton, Curtis Granderson, Bautista again
NL Carlos Gonzalez Matt Kemp, Ryan Braun followed closely by Matt Holliday, Mike Stanton, Jay Bruce and Carlos Quentin.
Top 15 pitchers--all starters with ERA under 3.00 and more than 200 K's, not just wins.
Not a lot of difference but a fairer way to pick
Catcher- Victor Martinez -- Brian McCann
1st. - Paul Konerko -- Joey Votto (Texeira has best over-all power numbers)
2nd - Robinson Cano -- in NL it is close between Rickie Weeks and Dan Uggla but Neil Walker is very close
3rd. - Jose Bautista -- Aramis Ramirez
SS - Asdrubal Cabrera -- close between Troy Tulowitzki and Jose Reyes
Outfield - AL Josh Hamilton, Curtis Granderson, Bautista again
NL Carlos Gonzalez Matt Kemp, Ryan Braun followed closely by Matt Holliday, Mike Stanton, Jay Bruce and Carlos Quentin.
Top 15 pitchers--all starters with ERA under 3.00 and more than 200 K's, not just wins.
Not a lot of difference but a fairer way to pick
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Yogi
Just let this roll over your brain.
Yogi Berra has 10 World Series championships.
As a coach, manager or player he participated in, appeared in 21 World Series.
Think about that. 21 World Series. This is a staggering, almost overwhelming fact.
Freakin' living legend.
The second most winning ball club, the St. Louis Cardinals, in their entire history have been to 17 World Series. Yogi? 21.
3 MVP's, 10 rings, except three times he didn't actually get a ring, cause he said, who needs a ring? Once he took the money and bought something for his wife Carmen. One year he got a cigarette box.
Most humble superstar ever. Yogi said that all his brothers were better players than he was.
His average is 30 points higher with men on base.
Volunteered for the Army, was on a rocket boat at Utah Beach on D-Day. He stuck his head out the window to watch "the fireworks."
5' 7" and considered so ugly he was relentlessly teased. Said, "I don't hit with my face."
He never struck out more than 38 times in one season!
And tough, during his golden years-1950-1956, he caught both games of a double-header 117 times!! Seven times he started both games on back to back days!! Take that Joe Mauer.
During those years he hit 191 home runs and struck out 166 times.
This is an appropriate time to use the word epic.
In 1985 Steinbrenner fired Yogi who was managing the Yankees, by sending some else to do it and Yogi didn't return to Yankee Stadium for 14 years. George came and apologized to he and Carmen.
On Yogi Berra Day, July 18, 1999, a day I remember because I remember what a big deal it was and watched the game; David Cone pitched a perfect game with Don Larsen watching. Wow. I'll never forget it. It was one of those magical baseball days.
He talked all the time on the diamond, like the catcher in "Sand Lot." Larry Doby once walked up to hit and said to the umpire,, "Please tell him to shut up." Once Ted told him, "Shut your yap, I'm trying to hit here."
I guess it worked to talk all the time.
Derek and Yogi are very close, Jeter asks for advice all the time. One day Yogi chided Derek for missing an eye-high fast ball. Yogi says, "Why did you swing at such a lousy pitch?" Derek says, "Well, you did."
Yogi said, "I hit 'em."
Classic. Stud.
Yogi Berra has 10 World Series championships.
As a coach, manager or player he participated in, appeared in 21 World Series.
Think about that. 21 World Series. This is a staggering, almost overwhelming fact.
Freakin' living legend.
The second most winning ball club, the St. Louis Cardinals, in their entire history have been to 17 World Series. Yogi? 21.
3 MVP's, 10 rings, except three times he didn't actually get a ring, cause he said, who needs a ring? Once he took the money and bought something for his wife Carmen. One year he got a cigarette box.
Most humble superstar ever. Yogi said that all his brothers were better players than he was.
His average is 30 points higher with men on base.
Volunteered for the Army, was on a rocket boat at Utah Beach on D-Day. He stuck his head out the window to watch "the fireworks."
5' 7" and considered so ugly he was relentlessly teased. Said, "I don't hit with my face."
He never struck out more than 38 times in one season!
And tough, during his golden years-1950-1956, he caught both games of a double-header 117 times!! Seven times he started both games on back to back days!! Take that Joe Mauer.
During those years he hit 191 home runs and struck out 166 times.
This is an appropriate time to use the word epic.
In 1985 Steinbrenner fired Yogi who was managing the Yankees, by sending some else to do it and Yogi didn't return to Yankee Stadium for 14 years. George came and apologized to he and Carmen.
On Yogi Berra Day, July 18, 1999, a day I remember because I remember what a big deal it was and watched the game; David Cone pitched a perfect game with Don Larsen watching. Wow. I'll never forget it. It was one of those magical baseball days.
He talked all the time on the diamond, like the catcher in "Sand Lot." Larry Doby once walked up to hit and said to the umpire,, "Please tell him to shut up." Once Ted told him, "Shut your yap, I'm trying to hit here."
I guess it worked to talk all the time.
Derek and Yogi are very close, Jeter asks for advice all the time. One day Yogi chided Derek for missing an eye-high fast ball. Yogi says, "Why did you swing at such a lousy pitch?" Derek says, "Well, you did."
Yogi said, "I hit 'em."
Classic. Stud.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Ode to Overrated: Sandy Koufax
Reading throughout the post about the All-Century team I continually noticed Koufax popping up as a top 5 pitcher of All-Time. I remember watching the Ken Burns documentary as they discussed Koufax and his 5 years of pitching dominance which will probably never be matched. I never really knew much about Koufax so I did some research because I was going to post about the best pitcher of All-Time. Now I realize that maybe Koufax can't be considered the top pitcher of all time, not ever top 5, 10, 15, or 50th. How is he in the hall of fame? Let me lay out some career stats.
GS-314
W-165
L-87
ERA-2.76
K's-2396
BB's-817
Looking at this I am amazed by his numbers. What a great line to have for a pitcher. Well on his way to 3,000 K's, 300 wins, and 500 starts. Unfortunately Koufax's career was shorted by two things. The first was that for his first 6 season he never recorded more wins than losses. He started his career slow with most of his problems revolving around the control of his blazing fast fastball. He was crazy with the way he threw, "rearing back and hammering out fastballs not caring where it ended up". Coaches warned him to slow down his fastball and get more accuracy but he ignored this. In his first 6 seasons, from 1955 to 1960 he was 36-40 with a 4.04 ERA. During the winter of 1960 he tuned down his speed of his fastball and worked on his accuracy hoping to spark his career. The Dodgers gave him another chance banking on his fastball speed and signed him to a 3 more years. In 1960 he went 18-13 with a 3.52, pretty damn good and he also made his first All-Star game. The next 5 years are perhaps the greatest 5 years in pitching history...
1962- 14-7, 2.54, 216 k's
1963- 25-5, 1.88, 306 k's
1964- 19-5, 1.74, 223 k's
1965- 26-8, 2.04, 382 k's
1966- 27-9, 1.73, 317 k's
Over 5 years he went 111-34 with a 1.96 ERA!!! Unbelievable! He won 3 CY Young's during this time and made 5 All-Star teams while also winning the MVP once and finishing 2nd in MVP votes twice. His postseason is impressive as well going 4-3 with a .95 ERA. This perhaps best solidified his name as legendary when he owned batters during post season play. This bring me to my second point of what shortened his career. Throughout 1964-1966, Koufax was using the new test drug of Cortisone and getting injections in his throwing elbow. Coaches warned him that he threw to hard and they advised him to slow down and learn some other pitches to lengthen his career. "Cocky Koufax" ignored everyone, threw as hard as he could, and cranked out an amazing streak of seasons. He eventually blew his arm out and retired at age 30 after 12 seasons.
It's hard for me to shrug off those 5 season and his post season play but you HAVE too. Considering him in the top 50 and even considering him for the hall of fame is ridiculous. His career numbers are not that great. Tom Seaver and CC Sabathia have similar numbers. He had 5 AMAZING seasons...that's it. That like saying Ricky Williams should go to the Hall of Fame because of his 4 good years. Or that Mickey Mantle and Lour Gherig are the best players ever because they would have smashed records without injuries. What if Ted wouldn't have gone to WWII? What if Griffey would not have gotten hurt? Playing the "what if game" is fun and interesting in sports but it never has effected real life things like Hall of Fame and All-Century teams. It just seems like Koufax was put in because he had the potential to be the best but that's not what is what about.
Now, don't freak out at this comment but is worth discussing. Koufax was a well known Jew and was a leader in the Jewish community. Could his Jewish prominence been a factor in not only his celebrity but also his recognition? Maybe. At the end of the day Koufax was a cocky punk who wouldn't listen to his coaches and continued to throw hard until he blew his arm out. He didn't get 170 wins! He didn't get 2500 K's! If he's in the hall of fame then CC could retire after next season with these numbers and be in:
GS- 341
W-191
L- 106
ERA- 3.50
K's- 2190
BB- 798
More wins, more starts, less walks. Short on K's by a couple hundred and a higher ERA but couldn't CC be considered? I dunno, just seems dumb to reward a guy for a great HALF career.
GS-314
W-165
L-87
ERA-2.76
K's-2396
BB's-817
Looking at this I am amazed by his numbers. What a great line to have for a pitcher. Well on his way to 3,000 K's, 300 wins, and 500 starts. Unfortunately Koufax's career was shorted by two things. The first was that for his first 6 season he never recorded more wins than losses. He started his career slow with most of his problems revolving around the control of his blazing fast fastball. He was crazy with the way he threw, "rearing back and hammering out fastballs not caring where it ended up". Coaches warned him to slow down his fastball and get more accuracy but he ignored this. In his first 6 seasons, from 1955 to 1960 he was 36-40 with a 4.04 ERA. During the winter of 1960 he tuned down his speed of his fastball and worked on his accuracy hoping to spark his career. The Dodgers gave him another chance banking on his fastball speed and signed him to a 3 more years. In 1960 he went 18-13 with a 3.52, pretty damn good and he also made his first All-Star game. The next 5 years are perhaps the greatest 5 years in pitching history...
1962- 14-7, 2.54, 216 k's
1963- 25-5, 1.88, 306 k's
1964- 19-5, 1.74, 223 k's
1965- 26-8, 2.04, 382 k's
1966- 27-9, 1.73, 317 k's
Over 5 years he went 111-34 with a 1.96 ERA!!! Unbelievable! He won 3 CY Young's during this time and made 5 All-Star teams while also winning the MVP once and finishing 2nd in MVP votes twice. His postseason is impressive as well going 4-3 with a .95 ERA. This perhaps best solidified his name as legendary when he owned batters during post season play. This bring me to my second point of what shortened his career. Throughout 1964-1966, Koufax was using the new test drug of Cortisone and getting injections in his throwing elbow. Coaches warned him that he threw to hard and they advised him to slow down and learn some other pitches to lengthen his career. "Cocky Koufax" ignored everyone, threw as hard as he could, and cranked out an amazing streak of seasons. He eventually blew his arm out and retired at age 30 after 12 seasons.
It's hard for me to shrug off those 5 season and his post season play but you HAVE too. Considering him in the top 50 and even considering him for the hall of fame is ridiculous. His career numbers are not that great. Tom Seaver and CC Sabathia have similar numbers. He had 5 AMAZING seasons...that's it. That like saying Ricky Williams should go to the Hall of Fame because of his 4 good years. Or that Mickey Mantle and Lour Gherig are the best players ever because they would have smashed records without injuries. What if Ted wouldn't have gone to WWII? What if Griffey would not have gotten hurt? Playing the "what if game" is fun and interesting in sports but it never has effected real life things like Hall of Fame and All-Century teams. It just seems like Koufax was put in because he had the potential to be the best but that's not what is what about.
Now, don't freak out at this comment but is worth discussing. Koufax was a well known Jew and was a leader in the Jewish community. Could his Jewish prominence been a factor in not only his celebrity but also his recognition? Maybe. At the end of the day Koufax was a cocky punk who wouldn't listen to his coaches and continued to throw hard until he blew his arm out. He didn't get 170 wins! He didn't get 2500 K's! If he's in the hall of fame then CC could retire after next season with these numbers and be in:
GS- 341
W-191
L- 106
ERA- 3.50
K's- 2190
BB- 798
More wins, more starts, less walks. Short on K's by a couple hundred and a higher ERA but couldn't CC be considered? I dunno, just seems dumb to reward a guy for a great HALF career.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Ode to Greatness: Bob Gibson
Ode to Greatness: Bob Gibson
Robert Gibson (Hoot or Gibby)
born Pack Robert Gibson
Position: Pitcher
Bats: Right, Throws: Right Height: 6' 1", Weight: 189 lb. |
Born: November 9, 1935 in Omaha, NE (Age 75)
High School: Technical (Omaha, NE)
School: Creighton University
Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent in 1957. (All Transactions)
Debut: April 15, 1959
Team: Cardinals 1959-1975
Final Game: September 3, 1975
Inducted into the Hall of Fame by BBWAA as Player in 1981 (337/401 ballots).
View Bob Gibson Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).
About biographical information
High School: Technical (Omaha, NE)
School: Creighton University
Signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent in 1957. (All Transactions)
Debut: April 15, 1959
Team: Cardinals 1959-1975
Final Game: September 3, 1975
Inducted into the Hall of Fame by BBWAA as Player in 1981 (337/401 ballots).
View Bob Gibson Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos).
About biographical information
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | W | L | G | GS | GF | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | IBB | SO | HBP | BK | WP | BF | Awards | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | 23 | STL | NL | 3 | 5 | .375 | 3.33 | 13 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 75.2 | 77 | 35 | 28 | 4 | 39 | 2 | 48 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 333 | 127 | 1.533 | 9.2 | 0.5 | 4.6 | 5.7 | 1.23 | |
| 1960 | 24 | STL | NL | 3 | 6 | .333 | 5.61 | 27 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 86.2 | 97 | 61 | 54 | 7 | 48 | 6 | 69 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 399 | 73 | 1.673 | 10.1 | 0.7 | 5.0 | 7.2 | 1.44 | |
| 1961 | 25 | STL | NL | 13 | 12 | .520 | 3.24 | 35 | 27 | 3 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 211.1 | 186 | 91 | 76 | 13 | 119 | 7 | 166 | 6 | 1 | 8 | 916 | 137 | 1.443 | 7.9 | 0.6 | 5.1 | 7.1 | 1.40 | |
| 1962 | 26 | STL | NL | 15 | 13 | .536 | 2.85 | 32 | 30 | 2 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 233.2 | 174 | 84 | 74 | 15 | 95 | 9 | 208 | 10 | 0 | 11 | 967 | 151 | 1.151 | 6.7 | 0.6 | 3.7 | 8.0 | 2.19 | AS |
| 1963 | 27 | STL | NL | 18 | 9 | .667 | 3.39 | 36 | 33 | 2 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 254.2 | 224 | 110 | 96 | 19 | 96 | 1 | 204 | 13 | 1 | 6 | 1088 | 106 | 1.257 | 7.9 | 0.7 | 3.4 | 7.2 | 2.13 | |
| 1964 | 28 | STL | NL | 19 | 12 | .613 | 3.01 | 40 | 36 | 3 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 287.1 | 250 | 106 | 96 | 25 | 86 | 9 | 245 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 1191 | 127 | 1.169 | 7.8 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 7.7 | 2.85 | MVP-23 |
| 1965 | 29 | STL | NL | 20 | 12 | .625 | 3.07 | 38 | 36 | 1 | 20 | 6 | 1 | 299.0 | 243 | 110 | 102 | 34 | 103 | 6 | 270 | 11 | 1 | 8 | 1233 | 126 | 1.157 | 7.3 | 1.0 | 3.1 | 8.1 | 2.62 | AS,GG |
| 1966 | 30 | STL | NL | 21 | 12 | .636 | 2.44 | 35 | 35 | 0 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 280.1 | 210 | 90 | 76 | 20 | 78 | 5 | 225 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 1119 | 148 | 1.027 | 6.7 | 0.6 | 2.5 | 7.2 | 2.88 | AS,GG |
| 1967 | 31 | STL | NL | 13 | 7 | .650 | 2.98 | 24 | 24 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 175.1 | 151 | 62 | 58 | 10 | 40 | 3 | 147 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 703 | 110 | 1.089 | 7.8 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 7.5 | 3.68 | AS,MVP-22,GG |
| 1968 | 32 | STL | NL | 22 | 9 | .710 | 1.12 | 34 | 34 | 0 | 28 | 13 | 0 | 304.2 | 198 | 49 | 38 | 11 | 62 | 6 | 268 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 1161 | 258 | 0.853 | 5.8 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 7.9 | 4.32 | AS,CYA-1,MVP-1,GG |
| 1969 | 33 | STL | NL | 20 | 13 | .606 | 2.18 | 35 | 35 | 0 | 28 | 4 | 0 | 314.0 | 251 | 84 | 76 | 12 | 95 | 7 | 269 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 1270 | 164 | 1.102 | 7.2 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 7.7 | 2.83 | AS,MVP-30,GG |
| 1970 | 34 | STL | NL | 23 | 7 | .767 | 3.12 | 34 | 34 | 0 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 294.0 | 262 | 111 | 102 | 13 | 88 | 9 | 274 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 1213 | 133 | 1.190 | 8.0 | 0.4 | 2.7 | 8.4 | 3.11 | AS,CYA-1,MVP-4,GG |
| 1971 | 35 | STL | NL | 16 | 13 | .552 | 3.04 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 245.2 | 215 | 96 | 83 | 14 | 76 | 11 | 185 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 1026 | 119 | 1.185 | 7.9 | 0.5 | 2.8 | 6.8 | 2.43 | CYA-5,MVP-23,GG |
| 1972 | 36 | STL | NL | 19 | 11 | .633 | 2.46 | 34 | 34 | 0 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 278.0 | 226 | 83 | 76 | 14 | 88 | 11 | 208 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 1119 | 139 | 1.129 | 7.3 | 0.5 | 2.8 | 6.7 | 2.36 | AS,CYA-9,GG |
| 1973 | 37 | STL | NL | 12 | 10 | .545 | 2.77 | 25 | 25 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 195.0 | 159 | 71 | 60 | 12 | 57 | 6 | 142 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 790 | 133 | 1.108 | 7.3 | 0.6 | 2.6 | 6.6 | 2.49 | GG |
| 1974 | 38 | STL | NL | 11 | 13 | .458 | 3.83 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 240.0 | 236 | 111 | 102 | 24 | 104 | 14 | 129 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1041 | 95 | 1.417 | 8.9 | 0.9 | 3.9 | 4.8 | 1.24 | |
| 1975 | 39 | STL | NL | 3 | 10 | .231 | 5.04 | 22 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 109.0 | 120 | 66 | 61 | 10 | 62 | 6 | 60 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 499 | 76 | 1.670 | 9.9 | 0.8 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 0.97 | |
| 17 Seasons | 251 | 174 | .591 | 2.91 | 528 | 482 | 21 | 255 | 56 | 6 | 3884.1 | 3279 | 1420 | 1258 | 257 | 1336 | 118 | 3117 | 102 | 13 | 108 | 16068 | 128 | 1.188 | 7.6 | 0.6 | 3.1 | 7.2 | 2.33 | ||||
| 162 Game Avg. | 17 | 12 | .591 | 2.91 | 36 | 32 | 1 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 262 | 221 | 96 | 85 | 17 | 90 | 8 | 210 | 7 | 1 | 7 | 1082 | 128 | 1.188 | 7.6 | 0.6 | 3.1 | 7.2 | 2.33 | ||||
| Lg | W | L | G | GS | GF | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | R | ER | HR | BB | IBB | SO | HBP | BK | WP | BF | Awards | ||||||||||||
Check this guy out. 6'1", 189 lbs. Black. Civil Rights Era. Intimidating. Challenging. Dominating. Played basketball for the Harlem Globetrotters professionally before deciding on baseball and made the All Star team in 1963 and was a star after that. He would go on to become one of the greatest pitchers of all time.
Between games, Mays came over to me and said, "Now, in the second game, you're going up against Bob Gibson." I only half-listened to what he was saying, figuring it didn't make much difference. So I walked up to the plate the first time and started digging a little hole with my back foot...No sooner did I start digging that hole than I hear Willie screaming from the dugout: "Noooooo!" Well, the first pitch came inside. No harm done, though. So I dug in again. The next thing I knew, there was a loud crack and my left shoulder was broken. I should have listened to Willie."
You can see his stats (most of them...) and you can see he was a 5 time 20 game winner. Career ERA of 2.91. Complete games were off the charts by today's standards. He even completed over half of all his career starts. Think about that...now take a closer look at 1968. The Year of the Pitcher.
Ridiculous. 22-9 is great but nothing that hasn't been done before. But his ERA?? 1.12!!! Between June 2nd and July 30th 1968 he gave up only 2 earned runs in ninety two innings. That's a 0.20 ERA over that stretch. At one point in the season he had 47 consecutive scoreless innings pitched. His ERA that season is the lowest of all time for a season where he pitched over 300 innings. Oh, yeah...he pitched over 300 innings that season. 28 Complete games and 13 shutouts. 268 K's. He would lose 5 games that season that were 1 run games. One was against Gaylord Perry's no-hitter that season. Gibson won the Cy Young and the NL MVP that season. The Cardinals went on to the World Series that season. Game One went to Gibson. 17 K's. To close out the game he gave up a single to lead off the 9th inning of Game 1. Then he k'd the next three guys, Al Kaline, Norm Cash and and Willie Horton. Blew it right by them. 9th inning. Complete Game. World Series. 17 K's. Still a record. (Koufax had 15 two years earlier)
1969 MLB lowered the pitchers mound 5 inches in part some say due to Bob Gibson's incredible 1968 season. The idea was to take the advantage off the pitchers a bit. 1969 for Gibson was a 20-13 season with 28 complete games, 4 shutouts and a 2.18 ERA. That year he also joined an exclusive club of 15 MLB pitchers who have thrown an immaculate inning. 9 pitches, 3 K's. 1 IP. Only been done by 15 pitchers. Ever. 9 in the NL.
"(Hank Aaron told me) 'Don't dig in against Bob Gibson, he'll knock you down. He'd knock down his own grandmother if she dared to challenge him. Don't stare at him, don't smile at him, don't talk to him. He doesn't like it. If you happen to hit a home run, don't run too slow, don't run too fast. If you happen to want to celebrate, get in the tunnel first. And if he hits you, don't charge the mound, because he's a Gold Glove boxer.' I'm like, 'Damn, what about my 17-game hitting streak?' That was the night it ended."
9 time Gold Glover Winner. 2 time NL Cy Young winner, No hitter, MVP, World Series winner twice, WS MVP, he has the awards. He has the records. Had it not been for a bad ankle and a rough divorce he may have even played longer but quit after giving up a grand slam to a no namer in 1975 and decided to retire to focus on his divorce and personal life.
He is a member of the All Century Team and is commonly revered as one of the greatest right handed pitchers of all time. He was a workhorse, intimidating inside pitcher who was not afraid to hit you if it meant it opened up the slider for the outside part of the plate, yet he rarely hit people. He was hands down, one of the greatest pitchers of all time.
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