Turn Around

MLB teams are now past the halfway mark of the season, and my interest in the 2024 season seems to be waning. Maybe it’s that there is only one or two competitive division races, and I don’t have that Wild Card frame of mind just yet. Or maybe it’s because my favorite teams are all below .500.  Whatever the reason, I need a little boost.

Yesterday, MLB announced the rosters for this year’s All-Star Game (ASG) on July 16 in Arlington, Texas. My ASG memories go back more than 50 years. Although I feel like I knew more ASG player names back then than I do today, I’m hoping that this year’s game can turn the season around for baseball and me. Let’s take a look back at some fun ASG memories over those years:

Hometown Hero.   Anaheim Stadium, Anaheim, California, 1967.  My earliest image of watching an All-Star Game was the ’67 game possibly because Tony Perez of the Reds was the MVP.   Like many All-Star Games, this was a pitchers’ duel, tied 1-1 going into the 15th inning.  Perez, or affectionately known by his teammates as “Doggie”, hit the game-winning homer in the 15th.   The pitching line for the game was a story of some of the greatest:  WP – Don Drysdale; LP – Catfish Hunter; and Save – Tom Seaver.  It was a sign of good things to come for the Reds as Perez soon became known as one of the great clutch hitters in the game.

Play at the Plate.   Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1970.   Riverfront Stadium was no more than 2 weeks old when it hosted an extra inning All-Star Game classic of its own.  This one was tied 4-4 going into the bottom of the 12th inning.   With Pete Rose of the Reds on second base, Jim Hickman of the Cubs lined a single to centerfield.  The throw beat Rose to the plate but he bulldozed the AL catcher, Ray Fosse of the Indians, who dropped the ball allowing the winning run to score.  This play might be one of the most controversial ones in All-Star Game history pitting the traditionalists who favor Rose’s all-out play all the time vs. the naysayers who question the necessity of the injury sustained by Fosse in a meaningless game.

Home Run.  Tiger Stadium, Detroit, Michigan, 1971.  Reggie Jackson is probably best known as Mr. October as a slugger for the Yankees in their championship years of 1977 and 1978.  On this night though he was Mr. July.  In the bottom of the third inning Jackson hit a 520 feet home run that crashed into a transformer attached to a light tower of Tiger Stadium.  It was the longest HR in All-Star Game history.  Jackson had some more majestic shots to come during the ‘70s!

Throw.   Kingdome, Seattle, Washington, 1979.   I remember this play like it was yesterday although it was 40 years ago.  To set the stage, there were 2 outs in the bottom of the eighth inning with the Angels’ Brian Downing on second base.  Craig Nettles of the Yankees lined a single to right field off Bruce Sutter of the Cubs.  Dave Parker of the Pirates gunned down Downing with a rifle shot peg to the plate.  The speed and accuracy of the throw from right field by Parker was certainly reminiscent of some of the amazing throws of the all-time greatest Pirate, Roberto Clemente.

Athlete.   Angel Stadium, Anaheim, California, 1989.   In my lifetime there has never been someone like Bo Jackson, an athlete who was a star in so many sports – football, track, and baseball.  Bo only played 8 MLB seasons and in just one All-Star Game, a classic performance in 1989.  Jackson was the MVP of the game lighting up the box score in so many offensive categories – 2 for 4 at the plate; a HR; 2 RBIs; and a stolen base.  Yet, the play I remember the most from this game was his amazing outfield grab.  I always wish we would have had more Bo to watch through the years.

At Bat.  Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland, 1993.  Randy Johnson’s 22-year MLB pitching career might be best remembered by a single confrontation in an All-Star Game with an NL hitter, John Kruk of the Phillies.  It was the classic left-handed dominating pitcher against a lefty hitter.  The first pitch from Johnson went over Kruk’s head.   Kruk then seemed terrified and stood at the edge of the batter’s box and waited for the umpire to call him out on strikes.  It was one of the most humorous moments in the history of the Midsummer Classic.

Old and New.  Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts, 1999.  The All-Century Team was announced prior to the game and featured a pre-game appearance by the all-time greatest natural hitter, Red Sox HOF, Ted Williams.  Williams was greeted by, among others, star Red Sox shortstop, Nomar Garciaparra, representing the transfer of the torch from the 1900s to 2000s in baseball.  The game had highlights as well.  Pedro Martinez, named MVP, struck out 5 batters in his two innings pitched.

Iron Man.   T-Mobile Park, Seattle, Washington, 2001.   All-Star Games are often about the celebration of a player’s great career, not just the first half of his season during a given year.   This game honored Cal Ripken, Jr., baseball’s Iron Man.  The AL starting left side of the infield had Alex Rodriguez at short and Ripken at third.  Before the first pitch of the game ARod asked to switch positions with Ripken so that baseball and its fans would see Ripken in the spot where he set his career record for consecutive games played, 2,632, besting Lou Gehrig’s former record of 2,130.  It was a wonderful gesture shared by two of the best ever.

Tie.  Miller Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 2002.   This game changed baseball for the next 14 years. After 12 innings, the managers agreed through Bud Selig’s urging to end the game in a tie.  Acknowledging that baseball’s Midsummer Classic had become less competitive in nature, it was decided shortly thereafter to give incentive to the winning league going forward by having its World Series representative receive the home field advantage.  Previously, the two leagues changed home field advantage in even (NL) and odd (AL) years.  Now, finally, the best record rules the day.  The game could have also been noted for the “Catch”, as Torii Hunter of the Twins robbed Barry Bonds of an HR with a leaping grab at the wall.

Inside the Park.  AT&T Park, San Francisco, California, 2007.  I often play down my enthusiasm for home runs, but not when it comes to one of these!  Seattle’s Ichiro Suzuki hit a ball to right center field that struck an All-Star banner and bounced to the right field corner.  Ichiro easily rounded the bases before the relay throw reached the plate.  It was the first and only inside the park home run in All-Star Game history, and hit by one of baseball’s greatest of all-time.

I struggle to find a big ASG moment since 2007. Years ago, the Midsummer Classic was must see television as players competed hard for the pride of their respective leagues. Yet the last two decades of ASG play have left me with that same feeling that I have toward this year’s first half of the season, “blah”.  Here’s hoping that there is a big moment in this year’s game and the 2024 season is invigorated for the stretch run. I need the turn around.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Say Hey Kid

In the aftermath of Willie Mays passing away over a week ago, I’ve asked others if they had the privilege of seeing him play in person. It led to some wonderful conversations, including my sharing a memory of seeing him on two occasions at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. I recall a Reds vs. Giants Sunday doubleheader where Jim Maloney and Sammy Ellis pitched against Juan Marichal and Gaylord Perry, a must see, glorious afternoon of baseball. The other time was a night game with my Dad. Mays batted third in that powerful San Francisco lineup with Willie McCovey in the cleanup spot and Jim Ray Hart the #5 hitter.  During one at bat, Willie fouled off twelve consecutive pitches. I asked my Dad how could Willie do that? His simple response, “he’s Willie Mays!” There are other, easy to understand, ways to describe his illustrious career.

Five tool. Those unfamiliar with this baseball terminology might first check in Webster’s and the simple definition would be “Willie Mays”.  It’s a baseball player with that rare combination of hit for power and average, speed on the basepaths, and exemplary fielding and throwing. All you need to do is to review Mays’ career statistics – 660 HRs (led the NL four times); 1,909 RBIs (5-time leader in slugging percentage); 3,293 hits; lifetime batting average of .301 (batted over .300 with 100+ RBIs ten times); led the league in stolen bases four times and triples three times; and 12 Gold Gloves (even though there were no gold gloves handed out in Mays’ first five seasons).  His remarkable list of statistical accomplishments goes on and on.

Idolized. In reading the numerous remembrances of Mays last week, I was particularly struck by comments from the baseball greats. His godson, Barry Bonds, aptly described Mays’ play on the field as “another level”.  Ken Griffey, Jr., simply said that Willie will “always be the godfather of all centerfielders”. And today’s superstar Aaron Judge might have said it best: “He was bigger than baseball”.  But it just wasn’t the baseball greats; it was every player he touched. During his playing career, Mays would often hold court with opposing players who hung on his every word. And after he retired, Willie spent many days at ballparks talking with players about the game he loved.

Joy. Joy might be the best description. Mays played the game with passion. If you followed the storylines over the past week, I’m sure you heard about Willie’s lighting up the lives of young kids in Harlem  prior to his taking the field as a New York Giant.  Story has it that kids would knock on his apartment’s windows early in the day, give him 30 minutes to dress and eat breakfast, and then play stickball with him in the streets.  He gave such joy to everyone who saw him play – sprinting around the bases as his baseball cap, sized purposefully too small, flew off his head, and my personal favorite, his basket catches of flyballs he tracked down in the outfield. He quickly got the nickname of “Say Hey Kid” (credit to sportswriter Barney Kremenko) for the spirited way he addressed his teammates and opponents, “Say Hey!”

Racism. Tragically, Mays had to endure racism for much of his life. He grew up in rural Alabama. Like many black players then, his rise to MLB in the minor leagues started in the previously all-white Interstate League where he was subjected to racist taunts and ridicule. Fortunately for Willie, Leo Durocher, manager of the New York Giants, inserted him into the major league lineup at the age of 20.  Durocher played a key role in protecting Mays during his early career. While Mays was from all accounts soon beloved by the New York fan base, life soured when the Giants moved to San Francisco in 1958.  Willie and his wife were rejected when they attempted to purchase a home in an exclusive neighborhood there. He never quite enjoyed the same kind of relationship with San Francisco fans than he had in New York.

The Catch. Mays’ over the shoulder catch in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series will forever be regarded as the best defensive play in baseball history. In the eighth inning Cleveland’s Vic Wertz hit a shot to deep centerfield and Mays sprinted back in chase. He caught the ball in full speed just before the ball would have reached the base of the outfield fence.  Keep in mind that the fence was 455 feet from home plate at New York’s Polo Grounds, a certain Indians’ home run at any other ballpark then and now. Willie though remembered the play more as “the throw”.  He quickly whirled around and threw a rocket back toward the infield.  Cubs’ Hall of Fame broadcaster Jack Brickhouse was on the call for national radio, and described the play: “Wille Mays just brought this crowd to its feet with a catch which must have been an optical illusion to a lot of people!”

Wrigley Field. Interestingly, Willie maintained an ongoing friendship with Brickhouse until Jack’s passing in 1998.  Mays loved playing at Wrigley, a chance to meet up with Brickhouse and and set hitting records while doing so.  Of Mays’ 660 career HRs, 92 were against the Cubs, and 54 were at the “Friendly Confines” (an all-time record for visiting players). Additionally, Mays had a .342 batting average and an incredible 1.077 OPS at Wrigley. Ironically, the Giants were in Chicago on the day of Willie’s recent passing. Giants manager Bob Melvin chose to not tell his players of the news before the game.  Word broke in the sixth inning as Cubs’ public address announcer Jeremiah Paprocki advised the crowd with Willie’s image appearing on an outfield board. The players, crowd, and the baseball nation mourned.

Rickwood Field.  Two days later the Giants traveled to Birmingham, Alabama, to play the Cardinals in a game honoring the Negro Leagues. The hope in the months prior to the game was that Willie might attend. It wasn’t meant to be.  Former Negro League players paid tribute to Mays throughout the national television broadcast. You see, Mays played at Rickwood Field for the Black Barons during home games while he was in high school, then traveled with the team throughout the summer.  One of the great moments during his time with the Black Barons was facing the great Satchel Paige.  Paige playfully referred to Mays as “the kid”. On Willie’s high school graduation day, June 20, 1950, he signed with the Giants for a $6,000 bonus, launching his great career in MLB.

In 2020, Willie Mays collaborated with national baseball writer, John Shea, to write a biography, also honoring Mays. One passage in the book is particularly meaningful, as President Clinton had this to say: “Willie Mays, just by being Willie Mays and playing his heart out and by being happy doing it, made a real contribution to melting the iceberg of at least more overt forms of racism.” Just by being Willie Mays! My Dad was right all along.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Back to the Future

Last Fall I had the amazing experience of teaching in India for two weeks.  The host law school was located in Rajkot, a mid-sized city in Gujarat.  On the day of arrival the Dean invited me to dinner. I noticed immediately that he was a little distracted as he glanced from time to time at a television situated in the hotel dining room. India was hosting the 2023 Cricket Cup, a world competition featuring ten national teams. About a week into my trip, the streets of Rajkot were almost empty one night when India faced its bitter rival, Pakistan. India won the match, and fireworks exploded throughout the city as everyone celebrated.

Although I tried to get interested in cricket on my trip, I could not for the life of me figure out the attraction. It is in a word, slow. I have heard some proclaim that baseball finds its origins in cricket. Cricket, which began in the mid-16th century in England, is indeed a bat and ball game played between two teams of eleven players. Matches can often go on for days. In the 2023 Cricket Cup a short form of the game was played so that the match was completed in one day. An even more abbreviated format will be played in the Summer Olympics. While cricket certainly has some similar equipment, such as a bat, ball, batting gloves and even a cap, it’s difficult to tie baseball to this English sport.

Where did American baseball find its beginnings?  In 1905 the president of the National League, Abraham Mills, chaired a group to answer the question. The Mills Commission Report, issued in late 1907, concluded that baseball was invented by Abner Doubleday at Cooperstown, New York, in 1839.  Most baseball historians have depicted the Report’s conclusion as a myth.  Indeed, Doubleday, a Union general in the Civil War, never made the claim in his lifetime nor do his memoirs even mention baseball.  While baseball’s origins can indeed be traced to New York state in the 1800s, the better conclusion is that it is based on a game British children played called “rounders”, involving a pitcher, batter and four bases. 

The term “vintage baseball” can be applied to these early days. The pitcher threw the ball underhanded to the batter (known then as the striker).  The catcher would stand about 20 feet behind the striker and wore no equipment. The game was mostly played in open fields with no outfield fences, but often the field would have obstacles in the way, such as trees and buildings. After a ball was hit, the fielder could allow the ball to take one hop before catching it and still make the out play.  The game was actually called “base ball”, not baseball as we know today.

A few weeks ago, NPR did a feature on the Roosters of Rochester, Minnesota, who bring vintage baseball to life today. The Roosters are one of many teams in southern Minnesota and Wisconsin each summer who follow the same rules as were used in 1865.  Dressing the part is important in the league, as players wear long sleeve shirts, pants, and simply caps (not helmets). Unlike today’s game, strikeouts are rare since the pitches are meant to be hit. A batter who runs to first after hitting the ball has to stop at the bag.  If you run through the base, you may be tagged out.  This annual, summer trip to yesteryear’s “base ball” is fun for all.

What was the journey to the modern day game? For me baseball began in 1869 in my hometown, Cincinnati, with the Red Stockings, the first professional baseball team.  The best player around at that time, Harry Wright, was asked by a group of civic leaders to put together a team and was given a bankroll to do so.  The team traveled around the country and won 60 games without a loss.  In 1871, the first professional baseball organization, the National Association of Professional Base Players, became the governing body of baseball.  Then, in 1876, a Chicago businessman, William Hulbert, took his team, the White Stockings, and three other teams, out of the Association, and formed the National League.  Because the NL was the first league recognized in organized baseball, it is often referred to as the Senior Circuit.

There were many renegade leagues, including the Eastern, Pacific Coast, and International leagues in the late 1800s, challenging the National League. Several teams were owned in syndicates, more than one team owned by the same owner. This allowed the owners to move talent among their teams, creating an imbalance in play.  For example, the 1899 Cleveland Spiders finished 20-134!  In 1901 a group of NL players, including Cy Young, was enticed to jump leagues, and the American League was founded.  The NL welcomed the American League as an equal partner in 1903, and the first World Series was played in 1905.

My blog over the past six years has in many ways chronicled baseball over the past 125 years.  We’ve focused on the all-time greatest to play the game, including Hall of Famers like Ruth, Aaron, Mays, Clemente, Mantle, Musial, Koufax, Banks, and Bench. We’ve seen the evolution of ballparks from the “jewel boxes” of Fenway and Wrigley to the modern day structures. We’ve talked about the trends in the game, such as small ball, pitching domination, and today’s home run focus. And yes, we’ve witnessed the advent of sports betting and its role in modern day baseball viewing.

So what about the next 125 years? Will any form of baseball exist in 2150? Will our American Pastime be thought of as just too slow for anyone to care about? Crazily, I had an image the other night (maybe call it a nightmare) of sitting in an empty ballpark in a comfortable, lounge chair with my own television screen in front of me. I had the ability to watch other games going on, place bets on the outcome of every pitch, and engage in other activities. I can tell you this, that would never be my happy place. Here’s hoping that baseball, in its purest form, will always be part of our lives.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Human Eye

How do you best describe an umpire? Maybe someone with a stiff upper lip, fair-minded, baseball knowledgeable, and a rule enforcer.  Of course, baseball managers, players, and fans don’t always use the same descriptive words for our men in blue.  Depending on whether your team won or lost, you either don’t know who called the game or believe he must have been a bum. The best compliment an umpire can ever receive is that he went unnoticed.  Let’s take a look at today’s MLB umpire and some possible rule changes going forward.

An MLB umpire is one of the highest paid officials in professional sports.  A first-year umpire begins his MLB career with an annual salary of over $120,000, while veteran umps often earn three times that.  In the playoffs an MLB umpire can make over $20,000 per game.  Turnover is low, which is good for those who have made it to the big leagues and of course bad for those struggling in the minor leagues to get there.  Often, MLB only adds 1 or 2 umpires a year to its crew of 68 umpires for the season.  For umpires toiling in the minor leagues the road is long, the pay is barely adequate (just around $4,000 per month at the highest level, Triple-A), and most often there is a dead end sign ahead.

I wish I could say that I have followed the careers of MLB umpires.  Yes, some last names ring a bell, especially when they span across two generations and 50+ years of service, such as these father and son combinations – Ed and Paul Runge; Tom and Brian Gorman; and Shag and Jerry Crawford.  But just like everyone else, my memory of umpires concerns bad calls. First, there is home plate umpire Ken Burkhart signaling “Out” in Game 1 of the 1970 World Series, failing to see that Orioles catcher Elrod Hendricks had made the tag on Reds runner Bernie Carbo with his glove while the ball was in his other hand.  And then there was “The Call” in the 1985 World Series when first base umpire Don Denkinger signaled “Safe” on a play at first, igniting a Royals win in the ninth inning of Game 6 against the Cardinals.  Both calls would have been most probably overturned in today’s replay review. 

The recent May 27 “retirement” of umpire Angel Hernandez suggests a fallout from a series of bad calls over his 24-year MLB career. Due to several controversial incidents, he has been a target throughout his career of criticism by MLB managers, players, and fans. An ESPN survey in 2010 found that 22% of MLB players ranked him to be the worst umpire in baseball.  In the first three seasons of instant replay (2016-2018), his first base calls were overturned at a rate of 78%, exceeding the 60% average rate.  Hernandez retired after reaching a financial settlement with MLB.

Joe West, whose career as an MLB umpire spanned an MLB-record 43 seasons, delighted in taking a larger than life role with his constant, on-field antics.  He loved the spotlight, and was famously nicknamed “Cowboy Joe” for his love of country music. His career of confrontations and controversies left many wondering why he had the privilege of umpiring a record 5,460 games. In a poll of players in 2010, he was ranked the second-worst umpire, and in 2011 41% of players ranked him dead last.  Somehow, he remained on the field until his retirement in 2021.

ESPN baseball insider Buster Olney opined a few years ago that technology would replace home plate umpires calling balls and strikes by 2023.  We are not there quite yet, but are getting close. For many years minor league baseball has experimented with TrackMan, a radar-based system to call balls and strikes. I have maintained that a good use of strike-zone technology would be to effectively grade home plate umpire performance. While umpire performance is reportedly a factor in assignments for the playoffs, it seems to make little difference in the retention of umpires.

If MLB can’t find a way past the Umpires’ Union to clean up umpire performance, should technology do it? In Triple-A the past few seasons, baseball has experimented with an automatic ball-strike (ABS) system. Every six-game Triple-A series splits between full ABS and an ABS challenge system. In the challenge system, the home plate umpire still stands behind the plate and makes ball-strike calls, but the pitcher and hitter can challenge any particular call in real time. Teams are afforded three challenges a game, and every correct challenge is not counted against their allotment. On a rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham this season, Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow endorsed the ABS challenge system. It gets my vote too!

On-field use of  strike-zone technology would have erased one of my favorite World Series moments. Game 1 of the 1995 World Series between Atlanta and Cleveland featured the pitching savvy of Greg Maddux who allowed only two hits in Atlanta’s 3-2 win.  The camera crew captured how home plate umpire Harry Wendelstedt (father of today’s MLB umpire, Hunter) consistently called strikes out of the zone. Maddux mastered the location of the extended strike zone, clearly playing the game of “give me an inch, and I’ll take a mile”.  Almost thirty years later, we remain stuck in giving MLB umpires a career that covers many miles, even though their strike zone performance remains critical inches apart.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Respect

When my daughters each turned ten years old, I took them on a weeklong car trip where we would visit MLB and minor league ballparks. They were carefully designed trips by a baseball-crazy dad with a game to see each day as we toured the Midwest.  Together, we shared special one-on-one time with lots of baseball and fun, some not so healthy food, and a little education, all mixed in.  One stop along the way was always Kansas City, where I included a tour of the Negro League Baseball Museum (NLBM) on the itinerary. They often waited, and admittedly were sometimes annoyed, as I poured through statistics at the museum.  There soon will be more statistics to explore!

In December 2020 MLB announced that “it would be correcting a longtime oversight” and add the records of the Negro Leagues into the official MLB statistics. A 17-person special committee, chaired by MLB historian John Thorn, has now completed its research.  An updated version of MLB’ s database will be released on June 20 when the Cardinals play the Giants in a tribute to the Negro Leagues at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama.  Last week in a press release MLB highlighted some of the revised statistics, the purpose of which is to give the Negro Leagues the respect it deserves in baseball annals.

The first black professional baseball team was the Cuban Giants in 1885, formed because blacks were not accepted into white major or minor league baseball.  Jim Crow laws, enacted in the 1870s and 1880s in many states, mandated racial segregation.   While the Giants and a handful of other black teams played in early, organized leagues, they made the most money through “barnstorming” around the country to play any team that would accept their challenge.  Due to the sparcity of  information, the MLB special committee decided not to include the barnstorming exhibition games in the new database.

Rube Foster was the dominant black player in the early 1900s, pitching the Cuban X-Giants to the first “Colored Championship” in 1903. Foster joined the Leland Giants in 1907, not only as its star player but also manager, becoming one of the great innovators in baseball history. It was Foster’s vision to create an all-black league with all-black owners.  His vision became a reality in February 1920 when he founded the Negro National League at the Paseo YMCA in Kansas City, just a few blocks from the present site of NLBM.    Foster, known as the “father of Black Baseball”, was named league president and controlled the league in all operational aspects.  He was elected to Baseball’s HOF in 1981.

Josh Gibson is another HOF inductee who played in the Negro Leagues (1930-1946) for the Homestead Grays and the Pittsburgh Crawfords.  Gibson, a dynamic power hitter,  was known as the “black Babe Ruth”. Some say that he may have hit close to 800 HRs in his Negro League career. Josh never played in MLB.  Josh’s name though will forever be remembered once the revised MLB statistics come out in the next two weeks.  Gibson will jump to number one on the highest single-season batting average (an incredible .466 in 1943) and also to the top spot in highest career batting average (.372).  Move over Ty Cobb!

MLB Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Jackie Robinson, and Ernie Banks are just a few of the greatest baseball players of all-time who played in the Negro Leagues.   Last week’s MLB press release noted in particular that Mays’ career hit total will be increased to 3,293, based on the hits he accumulated while playing for the 1948 Birmingham Black Barons. Robinson’s new hit total will be 1,567, taking into account his 49 hits while with the Kansas City Monarchs in 1945.

The win total of Satchel Paige, maybe the top right-handed pitcher ever,  will also be increased. Paige began his career with the Chattanooga Black Lookouts of the Negro Southern League in 1926.  In 1929, Satchel had 179 strikeouts while pitching for the Birmingham Black Barons, believed to be a Negro League record.  Paige drew huge crowds throughout the Negro Leagues, often making spot appearances for various teams so they and he could cash in on his notoriety.   While starring for the Kansas City Monarchs in the 1940s, he was making four times the salary of any player in the Negro Leagues.  In 1948, at the age of 42, he signed with the Cleveland Indians, the oldest MLB rookie ever.  He was elected to the HOF in 1971.

A Negro League player who received the honor of induction into Baseball’s HOF in 2022 is Buck O’Neil.  O’Neil’s career is more than admirable, as he symbolized the vision of Negro League Baseball as a player, manager, MLB scout, and founder of NLBM.  Buck was a solid first baseman and hitter, starring for the Kansas City Monarchs beginning in 1938.  O’Neil became player manager of the Monarchs in 1948.   In 1955, O’Neil started with the MLB as a scout for the Chicago Cubs, which led to the signing of Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, and Lou Brock. O’Neil served as a member of Baseball’s Hall of Fame Veterans Committee for 20 years, a catalyst for the induction of Negro League players into the HOF.  In 1990 he turned to his greatest passion, the establishment of NLBM. 

In MLB’s announcement of the revised statistics, Commissioner Manfred stated: “It’s a show of respect for great players who performed in the Negro Leagues.” One of my favorite images from attending NLBM years ago was watching kids, including my daughters, playing in a small baseball diamond in the front corridor and pretending to be one of those Negro League Baseball players they just learned about.  A lot of good came out of that play-acting. Now adults, each one of my daughters demonstrates the proper respect to all people they meet in life. I want to return to NLBM soon, hopefully with my grandsons, to learn more, to help educate them, and continue that same respect.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Mendoza Line

A few years ago,  I ran into a former professor of mine in a hotel lobby in Colorado.  We decided to grab coffee together and catch up.  What I didn’t know about him was his avid interest in baseball, especially in his favorite team, the Yankees. Just like me, he checks the box scores every day in the newspaper to see who is hot at the plate or how many innings the starting pitcher threw the day before. If you too are one of those box score maniacs, my bet is that you are unhappy this season with the batting averages of your favorite team’s players. 

There are so many players today hovering near the Mendoza Line, baseball language for a .200 batting average. Mario Mendoza was a light hitting shortstop who played in nine MLB seasons (1974-1982).  His batting average was between .180 and .199 in five of those seasons.  He became the brunt of jokes of better hitting Kansas City teammates.  When George Brett got off to a slow start in 1979, Tom Paciorek and Bruce Bochte of the Royals warned Brett that he might “sink below the Mendoza Line”.  Chris Berman of ESPN pounced on the story and the baseball jargon was born.

This past week MLB teams passed the one-third mark of games played. Using a minimum of 3.1 plate appearances per game, it’s remarkable how many stars are below the Mendoza Line. Randy Arozarena, the Rays standout slugger during the MLB playoffs the last several years, has the lowest batting average of all – a paltry .162.  Other stars are below the Line, such as Andrew Benintendi (White Sox), George Springer (Blue Jays), and last season’s NL ROY Corbin Carroll (Diamondbacks). Some other stars who are struggling to stay above .200 are Nick Castellanos (Phillies), Javier Baez (Tigers), and Francisco Lindor (Mets). 

It’s not just a handful of players. So far, the 2024 batting average for the 30 MLB teams is .240, a full seven points below the 2023 average and the lowest since the entire league batted .237 in 1968.  You remember that year, the one that was deemed the “Year of the Pitcher” and resulted in the MLB lowering the mound for the 1969 season. The crazy thing this year is that many of the top MLB pitchers have been on the shelf with injuries – Maz Scherzer (Rangers), Gerrit Cole (Yankees), and Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers).  Fifteen of the 30 MLB teams are hitting below the .240 average, with the White Sox trailing all teams at .210.

So what’s going on?  Managers in baseball have clearly changed their approach to handling pitching loads. Not taking into account the “bullpen games” where a reliever starts and numerous other pitchers follow, the average start for an MLB pitcher so far this year is 5.24 innings. On an average, starters throw 86.2 pitches. Starters feel like they can air it out and not worry about going deep into the game.  This year starters are averaging 94.1 mph with their 4-seam fastballs.  And not too often are starters asked to go a “third time through the lineup” where hitters post higher batting averages as they adjust to a starter’s stuff and tendencies.

Innings limits are a big part of it as well. Gone are the days where the top pitchers edge toward 300 innings during a season.  In today’s game a 200 inning season is a huge load. Starters, especially ones who have not pitched a lot of innings in prior seasons, are pulled early from games for fear of having to sit them later in the season. The result is that the sixth through ninth innings of most games feature a parade of 99 + mph relievers dominating hitters and wreaking havoc on batting averages.

Managers are also employing a different approach to lineup strategy.  It used to be that your speedster batted first, an average hitter who could sacrifice and hit behind the runner was #2, your third hitter was your best hitter, and the cleanup spot was manned by your best power hitter. The trend is that the great hitters bat first or second. Indeed, the second spot is now the most productive spot in the order.  The names of Judge, Seager, Ohtani, and Trout come to mind.  How does this impact the Mendoza Line?  Starting pitchers are less likely to go deep in a game and the lesser hitters take the brunt of seeing heat in their third at bat.

Of course roster construction is part of it too.  Gone are the days of 25 player rosters that included just 10 pitchers. Under the MLB’s 2020 rule changes, teams are allowed 26 player rosters and are limited to 13 pitchers. Today, all 30 teams consistently have 13 pitchers on the active roster.  And most commonly, managers use a 5 pitcher starting rotation, so that eight pitchers may be available on any given day to use as relievers.  Batting averages suffer.

Baseball is a more exciting game when the ball is put in play, fielders are engaged, and runners take flight.  Yet, we find our game in sort of a rut where pitchers are dominating batters and recording record strikeouts.  In the 2021 season, MLB experimented with moving back the pitcher’s rubber one foot In Atlantic League games.  Interestingly, there was no appreciable difference in runs scored or batting averages.  The issue remains a challenge and certainly keeps Mario Mendoza a name to remember.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Too Much Information

A few weeks ago, my mother in-law attended a game at Wrigley Field with our family.  It was her first time at the historic ballpark in about 20 years. In the fifth inning or so, she turned to me and said, “there’s just too much information to take in”.  Mother in-laws are always right, correct? This time was no exception. Let’s take a look at the changing sounds, sights, and experiences at MLB ballparks.

When I was a little boy, my happy place was Crosley Field in Cincinnati. I still remember the smell of hot dogs grilling as I entered the game with my Dad. There were a lot of memorable features of old Crosley. Left fielders had to traverse a steep terrace to make a play on a fly ball. Also in left was a large, manual scoreboard with much advertising – “get moody with Hudepohl Beer”, a message that beer vendors liked to say as well. Batters were invited to hit a small sign over the centerfield wall and receive 55 gallons of Marathon gasoline. It was just a comfortable place to see a game and talk with my Dad about baseball.

I found another happy place when I began college in 1977 in Chicago, Wrigley Field. I remember taking a couple class afternoons off and heading to the “Friendly Confines”. It’s a combination of traditions that makes Wrigley so special – the manual scoreboard built in 1937 and still existing today; the jewel box design making every seat a good one; the Visitors’ Clubhouse in its original aboveground location when the park was constructed in 1914; the music played on the Lowrey Organ; and the ivy-covered outfield walls.  All of that was there during my college year visits but what I remember mostly was that $5.00 could get me an elevated train ride to and from the game, a bleachers seat, a hot dog, and a draft Old Style beer.

The evolution of scoreboards is an interesting one.  Fenway Park introduced its manual scoreboard in 1934 at the base of the Green Monster. It is one of the few remaining ones in MLB, in addition to  a modified version at Houston’s Minute Maid Park and of course, Wrigley’s. In 1960, White Sox owner Bill Veeck decided to one up the Cubs and employed an exploding scoreboard at old Comiskey Park. The Chicago Tribune deemed it “Veeck’s Frankenstein Monster”, as it featured fireworks after Sox homeruns. Yankees manager Casey Stengel enjoyed making fun of the feature by lighting sparklers after HRs hit by Mantle or Maris. An updated model of the exploding scoreboard exists today at Chicago’s Guaranteed Rate Field.

MLB scoreboards provide a lot more nowadays than the count, outs, score, and scores of other games. Video boards display replays and player interviews, as well as games to entertain fans between innings.  Modern technology has brought a new language to MLB fans – exit velocity, launch angle, spin rates, and slash lines. You can find all of that information on today’s scoreboards. Even during batting practice in some MLB ballparks fans are treated with information on HR distances.  I recall an interview with the late broadcaster Vin Scully years ago that he always had a sand timer near his side to remind him to tell his radio audience the score. I often hear fans wondering where to even find the score on scoreboards today.

Ballparks sounds have changed too.  Years ago Wrigley and a handful of other parks introduced organ music to the ballpark experience. Fans were treated to some fun musical tunes to capture a player’s name or what was going on in the game.  You could easily still carry on a conversation with your friend, smile, and relax.  The closest thing to any orchestrated cheer was the famous rally “Charge” that you yelled through your paper popcorn box. You would embrace the Seventh Inning Stretch by the organ music (and often singers) leading the crowd in “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”.

Organs at today’s ballparks have either been replaced or supplemented with canned music, an endless barrage of sometimes deafening sound.  Fans are often given a choice to vote for three songs to hear in order to whip up the crowd. The traditionalist in me would prefer a triple down the right field line to do just that. I must admit though that I do enjoy creative walk-up songs to introduce a batter coming to the plate or a pitcher making an entrance from the bullpen. Some famous ones first introduced at old Yankee Stadium include “Enter Sandman” (Mariano Rivera) and “This is How We Do It” (Derek Jeter). Yet, I still like more the lull in a game, a peaceful moment when I can just sit in my seat and relax.

And then there’s the new age of advertising!  Baseball is moving away from “static advertising”, permanent signage on outfield walls and wooden signs that limited creativity and lacked engagement with the fans. Today, the advertising landscape in ballpark has all sorts of digital signage and imaging. The goal is to not only engage the patrons in the venue but also attempt to reach the fans watching at home by flashing ads behind the home plate area. Call me a curmudgeon, but it just seems too much at times.

In 2020, Wrigley Field was designated a National Historic Landmark. Despite some of the modern changes, it remains my happy place today. When my mother in-law visited, we ran into a tour guide friend of mine who happens to be in his 20s. I introduced the old and new generations of Cub fans. It was just prior to the first pitch, and my friend was entering the lineups into a scorebook he keeps when he attends games.  I had to smile.  His keeping score brought back some wonderful memories of my Dad teaching me that skill at Crosley years and years ago.  Maybe there’s hope after all.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Number One Overall

This past week featured the debut of the Pirates rookie phenom pitcher, Paul Skenes. At the age of 21 Skenes skyrocketed through the Pittsburgh minor league system in less than a year. He posted a 0.99 ERA in seven starts for Triple-A Indianapolis this spring before getting a call to  the big leagues. In his first game as a Pirate, Skenes delivered for a near capacity PNC Park crowd. His fastball velocity averaged 100.1 mph as he struck out 7 Cubs batters.  This past Friday at Wrigley Field he dominated – 6 innings, 0 runs, 0 hits, 11 Ks. Yes, it’s way too early to know, but this first overall draft pick looks to be a huge star. Let’s take a look at MLB’s history of #1 selections and see if they were booms, busts, or maybe somewhere in between.

MLB’s first-year player draft, also called the Rule 4 Draft, began in 1965. It was developed so that wealthier teams could not steal away all of the top level prospects from the small market clubs. Unlike other professional sports, MLB does not allow teams to trade draft picks.  In addition, in response to the possibility of teams tanking to grab a player like Skenes, the first six selections of the first round are now determined by lottery. The prior season’s standings determine the order of the other selections.

There have been some huge booms as #1 overalls. Ken Griffey, Jr. heads the list. Drafted first by Seattle out of Cincinnati Moeller High in 1988, Jr. played 22 MLB seasons that featured 630 home runs and 10 Gold Gloves. In 1994, Seattle had the good fortune of landing in the one slot again and selected Alex Rodriguez. In ARod’s 22 seasons, he hit over 600 HRs (696), over 2,000 RBIs and runs scored, and more than 3,000 hits and 300 stolen bases, the only MLB player in history to do so.  Rounding out the best of the best number one overalls is Chipper Jones, the 1993 top pick of the Braves. Chipper is the only switch hitter ever to have garnered a .300 batting average (.305 career) and 400 or more HRs (468).

At the next boom rung are two Hall of Famers and two current stars. Harold Baines played 22 seasons in MLB, known mostly for his days with the White Sox.  Baines batted over .300 eight times and finished his career with 2,866 hits and a .289 batting average. Joe Mauer, who will enter the Hall of Fame this July, spent his entire 15 years with the Twins. He quietly was one of the great hitters of his time and the only catcher in MLB history with three batting titles. While I want to place Bryce Harper (2012 NL Rookie of the Year and 2015 NL MVP) and Gerrit Cole (2023 AL Cy Young winner) with the first group, let’s see how their respective careers play out before doing so.

There have also been some busts.  Pitcher David Clyde, drafted first overall by the Rangers in 1973, played in just six seasons and posted an 18-33 career record.  He didn’t play in the minor leagues and was put in the Texas rotation much too early to boost attendance. Clyde never recovered from a rough start to his career.  Floyd Bannister, another lefty in the same era, came into the league with the same lofty expectations, only to fail for the most part. While he made one All-Star appearance, he had a losing career record of 134-143. And then there’s Josh Hamilton. Chosen first by Tampa in 1999, his career was quite a roller coaster. He rose to the top in 2010 as the AL MVP, but could never put it all together personally. In my mind he was a bust since he fell far short of his abilities.

My list of players falling somewhere in between has a common thread – each may be said to have had a solid career but not stardom.  Rick Monday was the first player ever selected in an MLB draft as #1 by the Kansas City Athletics in 1965. Monday posted a career batting average of .264 over eighteen seasons.  He is probably most remembered for saving the American flag from burning in an incident at Dodger Stadium in 1976. I also put Jeff Burroughs and Bob Horner In this category.  Both were lauded as franchise saviors when drafted.  Burroughs was the 1974 AL MVP, and Horner was named the 1978 NL Rookie of the Year.  Yet, as sluggers each posted less than 250 career HRs. Maybe the most talented of this bunch is Shawon Dunston, the number one pick in 1982. His offensive stats (.269 career average) and defensive prowess (not many shortstops had an arm like Dunston) were in a word, solid.

There are two players who were thought of as superstars but I really struggled where to categorize them.  Daryll Strawberry, the first overall selection by the Mets in 1980, was a top player early in his career. The Straw Man made eight straight NL All-Star teams from 1984 to 1991. While he was a feared slugger in his prime, his numbers really tailed off late in a career that ended with the Yankees in 1999.  Stephen Strasburg, the first overall pick by the Nationals in 2009, was deemed the “most hyped pick in draft history” by ESPN.  In Strasburg’s first MLB start he recorded 14 strikeouts. He also was named the 2019 World Series MVP. Yet, arm problems plagued his career and he won just 113 games in his 13-year career.

The jury is still out on whether two current shortstops drafted number one overall are booms. Carlos Correa made a  huge, early splash with the Astros in being named the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year.  After seven seasons with Houston, Carlos is now a Twin.  Correa currently has a .273 overall batting average. On the National League side, Arizona struck gold in the 2015 draft landing Dansby Swanson out of Vanderbilt. Dansby was traded to the Braves and debuted for Atlanta in the 2016 season. He was a big part of the 2021 world championship club.  Swanson is now starring for the Cubs.

Another shortstop, Jackson Holliday in the Orioles organization, has the number one overall spotlight on him this year, much like Paul Skenes.  Due to injury, Holliday got an early call this spring, on April 10, to show the Baltimore fans that he’s going to be the real deal.  Unfortunately, in his first 34 at-bats he struck out 18 times and got just 2 hits.  He has since returned to AAA where he is again tearing it up.  Here's hoping that Skenes and Holliday will rise to the top in their MLB careers.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Bending the Rules

I loved going to Reds games growing up.  I enjoyed getting to the game early, watching batting practice, and seeing Johnny Bench throw bullets to the bases during fielding practice. As the groundskeepers readied the diamond for the game, I marveled at how carefully they would chalk the batter’s box.  When the Reds came up in the bottom half of the first, leadoff hitter Pete Rose would walk to the plate and erase the back line of the batter’s box so he had more time to react to pitches. He did it every time, home and on the road. I remember asking my Dad why would the umpires let him do that. Isn’t that cheating? The answer was that he was just bending the rules. What exactly can you do to bend the rules? Let’s take a look. 

Elrod Hendriks, Orioles’ catcher, bent the rules unintentionally in the 1970 World Series. The first game in Cincinnati was tied 3-3 in the sixth inning when Reds pinch hitter, Ty Cline, hit a high chopper in front of the plate. Bernie Carbo charged home from third. Unfortunately the play surprised home plate umpire Ken Burkhardt as he positioned himself between the sliding Carbo and Hendriks. Burkhardt raised his right hand signaling out, even though Hendriks’ tag on Carbo was with his mitt while the ball stayed in Elrod’s hand. Baseball rules clearly provide that a fielder cannot apply a tag with an open glove. Burkhardt never saw it.

Catchers can only use their masks for protection, not to field a ball. In 2021 Giants’ catcher Curt Casali used his mask to stop a ball. Arizona baserunners were awarded an extra base. In a game at Fenway three years prior, Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez scooped up an errant pitch with his mask. Confused by the incident when the umpires awarded runners an extra base, the Red Sox broadcasting team deemed it a “catcher’s balk”.  Find that one in the rule book.  The actual rule is called the detached equipment rule, and it was correctly applied in both instances.

Fielders also can’t throw their gloves at batted balls.  Two incidents with pitchers stand out. In 2013 in a game in Colorado, Rockies’ batter Josh Rutledge laid down a bunt that rolled between the pitcher’s mound and first base line.  Trying to stop the ball, Clayton Kershaw threw his glove at it. Fortunately, he missed. If the glove had made contact with the ball, the batter and baserunners would have been awarded two or even three bases.  Dodgers’ pitcher Duaner Sanchez in a 2005 game vs. the Diamondbacks tried to field a soft pop up over his head by throwing his glove at it.  He did make contact and Arizona hitter Luis Terrero was awarded third base.  Stiff penalties! Keep your glove on your hand.

Also, keep your helmet on your head!  A little over a week ago Cubs’ rookie Pete Crow-Armstrong doubled into the right field corner in a game vs. the Mets.  For whatever reason, Pete took his helmet off as he ran toward second base. He beat the throw, but attempted to stay on the base by holding his helmet on the bag.  New York second baseman Joey Wendle applied a late tag, and umpire Carlos Torres motioned that Crow-Armstrong was still safe. The Mets did not appeal the play, but if they had it was clearly an out. Know the rules when they are trying to be bent!

The most notorious attempt to bend the rules is the hidden ball trick.  It’s when an infielder tries to confuse a baserunner on the location of the baseball, resulting in the fielder tagging out the runner. One important caveat to the trick is that the ball must be in play, meaning that time hasn’t been called.  Most often players call time after a play ends so that it is nearly impossible for the play to happen.  The use of a hidden ball trick in MLB is pretty rare.  Often, you see infielders try and deke runners into believing the ball is somewhere else. Former Giants’ third baseman Matt Williams on two occasions successfully asked a runner to step off the base so that he could sweep off the dirt from the bag, then applied the tag. Pretty clever.

My favorite tale is that of Rockies former first baseman Todd Helton, who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer.  In mid September 2013 Helton announced his retirement after a 17-year career with Colorado.  A few days later he decided to do a little trickery on the way out. Rockies pitcher Roy Oswalt attempted unsuccessfully to pick the Cardinals Matt Carpenter off of first base. Helton then faked a throw back to the mound, and when Carpenter began to take his lead, Helton applied the tag.  Gotcha! The veteran Helton said after the game: “I’ve been wanting to do that for 17 seasons. Now I can cross that off my bucket list.” Maybe Helton will mention his trickery in his Cooperstown address this July.

Most every Little Leaguer growing up in Cincinnati tried to emulate Pete Rose -- maybe it was your swing, running to first base on a walk, or attempting a head first slide.  As for me, I sometimes tried to bend the rules.  I remember attempting my own hidden ball trick in a game against a heated rival.  It was at first ruled successful then the other manager pointed out that time had been called. Foiled!  I was successful, unknowingly of course, in a game that I caught and a third strike was tipped back at me.  I looked around and the ball didn’t land in my mitt, but rather was lodged in my chest protector.  I pulled it out and the 15-year old umpire signaled out. It’s okay to bend the rules if the umpires say okay.  Be like Pete!

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Shohei, It Ain't So!

(Note: The historical section below was taken from a Baseball Bench Coach article “Our Heroes” last year.)

In March the 2024 MLB season started out with a bang, but maybe not the bang Commissioner Manfred had hoped for. The Dodgers, the team that had made the biggest offseason splash ever in signing superstar Shohei Ohtani to a record 10-year, $700 million contract, were set to play the Padres in the showcase “Seoul Series”, a week prior to Opening Day of the season. As the teams prepared for the two games in South Korea, a scandal shook the baseball world. Reports came out that Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s interpreter, had used millions of dollars from Ohtani’s bank account to satisfy gambling debts.

Mizuhara had served as Ohtani’s interpreter since Shohei arrived to MLB in 2018. The early reports about the scandal were conflicting. On March 19 Mizuhara told ESPN that Ohtani paid his gambling debts at the interpreter’s request. At first there was much confusion and dismay out of the Dodger camp. Shohei and the Dodgers quickly recovered at a news conference on March 25 at Dodger Stadium. He told the media present that he never bet on sports or knowingly paid the gambling debts of Mizuhara. Shohei, it ain’t so!

In the early part of the 20th century, reports of gambling on baseball were almost commonplace. The 1919 World Series will forever be remembered by the Black Sox Scandal.  Shoeless Joe Jackson and seven other Sox players were accused of throwing the Series by accepting bribes and indicted for a conspiracy to defraud the public.  While the players were eventually acquitted, they were suspended for life by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis.

Prior to the 1947 season Brooklyn Dodgers manager Leo Durocher was suspended for one year for associating with gambling figures.  You remember the 1947 season -- Dodger great Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. Durocher was a huge supporter of Robinson but couldn’t be there for him. A decade later, two other New York baseball legends were introduced, the New York Giants’ Willie Mays and the Yankees’ Mickey Mantle.  Both were the epitome of five-tool players, and their career numbers demonstrated it.  Yet, after both players had been inducted into the Hall of Fame, Commissioner Bowie Kuhn gave them life bans from baseball for essentially hanging out at casinos.  Peter Ueberroth lifted the bans as one of his first acts as Commissioner.

Gambling took center stage at the end of Pete Rose’s great career.  MLB’s all-time hit leader returned to the Reds in 1984 as player manager and retired from the playing field two years later.  In August 1989 a story broke that Rose gambled on baseball games while he played for and managed the Reds. He was placed on the permanent ineligibility list.  In 1991, the Hall of Fame voted to ban players on the permanent ineligibility list from induction. 

The Rose scandal hit me hard.  I idolized Pete growing up, a player from my side of town in Cincinnati who willed himself to become one of the best ever.  I recall Marty Brennaman, Reds’ longtime radio announcer, defending Rose on the airwaves. I so hoped that Brenneman was correct and the allegations were not true.  After twenty years of denial, Rose admitted in 2004 to gambling on baseball and on his Reds.  And unfortunately, we most likely never will see his plaque in the Hall of Fame.

The Mizuhara scandal came out of an IRS criminal investigation of an alleged illegal bookmaker. MLB soon opened a separate investigation, and MIzuhara was immediately fired by the Dodgers. He has now been charged with federal bank crimes involving payments of more than $16 million appropriated from Ohtani’s bank account for gambling debts. U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada declared last month that there is no evidence that Ohtani was aware of any of Mizuhara’s dealings. Estrada also maintained that Shohei has cooperated fully with the federal investigation. MLB has officially suspended its investigation pending the federal matter.

While Ohtani’s first month with the Dodgers has been marred by these off field concerns, Ohtani and the Dodgers have performed on the field. Although Shohei got off to a slow start at the plate, he currently wields a batting average of .364 with 10 HRs and 25 RBIs. At week’s end, his Dodgers lead the NL West by 5 1/2 games. I’m sure there’s hope in a couple executive offices on both coasts, New York and Los Angeles, that this matter quietly goes away. Shohei, it ain’t so!

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Wait 'Til Next Year

A warm childhood memory is watching the NBC Game of the Week on Saturday afternoons with my Dad. Since we were in an NL city, it was the only opportunity to see the American League teams play during the regular season. Most of the AL games I recall were hosted by Boston at Fenway Park.  One Saturday my Dad and I watched Frank Howard and the Washington Senators play the Red Sox. I had read in the newspaper that Howard, all 6 foot 7 of him, was one of the most feared hitters in baseball. I remember being totally unimpressed, the only image of the game being big Frank stumble in the outfield trying to catch a fly ball.

Frank Howard was indeed a fearsome hitter. A 4-time MLB All-Star known as the “Washington Monument”, he twice led the AL in home runs and total bases. His career totals include 382 HRs and 1,119 RBIs. Unfortunately, he starred on a Senators team that stumbled a lot themselves. It is the same Senators team portrayed as hapless in the Broadway hit, “Damn Yankees”. You had to have a lot of “heart” to be a fan of this franchise.

The Senators set the standard for losing in the American League beginning in the early 1900s. The 1904 team lost 113 games. A columnist joked: “Washington: First in war, first in peace, and last in the American League.” From 1911 to 1933, the franchise did have success behind such stars as Joe Cronin and Walter Johnson. Bad fortunes returned in the 1940s and 1950s. In 1960 the franchise relocated to Minnesota; an expansion franchise named the Senators returned to D.C. in the 1960s. The new Senators would become the Texas Rangers in 1972.

The National League had its own team of futility during this time, the 1962 New York Mets. That season was the Mets first one, but boy did they set some lasts. Team batting average, team ERA, and team field percentage were all last in the NL, the ultimate trifecta. The Mets starting pitchers recorded a new (and still standing) record of just 23 wins during the season. The Mets’ 120 losses (record of 40-120) are the all-time worst in MLB history. Crazily, just six seasons later, the 1969 “Amazin’ Mets” captured the World Series. The franchise of severe ups and downs continued most recently with 101 wins in 2022 and a losing record last year.

The 2024 White Sox are on pace to break the season record of 120 losses. This year’s Southside squad has a record of 6-22 at week’s end. The trade of star pitcher Dylan prior to the season start shook the starting staff. Not one starter remains from its core the past few years.  The Sox have suffered injuries to key everyday players, such as Eloy Jiminez, Yoan Moncada, and the young superstar, Luis Robert. It’s a long season, but Chicago will find it very difficult to recover from its April start.

The Baltimore Orioles in 1988 had the worst start in modern day baseball, going 0-21.  It wasn’t until April 29 that the Orioles could post a “W”, a win against the White Sox at old Comiskey Park. Because of the poor start, Baltimore manager Cal Ripken, Sr. was replaced by Frank Robinson. While Robinson tried to rally the troops, the club finished 54-107 for the season. It marked only the second time in franchise history that Baltimore had over 100 losses, the first one in 1954, its inaugural season.

Another proud AL franchise, the Tigers, had its comeuppance in 2003.  Detroit lost 119 games that season, the most in American League history. The previous record was set all the way back in 1916 by the Philadelphia Athletics. Some startling numbers from the ’03 Tigers include being outscored by 337 runs during the season and a team ERA of 5.30. Detroit finished 47 games behind division winning Minnesota and was eliminated from playoff contention on August 22. There was no tiger in the tank of this squad.

We often hear the term “lovable losers” to describe sports teams that are not successful on the field.  The Cubs were branded with that term until of course, 2016, when Chicago won the World Series. It was the club’s first world championship in 108 years. Their opponent in that Series was the Cleveland Indians, the AL team with the longest active, world championship drought.  Cleveland has not been able to raise a World Series winning banner since 1948.

Don’t look now, but the 2024 Clevelanders, now named the Guardians, may be able to break that streak.  At week’s end the Guardians lead the AL Central with a record of 19-9. They are off to the franchise’s best start in 25 years. For me, my AL eyes this season will be on Cleveland to see some winning, rather than on the southside of Chicago where “wait until next year” will be heard even before the All-Star break.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

All Around

This past week Andrew McCutchen of the Pirates hit his 300th home run. He became the 13th player in MLB history to have 2,000 hits, 400 doubles, 45 triples, 300 home runs, and 200 stolen bases. He also received a Gold Glove for his defensive prowess in 2012. Bottom line, Andrew has been an “all around” great baseball player. In recognition of his achievements, I thought I would provide my list of the top eight all around MLB players of all-time:

Willie Mays.  The list has to begin with the “Say Hey Kid”.  Mays could do it all -- power, hit for average, speed, and defense.  The numbers tell the story – 660 HRs, lifetime batting average of .302, led the NL in stolen bases four times, and 12 Gold Gloves! His over the shoulder catch of a fly ball hit to deep centerfield in the 1954 World Series remains one of the most exciting plays in MLB history. No one has ever played every aspect of the game better than Willie.

Ken Griffey Jr. Junior comes pretty close. In his first ten years with Seattle, he became must watch baseball whether the Mariners were at the plate or on the field. His streaks as a hitter resounded throughout baseball. “The Kid” is tied for the most consecutive games with a home run (8), and left the game with a total of 630.  Junior gracefully played his centerfield position, robbing many hitters of HRs with leaping catches at the wall and garnering 10 career Gold Gloves.

Barry Bonds. It’s difficult to sort out the real Barry Bonds, the athletic outfielder of the Pirates in his early years or the powerful slugger with the Giants. Both versions were pretty dynamic. You know his power numbers – single season record of HRs (73) and most career in a career (762). He also maintained a career batting average of .298. What the casual baseball observer might not know is that he stole 514 bases in his career. Barry is the only 500 + HRs and 500 + SBs in MLB history.

Roberto Clemente. There’s so much to talk about in the “Great One’s” career. He maintained a career .317 batting average, was a four-time NL batting champion, won twelve Gold Gloves, and got his 3,000 hit on the last day of the 1972 regular season. Who knows what his career numbers might have been if he hadn’t lost his life tragically on Christmas Eve 1972. For me though, one play stands out. His fielding a hit down the right field line in the 1971 World Series, pirouetting, and rifling a throw to third base nailing an Oriole runner.

Mickey Mantle. In the summer of 1963 the Yankees were in Cleveland playing the Indians, and I got to tag along with my dad, uncle, and brother. All I remember about that night as a four-year old was everyone saying “Mickey Mantle is here”.  His accomplishments were also remarkable across the board – 536 career HRs while batting over .300 ten times in his career.  He is the only player in MLB history to hit 150 + HRs from both sides of the plate. Early in his career he was also a prolific base stealer and defensive centerfielder.  His career was cut short too due to knee injuries.

Ernie Banks. You need to smile broadly when you think of “Mr. Cub”.  Remarkably, he was the NL MVP in 1958 and 1959 on last place teams. Many think of Banks as a slugging first baseman with 512 career HRs. What you might not know is that Ernie was one of the best defensive shortstops in the game for the first eight years of his career. He gave his beloved Friendly Confines and other NL ballparks some wonderful moments. Let’s Play Two!

Rickey Henderson.  Rickey could do it all.  He is highly regarded as the best leadoff hitter and baserunner in MLB history.  Yes, he holds the single season (130 in 1982) and career (1,406) records for stolen bases. Henderson also attained 3,055 hits along the way. The stat that really stands out is 297 home runs for a player one doesn’t think of as having power.  Rickey was also a skillful outfielder, setting the all time record for outfield putouts and total chances.

Ty Cobb.  You could place Cobb in any of the 1-8 spots here, but legend only goes so far. His career spanned 24 years from 1905 to 1928. During his career he set 90 MLB records, a couple of which stand today (4,065 runs scored and 1,944 RBIs). Cobb’s batting statistics are overwhelming -- .366 batting average, 4,189 hits, and 897 stolen bases. Telling of the era he played in he actually stole home 54 times!

So readers, now it is your turn.  What do you think about the list? Who did I miss?  I want your “all around” feedback.

Until next Monday,

 your Baseball Bench Coach

Moonshot

While we were all entranced by the Total Eclipse last Monday, baseball fans had another reason to celebrate – April 8 marked the 50th anniversary of Hank Aaron’s 715th home run breaking the longtime record held by Babe Ruth.  My first memory of Hank Aaron is on Opening Day, April 4, 1974. I was an ecstatic 15-year old that afternoon as my teacher rolled a television set into our ninth grade classroom so my classmates and I could watch our Reds face off against the Braves at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium. We watched as Aaron came to the plate in the first inning and hit Reds pitcher Jack Billingham’s first pitch over the left field wall.  It was Hank’s 714th career home run, tying Ruth’s all-time mark.  Aaron would go on to break the record four nights later with a home run off Al Downing of the Dodgers before Hank’s home Atlanta fans and a national television audience.

What I knew about Hank Aaron when I was 15 was his baseball greatness.  He was a true hitter and slugger, and certainly his career totals reflect that – 755 HRs (ranked 2); 2,297 RBIs (1), 6,856 total bases (1), 3,771 hits (3), and 1,477 extra-base hits (1).  What I didn’t realize then was how much Aaron suffered personally while setting the records.  His life growing up in Mobile, Alabama, was one of poverty and segregation. He saw baseball as a way out, and in many ways it failed him. His minor league career was marred by the constant threat of racial slurs and death threats. In 1954 when he joined the Milwaukee Braves as a big leaguer, MLB was struggling in its attempt to introduce black players into the game. The personal ridicule continued. In fact, prior to that first week of the 1974 season when he broke the Ruth record, he had spent the offseason as a recipient of racial epitaphs and death threats. He broke Ruth’s record in 1974 not only as a great home run hitter, but as a survivor.

The long ball in baseball has an interesting history.  Most of the early home runs were inside the park because ballparks had very large outfields. When fences were built and dimensions became reasonable, the rule was that the ball had to land in the bleachers beyond the fence in fair territory or still be visibly fair when last seen. MLB called it “fair when last seen” by the umpires. Indeed, Babe Ruth’s record-setting 60th home run in 1927 was somewhat controversial since it barely landed in fair territory in the bleachers. Bill Jenkinson, author of “The Year Babe Ruth  Hit 104 Home Runs” maintains in his book that the Babe lost somewhere between 50 and 80 home runs during his career because of this rule.

The era of home runs began with Babe Ruth joining the Yankees in 1919. Prior to that, he also starred as a pitcher with the Red Sox. In fact, he won two World Series games on the mound for Boston in 1918 when he was unceremoniously sold to New York for $100,000 in that offseason. Ruth wanted to play every day as an outfielder. He left the pitching rubber after the 1918 season with a record of 94-46 and an ERA of 2.28.  In 1919 Ruth broke the MLB single-season home run record.  It was the beginning of a string of 15 years with the Yankees where he led the New Yorkers to seven AL pennants and four world championships.  Ruth’s lifetime hitting totals include a .342 batting average, 714 HRs, and 2,873 RBIs.

A big part of the Ruth legend is the famous “Called Shot” in the 1932 World Series.  In the third game of the Series, at Wrigley Field, Charlie Root was on the mound for the Cubs as Ruth stepped into the batter’s box in the fifth inning. Ruth took two strikes, and then stepped out of the box, gesturing toward the outfield fence.  He stepped back in and launched a 490 foot home run into temporary seating beyond the centerfield bleachers. Root, one of the Cubs winningest all-time pitchers, would throw only one more pitch in the game, a home run ball to Lou Gehrig, who batted cleanup in the game’s box score.  The Ruth-Gehrig twosome formed the core of the “Murderer’s Row” of Yankee baseball in that era.

Ruth’s 60 dingers during the 1927 season was a longstanding record until another Yankee, Roger Maris, began launching HRs in the early 1960s. Maris accomplished much in his eleven year career -- the AL MVP in 1960 and 1961, a four-time All-Star, and an AL Gold Glover in 1960. On the last regular season game in 1961, Maris hit #61, breaking Ruth’s season record.  It was a little controversial though since it came during the 162nd game of the season.  When Ruth set the record, teams played only 154 games during a season. Until the Maris record was shattered in 1998 by Mark McGwire, many baseball experts opined that Ruth still held the record.

I remember the 1998 home run chase well. You could not turn on ESPN without seeing Mark McGwire of the Cardinals or the Cubs’ Sammy Sosa at the plate trying to launch another tater. McGwire eventually broke Maris’ 61 with a 70 HR season while Sosa did too with 66.  Big Mac went on to record 583 career HRs and an exceptional .394 on-base percentage. Slammin’ Sammy bettered McGwire with 609 career HRs. Both careers though were damaged by charges of using performance-enhancing drugs. Interestingly, how they been received post-baseball seems to turn on a simple sorry. McGwire in 2010 admitted to use; Sosa never has.

Of course the subsequent breakings of both the single season and career HR marks by Barry Bonds are similarly tarnished.  In 2001 Barry set the season record with an incredible 73 goners. When he retired in 2007, Bonds had tallied the all-time home run number of 762.  Aside from his power at the plate, Bonds was an outstanding player – eight Gold Gloves; 514 stolen bases; and a career batting average of .298. It’s unfortunate that all of his stardom will be forever scarred by his role in baseball’s steroids scandal.

You might have noticed that there were references throughout this piece on the different names for home runs – long ball; tater; goner; and dinger. Since we celebrated Hammerin’ Hank’s 715th on the day of the Total Eclipse last Monday, the one I leave you with is Moonshot! May the 2024 season continue to have some memorable Moonshots!

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Bring Them Home Now!

I mostly saw the 60’s through the eyes of my older brother and cousins -- a time of campus unrest, Woodstock, hippies, and many other forms of self-expression and challenging the norm. In sports, those themes were demonstrated by Cassius Clay, the heavyweight boxing champion, who converted to Islam in 1962. In a controversial move in 1964, one of the most famous athletes the world has ever known changed his name to Muhammed Ali and soon became a leading advocate for social change. With the possible exception of Curt Flood’s challenge to the reserve clause, it is difficult to find an “activist” in baseball history.

Instead, baseball has always emphasized conformity. The Oakland Athletics won the World Series in 1972 in a flamboyant style with many players sporting mustaches and longer hair.  As a result, the Yankees adopted an actual policy in 1973 that players must have their hair cut above the collar of their baseball jersey and no beards were permitted.  The original policy was established under the late George Steinbrenner because he wanted the players to adopt a “corporate attitude”. The policy remains in effect today, much to the dismay of many MLB players.  The Reds, until 1999, were the only other team to prohibit beards but it was more of an unwritten rule than an actual policy.

25 years later another form of self-expression relating to the Reds is in the news.  Alon Leichman, the Reds assistant pitching coach and proud Israeli, had his Opening Day glove adorned with an Israeli flag and the phrase “Bring Them Home Now!” stitched on the side. Leichman grew up in a kibbutz between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and learned to play baseball in a country that had very little facilities to support his interest. He pitched for Team Israel in international tournaments as a teenager and against Team USA in the 2020 Olympics. His coaching career began in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. He soon found himself in the U.S. as a pitching instructor at many levels of the minor leagues.  In December 2022, Leichman became the first Israeli in MLB history. Alon’s expressed support for Israelis still being held in Gaza is commendable.

What is acceptable conduct or self-expression seems to burden baseball. There are so-called unwritten rules, a set of unspoken rules in baseball that managers and players are to follow, all of which concern play on the field.  These rules have included numerous, prohibited acts, such as do not show up the pitcher by standing at the plate and admiring a home run or flipping your bat. When it comes to outside the field of play and taking individual stands on societal issues, I don’t think of baseball players as taking a leading role. My thoughts turn to the NBA, or maybe to a lesser extent, the NFL. MLB seems to trail behind. Maybe part of it is that baseball’s fan base trends toward an older crowd.

In today’s game bat flips after hitting a home run are now accepted. Yet, a bat flip in the 2015 AL playoffs by Toronto star Jose Bautista brought the old school vs. new generation conflict in full focus. Goose Gossage, Hall of Fame pitcher, told ESPN that Bautista was “a disgrace to the game”. He also admonished Bryce Harper for his showboating antics and claimed Harper had no respect for the game. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred seemed to settle the dispute by stating: “Goose and his peers developed a set of unwritten understandings of what was acceptable on the field when he played the game, and I think the generation of players that are on the field are going to do the same thing.”  A few years later, Tim Anderson’s famous bat flip in 2019 was deemed by HOF’er Johnny Bench as now just part of the game.

Self-expression in baseball has indeed changed over the past ten years.  Players use social media to connect with fans and express themselves off the field. Just in the first week of the 2024 season baseball writers featured stories of customized gear and personalized walk-up songs. Rangers’ star outfielder Adolis Garcia sported some very colorful Adidas Afterburner 9 cleats, a big change from the all black cleats of the past. New Cubs pitcher Shoto Imanaga was said to have chosen “Chelsea Dagger” as his walk up song.  Apparently, Shoto had been to a Blackhawks hockey game recently, saw how the crowd reacted to the song, and wanted to just fit in with Chicago fans. 

I must admit that the new ritual in baseball where hitters after reaching base give celebratory acknowledgements to their teammates in the dugout brought the traditionalist out of me last year. I found myself grimacing instead of smiling. But then I thought about what’s important for baseball. We need to welcome new generations of players and fans enjoying the game in any way they see fit. We also need players and coaches to express themselves in all respects. Not to minimize in any way the importance of Alon Leichman’s “Bring Them Home Now!” statement, but baseball should continue to find new avenues of bringing the game home to all.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Board Games

April baseball is here, finally! Playing games in northern cities is always iffy this time of year. You know the saying, April showers bring May flowers (but often rain delays as well).  One used to hear stories of clubhouse ping pong and board games during those delays. Today, it’s more likely headphones and video games. This offseason we witnessed a hot stove that, with some exception, was a little lukewarm.  Nevertheless, some general managers were indeed able to bring out the old board games and make some key moves.  Here are my top eight:

MONOPOLY. Do you remember that feeling when your opponent acquired Boardwalk and Park Place?  The rest of the National League had that same sinking feeling when the Dodgers signed Shohei Ohtani in December to a 10-year, $700 million deal. The LA lineup was already loaded with stalwarts Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, and now they have the Babe Ruth of today’s generation. Since the Dodgers found that their achilles heel was on the mound during the 2023 playoffs, they also loaded up there with the signing of Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow, and the return of Walker Buehler. I see the hotels stacking up on Boardwalk and Park Place in 2024.

CHUTES AND LADDERS. Over the past few years San Diego has tried to keep up with the Dodger stars by having a few of their own, namely Manny Machado, Xander Bogaerts, and Fernando Tatis, Jr. This offseason was one of ups and downs for the Padres, as they lost Juan Soto, Josh Hader, and most recently, Blake Snell. Yet, the Padres’ president A.J. Preller may have jumped up the pitching mound ladder a bit with the acquisitions of starters Michael King in the Soto trade with the Yankees and stellar righthander Dylan Cease of the White Sox. Pitching wins, so hope the Padres.

STRATEGO. Staying in the very competitive NL West, the Giants made an assortment of strategic moves during the offseason. They shored up their lineup with Jung Hoo Lee now manning centerfield, Jorge Soler providing power, and Matt Chapman stabilizing the infield at the hot corner. On the mound they first landed Robbie Ray who is coming back from Tommy John surgery, but then made the big splash with signing lefty Blake Snell. Maybe the best move was in the dugout by signing Bob Melvin, a 3-time Manager of the Year.

CHESS. If you want to dominate the chess board, you lead with a high-powered piece like Craig Counsell as your new skipper. You also need to show a little patience as Cubs president Jed Hoyer demonstrated with the signing of Cody Bellinger in late February. Chicago also added some key pieces, including Shota Imanaga to the rotation, Michael Busch to the infield, and Hector Neris to the bullpen. The Cubbies are looking for a checkmate in early October.

CONNECT FOUR. The Reds hope to put the pieces together in the NL Central as well.  Last year Cincinnati surprised baseball with its rookie starred lineup, including Elly De La Cruz, Spencer Steer, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Reds GM Nick Krall decided to bolster the pitching staff with four key pieces in red: Frankie Montas and Nick Martinez to the starting five, and righty Emilio Pagan and lefty Brent Suter to the bullpen. Cincinnati hopes this group connects on all cylinders in 2024.

RISK.  Both the Braves and Astros are now perennial winners and every prognosticator’s division favorites in 2024.  The key for both teams is if they can dominate the table in October.  To do so, you need to take an offseason risk.  Atlanta gambled on the return of Chris Sale to be in good health and lead its starting staff at the top of the rotation. Houston bet on the back side of the pitching staff, nabbing a closer, Josh Hader, who has a history of dominance or misfortune. Will both risks pay off?

TICKET TO RIDE.  Everyone seems to forget that the Orioles led the American League last year in wins before falling off in the playoffs.  Baltimore didn’t have an ace, like Palmer, McNally, or Cuellar, to lean on.  They made though the biggest offseason splash, next to Ohtani, in the acquisition of former Brewer, Corbin Burnes.  This 2021 NL Cy Young winner is lights out when he’s on, and he’s definitely on most of the time. The Orioles hope Burnes is their ticket to ride in the 2024 playoffs.

CHECKERS. The reality for most small market teams like the Royals is that you have to play checkers most of the time and watch the other teams engage in the high stakes games. I love how Kansas City improved its team this offseason. Of course it started from within by extending the contract of star shortstop, Bobby Witt, Jr.  KC landed Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo to its young, starting staff, and brought in some hitting help in the likes of Hunter Renfroe and Adam Frazier. King me, Kansas City!

So, how did you like the moves made this offseason by your favorite MLB team? Did your GM roll the right dice in getting your team past the Jail space and into the promised land?  Your thoughts are appreciated in the Comments section below.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Playoff "Predictions"

Playoff predictions. Everyone makes them. How often do you go back and check to see who was right?  I’m guilty as well. This year I won’t bore you with predictions on the upcoming series but will offer you a new angle.  I’ve decided to feature what is NOT going to happen.  Whether you view the games on the large television set in your family room, the laptop on your desk, or on your iPhone, here are some things that happened in playoff past that we are NOT going to see this October.

Growing up in the 60s and 70s, I was a fan of those television series that you may now find on the TV Land channel, especially “The Andy Griffith Show”.  My favorite episode was when Mayberry and Mt. Pilot played in the little league championship.  Who else but the uncompromisable Sheriff Andy Taylor would umpire the game?  Unfortunately, his son Opie clearly slid safely into home on the final play only to have Andy call him out.  The play reminds me of the first game of the 1970 World Series when the Reds’ Bernie Carbo slid into home as the Orioles’ catcher Elrod Hendricks applied the tag with his mitt but the baseball was in his other hand. Umpire Ken Burkhardt made the same mistake as Sheriff Taylor and held up his right fist signaling out. Only a post-game photo captured the mistake. Today, we have replay cameras and challenges to correct a run-scoring call.

My early memory of watching World Series play was when my Dad would take weekday afternoons off for vacation and come home and watch the games with me. I clearly remember his telling me in the fifth game of the 1968 Series that once Lou Brock was thrown out stealing in the fifth game, the tide had turned for Detroit. (Boy, was he right!) We would watch together every inning of every game since the games were played during the day, way before my bedtime.  In 1971 the first World Series game was played under the lights at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. The advertising world soon win out, as now all World Series games since Game 6 of the 1987 Series have been played at night.  You (and for many of you, your grandchildren) won’t see a World Series game during the day this October; you may never see one again.

You also won’t see a pitcher coming to the plate with a bat in hand. The universal designated hitter rule became effective April, 2022, so no longer will pitchers hit in the NL playoff games or in the home games of the National League in the World Series.  There’s reason to miss that. How fun was it to see Oakland’s Ken Holtzman hit a home run in the 1974 World Series! And how about the two home runs each hit by Bob Gibson and Dave McNally in World Series play before that! Never, say never, though.  With the Phillies in the playoffs, pitcher Michael Lorenzen, an excellent hitting pitcher, may indeed get an at-bat in the late innings of a game.

We won’t also see a starting pitcher dominate a baseball playoff game for nine innings anymore.  Of course there have been some once in a lifetime games in our playoff past.  It is doubtful that Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series or Roy Halladay’s no-hitter for the Phillies in the 2010 NL playoffs will ever be replicated.  Why not?  It’s called pitch counts and bullpens.  Just last year, the Astros painfully threw the first “combined” no-hitter. Cristian Javier pitched six innings of no-hit ball and was followed by Houston relievers the rest of the way.  For me, it was just bad history in the making.

The kicker is that we won’t see a solo pitcher hurl a shutout or even a complete game.  It just doesn’t happen anymore.  Madison Bumgarner threw the last shutout in the MLB playoffs, a 2014 Wild Card game between his Giants and Pittsburgh. In the Astros’ 2017 ALCS Game 2 win over the Yankees, Justin Verlander pitched the last complete game in playoff history. Indeed, telling statistics over the past twenty years of playoff baseball include:  (1) the American League’s starting pitchers averaged 5.94 innings in 2000 and just 3.75 innings in 2021; and (2) the National League average dropped from 5.46 to 4.44 during the same timeframe. A majority of MLB playoff innings are now pitched by the bullpens!

There is though one sure thing “prediction” for my readers.  The Baseball Bench Coach will be back next spring for its sixth season! Thank you for reading the blog and for your love of baseball.  I would enjoy seeing some of your own predictions in the comment section below.

Until next season,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Big Deal

This past week Adam Wainwright achieved 200 wins as a pitcher in the MLB. I watched Wainwright’s slow crawl to 200 wins this season from afar.  Mostly I felt kind of sorry for the great St. Louis starter.  Why were the Cardinals embarrassing him by keeping him in the rotation with four wins in 20 starts and an ERA of just under 8?  I also thought, what is the “big deal” with 200 wins from Adam’s perspective?  Is it worth damaging his reputation by achieving this mark?  After doing some research and looking into it further, it is a Big Deal.  Here’s why.

Wainwright may indeed be the last MLB pitcher to reach the 200-win mark.  There are only four other active pitchers who have at least 200 wins – Justin Verlander (255), Zack Greinke (224), Max Scherzer (214), and Clayton Kershaw (209), all in the twilight of their careers.  The Yankees’ Gerrit Cole is the closest active pitcher to the mark, but he has just 143 and he is 33 years old.  Yes, Wainwright became the 99th pitcher in MLB history to achieve 200 wins, but will there indeed be a 100th?  Most of the pitchers on the list played decades and decades ago.

Getting a “W” as a starting pitcher has really become difficult.  Each team has an army of 95+ mph relievers in the bullpen ready to take the ball early in the game.  By rule a starter has to complete five innings to get a win. Check the box scores – starting pitchers go less than 5 innings in more games than not.  Batters are going deeper in the count, and it is a rare outing where a pitcher reaches 100 pitches. And frankly, a starting pitcher’s value is not determined nowadays by the number of games he wins. Just last year, the Braves’ Kyle Wright won 20 games.  He came in 10th in the Cy Young voting!

Let’s take a look at the “win clubs”.  It starts with the 500 club and its only member, Cy Young, with 511 career wins over 100 years ago (1890-1911).  In addition to most wins ever, Young holds the record for most losses (315), innings pitched, games started, and complete games.  Not just his 511 wins, but all of these records, will never be broken.  After he passed away in late 1955, MLB began to honor the best pitcher in baseball with the ”Cy Young Award”. Subsequently, both the NL and AL bestow the award to the best pitcher in each league. 

The 400-win club also has a sole member, Walter Johnson, the “Big Train”, who pitched for the Washington Senators from 1907 to 1927.  His career record was 417-279 with an incredible 2.17 lifetime ERA. Johnson is synonymous with strikeouts, compiling 3,508 Ks, breaking Christie Mathewson’s mark of 2,507, and holding the career mark until 1983, when Nolan Ryan, Steve Carlton, and Gaylord Perry all passed the number.  Walter Johnson was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1936 as one of the first five inaugural members. 

The 300 club has more occupants, but only 24.  Most of the group achieved the mark in the first 25 years of the last century, including Grover Cleveland Alexander.  Between 1924 and 1982, only Lefty Grove, Warren Spahn, and Early Wynn became 300-game winners.  Over the next eight years through 1990, six pitchers achieved the mark – Gaylord Perry, Phil Niekro, Steve Carlton, Nolan Ryan, Don Sutton, and Tom Seaver.  Some view the expansion from a 154-game schedule to 162, as well as the large increase of the number of MLB teams, to be reasons for the sudden surge.

I was surprised to find that the greatest Cardinals pitcher of all time, Bob Gibson, to be absent from the 300 club.  Gibby was 251-174 in his seventeen-year career with a 2.91 ERA and 3,117 strikeouts.  In the 1960s when I first became fascinated with Major League baseball, Gibson and Sandy Koufax were the focus of my and baseball’s attention, garnering five NL Cy Young awards.  While I recall the Koufax shoulder injury shortening his career, I didn’t realize that after Gibson pitched a no-hitter in 1971, he struggled with knee pain for the last 4 years of his career. Gibson stands atop my list of the 200 club.

Entering the 200 club earlier this year was another great Dodger hurler, Clayton Kershaw.  In his sixteen-year career to date, Kershaw has won the NL Cy Young three times, been named the NL Most Valuable Player in 2014, and was crowned a World Champion in 2020.  Among his standout numbers is a career 2.48 ERA and two remarkable records based on nine innings pitched – 1.00 walks and 6.82 hits allowed.  Injuries have slowed him in the past years, but check out his 2023 statistics, a 13-4 record and a 2.42 ERA!

In the 2006 NLCS Adam Wainwright became a household name when he threw a wicked curveball to strike out slugger Carlos Beltran to win the series for St. Louis.  The Cardinals would go on to win the 2006 World Series, the first of Adam’s two World Championships (the other in 2011). It was a storybook opening to his career, bested only by a storybook ending. Out of nowhere last week Wainwright threw seven Innings of four hit, scoreless baseball, against Milwaukee in a 1-0 win.  Brewers outfielder Mark Canha described it in apt fashion: “Man, this dude’s a movie tonight.”  It was #200 and indeed a Big Deal.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Wild Card

Yes, I’m one of those.  During the September stretch run, every night I watch two or three baseball games at the same time on television while checking the scores of other games on my phone.  I love pennant races!  While this year some division races have been long decided, the new Wild Card format allows for many playoff spots to be still up for grabs.  The hunt for October remains for many teams to experience playoff baseball!

Why do we say “pennant race”?  In baseball it starts with Wrigley Field.  Flying flags and pennants have played a large part in its history.  P.K. Wrigley, who owned the Cubs from 1932 to 1977, brought his family’s love of sailing to the ballpark.  White or blue flags were used to show wins and losses.  The Friendly Confines also have long kept the National League standings with team pennants flying atop the manual scoreboard. That is how the term “pennant race” was coined. Today, the practice at Wrigley Field  and other NL ballparks is to show the updated standings in each division race with team flags flying.  The ballpark operators are fortunate this year not to have to include the Wild Card races since positions change daily.

When MLB went to three divisions in each league in 1994, one Wild Card team for each league was added.  Beginning in 1998, the team with the best record in the league would face the Wild Card entrant unless both teams were from the same division.  In 2012 a second Wild Card team for each league emerged so that two Wild Card teams would face off in a single elimination before entering the Division Series.  In 2022 MLB modified the structure again, adding a third Wild Card team in each league. The new format is that the two teams with the best winning records in each league get a first round bye, while the third division winner (seed #3) plays the third Wild Card team (seed #6) and the first and second Wild Card entrants (seed #s 4 and 5) square off. Both series are best of three with all games at the home of the better seed.

The Phillies took full advantage of the new format last year.  Philadelphia began the 2022 season with a dismal 21-29 record.  After changing managers (Joe Girardi passed the baton to Rob Thomson), the Phils closed 66-46 to reach the playoffs as the sixth NL seed. Behind the play of Bryce Harper, a formidable lineup, and a strong, starting pitching staff, Philly dominated the NL playoffs – taking the Cardinals down in a 2-game sweep; upsetting the Braves in four games in the NLDS; and defeating the Padres in the NLCS 4 games to 1.  It marked the first time in League Championship Series play that two Wild Card teams met.  The Astros burst the Philadelphia bubble though in the 2022 World Series, taking it in five games.

The Marlins and the Wild Card are synonomous. Miami has never won a division title in its 30-year history.  All three of its postseason appearances, the fewest of any MLB team, have been through a Wild Card appearance.  They did though make the most of two of them, winning the World Series in 1997 and 2003. It’s definitely a make or break franchise.  The Marlins have the lowest, overall winning percentage (.460) of any MLB team in existence.  This year Miami is knocking on the Wild Card playoff door in the National League.  Is an October run on the horizon again for the Marlins?  Anything is possible in playoff baseball.

We’ve witnessed two World Series where both participating teams started their playoff runs as a Wild Card.  In 2002, the Angels and the Giants, two teams that finished second in their respective league divisions (AL West and NL West) met in the World Series for the battle of California.  The “Anaheim” Angels won the Series in seven games, the first and only world title for the Angels.  Twelve years later, the Wild Card Giants were at it again as they met the Royals in the 2014 World Series. It was the only World Series ever played in a non-strike season between two teams with less than 90 wins in the regular season (San Francisco, 88-74, and Kansas City, 89-73).  The Giants captured their third world championship in five seasons.

Based on the success of Wild Card teams in the playoffs, the Nike mantra for MLB has to be “Just Get In”.  If your team gets hot at the plate and especially on the mound, it has a shot no matter what playoff seed it is.  The 2019 Washington Nationals are also an example.  Entering the playoffs as a Wild Card, the Nationals went on a tear led by the starting staff of Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin.  They defeated the Brewers in the Wild Card game, knocked off the 106-game winning Dodgers in the NLDS, swept the Cardinals in the NLCS, and won the World Series in seven games over the Astros.  Just get in.

This year the Wild Card slogan might be “just get the #4 seed”.  It’s the only Wild Card seed that gets to entertain home games.  The American League #4 seed will be either the Orioles or the Rays, depending on which team is the runner-up in the AL East.   The Astros, Rangers, and Mariners are battling for the AL West title, and the two runners-up will try to fend off the Blue Jays for the #s 5 and 6 seeds.  The National League Wild Card fight is more interesting. It seems as if the Phillies will get the #4 seed, while five teams, the Cubs, Reds, Diamondbacks, Giants, and Mariners, are trying to secure the last two seeds.  With just two weeks left in the season, the five teams are separated by just three games.

Enjoy the pennant races of September, Wild Card style! If you are at the ballpark in the next two weeks, maybe don’t look at the flags flying at the very top but think about the possibilities of those pennants one or even two rungs below.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

911

On this day, September 11, 2023, it’s difficult to write, much less think, about anything other than the events that transpired 22 years ago today. I’m sure you remember where you were when you heard the tragic news.  I know I do.  I recall the shock, the terror of safety for my family, and the sadness of what we as a country were going through. This past week I attended three sporting events – an independent league baseball game, an MLB game, and a college football game.  There were common threads, the playing of the National Anthem before each game, the joy of those in attendance, and the getaway from life that sports can bring to us.  I wrote the following piece, “Baseball and Tradition”, two years ago.  It seems fitting today to share the same thoughts:

“So often I hear people say that watching baseball from home in High Definition television is better than attending a game in person.  For me, I’ll take going to the ballpark any day. There’s     always been so much more to it than baseball when I go to the game.  I particularly love the quiet time, a chance to catch up with a friend.  When my Dad took me to Crosley Field in Cincinnati when I was a little boy, he used it as a time to not only teach me about the game but become aware of patriotism.  I learned how to honor America by taking off my baseball cap during the National Anthem, and soon I even learned the words to the song.  Yeah, I was one of those kids who always asked “why”.  Why do we sing the National Anthem?  How come we stand and sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh inning?  Let’s take a look at these traditions.

The “Star Spangled Banner”, our country’s National Anthem, first was played at a sporting event during the Civil War, in 1862, at a baseball game. The tradition of playing it took off during the 1918 World Series between the Cubs and the Red Sox.  The country was at war, World War I, and in the throes of a pandemic, the Spanish flu.  In a game in Chicago, a military band played the National Anthem during the seventh inning stretch.  Players quickly put their hands over their hearts and fans joined in and sang.  When the Series returned to Boston, the Red Sox owner, Harry Frazee, one-upped the Cubs by having the National Anthem played before the game.  The pregame tradition did not catch on immediately for regular season games since most ballparks didn’t have great sound systems and teams couldn’t afford a band.  It was not until the 1940s when the National Anthem was played before all MLB games.

When the seventh inning stretch began is disputed.  Some baseball historians point to the Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1869 and a letter written by Harry Wright who managed the club.  He described the fans’ behavior at the ballpark in this way:  “The spectators all arise between halves of the seventh inning, extend their legs and arms and sometimes walk about.”  The most popular story around its origin points to Opening Day in 1910 when President William Howard Taft attended a game between the Washington Senators and the Philadelphia Athletics.  A quite burly man, President Taft stood up to stretch in the seventh inning.  The fans soon stood as well, feeling obligated to join the President.

During the seventh inning stretch we now rejoice in the singing of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame”, the official anthem of major league baseball. The song was played for the first time in 1934 at a high school baseball game in Los Angeles, and then during the fourth game of the World Series that year.  There are a couple tweaks to the original song at MLB ballparks, including replacing the words “home team” with the actual name of your home team.  I sometimes catch myself singing “and it’s root, root for the Redlegs”, in memory of my late parents.  That doesn’t play well in Chicago, where fans have reveled in “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” since the days of Harry Caray singing to the crowd at Comiskey Park in the 1970s.  Caray brought the tradition to the north side in 1982 as he entertained the fans at Wrigley for the next sixteen years until his passing.  The Cubs have maintained the tradition by having guest singers since then, including my personal favorite, actor and comedian Bill Murray.

Many MLB teams enhance the “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” seventh inning stretch by also playing a fan favorite tune.  In Baltimore’s Camden Yards, the crowd is treated to a rousing rendition of John Denver’s “Thank God I’m a Country Boy”.  Atlanta fans share that experience at their home ballpark.  St. Louis has always celebrated around their home town brew, Budweiser.  When the Cardinals were under ownership by Anheuser-Busch, the crowd would be treated to a little “Here Comes the King” jingle during the seventh inning stretch. Nowadays, the organist plays the tune at the top of the eighth inning.  Indeed, often the MLB ballpark singing extends to the eighth inning.  The Dodgers and the Tigers both like to blast Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin”.  That finally worked last year for Los Angeles but minus the crowd.

The Red Sox fans take singing to a whole different level at Fenway Park with their ballpark anthem, Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline”.  The crowd rejoices in the song during the eighth inning.  The tradition started in 1997 when a ballpark attendant in charge of the music had a good friend who just gave birth to a little girl named Caroline.  In 2007, Neil Diamond revealed that the 1969 song was written about New England’s Caroline Kennedy.  Other than that, the lyrics actually have nothing to do with Boston. It’s all about having fun at the old ballpark.

The playing of the National Anthem at sporting events became a focus of attention during the protests of the Vietnam War in the 1960’s.  NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle invoked a policy that players stand in line on the sideline during the anthem with their helmets off and tucked under their arms.  As to MLB, singer Jose Feliciano was invited by Detroit to sing the National Anthem at Tiger Stadium before Game 5 of the 1968 World Series.  His slow, Latin jazz performance on acoustic guitar was highly controversial.  Many deemed the rendition a slight to patriotism. In 2006, Feliciano told an NPR audience that he was quite proud to be the one to open the door for other music artists to express themselves while performing the National Anthem.  During the past few years, of course, we’ve seen the expression of individualism during the National Anthem through players, most particularly in the NBA and NFL.

Baseball’s most patriotic response to our nation’s troubling times came twenty years ago in the aftermath of 9/11.  Both the Yankees and Mets players and personnel came to Ground Zero and helped in the relief efforts.  Then Yankees manager Joe Torre simply said:  “We’re just baseball players, and this is the game of life.”  I’ll never forget watching on television the first game played in New York after the attacks, a night game between the Mets and Braves at Shea Stadium.  As the American flag was draped across the turf and the National Anthem was played, there was an overwhelming sense of pride that our country would endure this tragedy.  The World Series was played in NYC the next month as the Yankees and Diamondbacks competed for the world championship.  President Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch in Game 3. 

In my lifetime though the most patriotic act on the playing field took place in a regular season game on April 25, 1976, between the Cubs and the Dodgers in Los Angeles.  In the bottom of the fourth inning, two fans ran into the outfield attempting to set fire to an American flag.  Fortunately, their initial attempts to light the matches went awry and Cubs centerfielder Rick Monday sprinted in and snatched the flag from them.  Early last month I attended the Cubs “Reopening Day” at Wrigley Field.  One of my friends had the honor of running on the field with others to unveil an American flag that spanned the entire outfield playing surface.  He mused afterward that he didn’t want to be the one who might trip and cause the flag to fall.  In baseball, the American flag always flies proudly.”

Just like my Dad taught me to do about sixty years ago, I removed my cap during the playing of the National Anthem at all three sporting events this past week. May we always sing and rejoice about our country, life, and sports.

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach

Golden Players

I am writing this blog post on the day we laid to rest our beloved dog.  She too was a baseball fan. I guess she had to be. Many mornings on our walks I would listen to baseball commentary and update her.  She would smile and sniff every blade of grass, just glad to be with me. Most summer nights after dinner she would beat me to the family room in anticipation of the baseball game we would watch together. She was always there for me – loyal, dependable, the ultimate team player in life. In baseball terms, she was not the star player, but rather the utility player, the underrated player, or simply a wonderful teammate.  I asked some of the blog followers to offer names of underrated players on their favorite teams.  We came up with a Top Five:

Cesar Geronimo, Cincinnati Reds.  This centerfielder for the Big Red Machine was the least known of that formidable lineup, but truly valuable.  Cesar came to the Reds in 1972 as part of the Joe Morgan trade with the Astros.  Geronimo’s defensive skills were phenomenal – speed, range, and an outstanding arm.  Known as the “Chief”, he won four consecutive Gold Gloves (1974-1977).  In 1976, his best offensive year, he batted over .300 with 149 hits in the eighth spot in the Cincinnati lineup.  My favorite image of Geronimo was his catch of Carl Yastremski’s fly ball as the final out in Game 7 of the 1975 World Series.  Hail to the Chief!

Glenn Beckert, Chicago Cubs. I remember as a young boy watching Cubs games and their star players like Banks, Williams, Santo, and Jenkins.  My favorite player was Beckert, Chicago’s second baseman for nine years, 1965-1973.  Beckert was consistent on the field and at the plate. In his rookie year, he led the National League in assists and in 1968 captured his only Gold Glove.  He was a tough out, leading the NL five times in fewest strikeouts per at bats.  While he led the league in runs scored in 1968, his best offensive year by far was in 1971 when he hit a remarkable .342 and finished third in the batting race. Kessinger to Beckert to Banks!

Jose Oquendo, St. Louis Cardinals. Oquendo played in the shadows of some of the great Cardinals stars in the 1980s – Ozzie Smith, Hendrick, Herr, and Coleman. Deemed the “Secret Weapon” by manager Whitey Herzog, Jose filled the gaps at the key infield positions.  Indeed, he made at least one appearance at every position during his MLB career. Oquendo still maintains the second-highest career fielding percentage for second basemen at 99.19%.  After his playing career, he served a long tenure (2000-2015) as the St. Louis third base coach, helping the club achieve 11 playoff appearances and two World Series titles (2006 and 2011).

Wilbur Wood, Chicago White Sox.  While Wood also pitched for the Red Sox and the Pirates early in his 17-year MLB career, I think of him as the workhorse for the Sox (1967-1978).  His career took off as a Sox pitcher when Hoyt Wilhelm taught him the knuckleball. In 1968, he was named the American League Fireman of the Year with 88 games pitched.  In a starting role, he led the AL in games started from 1972 to 1975. In 1972 alone, he started 49 games and pitched in 376 innings. He won 20 games in all four years.  And in 1973, he became the first pitcher since Walter Johnson in 1916 to win 20 and lose 20 in the same year. Talk about Mr. Dependable!

Hal Lanier, San Francisco Giants.  I recall as a boy getting duplicates of Hal Lanier baseball cards. I placed them in the spokes of my bicycle tires so I sounded like a motor racer. What I didn’t know then was the role Lanier played for those Giants teams of the 1960s with marquee players like Mays, McCovey,  Marichal, and Perry. Lanier was the steady, defensive specialist on the team. In 1968, he led NL shortstops in putouts and fielding percentage. With a lifetime batting average of .228, he wasn’t much of a hitter, but he was definitely a heady player. Mays called him the captain of the infield.  Lanier took that steadiness to the managerial ranks, as he was named the 1986 NL Manager of the Year in his first season at the helm of the Astros.

I’ll never forget my golden retriever sunning in our yard, swimming in the park, relaxing in our home, and enjoying life. She loved being with people, especially her family but truly anyone she met.  Everyone wanted her to be on their team in life.  She made everyone better. I miss you girl. This blog post is dedicated to you.

Until next Monday, 

your Baseball Bench Coach