Baseball Bench Coach Returns April 7
Your Baseball Bench Coach returns on April 7 with a review of Cactus League spring training sites. In the meantime, my new book is now available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Get ready for the baseball season!
Book is Available!
Hope you are having a great baseball offseason. Your Coach has some wonderful news. After six seasons of weekly blog posts reaching 150 in number, I have compiled 30 of my favorite posts in a newly, published book. It is available now through Kendall Hunt Publishing. You can use this URL to order now: https://he.kendallhunt.com/product/baseball-bench-coach.
It's a Wrap!
Groucho Marx once famously said: “I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member.” In this last edition of the Baseball Bench Coach for 2024, let’s discuss three different types of baseball “clubs” with one certainly no one would ever want to be a part of.
50/50 Club. Wow, this is a one-person club whose only member, Shohei Ohtani, joined just over a week ago. On September 19th in a game against the Marlins, Shohei might have had the single biggest offensive showing ever – 6 for 6; 3 HRs; 10 RBIs; and 2 steals. Eye popping numbers, yes, but just an example of the kind of power and speed Ohtani has exhibited throughout the season. That night he became the first MLB player in history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 stolen bases in a season. Dodger catcher Will Smith attributed much of Shohei’s success to his preparation: “He works harder than anybody. He scouts really hard. He’s playing a different game so it’s fun to see.”
To put it in perspective, baseball only has had six players in its history to have reached the 40/40 club – Jose Canseco (1988); Barry Bonds (1996); Alex Rodriguez (1998); Alfonso Soriano (2006); Ronald Acuna, Jr. (2023); and of course now Ohtani. Why is this such a difficult feat? One answer is that the type of baseball played in different eras always seems to change. For example, most recently we’ve seen the emphasis of speed on teams in the 1960s-1980s and the power obsessed style of play over the past thirty years. It’s rare that a player has the opportunity to display both the talents of power and speed.
While the 30/30 club has more members, still in the scheme of things relatively small, 47, the list contains baseball’s greatest legends, including Willie Mays and Hank Aaron. Baseball Digest once called the 30/30 club “the most celebrated feat that can be achieved by a player who has both power and speed”. And now we have a player like Shohei Ohtani who reached that club just four months into this season!
All Time Team Losses. My allegiance to MLB in Chicago is certainly on the north side with the Cubs, but I must say that I wouldn’t have wished the agony of the past White Sox season on anyone. It was a season of 121 losses, breaking the prior record of 120 losses by the woeful 1962 New York Mets. Last Sunday in San Diego, Chicago’s Southside team broke the AL record of 119 losses by the 2003 Tigers before a sellout crowd at Petco Park on the Padres “Fan Appreciation Day”. The Sox returned home this past week before some not so appreciative crowds, swept the Angels, and held onto hope at 120. History was made this weekend at Comerica Park with loss 121. Along the way, the White Sox were swept in 24 separate series, won just three games in July and four in August, had three losing streaks of at least 10 games, and set a franchise record of 21 straight losses.
All year we’ve seen the comparison to the prior holder of the record, the ‘62 Mets. Their manager, Casey Stengel, was famously quoted: “Can’t anybody play here?” Those Mets also had three losing streaks of more than 10 games, the longest being 17. Their starting pitchers recorded an all-time low of just 23 wins, and their team batting average, ERA, and fielding percentage were the worst in the game, a trifecta of sorts.
Yet, that team was an expansion team, not a “rebuilding” team like the current Sox. And here’s where the comparison clearly ends. The Mets fans loved their ’62 team with a season attendance in the middle of NL teams that year. This 2024 version of the White Sox was not so lucky at the ticket office, especially in the last month of the season. It was all very unfortunate.
World Series Winners. Every team wants to be in this club. MLB had its first World Series in 1903. In a few weeks we will witness the 120th World Series. So far the AL team has captured the crown 68 times and the NL, 51. I’ve used this space in the past to provide a ranking of the playoff teams and my take on how the playoffs will play out. This year I simply have a hunch on the teams that will take the NL and AL pennants, and one Wild Card team that might really make some noise.
In the National League it would be easy to say that the NLCS will match the Dodgers and Phillies, two teams that have some of the great stars in the game today. Not so fast. I think the NL playoffs will be decided in the bullpen, and that means the Brewers will win. With a bullpen that includes Joel Payamps, Trevor Megill, and Devin Williams, you better be ahead against Milwaukee going into the seventh inning. Championships are won in the back end of games. The Brew Crew rules in 2024.
On the AL side, the Yankees with their powerful lineup would be a safe choice, but not mine. I like the Guardians. Cleveland took control of the AL Central in mid-April and have been in sole possession of first place all but one day in the last five months. It’s a team that has had the “it” factor throughout the season. While All-Stars Jose Ramirez, Josh Naylor, and Steven Kwan aren’t Judge and Soto, their consistency and big moment hits have been just as outstanding. Cleveland’s bullpen has carried the team in 2024 with the number one closer in the game, Emmanuel Clase, ready to take the ball in the ninth.
If you are looking for a surprise Wild Card team, don’t look further than the hottest team in baseball, Detroit. The Tigers won 30 of their last 40 games to close out the season. Detroit features the clear favorite for the AL Cy Young, Tarik Skubal. No team wants to face him twice in a playoff series.
And here’s the World Series winner . . . the Guardians. For the first time since 1954, Cleveland will be the World Champions of baseball.
It’s a wrap!
Until next season,
your Baseball Bench Coach
People Will Come, Ray
A little over a week ago, actor James Earl Jones passed away at age 93. His authoritative voice boomed through most of his roles in movies, voice overs, and storytelling. I will always remember these words: “The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball.” His role as Terence Mann in the movie “Field of Dreams” voiced themes of baseball that have indeed resounded throughout my life. I still sob watching “Field of Dreams” time after time. I will miss James Earl Jones.
The movie was based on W.P. Kinsella’s 1982 novel “Shoeless Joe”. The novel tells the story of Ray Kinsella, an Iowa farmer, struggling with the memories of his relationship with his late Dad, John Kinsella, a faithful baseball fan. One day Ray hears a voice, “If you build it, he will come”. With the loving support of his wife Annie and daughter Karin, Ray begins to build a ballpark. Along the way, we discover that a rift between Ray and his Dad was caused by his Dad’s devotion to the 1919 White Sox and their star player, Shoeless Joe Jackson. At the age of fourteen, Ray challenged that loyalty, telling his Dad that Shoeless Joe was a criminal. After that, Ray and his Dad never played catch again, something Ray deeply regrets. As Ray’s new ballpark begins to take shape, mystical ballplayers begin to appear and play games, first Shoeless Joe and then seven others, all of whom were banned from baseball in the 1919 Black Sox Scandal.
The story of the Black Sox Scandal actually begins the year before, 1918, in a way that is frighteningly similar to our COVID years this decade. In 1918 the Spanish Flu pandemic swept across the world. We lost an estimated 5 million people worldwide and 675,000 in the U.S. alone. There were four waves of the Spanish flu, the first beginning in the spring of 1918. The War Department required that the baseball season end by September 1st and the World Series by September 15th. The Red Sox defeated the Cubs 4 games to 2. Over the next several weeks, a second wave of the Spanish flu hit the U.S., especially in the metropolitan areas of Boston and Chicago. A third wave of the Spanish flu set in the next year, 1919. Attendance was down at ballparks across the country. At the time, players coveted shares of postseason winnings to add to their mostly average salaries, but with diminishing attendance, those shares would be taking a hit.
Betting on baseball was rampant during this era. Gamblers would gather just outside the outfield fence at many ballparks, offering outfielders money for misplaying a fly ball. As the White Sox headed toward clinching the AL pennant in September 1919, some of the players were concerned about not getting much of a payday in the World Series. There were two factions in the Sox clubhouse, the “Clean Sox” players who didn’t want to participate in any side action, and a second faction that reached out to a gambling syndicate led by Arnold Rothstein. A meeting with the syndicate was set up on September 21 in New York to discuss a fix of the upcoming Series. Six players attended the meeting, each of whom were banned from baseball in the aftermath. One player who attended, Buck Weaver, never received any money but still was banned for not reporting the fix, and another player, Fred McMullin, who wasn’t at the meeting but heard about it and threatened to squeal if he didn’t get a payoff, was banned as well. The banned players also included Sox star outfielder Shoeless Joe Jackson, who didn’t attend the New York meeting and whose actual involvement is disputed.
The 1919 World Series, a 9-game format, featured the upstart NL Cincinnati Reds against the heavily favored White Sox. Sox star pitcher, Red Faber, one of the Clean Sox, came down with the flu prior to the Series and never pitched. Some of his starts went to pitchers Eddie Cicotte and Lefty Williams, who were on the take. Cicotte, the Game 1 starter, hit the Reds leadoff batter, a signal to the gambling syndicate the fix was on. With the Reds up 4 games to 1, there was concern among the players that the gamblers were reneging on payment. The Sox won Games 6 and 7. Prior to Game 8, there were mentions of threats of violence against White Sox players and family. Lefty Williams lost Game 8, his third loss of the Series, and the Reds won the Series 5 games to 3. In October 1920 eight Sox players and five gamblers were indicted by a federal grand jury in Chicago on nine counts of conspiracy to defraud. The case went to trial in July 1921, and all eight players were acquitted. Nevertheless, MLB’s first Commissioner, Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who was hired by the owners to clean up the game, banned the eight players from baseball.
The 1982 novel captured a theme that I didn’t clearly remember in the movie. The Kinsella family despised the Yankees, a notion to which many baseball fans can relate. The Yankees were the scheduled opponents of the White Sox in the “Field of Dreams” game scheduled for the 2020 season which was unfortunately cancelled due to COVID. Now I see why the Yankees were to be in that first game. We all have “that team” to root against. For me and most NL fans, it’s the Dodgers. For many AL fans, especially those of the Red Sox, the Indians, and even comically, the Washington Senators in the Broadway musical, “Damn Yankees”, that means the Yankees. The Pinstripes nowadays might have finally relinquished its American League hatred crown to the Houston Astros.
The part of Ray Kinsella in the movie is played by Kevin Costner. At the end of the movie, James Earl Jones, as Terence Mann, comforts Ray as they look out toward the field that Ray has painstakingly built: “This field, this game – it’s part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good and it could be good again. Oh, people will come, Ray. People will most definitely come.” Indeed, the MLB has hosted two games at the Dyersville, Iowa site to honor the movie and baseball’s past. In the inaugural game in August 2021, the White Sox defeated those damn Yankees 9-8 in memorable fashion with a moonstruck home run by Chicago shortstop Tim Anderson. In the 2022 season the Cubs defeated the Reds, 4-2. The hope for MLB is that more games are to come once further renovations are made at the ballpark.
For me baseball has always been about memories. My favorite scene in the “Field of Dreams” movie is when Ray Kinsella got his wish, to play catch with the catcher, his Dad, who finally showed up to play at the Iowa ballpark. When I was growing up I built my own little ballpark in our backyard where my Dad and I would play catch. One night my pitch sunk and badly hurt his shin, an injury he didn’t tell me about until much later in life. It was our last night of catch together. In my own idyllic “field of dreams”, I too wish for one last catch. Somehow, filling my days with baseball history brings his memory to life.
People will come, Ray.
Until next Monday,
your Baseball Bench Coach
Combined No-Hitter
About a week ago Shota Imanaga of the Cubs threw seven no-hit innings, combined with two innings of no-hit relief by Chicago relievers Nate Pearson and Porter Hodge, to defeat the Pirates 12-0 at Wrigley Field. It was the first Cubs no-hitter at the old ballpark since Milt Pappas threw one in 1972. While it was the first combined no-hitter in the 2024 season, seven of the fifteen no-hitters pitched since June, 2021, have been combined ones. The days of a complete game, 125 pitch, no-hitter by the starting pitcher seem to be over.
There have been 326 “official” no-hitters in MLB’s history, 283 in the so-called modern era that began in 1901. No-hitters mean simply that, a team has not recorded a hit during the game. That doesn’t mean they haven’t scored; in 25 of these games the no-hit team has managed to push across a run without a hit. In five of those, the no-hit team actually won the game. Like everything in baseball, we’ve seen trends along the way. While there have been exceptions, you see more no-hitters in eras where the pendulum has swung to pitcher dominance. There were five no-hitters in 1968, the “Year of the Pitcher”. From 2002 to 2006 as we neared the end of the Steroid Era, there were only five no-hitters total.
Of course a much more amazing feat is to hurl a perfect game. There have been only 23 of these gems in MLB history, 21 in the modern era. To get credit for one, the pitcher’s defensive team must not allow its opponent to reach base by any means, including catcher’s interference, an uncaught third strike, or a hit batsmen. Bottom line, 27 players must come to the plate, and 27 must go down. And for those of you wondering, a misplayed foul ball that the official scorer might deem an error actually would not count against a perfect game being recorded. That hasn’t happened in a perfect game, but neither has any pitcher ever thrown more than one perfect game. The closest was Tom Browning, a lefthander for the Reds. In September 1988 Browning threw baseball’s 12th perfect game, a victory over the Dodgers where he did not run the count to three balls on any hitter. The next July Browning found the magic again, but this time his perfect game was broken up in the bottom of the ninth inning by the Phillies.
In scouring the list of the 326 no-hitters to date, being a big name, All-Star pitcher does not always equate to having thrown a no-no. Here are some of the names of no-hit pitchers over the last ten years – Chris Heston; Alex Mills; John Means; Wade Miley; Tyler Gilbert; Reid Detmers; and Ronel Blanco. These are not exactly household names. I, of course, need to mention a couple Hall of Fame pitchers on the list of 326. Nolan Ryan holds the all-time record for number of no-hitters, seven, while Sandy Koufax is in second place with four.
One of the more interesting paradoxes for a no-hit pitcher is how he follows his standout performance in the following game. It’s not often a great result. Historically, more often than not the no-hit pitcher follows his no-hitter with a losing effort or no decison. The only time that a no-hitter was followed by the same pitcher’s second one was in June 1938 by the Reds’ Johnny Vander Meer. He pitched a June 11 no-hitter against the Boston Bees. On June 15, 1938, he started for Cincinnati against the Dodgers at Ebbetts Field in the first night game ever played there. It was certainly lights out for Brooklyn as Vander Meer threw his second straight no-hitter.
The on-field celebration of a no-hitter is always fun to watch unless you’re in the opposing dugout. Watching the other team celebrate saw tables turn a little over 50 years ago. On April 30, 1969, Cincinnati’s Jim Maloney threw the second no-hitter of his career in a 10-0 win against the Astros. The next night, on May 1, Houston’s Don Wilson also pitched his second career no-hitter in a 4-0 victory over the Reds. It was actually the second time in MLB history that there were no-hitters in consecutive games; the Giants’ Gaylord Perry and the Cardinals’ Ray Washburn did it in 1968.
No-hitters during postseason play are very uncommon, but there have been some memorable exceptions. In 2010 Roy Halladay of the Phillies pitched the 20th perfect game ever in a May 29 regular season win over the Marlins. He followed his perfecto with the second postseason no-hitter ever as Philadelphia downed the Reds 4-0 in Game One of the 2010 NLDS. In the playoff game against Cincinnati Halladay just missed a perfect game, walking one batter. Halladay is the only pitcher to pitch a perfect game and no-hitter in the same season. He doesn’t top Don Larsen though. Larsen will forever be known for the perfect game he threw for the Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1956 World Series. The photo of his catcher Yogi Berra jumping into Larsen’s arms as the final out was recorded is certainly etched in baseball’s greatest moments.
There are also quirky rules around no-hitters. The Reds’ Jim Maloney could be in the books for three no-hitters except his first one was negated by an MLB rule change. You see, in June 1965 he threw 10 scoreless innings of no-hit ball against the Mets but the lost the game in the eleventh inning on a solo HR. While it was originally deemed a no-hitter, MLB later omitted no-hit games broken up in extra innings. Fast forward to our crazy pandemic rules a few years ago and Arizona’s Madison Bumgarner throwing a no-hitter against Atlanta in an official, seven-inning game. MLB also failed to recognize this one based on a 1991 ruling by Commissioner Fay Vincent that pitchers need to throw at least nine innings for the game to qualify as a no-hitter. Yet, under the 2020 rule changes if a perfect game goes into extra innings and the runner placed on second scores by virtue of two outs (let’s say a sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly), the pitcher could be credited with a loss and a perfect game.
One of my fondest memories of being a softball Dad is when my daughter threw a no-hitter in high school yet several members of her team had no idea what that meant. The amusing thing about Shota Imanago pitching in the combined no-hitter a week ago is according to Cubs manager Craig Counsell, “he actually didn’t know he had a no-hitter going at all”. Maybe in a combined no-hitter nowadays, none of us really care to know.
Until next Monday,
your Baseball Bench Coach
Dream Come True
(Note: Some of the information below appeared previously in a 2023 Baseball Bench Coach post.)
Last Sunday Darren Baker made his MLB debut for the Nationals in the ninth inning of a game against the Cubs. The Washington pinch hitter stroked a sharp single to centerfield. His famous father, Dusty Baker, who played in the MLB for 19 seasons and managed five different teams, clapped with joy from the stands. The last time we saw these two together was in the 2002 World Series when Darren served as batboy for Dusty’s Giants. Darren almost got run over at home while retrieving a bat. It was a long road for Darren to get to the Nationals last Sunday. He was originally drafted by the Nationals in the 27th round of the 2017 MLB draft. After hitting .285 with 38 stolen bases in AAA this year, he received the September call up. Dusty said: “This is a dream come true for him because it’s what he always wanted to do since he was little.”
That same weekend a second dream came true for another MLB father-son combo. Brandon Leibrandt pitched 2 and 1/3 scoreless innings for the Reds against Oakland. He is the son of Charlie Leibrandt, pitcher for 14 MLB seasons and a member of the Royals’ 1985 world championship team. Brandon’s pathway to the big leagues has been incredibly difficult. Selected in the sixth round of the 2014 MLB draft, Brandon during two separate seasons (2020 and 2022) found himself pitching in the Atlantic League, an independent league a step below minor league baseball. Talk about an endless pursuit of one’s dream.
It's difficult to follow in the baseball footsteps of a father who has achieved much MLB success. Yet, in some instances, the son achieves even greater success. Let’s explore some of the more memorable baseball families:
The Griffeys. Ken Sr. and Jr. are my personal favorites. Ken Griffey Sr. was the table-setter for the greatest lineup that ever played the game. Although he was a three-time NL All-star, a defensive standout, a fleet baserunner, and maintained a lifetime batting average of .296, he is one of the lesser known Reds during that era. Let’s just say that his son more than made up for it in terms of notoriety. Jr. came out of Cincinnati Moeller in 1987 as the U.S. high school player of the year. Drafted first overall by the Seattle Mariners, Ken Griffey Jr. hit the MLB stage in a big way – 22 seasons (played in four different decades); 630 HRs (7th most in history); ten Gold Gloves; 13-time All-Star; and a Hall of Fame first ballot (99.32% of vote). Ken Sr. joined Jr. in Seattle for the 1990 and 1991 seasons, becoming the first father-son to be in the same batting lineup and even hit back-to-back HRs (September 14, 1990). After playing his first 11 years in Seattle, Jr. joined the Reds in 2000 for nine seasons.
Bonds. This is another father-son duo where the son outdid the dad. But boy was Bobby Bonds talented. He was a star outfielder for 14 seasons, mostly with the Giants, and set records for his combination of power hitting and speed. He was the first player in MLB history to have more than two seasons of 30 HRs and 30 stolen bases, doing it five times. Bobby also was the second player in history to achieve 300 HRs and 300 SBs, joining the great Willie Mays. The Pirates drafted his son, Barry, as the sixth overall pick, in 1985. Barry Bonds spent the first seven seasons in Pittsburgh, but made his fame in San Francisco for the next 15 years. Here are just some of the numbers: seven NL MVP awards; most career HRs (762); most HRs in a single season (73 in 2000); 8 Gold Gloves; and a career 514 stolen bases (yes, that same combination of power and speed).
The Alomars. Defense runs in this family. Sandy Alomar Sr. played in 14 MLB seasons (1964-1978) as a defensive wizard. In 1975 he led all major league second basemen in fielding percentage. He also excelled in a dying art – the skill of bunting, one of the best ever in the game. Sr. excelled as an MLB coach for another 24 seasons. He coached the Padres in 1988 when both of his sons landed on the MLB scene. Sandy Alomar Jr. starred in the MLB as a catcher for 20 seasons on 7 different teams (1988-2007), most notably as a Cleveland Indian where he was a 6-time All-Star and a member of two AL pennant winners. Both Sandys though need to step aside for the youngest Alomar, Robbie. Roberto Alomar, in sixteen MLB seasons, is regarded as one of the greatest second basemen ever – 12 time Gold Glover! He ranks near the top in most offensive and defensive categories for all-time second basemen. Robbie was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.
Bell. One of my Dad’s favorite players was Gus Bell, whose MLB career spanned 15 seasons and four teams (1950-1964), mostly with the Reds. Gus was a versatile outfielder, playing all three positions and wielding a lifetime fielding percentage of .985. A four-time NL All-Star, the left-handed hitter batted .281 lifetime. He also left Cincinnati with a wonderful family lineage. His son, Buddy Bell, starred as a six-time Gold Glove third baseman with the Indians, Rangers, and Reds, for 17 seasons. He compiled a lifetime batting average of .279, very similar to his Dad. Buddy went onto manage three teams, the Tigers, Rockies, and Royals, for 12 seasons. The baseball family tree doen’t stop there. Buddy’s two sons, Mike and David Bell, played in the MLB as well. It’s one of just five families who have had three generations of players in professional baseball. David Bell has served as the Reds’ manager for the past six seasons.
Boone. And here’s another last name filled with generations of players. Ray Boone, who played for 12 seasons with the Cleveland Indians, started the MLB family tree as he debuted in 1948. He was a two-time All-Star and led the AL in RBIs with 116 in 1955. His son, Bob Boone, an All-Star catcher for four seasons, played for the Phillies and Royals (1972-1990). He is also noted for his managerial expertise as he led the Royals and Reds for six seasons. The third generation of Boone’s, Bret and Aaron, also starred on MLB diamonds. Aaron Boone will always go down in Yankees vs. Red Sox history as hitting the walk-off HR in the 11th inning of the 7th game in 2003 for New York. Most recently, Aaron has successfully managed the Pinstripers for seven seasons.
Alou x 3. One of my favorite baseball cards growing up had 3 panels with each of the Alou brothers – Felipe; Matty; Jesus. Felipe Alou is the oldest and most famous of the three. He played in 17 MLB seasons (1958-1974), leading the NL twice in hits and once in runs scored. Felipe was the consummate leadoff batter. In fact, he led off with an HR in 20 games. After his playing career, Alou managed the Expos and Giants for fifteen seasons. He is one of three persons to have 2,000 hits, 200 HRs, and 1,000 managerial wins. Felipe’s son, Moises Alou, starred for several NL teams in a 19-year career. Moises was certainly his own person. He refrained from using batting gloves at the plate, a practice not shared by many modern players. While Moises compiled a .303 lifetime batting average, he is most noted for his involvement in the Bartman incident during Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS.
Iron Men. The Ripkens were “iron men” in different ways. Cal Ripken, Sr. spent 36 years in the Baltimore Orioles system as a minor league player, coach, and manager. His two sons, one in particular, were really good baseball players. Sr. took great pride in that Cal Jr. and Billy played for the Orioles when Sr. coached and for one year managed the team. Cal Ripken, Jr. set all kinds of records in his 21 MLB seasons, all with the Orioles. The first ballot Hall of Famer produced 3,184 hits, was a 19-time All-Star, captured two Gold Gloves, and won the AL MVP award two years (1983, 1991). Of course, he set one record that may never be broken, appearing in 2,632 consecutive MLB games.
There are so many other great family combos in baseball history – the Guerrero’s: Yaz and his grandson Mike; Bobby Witt and today’s superstar, Bobby Witt Jr.; and Cecil and Prince Fielder; to name a few others. I’m sure that each one of them will forever think of their MLB time as a dream come true.
Until next Monday,
your Baseball Bench Coach
Split Doubleheaders
This past Friday was a glorious baseball day for me. I attended a split doubleheader in Cincinnati with the Reds and Brewers facing off at Great American Ballpark in the early afternoon and then again in the evening. My two friends and I planned the outing months ago with the hope of seeing the Reds play meaningful games in pursuit of a division championship or a Wild Card. Well, that didn’t quite work out as our Cincinnati squad went into the day at 64-70, clearly out of the Wild Card hunt. We did see some good baseball, highlighted by the MLB debut of the Reds top pitching prospect Rhett Lowder in Game 2.
I used to love going to doubleheaders. I have such fond memories of trips to Crosley Field with my Dad and watching in his words, “two games for the price of one”. One time on Father’s Day we saw Giants’ pitchers Juan Marichal and Gaylord Perry face off against the Reds’ Jim Maloney and Sammy Ellis in two terrific games. As I got older, my buddies and I would enjoy many Friday nights at Riverfront Stadium taking in “twi-night doubleheaders”, where the first games would start around 5:00 p.m. and the second would end late in the evening. Ernie Banks, Mr. Cub, said it so aptly, “Let’s Play Two!”
There are many types of doubleheaders in MLB history – the “classic” back to back games with the first one starting in early afternoon; the “twi-nighters”; the “seven inning” doubleheader games (2020 and 2021) in response to the pandemic; and the modern day “day/night” doubleheaders where owners can get two gate revenues in one day. We’ve also seen a handful of “home and home” DHs where the Yankees and Mets on three occasions have played in each other’s park on the same day due to rainouts earlier in the season. Crazily, three tripleheaders are recorded in MLB history, all in the early years (1890, 1896, and 1920) and long before the players’ union was formed. The White Sox played the most doubleheaders in a season – 44 of them in 1943. The 1962 Mets would just as soon forget the doubleheader concept; that year they played 30 doubleheaders and were swept in 17 and split 10 of them.
For many years, MLB placed numerous, classic doubleheaders on teams’ schedules. At the peak of doubleheader play, in 1959, about a quarter of games played were part of a doubleheader. In 1979, that declined to around 10% of games, but still a sizable number. Over the last forty years, scheduled doubleheaders have become almost extinct. Play on the field is one reason, as starting pitchers are no longer on a four-day rotation, but rather, five. Much more significantly is the revenue impact. Team management cannot justify one gate and two games. Playing 81 home games means 81 times the turnstiles should be clicking.
As a result of the players’ lockout and the season beginning one week late in 2022, the 2022 season marked the return of scheduled doubleheaders. There were actually 31 doubleheaders on the schedule – 26 day/night ones and 5 of the “classic” variety. Doubleheaders certainly take a toll on the players and lineup management, which is somewhat lightened by the rule change in 2012 that team rosters may be expanded by one player for each game of doubleheaders now played. For the 2024 regular season, there was not a single doubleheader on the MLB schedule. Our split action last Friday was the result of a rainout earlier in the year.
One of my worst baseball memories was actually a scheduled doubleheader between the Reds and Padres in 1973. My parents and I arrived in the fourth inning of Game 1. We missed seeing the Reds score 3 runs in the first inning, and as it turned out they were the only runs scored all afternoon. You see, the rains came as the top of the fifth inning ended. Fortunately, for the Reds, the first game was considered complete and a Cincinnati 3-0 win. Unfortunately, for my family, the second game of course was also washed out. On that day, I saw 2 innings for the price of one game!
Last Friday my friends and I saw two losing efforts by our Reds. It was also an extremely hot day, but we survived with the help of lots of beverages, often adult ones. Between games we explored one of the many restaurants in Cincinnati’s “Banks”. We reminisced and laughed, caught up with our family and professional lives, and just plain relaxed. We had an absolute blast, although of course it’s now two games for the price of two (and a lot more).
Until next Monday,
your Baseball Bench Coach
American Heroes
Yeah, I realize that I made this promise a few weeks ago – no more mixing politics with baseball for the rest of the regular season! BUT. . . I need to share a story of an American Hero. We have all heard the comparisons between the political events in 1968 and 2024, and also that the DNC was in Chicago both years. You might also know that the type of baseball being played in 1968 and 2024 is strikingly similar. If you check the batting averages today, only 9 players in the MLB are batting .300 or higher. In 1968, the number of .300 hitters was six! Just like this year, pitchers dominated in 1968, even causing the mound to be lowered in the offseason to help along the hitters.
Lefty Ken Holtzman was in the Cubs’ starting rotation in 1968. When he came into the league in 1966 as a Jewish left-hander, he was deemed the “new Sandy Koufax”. The next year, 1967, he was only available to pitch on weekends since he served in the National Guard. He had a sterling record, 9-0, in just 12 games. During the chaotic 1968 Chicago DNC, his Cubs were on a West Coast trip to Los Angeles and San Francisco. Holtzman was called back to Chicago as he and the National Guard attempted to restore order in the city. His baseball stardom took off in the next few seasons, two no-hitters while with the Cubs and three World Championships while pitching for the Oakland A’s. Holtzman was an American Hero, not just for his pitching success, but for his service to our country.
There have been many other American Heroes who played baseball. As I mentioned last week, Hank Greenberg stands out. A two-time American League MVP and World Champion as a slugging first baseman for the Detroit Tigers in the 1930s and 1940s, his career statistics are outstanding – four seasons leading the AL in home runs and RBIs; a 5-time All-Star; and a career batting average of .313. Yet, his overall career numbers were cut short due to his service in WWII. Greenberg, widely thought of as the first Jewish superstar in the sport, was also the first major leaguer to join the U.S. Army. He served as an anti-tank gunner as a sergeant in the Army, and later served as a first lieutenant in the Air Force. His service, 47 months in the prime of his baseball career, remains the longest of any major leaguer.
Near the end of Greenberg’s playing days, another American Hero arose on the baseball landscape, Jackie Robinson. Robinson also served in the U.S. miliary. Jackie was drafted in 1942 and assigned to a segregated Army cavalry unit at Fort Riley, Kansas. While serving as a second lieutenant in 1944, Robinson boarded an Army bus on a segregated bus line and refused to move to the back. Because of the incident, he was court-martialed and ultimately acquitted. When Jackie broke MLB’s color barrier as a Dodger in the 1947 season, the first player to welcome him to the big leagues was none other than Greenberg. Hank could empathize; he had endured much antisemitism in his career.
World War II interrupted the playing careers of many MLB stars. The best natural hitter of all time, Ted Williams, is an excellent example. He debuted for the Red Sox in 1939 and quickly became a hot hitting commodity. In 1941 he batted .406, the last time in MLB history that a player hit .400 or above. He followed that with a Triple Crown season in 1942. In 1943, Williams became a second lieutenant and naval aviator in the U.S. Marine Corps. Williams was stationed at Pearl Harbor in 1945 when the war ended, and played in the Navy Baseball League, an eight team league that attracted huge crowds. Williams returned to MLB baseball and in 1947 again won the Triple Crown. Ted returned to duty in the Korean War in 1952. In 1957 and 1958 he won the AL batting championship for the fifth and sixth time. What could have been.
Playing in the Navy Baseball League with Williams were Stan Musial and Joe DiMaggio. In many ways, Musial was Williams’ NL counterpart. Stan the Man played 22 MLB seasons for the Cardinals (1941-1963) and compiled some eye-popping career stats – 3,630 hits, 475 HRs, and a .331 batting average. Musial enlisted in the U.S. Navy in January 1945 and served for over a year. DiMaggio’s 13 year MLB career with the Yankees began in 1939. He, of course, is most known for a 56 game hitting streak during the 1941 season, a streak that to date has not been matched. DiMaggio enlisted in the Army Air Forces in 1943 and served for two years. These two baseball heroes from our past were indeed also American Heroes.
A player during that era who received less national acclaim is one of my personal favorites of all time, pitcher Bob Feller. Feller played 18 MLB seasons for the Indians, spanning from 1936 through 1956. His pitching numbers were spectacular – 3 no-hitters, 12 one-hitters, and led the AL in wins six seasons and in strkeouts for seven seasons. After the 1941 season when he learned of the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, the first American professional athlete to do so. He served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Alabama (1942-1945). A fun story is that, in addition to playing in some baseball games during his service years, he would keep his arm in shape by throwing near a gun terret. It paid off pretty well as he returned to the big leagues for the 1946 season.
About 25 years ago I decided to meet some of my baseball heroes and attended a Reds Fantasy Baseball Camp in Sarasota, Florida. About a month prior to camp I met up with Ken Holtzman, who was serving as the facility director at my JCC recreational facility. Ken gave me some of the best advice ever, “swing a bat 50 times every night in your basement and throw as much as possible off a mound if you want to pitch”. I took his advice and soon experienced one of my favorite weeks ever at my camp. Earlier this year, Holtzman passed away, on April 15, in fact, baseball’s Jackie Robinson Day. Rest in peace, Kenny, a baseball hero, an American Hero.
Until next Monday,
your Baseball Bench Coach
High School English
Last Sunday afternoon was glorious. I literally had nothing to do. My Labrador Retriever and I decided to take a long walk in our neighborhood park. Along the path we ran into a gentleman who reminded me so much of my high school English teacher, my favorite teacher of all time. You know the one; everyone has one. He taught me to love literature, and more importantly, how to write (at least as a reader I hope you think that’s true). We remain in touch today, and often he suggests topics for this blog.
My pup and I arrived home, and we both landed on the family room couch exhausted from our outing. I turned on the television and then remembered. The Cubs weren’t playing, their first Sunday off since 1932. I decided to read a book while following a couple games on the MLB app in the background. After a bit, I ventured upstairs to a bookshelf full of selections kept over time. I know this will surprise you, but a big part of my collection involves baseball. Then it hit me why I had been thinking about my former teacher. Maybe I should write a column about baseball books. Let’s give it a shot.
In second or third grade I began to read “big print” books from the school library. Mostly they were biographies of famous people – Washington, Lincoln, Edison, etc. The one I remember really enjoying was that of Babe Ruth. To this day I love reading tales of the Babe hitting home runs, entertaining fans, and even munching hot dogs during games. In fifth or sixth grade I was introduced to a baseball book of more consequence, Bob Gibson’s “From Ghetto to Glory”. At the time of my reading, I’m not sure that I had even met a black in person or even knew what a ghetto was. I was entranced by his story. Most notably, there was a passage on how to throw a curveball. I happened to fall in love with that pitch, my “out pitch”, and a couple shoulder surgeries later I still would have thrown a curveball as a kid.
Junior High was a time of exploration. I was like most thirteen year-old boys, trying to get the courage to talk to girls and playing sports. I heard about a controversial book, “Ball Four”, written by a pitcher named Jim Bouton. I don’t recall exactly how I obtained my copy, but I remember sitting in my bedroom devouring every word. The book was at the time a scandalous behind the scenes look at major league baseball. I loved it, until my Dad found out that I was reading it! He took it to his workplace until I was “ready for it”. I guess I never was, because I never saw it again. I bought another copy years later, the “20th anniversary edition” (on my shelf today).
Another surprise – there are lots of Pete Rose books on my shelf. “The Pete Rose Story”, “My Prison Without Bars”, “Charlie Hustle”, “Play Hungry”, the list goes on. I bought every one of them. Pete is my baseball hero, a hometown boy raised on the west side of Cincinnati, just like me. Other than our mutual love of baseball, the personal comparison ends there. With every book I read I kept hoping that he would apologize to baseball, to Cincinnati, and maybe even to me. He never did. He never has. He never will. But like most Reds fans, somehow I forgive him. His jersey #14 is on another one of my shelves at home.
There are many impactful baseball books on my shelf as well. If you haven’t read David Halberstam’s “The Teammates”, I highly recommend that you pick up a copy. It’s a quick read, and an endearing tale of four Red Sox players in the 1940s, Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Dom DiMaggio, and Johnny Pesky. Baseball gave them a bond that lasted through their lifetimes together. The former teammates remained friends for over 60 years. You can’t help but cry as Halberstam shares the story of Doerr, DiMaggio, and Pesky saying goodbye to Ted Williams before his death. Baseball means lifetime friends; I can attest to that.
I found a couple other baseball heroes on my bookshelf. “Hank Greenberg: The Hero of Heroes”, written by John Rosengren, is a true classic. Greenberg was one of the great hitters the game has seen, a slugging first baseman for the Tigers during the 1930s and 1940s. He was also the country’s most prominent Jew at the time, living in a world of hate. When the nation entered World War II, Greenberg became the first major leaguer to join the armed forces. It cost him 4 years of his baseball career, but he didn’t seem to mind. The book is full of stories of how the Jewish community of Detroit welcomed him. And in 1947, when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, Hank was the first MLB player to welcome Jackie to the big leagues.
If you live in my household, you recognize Roberto Clemente as a baseball hero as well, and rightfully so. Of the numerous books written about Clemente’s life, the best by far is David Maranis’ “Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball’s Last Hero”. Maranis walks you through the early days of Clemente’s life in Puerto Rico, his incredible on field success as a Pirate, his devotion to the Pittsburgh community, and his dedication to his fellow Puerto Ricans. A true humanitarian, Clemente lost his life in a plane crash on New Year’s Eve in 1972 while attempting to deliver food and medical supplies to Nicaragua after an earthquake.
This summer I’ve enjoyed watching my older grandson develop into a baseball player. I’m sure that he has a lot of baseball heroes right now – MLB players on the face of his baseball cards; his managers and coaches; a special umpire that took the time to instruct, not just call, a recent game; a couple helpful instructors; older brothers of teammates; and maybe even me sometimes. There will be so many stories of baseball heroes in his life. And I also hope that he has a high school English teacher like mine.
Until next Monday,
your Baseball Bench Coach
Hold Onto Hope
In my first week of freshman year in college I met a dormmate who was the ultimate Cubbies fan. The Cubs were seven games out in the division race with nine games to play, and he followed every inning of play with the mindset “it ain’t over”. If we would have had FanGraphs back then, I’m sure the possibility of Chicago playoff baseball would have been less than 1%. But my new buddy still had hope. Fast forward 45+ years and I find myself talking daily with Cubs believers with a lot more reason for playoff optimism. MLB’s “Wild Card” format allows 12 of the 15 current NL teams to still hold onto hope. Let’s take a look at how securing a Wild Card spot is the new focus of pennant races.
When MLB went to three divisions in each league in 1994, it introduced Wild Card teams into the playoff mix. 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 was added such that the two Wild Card teams would face off in a single elimination game before entering the Division Series. In 2022 MLB modified the structure again, adding a third Wild Card team in each league. Today’s 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 ballpark of the better seed.
The last two Octobers have shown how the Wild Card is the best play in your hand. Philadelphia began the 2022 season with a dismal 21-29 record. After changing managers, the Phils went 66-46 to reach the playoffs as the sixth NL seed. Philly dominated the NL playoffs, 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.
Last Fall it was October Wild Card madness times two! The only division winner to advance to either League Championship Series were the Astros with a record of just 90-72. It marked the first time in MLB postseason history that the last four remaining teams had 90 or fewer wins. The NL’s Diamondbacks were one of those. Securing the last Wild Card spot (# 6 in NL) on September 30th, Arizona went on a tear in the playoffs and advanced to its first World Series in 22 years. The D’Backs fell short in the Series to the AL champion Rangers, who themselves were the AL’s Wild Card # 5 seed. Texas had spent most of the season in first place in the AL West, but dropped the division title and three seeds in the rankings to Houston on the last weekend of the season. The Rangers’ postseason numbers were remarkable, going just 2-4 at home and 11-0 on the road, the most postseason wins on the road in history. Take that home park advantage!
Until last season, we had witnessed only 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. The Giants captured their third world championship in five seasons.
This year only three NL teams (the Marlins, Rockies, and Nationals) are seemingly out of the Wild Card chase. Historically, the Marlins and the Wild Card are synonomous. Miami has never won a division title in its 30-year history. All four of their postseason appearances 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 most definitely a make or break franchise. The Marlins have the lowest, overall winning percentage of any MLB team in existence. This year is no different as they enter week’s play at 44-75. And of course their 1993 expansion counterparts Rockies, with another disappointing season and an identical record of 44-75, are the only other MLB franchise to have never won its division.
The 2019 Washington Nationals also experienced playoff success without a division title in its fold. 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. The 2024 version of the Nationals are in 4th place in the NL East with a record of 54-65, truly a Wild Card long shot.
So which teams do still have hope in the National League this year? While the Phillies, Dodgers, and Brewers each have leads in their respective divisions and will most probably be seeds 1, 2, and 3 come playoff time, nine other teams will be scrambling for Wild Card seeds 4, 5, and 6 over the next 40+ games. Currently, San Diego, Arizona, and Atlanta are leading the Wild Card pack and just 5 games separate the Braves from the last contender, Pittsburgh. With a record of 59-60 at week’s end and just 3 games back in the Wild Card hunt, my college buddy’s Cubs of 2024 are still very much in the race.
Hold onto hope.
Until next Monday,
your Baseball Bench Coach
Souvenir Baseballs
July 7, 2018, one of the happiest days of my life. 2016 World Series MVP Ben Zobrist hit a foul ball off his fists right at me in Section 313, row 8, seat 1, at Wrigley Field. And I made the catch, the first time ever! I was absolutely thrilled. One of my daughters posted the event on Facebook, and another on Instagram. I was a hero, yes admittedly, maybe just for only 15 minutes. The baseball remains in my collection at home as a keepsake of this wonderful memory. Let’s take a look at the history of souvenir baseballs.
While I was able to keep my baseball six years ago, that wasn’t the case in the early 1900s. MLB teams considered baseballs to be club property, and ushers were ordered to retrieve them from the fans. Some teams either took or threatened legal action against those who wouldn’t return them. In 1905 a Cubs fan, Samuel Scott, was arrested for larceny. In 1915, a New York Giants fan, Guy Clarke, who caught a foul ball at the Polo Grounds, was told by a judge that he had no more right to the ball than he did to the judge’s watch. The tide started to turn when new Cubs owner, Charles Weeghman, in 1916, let fans keep foul balls as a marketing ploy. Baseball Magazine reported: “The charm of novelty, of possible gain, might lure far more spectators than enough to pay for the lost balls.”
Entering the 1920s though no team other than the Cubs allowed the fans to keep souvenir baseballs. You see, the period from 1900 to 1920 in baseball is often referred to as the “Dead Ball Era”. Runs per game, batting averages, and home runs were all at their lowest point due to a variety of reasons. The ballparks were spacious limiting hitting for power, pitchers were allowed to scuff and adulterate the ball, and the baseball itself was “dead” by design, and indeed by overuse. Teams only had six or eight new baseballs available for each game.
The Dead Ball Era ended abruptly after the 1920 season. Offenses began scoring 40% more runs and HRs were hit four times as much as in the decade before. Some say that baseball owes it all to Reuben Berman, a 31-year old stockbroker who was a fan of the New York Giants. In a May 1921 game at the Polo Grounds, he caught a foul ball and then tossed it backwards into the crowd. Berman was kicked out of the ballpark, so he followed suit with one of his own. The case was tried, and Berman was awarded $100 for his poor treatment at the ballpark. The Giants and the other MLB teams relented. It was time to allow fans to keep souvenir baseballs. The “Live-Ball” era of 1920s baseball began.
Decades later a new twist to coveting souvenir baseballs began In Chicago – throwing them back! Story has it that in an August 1970 game at Wrigley Field a disgruntled bartender who had been slighted by Hank Aaron the year before, threw an Aaron home run ball from the Wrigley Field bleachers back onto the field. It just so happens that the Aaron HR was his 521st, tying Ted Williams at the time. Today, the Wrigley crowd revels in the chant “Throw it Back” when a visiting player’s home run reaches the bleachers. The Wrigley tradition was mimicked in the 2017 World Series when an Astros fan at Minute Maid Park threw back an HR hit by the Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig. MLB discourages the practice for safety reasons.
Sometimes a fan’s desire for a souvenir baseball is controversial. In Game 1 of the 1996 ALCS, a 12-year old boy, Jeffrey Maier, reached over the outfield wall to catch a ball hit by Derek Jeter, resulting in an upheld HR and launching New York to a series win over Baltimore. The most controversial one, of course, was in Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS between the Marlins and the Cubs at Wrigley. The Cubs, up 3 games to 2 in the series, held a 3-0 lead in the eighth inning. Marlins batter Luis Castillo hit a ball into foul territory as Cubs left fielder Moises Alou reached into the stands but could not make the play. The ball was deflected by lifelong Cubs fan, Steve Bartman, leading to a Marlins’ rally and win of the series. It was an unfortunate moment in Cubs’ history as Bartman became the subject of much ire by Cubs’ fans in the aftermath. As a gesture of recompensation, Cubs management delivered to Bartman a 2016 World Series championship ring.
Foul balls can reach the stands in an alarming speed, sometimes 100 mph, often causing harm to individuals. In 2018, a woman celebrating her 79th birthday at Dodgers Stadium died as a result of being struck in the head with a foul ball. The next year at Minute Maid Park, a ball hit by Cubs outfielder Albert Almora struck a 2 ½ year old Astros fan in the head. She was treated for seizures after the incident. An NBC investigation found at least 808 reports of injuries to fans from baseballs from 2012 and 2019, including injuries of concussions and permanent vision loss. MLB teams responded by extending netting down the foul lines in all 30 ballparks in 2020.
So what’s the big deal about MLB baseballs anyway? They have always been safeguarded prior to being used in the game. The earliest account is that of Cubs corporate secretary, Margaret Donahue, storing game balls in a cabinet in her office in the 1920s. We’ve come a long way from that practice. In 2022 MLB established standard procedures for handling baseballs in a memo, “Updates to Baseball Storage and Handling”, to general managers and clubhouse managers. Every team is required to ready a minimum of 13 dozen baseballs for each game. Prior to game use, each baseball must be stored in a humidor for at least 14 days. Each ball needs to be muddied within three hours of all other balls being used in the game. After muddying, the balls are placed back in Rawlings boxes in the humidor. Balls are taken from the humidor 15-30 minutes prior to the start of the game. As you can see, souvenir baseballs are quite the treasure!
With every tale of catching a baseball at a game comes several other tales of near misses. Oh my, do I have many of those. One such instance comes to mind when I attended a Reds game at Crosley Field with my parents and brother. We invited our next door neighbor that night to go with us. Unbelievable to me, our guest was not much of a baseball fan. We had great seats in prime, foul ball territory. As our guest was looking down and enjoying an ice cream cup, a foul ball went right over his head into the seats behind us. Back then, my thought was not how concerning it would have been if it would have hit him, but rather envy toward the fan in the row behind us who retrieved the ball. It’s an obsession.
Until next Monday,
your Baseball Bench Coach
Presidents and Baseball
As your Coach, I’ve let you down the last few weeks. Instead of being tuned to the MLB network and watching my favorite sport, I kept turning on CNN and other news networks for the latest in the race for the presidency. Maybe I should stick to the baseball pennant races. With the presidency though clearly in the back of my mind, I thought it would be good to research how our American Presidents have adopted baseball as the national pastime. Let’s take a look.
While the first professional baseball team can be traced to 1869, how Presidents are closely linked with baseball begins before then with our nation’s first, George Washington. Apparently, General Washington during the Revolutionary War loved playing the English game of “rounders” with the troops. John Adams followed suit by playing what he journaled as “bat and ball”. And then there’s Andrew Jackson, our seventh President, who enjoyed a good game of “one old cat”, which is said to be also similar to the game of baseball that we adopted.
Next month the Democratic National Convention rolls into Chicago. In 1860, a Committee of the Chicago Convention met in Chicago and nominated Abraham Lincoln to be the Republican candidate on the Fall ballot. Mr. Lincoln was at his home in Springfield, Illinois, when the nomination was made. A party of messengers traveled to Springfield to deliver the news in person, but found that Lincoln was not available immediately. He was on a ball field and told the group to wait so he could finish his at bat.
During President Franklin Roosevelt’s terms in office, he also played a role in baseball’s history. On May 24, 1935, he threw a White House switch to signify the lighting of the first MLB night game at Crosley Field in Cincinnati between the Reds and the Dodgers. Of course, FDR and our country were faced with Pearl Harbor in December, 1941, as America entered World War II. Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis wrote FDR that he was prepared to close down baseball for the war. FDR simply responded, “I honestly feel that it would be best for the country to keep baseball going.” Sixty years later President George W. Bush referenced FDR’s “for the country” message in throwing out the first pitch to open the 2001 World Series following the September 11th terrorist attacks.
The Bush family has been long connected to baseball. The late legendary Dodgers announcer, Vin Scully, loved to tell the story of playing baseball against George H.W. Bush in college, Scully for Fordham and Bush with Yale. Scully recounted that his favorite honor was being named to the National College Baseball Hall of Fame with the George H.W. Bush Distinguished Alumnus award. After Bush’s presidency, you would often see him and former First Lady Barbara attending Astros games in the first row as season ticket holders. Indeed, their son, George W. Bush, follows baseball closely. Prior to serving as governor of Texas, W. was a managing partner of the Texas Rangers.
President Ronald Reagan’s love for baseball was widely known. In the 1930s he worked as a sports broadcaster for WHO Radio in Des Moines, Iowa. Instead of attending the games, he would receive transcriptions of the plays and delight the Iowa radio audience with his commentary. In 1937 he was asked to broadcast Cubs spring training games at Catalina Island off the California coast. He was pretty good at it, as Paramount Pictures signed him on the spot launching his acting career. One of Reagan’s best known movie roles was in the baseball film “The Winning Team” with Doris Day. At the end of Reagan’s presidency, on September 30, 1988, he joined Harry Caray in the Wrigley Field broadcasting booth. He famously joked: “You know in a few months I’m going to be out of work and thought I might as well audition.”
There are, of course, lots of Presidential traditions tied with baseball. On April 14, 1910, President William Howard Taft tossed the first ceremonial pitch from his seats in the stands to the Senators’ HOF pitcher, Walter Johnson. Taft started a tradition that continues today. The most intriguing one was President Woodrow Wilson throwing out the first pitch in the World Series with an unknown woman, Edith Gault, by his side. She would soon become his new wife. Years later, President Kennedy continued the tradition at three consecutive Washington Senators’ home openers. A lifelong Red Sox fan, he never threw out a first pitch at Fenway Park. President U.S. Grant was the first President to entertain baseball teams at the White House. In 1872 he hosted the first professional team, the Cincinnati Red Stockings. It is now customary that the World Series winners are welcomed at the White House to celebrate their championship.
As is so often the case with baseball history, Babe Ruth plays a fun role here. He personally knew six of our nation’s Presidents. Early in his career, he famously voted for Woodrow Wilson with his affable “always a great friend of mine”. In 1920, after his first season as a Yankee when he hit 54 home runs, he was asked by the GOP to endorse Warren Harding against Democrat James Cox. Ruth declined and proclaimed, “I’m a Democrat!” After his storied career, in 1944, the Babe did surprisingly endorse Republican Governor Thomas Dewey of New York over FDR. While calling FDR “a great man”, he smiled and said that America needs a “new pitcher in the White House.”
Who will be on the mound in the White House next January 20th is a game that will play out over the coming months. As your Coach, I promise to keep my focus on baseball until the end of the 2024 regular season.
Until next Monday,
your Baseball Bench Coach
Flash in the Pan?
Last week’s blog post, “Can’t Miss”, received some comments on whether the new Reds outfielder, Rece Hinds, might also be a sure thing. He exploded onto the MLB scene before the All-Star break, being named the NL Player of the Week after just his first seven games in the big leagues. The numbers are incredible -- .423 batting average, 5 home runs, and a total of 9 extra base hits. His call up to the Reds though came at an unusual time. He was batting just .216 at AAA-Louisville with 126 strikeouts (second worst in minor league baseball). The jury is clearly out on his future stardom. Baseball has a history of sizzling starts by players whose careers just didn’t match their potential.
Cincinnati has a couple such players in their fans’ short and long term memories. The hope for sure is that Hinds is not another Aristides Aquino. In August 2019, Aquino hit seven home runs in his first 10 MLB games, tying the record of Trevor Story. That month In a game against the Cubs, Aristides hit 3 home runs and became the first rookie in MLB history to hit an HR in three consecutive innings. His record-breaking first two weeks included 10 HRs in his first 16 games, and he completed the month by tying an all-time Reds record with 14! His shooting star quickly fell in 2020 as he hit just .170. Aquino was DFA’d in April 2022. He now plays for the Chunichi Dragons of Nippon Professional Baseball.
In 1970 the Reds were the talk of the baseball world, starting the season with a 70-30 record. It was the Big Red Machine coming of age. But another big reason for the early 1970 success was 21-year-old rookie righthander Wayne Simpson. Simpson won 13 of his first 14 starts, a streak that included a one-hitter, two-hitter, and three-hitter. His blazing start earned him a spot as the only rookie pitcher on the NL All-Star team. The second half of that season quickly soured, as Wayne tore his rotator cuff on July 31. He is the poster boy for today’s pitch count limit, as Simpson’s first half pitch count ranged from 100 to 130 per game. His five season MLB career ended in 1975 when he posted a 36-31 career win-loss record.
There are more famous pitchers whose early days were flaming. How about the “Bird”, Mark Fidrych, who Detroit fans and all of baseball fell in love with in 1976? The Tigers star righthander led MLB with a 2.34 ERA and a 19-9 record, and received the AL Rookie of the Year Award. Everyone marveled at his mound antics, including talking to the baseball before pitches and carefully manicuring the dirt around the rubber. Fidrych started the All-Star Game in 1976 as a rookie, much like Paul Skenes last week. My guess is that there is where the comparison ends, since Fidrych went on to win just 10 more games after the 1976 season.
“Fernandomania” hit the baseball world in 1981. The Dodgers rookie lefthander, Fernando Valenzuela, won his first eight starts, and get this, five of them were shutouts. In a strike-shortened season, he finished 1981 with a 13-7 record and ERA of 2.48. That year Valenzuela became the only player in baseball history to win the Cy Young and ROY awards in the same season. Fernando was known for his unusual windup and a knee-breaking screwball. He was also a pretty good hitter, slugging 10 HRs in his career. Valenzuela’s star seemed to fade after his rookie breakout year. Although he had a successful career over 17 seasons, he certainly never matched his 1981 season.
The story of Dwight Gooden is similar. “Doc” came roaring into the league in 1984, winning the NL Rookie of the Year award and leading the NL in strikeouts. He was at the very top of the baseball world in 1985 – NL Cy Young winner, a 24-4 record, 1.53 ERA, 268 strikeouts, and sixteen complete games. In the next season, 1986, Gooden led the Mets to the World Series championship. After Gooden left the Mets following the 1994 season, he pitched for four other teams. His career record was 194-112, excellent overall, but he was never the same dominant pitcher as in his early years. Struggling with drug and alcohol addictions, Gooden left the game in 2000.
In more recent times, Cubs fans saw the quick rise and fall of catcher Geovany Soto. In 2007, Soto starred for the AAA Iowa Cubs, posting a .353 batting average with 26 HRs and 109 RBIs. After his September 2007 call up to the Cubs, the hits kept falling as he hit .389 and started for Chicago in their playoff round against Arizona. The next season was all Soto, catching a no-hit game thrown by Carlos Zambrano, starting the All-Star Game as the NL catcher, and winning the National League Rookie of the Year award. His 2008 numbers were exceptional -- .285 batting average, 23 HRs, and 86 RBIs. In 2009, Soto’s average plummeted to .218, and in 2011 he had the lowest fielding percentage among NL catchers. His career ended in 2017 after playing on four other MLB teams.
A couple other early risers are still in the game today, so their flame has yet to go out. When Michael Wacha debuted in May 2013 for the Cardinals, I thought for sure he was the next Adam Wainwright. Following a stellar 2013 season, Wacha was the mainstay of the Cardinals’ playoff pitchers, giving up only one run in 21 postseason innings. His career seemed to average out, as most recently he has pitched for 5 MLB teams in five consecutive seasons.
Trevor Story, who started with a bang for Colorado in 2016, is the last tale to tell. As a rookie in April 2016, he hit a home run in each of his first four games and was named the NL Rookie of the Month. He quickly earned the reputation of a solid bat, exceptional fielder, and speedster on the basepaths. In 2020 he led the National League in stolen bases. In typical Rockies’ fashion, Trevor was traded to Boston prior to the 2022 season since he was too expensive for Colorado’s tastes.
The story for Reds’ rookie Rece Hinds will play out over the next few months, and hopefully seasons to come. Let’s hope that he’s not just a flash in the pan.
Until next Monday,
your Baseball Bench Coach
Can't Miss
I love listening to baseball games on the radio. One of my fondest memories growing up is sitting with my Dad on our front porch and tuning in “Marty and Joe”, WLW 700 Cincinnati, for Reds games. Rain delays were particularly delightful as radio analyst and former Reds pitcher, the late Joe Nuxhall, shared stories of his career, current players, and baseball’s past.
My new favorite radio analyst is Ron Coomer on 670 The Score in Chicago. Coomer is a former Cub, played nine MLB seasons, and has been on the Cubs broadcasts for the last ten years. Coomer told the story recently of his first year in minor league baseball’s Rookie League. Also in that league was Ken Griffey, Jr. Coomer said that everyone who saw Junior take batting practice, run the bases, and play the outfield, agreed. He was “Can’t Miss”. Griffey proved everyone correct with a 22-year Hall of Fame career. Let’s take a look at some current players who I believe are Can’t Miss:
Paul Skenes. The Pirates rookie flame thrower has been absolutely terrific in his first 11 MLB starts. Skenes was drafted first overall by the Pirates in the 2023 MLB Draft. Last July he signed a $9.2 million rookie signing bonus, the largest in history. Paul spent the first month of 2024 in AAA Indianapolis, where he compiled a 0.99 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 27 innings. His promotion to the Bucs gives Pittsburgh a #1 ace for the next decade. His big league numbers so far include an ERA of 1.90 and a 6-0 record. Just last Thursday he was pulled from the game for the second time with a no-hitter through seven innings. Skenes will be the starting pitcher for the National League in Tuesday’s All-Star Game.
Bobby Witt, Jr. The Royals selected Witt second overall in the 2019 MLB Draft and are elated they did so. He starred in his first two minor league assignments, being named the Minor League Player of the Year in 2021. Last season, his second one with the Royals, he hit 30 home runs, recorded 96 RBIs, and stole a league-leading 49 bases, becoming the first player in MLB history to record 30 HRs, 10 triples, and 45 stolen bases in one season. KC awarded him with an 11-year, $288 million contract at season’s end. He hasn’t disappointed in 2024, batting .325, second in the AL, and slugging 62 RBIs. He is widely regarded as one of the fastest players in baseball. You will also see his star shine brightly on Tuesday evening.
Elly De La Cruz. Every game I see Elly play I just can’t stop smiling; he does it all with a huge smile of his own. Statcast tracked Witt and Elly as the fastest players in the game. Elly signed with Cincinnati as an international free agent and skyrocketed through the Reds system, making his MLB debut in June last season. Reds great Joey Votto describes him best: “He’s the best runner I’ve seen, and he has the most power I’ve ever seen. And he has the strongest arm I’ve ever seen.” In his second MLB game, Elly hit a 458 foot HR. A month later, he became the first Red in over 100 years to steal second, third, and home in the same inning. Statcast timed one of his infield assists at 97.9 mph, the fastest recorded infield throw ever. He joins the NL All-Stars Tuesday with 16 HRs and 46 stolen bases this season.
Gunnar Henderson. Of the many young Orioles who will take the field in the All-Star Game, the Baltimore shortstop stands out. Gunnar made his MLB debut in 2022 and won the AL Rookie of the Year last season. Among his 2023 highlights was a 462 foot home run against the Royals last June. His 2023 stats were indeed impressive – 28 HRs, 82 RBIs, and a league leader in fielding percentage. He continued to shine in the first month of this season (.291 average, 10 HRs, 24 RBIs, and 6 stolen bases) and was named the AL player of the month. He brings his 27 HRs (second in the league) and 61 RBIs to his starting role in the AL lineup Tuesday. He’s another shortstop who can do it all.
Ben Rice. This new Yankees’ slugger may be a surprise to you on my short list. I believe from the look of his sweet swing in the last month that he is also Can’t Miss. Rice played college ball at Dartmouth College, and then sped through New York’s minor league affiliates in 2022 and 2023. Less than a month ago, on June 18, he made it to the Bigs and recorded his first hit against the Orioles. A few weeks later, on July 6, he became the first rookie in Yankees’ history to hit 3 HRs in the same game. He tied Lou Gehrig’s rookie single game RBI record with seven in the same game. It was quite a way to introduce himself to the Yanks vs. Red Sox rivalry. Last week the Yankees, looking for a bat to protect Juan Soto and Aaron Judge in the lineup, inserted Rice as the new cleanup hitter. This 2-3-4 crew may redefine the Yankees’ Murderers Row.
Enjoy the All-Star Game tomorrow night, and pay extra attention to Skenes, Witt, De La Cruz, and Henderson. My strong hunch is that Rice will be joining them for next year’s game.
Until next Monday,
your Baseball Bench Coach
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