Cormier Was RHEAL Trouble For Batters in 2003, Part 1!

 Rheal Cormier had been in the big leagues for twelve seasons (1991-2002) without really having a great year. But that changed in 2003 with Philly.

The native of Monton, New Brunswick (Canada) had started in the St. Louis Cardinals' organization in late 80s, even going 12-7 with St. Petersburgh in 1989, age 22. But he didn't seem to be able to put it all together in the majors.

St. Louis stuck with him, but he was never more than a run-of-the-mill starter. He was 4-5 as a rookie in limited duty (Eleven games, ten starts in '91), but improved to 10-10 the next season. Rheal was 7-6 in 1993, but started just 21 of 38 games. But perhaps his first season above .500 W% was a sign Cormier was destined for the bullpen? However, he was 6-5 as a starter that year, and had a better earned run average trying to go nine.

The most wins Cormier could ever come up with at the major league level in his time with the Cards and later Montreal Expos ended up being ten, although he won seven games in '93, 1995, and '96.

Things were a little better when he got to the American League. Pitching for Boston in 1999, Rheal was 2-0. Despite being 3-3 in 2000, it was back to the Senior Circuit. But this time, it was with Philadelphia. Cormier was only 5-6, but at this point, he'd established himself as a solid, but not spectacular reliever. He'd appeared in 60, 64, 60, and 54 games from 1999-2002.

Cormier was a lefty who could go more than an inning. And, although not overpowering (Thus never being a closer), that made him a valuable commodity wherever he went.

And Rheal's 2003 season was outstanding.

You want wins? Cormier had 'em. Although, Rheal had to wait until May 15th to pick up his first decision, getting it by going one inning (The seventh) vs. Arizona in Philadelphia's 6-4 win. Although he won two games in August to bring his record to a perfect 4-0, it was Rheal Cormier's strong September that distanced himself from a lot of the other fine relief pitchers in the game.

He beat the Expos in his second appearance of the month (And, actually on September 2nd). Five days later, Cormier beat the Mets by going two strong innings. Another strong two inning stint against the Marlins on the 18th of September made Rheal 7-0. Cormier's final appearance on the 2003 season was on September 27th in Atlanta, needing only eight pitches to retire the side in order in the top of the tenth. The Phillies wasted no time in the bottom of the frame, as the third batter in the home half (Chase Utley) walked it off with a single.

So Rheal Cormier finished 2003 with a perfect 8-0 record. But that isn't even half the story, right? Although he recorded but one save that year, Rheal nonetheless finished 21 of the games he entered. Among seasons where Cormier was pitching exclusively in relief, his 84 2/3 innings pitched was a career-high.

Greatest Relief Seasons of All-Time Stat Set 1

Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Bernhard	1899	21	9	0.429	132.1	6	6
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Walsh	1904	18	10	0.556	110.2	6	3
Griffith	1905	25	17	0.680	101.2	9	6
Ferguson	1906	22	19	0.864	52.1	2	0
Keefe	1907	19	14	0.737	57.2	3	5
Chappelle	1908	13	6	0.462	70.1	2	4
Leever	1909	19	12	0.632	70.0	8	1
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Phillipe	1910	31	19	0.613	121.2	14	2
Benz	1911	12	4	0.333	55.2	3	2
Baskette	1912	29	18	0.621	116.0	8	4
Crandall	1913	35	27	0.771	97.2	4	4
Wolfgang	1914	24	12	0.500	119.1	9	5
Bressler	1914	29	15	0.517	147.2	10	4
Mays	1915	38	27	0.711	131.2	6	5
Danforth	1917	50	26	0.520	173.0	11	6
Bender	1917	20	9	0.450	113.0	8	2
Coumbe	1917	34	15	0.441	134.1	8	6
Dubuc	1919	36	22	0.611	132.0	6	4
Luque	1919	30	9	0.300	106.0	10	3
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Morton	1921	30	15	0.500	107.2	8	3
Baumgartner	1925	37	9	0.243	113.1	6	3
Marberry	1926	64	47	0.734	138.0	12	7
Clark	1927	27	19	0.704	73.2	7	2
Haid	1928	27	14	0.519	47.0	2	2
Rommel	1929	32	15	0.469	113.2	12	2
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Lindsey	1931	35	19	0.543	74.2	6	4
Quinn	1932	39	29	0.744	64.1	5	4
Russell	1933	50	31	0.620	124.0	12	6
Malone	1936	35	25	0.714	134.2	12	4
Brown	1938	51	32	0.627	132.2	15	9
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Beggs	1940	37	27	0.730	76.2	12	3
Murphy	1941	35	31	0.886	77.1	8	3
Adams	1943	70	52	0.743	140.1	11	7
Heving	1944	63	38	0.603	119.2	8	3
Maltzberger	1944	46	41	0.891	91.1	10	5
Berry	1944	53	47	0.887	111.1	10	8
Karl	1945	67	41	0.612	180.2	8	8
Christopher	1947	44	38	0.864	80.2	10	7
Wilks	1948	57	27	0.474	130.2	6	6
Page	1949	60	48	0.800	135.1	13	8
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Konstanty	1950	74	62	0.838	152.0	16	7
Aloma	1951	25	11	0.440	69.1	6	0
Wilhelm	1952	71	32	0.451	159.1	15	3
Paige	1952	46	35	0.761	138.0	12	10
Kinder	1953	69	52	0.754	107.0	10	6
Mossi	1954	40	18	0.450	93.0	6	1
Sain	1954	45	39	0.867	77.0	6	6
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Narleski	1955	60	36	0.600	111.2	9	1
Craig	1955	24	4	0.167	90.2	5	3
Freeman	1956	64	47	0.734	108.2	14	5
Farrell	1957	52	32	0.615	83.1	10	2
Zuverink	1957	56	37	0.661	112.2	10	6
Hyde	1958	53	44	0.830	103.0	10	3
Duren	1959	41	29	0.707	76.2	3	6
Staley	1959	67	37	0.552	116.1	8	5
Face	1959	57	47	0.825	93.1	18	1
Henry	1959	65	36	0.554	134.1	9	8
Sherry	1959	23	10	0.435	94.1	7	2
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Brosnan	1960	57	27	0.474	99.0	7	2
McDaniel	1960	63	47	0.746	104.1	12	4
Arroyo	1961	65	54	0.831	119.0	15	5
Fox	1961	39	25	0.641	57.1	5	2
Radatz	1963	66	58	0.879	131.1	15	6
Perranoski	1963	69	47	0.681	129.0	16	3
Baldschum	1963	65	44	0.677	112.0	11	7
Lee	1964	64	39	0.609	137.0	6	5
Ellis	1964	52	32	0.615	122.1	10	3
Schultz	1964	30	22	0.733	49.1	1	3
D. Hall	1964	45	28	0.622	87.2	9	1
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Miller	1965	67	55	0.821	112.1	14	7
Regan	1966	65	48	0.738	116.2	14	1
Drabowsky	1967	43	26	0.605	95.1	7	5
Abernathy	1967	70	61	0.871	106.1	6	3
Wyatt	1967	60	43	0.717	93.1	10	7
Wood	1968	88	46	0.523	159.0	13	12
V. Romo	1968	41	30	0.732	84.1	5	3
Tatum	1969	45	33	0.733	86.1	7	2
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Williams	1970	68	36	0.529	113.1	10	1
McMahon	1970	61	44	0.721	94.1	9	5
Sanders	1971	83	77	0.928	136.1	7	12
Giusti	1972	54	44	0.815	74.2	7	4
Knowles	1972	54	29	0.537	65.2	5	1
Brewer	1972	51	41	0.804	78.1	8	7
Hiller	1973	65	60	0.923	125.1	10	5
Jackson	1973	43	33	0.767	80.1	8	0
Borbon	1973	80	36	0.450	121.0	11	4
Beene	1973	19	11	0.579	91.0	6	0
Marshall	1974	106	83	0.783	208.1	15	12
Gossage	1975	62	49	0.790	141.2	9	8
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Eastwick	1976	71	59	0.831	107.2	11	5
Johnson	1977	71	54	0.761	146.2	16	7
Lyle	1977	72	60	0.833	137.0	13	5
Sutter	1977	62	48	0.774	107.1	7	3
Blair	1978	70	56	0.800	100.1	7	6
Stanley	1978	52	35	0.673	141.2	15	2
Tekulve	1979	94	67	0.713	134.1	10	8
Lopez	1979	61	49	0.803	127.0	10	5
R. Davis	1979	44	21	0.477	85.1	14	2
E. Romo	1979	84	25	0.298	129.1	10	5
Monge	1979	76	53	0.697	131.0	12	10
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
McGraw	1980	57	48	0.842	92.1	5	4
Garvin	1980	61	24	0.393	82.2	4	7
Fingers	1981	47	41	0.872	78.0	6	3
Caudill	1982	70	64	0.914	95.2	12	9
Reardon	1982	75	53	0.707	109.0	7	4
L. Smith	1983	66	56	0.848	103.1	4	10
Stewart	1983	54	25	0.463	135.0	10	4
Quisenberry	1983	69	62	0.899	139.0	5	3
Orosco	1983	62	42	0.677	110.0	13	7
Hernandez	1984	80	68	0.850	140.1	9	3
Lamp	1985	53	11	0.208	105.2	11	0
D. Smith	1985	64	46	0.719	79.1	9	5
Lahti	1985	52	31	0.596	68.1	5	2
Moore	1985	65	57	0.877	103.0	8	8
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Eichhorn	1986	69	38	0.551	157.0	14	6
Righetti	1986	74	68	0.919	106.2	8	8
Todd Worrell	1986	74	60	0.811	103.2	9	10
Henke	1987	72	62	0.861	94.0	0	6
Burke	1987	55	30	0.545	91.0	7	0
Daley	1987	53	29	0.547	61.0	9	5
Henneman	1988	65	51	0.785	91.1	9	6
Parrett	1988	61	34	0.557	91.2	12	4
Pena	1988	60	31	0.517	94.1	6	7
Lancaster	1989	42	15	0.357	72.2	4	2
Russell	1989	71	66	0.930	72.2	6	4
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Eckersley	1990	63	61	0.968	73.1	4	2
Thigpen	1990	77	73	0.948	88.2	4	6
Nelson	1990	51	17	0.333	74.2	3	3
Dibble	1990	68	29	0.426	98.0	8	3
Henry	1991	32	25	0.781	36.0	2	1
Aguilera	1991	63	60	0.952	69.0	4	5
Ward	1992	79	35	0.443	101.1	7	4
Rojas	1992	68	26	0.382	100.2	7	1
Olin	1992	72	62	0.861	88.1	8	5
Wetteland	1993	70	58	0.829	85.1	9	3
Harvey	1993	59	54	0.915	69.0	1	5
Beck	1993	76	71	0.934	79.1	3	1
Martinez	1993	65	20	0.308	107.0	10	5
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Myers	1997	61	57	0.934	59.2	2	3
Hoffman	1998	66	61	0.924	73.0	4	2
Urbina	1998	64	59	0.922	69.1	6	3
Williamson	1999	62	40	0.645	93.1	12	7
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Rhodes	2001	71	16	0.225	68.0	8	0
Smoltz	2003	62	55	0.887	64.1	0	2
Tim Worrell	2003	76	64	0.842	78.1	4	4
Cormier	2003	65	21	0.323	84.2	8	0
Lidge	2004	80	44	0.550	94.2	6	5
Timlin	2005	81	27	0.333	80.1	7	3
Nathan	2006	64	61	0.953	68.1	7	0
Ryan	2006	65	57	0.877	72.1	2	2
Putz	2007	68	65	0.956	71.2	6	1
Rivera	2008	64	60	0.938	70.2	6	5
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Bell	2010	67	57	0.851	70.0	6	1
Soriano	2010	64	56	0.875	62.1	3	2
Aceves	2011	55	15	0.273	114.0	10	2
Axford	2011	74	63	0.851	73.2	2	2
Downs	2011	60	10	0.167	53.2	6	3
Cook	2012	71	23	0.324	73.1	6	2
Chapman	2012	68	52	0.765	71.2	5	5
Johnson	2012	71	63	0.887	68.2	2	1
Smyly	2013	63	9	0.143	76.0	6	0
Davis	2014	70	11	0.157	72.0	9	2
Clippard	2014	75	6	0.080	70.1	7	4
Rondon	2015	72	47	0.653	70.0	6	4
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Britton	2016	69	63	0.913	67.0	2	1
Osuna	2016	72	61	0.847	74.0	4	3
Brach	2016	71	16	0.225	79.0	10	4
Miller	2016	70	23	0.329	74.1	10	1
Robertson	2017	61	34	0.557	68.1	9	2
Jansen	2017	65	57	0.877	68.1	5	0
Albers	2017	63	23	0.365	61.0	7	2
Kimbrel	2017	51	67	0.761	69.0	5	0
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L
Morrow	2018	29	26	0.897	24.2	0	0
Trivino	2018	36	8	0.222	44.1	7	1
Treinen	2018	42	34	0.810	51.0	5	2
Jeffress	2018	55	8	0.145	55.2	6	1
Yarbrough	2018	36	3	0.083	139.1	15	5
Hader	2018	52	13	0.250	78.0	6	1
Strop	2018	60	20	0.333	59.2	6	1
Workman	2019	47	10	0.213	45.2	8	1
Robles	2019	59	40	0.678	58.1	4	0
Walden	2019	64	7	0.109	73.0	9	2
W.Smith	2019	63	52	0.825	65.1	6	0
Oberg	2019	49	18	0.367	56.0	6	1
Littell	2019	29	7	0.241	37.0	6	0
Pitcher	Year	GP	GF	GF%	IP	W	L

 Notes

Baumgartner and Bernhard appeared as a starter twelve times

Wolfgang and Baskette appeared as a starter eleven times.

Craig and Coumbe appeared as a starter ten times.

Danforth, Malone, Stewart, Sherry and Luque appeared as a starter nine times.

Phillipe and Walsh appeared as a starter eight times.

Morton and Griffith appeared as a starter seven times.

Paige, Mays, Chappelle, Rommell and Yarbrough appeared as a starter six times.

Marberry, Mossi, Lee, Ellis and Dubuc appeared as a starter five times.

Leever, Aceves and Beene appeared as a starter four times.

Russell, Stanley, Adams and Keefe appeared as a starter three times.

Brown, McDaniel, Wood, Crandall, Brosnan, Lindsey, Karl, Wilks, Martinez and Clark appeared as a starter two times.

Beggs, Quinn, Narleski, McGraw, Aloma, Robles, Ferguson, and Vincente Romo appeared once as a starter.

Maltzberger, Hyde, Konstanty, Duren, Brosnan, Tekulve and Henke all wore glasses.

Morrow's stats are through July 1, 2018.

Trivino's stats are through July 18, 2018.

Treinen's stats are through July 25, 2018.

Jeffress' stats are through August 13, 2018.

Yarbrough stats are through September 19, 2018.

Hader's stats are through September 24, 2018.

Workman's stats are through August 01, 2019.

Robles' stats are through September 05, 2019.

Walden's stats are through September 12, 2019

References

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. https://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 12 Oct. 2020.

Common Denominator: Lou Johnson

 "Scored the only run in Koufax's perfect game 9/9/65 and gave Sandy the only run he'd need in the seventh contest of that year's Fall Classic."

That would be Lou Johnson, who passed away two days ago. Sadly, baseball lost Bob Gibson later that day. Ron Perranoski, Johnson's teammate on the 1965 Los Angeles Dodgers, also passed away just yesterday. It has been a sad year for baseball legends.

Lou Johnson might not have been a legend, but as LA took on Chicago at home on September 9th, 1965, it was Sandy Koufax on the hill. Sandy needed no introduction. He'd finish the year with 26 wins, 382 K's, and top the National League in earned run average for the fourth straight year.

The Dodgers did have a weakness, though. Don Drysdale was second on the club in '65 with 23 wins, Claude Osteen third, 15. Osteen also lost 15 contests that season despite an earned run average of 2.79. Koufax was at 2.04 and Drysdale at 2.77. Though they won 49 games between them, it didn't come easy. Johnny Podres was able to win just seven games despite a no-so-bad ERA of 3.43.

In the bullpen, Perranoski and Bob Miller each won just six games despite earned run averages of 2.24 and 2.97.

But all those numbers could have been so much better if the team had any offence. The 1965 Los Angeles Dodgers finished a distant eighth with just 608 runs scored. The pitching held 'em in there. The staff had the best (lowest) earned run average in the National League, 2.81.

And Sandy Koufax no-hit the Chicago Cubs 1-0 on September 9th at home. However, all the Los Angeles fans had to make sure he got that 27th out, or you never know.

Bob Hendley hung in there with Sandy all night. The only run scored was by Dodger Lou Johnson.

It happened in an interesting way. Obviously, the scored was tied. All the way until the last of the fifth. Johnson drew a leadoff walk on a 3-2 pitch from Hendley to become the game's first runner. Ron Fairly, hitless of course, bunted. The sacrifice moved Johnson into scoring position with just one away. Johnson wasted no time while on second. First pitch to Jim Lefebvre, he made a b-line towards third.

Chris Krug, the Cubbies catcher, threw to third. And it was a bad throw. Into left. And here's the thing: Lou Johnson was sure he had it stolen anyway, and told Krug later!

But most importantly, Johnson scored on all that transpired (Which, if you are scoring...No at bat has been charged from the walk to the crossing of the dish). 1-0, Los Angeles. Oh, Lefebvre struck out and Hendley got Wes Parker to ground out. So those two AB's resulted in outs. However, it's the ones that didn't that led to the final score.

Hendley continued to pitch well. Sixth inning, Bob needed just five pitches to get the side out. In the seventh, he needed eight more to get the first two men out. And then Lou Johnson was back at the dish.

After taking a ball, Lou lifted a pitch to first. Just out of the reach of first basemen Ernie Banks. Johnson motored to second. And there, he stayed as Bob Hendley got behind Ron Fairly 3-1, but retired him on a grounder to short.

But Koufax didn't need that hit. He had his run from the fifth inning. In the seventh, he'd needed just a dozen pitches of his own to retire the side. Eighth inning? A K of Ron Santo. A strikeout of Ernie Banks. When Byron Brown fanned, Sandy needed just three more outs for a perfect game.

Bob Hendley needed just ten pitches to get 'em 1-2-3 in the bottom of the frame. So Sandy didn't have long to wait. How'd he do in the ninth?

Krug fanned on a 2-2. Joey Amalfitan fell behind 0-2, and then fanned. Bob Hendley would not bat for himself, of course. So Harvey Kuenn hit for him. Sandy fired a strike. 0-1. But then missed, twice. A swing and a miss for 2-2. And a swing and a miss for strike three! And...A perfect game.

Oh, did you remember Lou Johnson scored the only run? And got the only hit? Koufax actually hadn't won a game since August 14th, no doubt raising some eyebrows. All was back to normal after September 9th, though.

And Koufax, who won game number 22 on the night, added four more wins to close the season. Oddly enough, both Don Drysdale and Koufax lost their first starts in the World Series that season to Minnesota.

Claude Osteen beat the Twins in the third contest at home. Drysdale won 7-2. Koufax did even better! He beat Minny 7-0.

Osteen had a chance to put this thing away and be the hero in the sixth game. But back in Minnesota, it was the Twins whippin' LA to a tune of 5-1. So this was going to a seventh and deciding game.

It was Sandy Koufax (1-1) vs. Jim Kaat (1-1).

And the two lefties kept things scoreless through three innings at Metropolitan Stadium. Johnson flew out to right to leave a man on second in the top of the first. Koufax had big trouble. He got two outs in the bottom of the frame, then walked two before ending the inning with his second strikeout.

Sandy got two more K's in a 1-2-3 second. Although he allowed a single in the bottom of the third, Koufax not only pitched out of it, he got two more strikeouts.

In the top of the fourth, Lou Johnson broke the scoreless deadlock. He hit a home run just fair, leading off. Two more hits followed an it was 2-0, Los Angeles. Jim Kaat hit the showers. Those two runs would be the only touches of home the entire contest. For either side.

The home team, Minny, got two on with only one out in the bottom of the fifth, but Jim Gilliam made an excellent stop of Zoilo Versalles's hit to third. Gilliam made the putout at third unassisted. Gilliam was the oldest LA Dodger still left over from their Brooklyn years. The veteran still had it. Sandy Koufax then got Joe Nossek to ground into a force at second.

From there, Koufax seemed to just be that much better. He got 'em 1-2-3 in the sixth, fanning Tony Oliva on an explosive fastball. The same in the seventh and eighth. Sandy retired the side in order.

Lou Johnson, meanwhile, tried to get his pitcher more offence. In the top of the seventh, he'd come up with two on and just one out against Minnesota's Johnny Klippstein. But Klippstein (Who'd not only been a Dodger, but even got a ring as part of their 1959 World Championship) got Johnson to ground out to third. Although both runners advanced, Ron Fairly was retired and a promising inning had led to zilch on the Dodgers' part.

Johnson did not bat again. But the left fielder collected the ball as Harmon Killebrew singled with one away in the last of the ninth. There was no pinch runner. Sandy Koufax fanned Earl Battey on three pitches. Bob Allison, the game's last batter, went to 2-2 before Koufax collected K #10!

Lou Johnson's contributions to these two huge Sandy Koufax games in 1965 have been forgotten over time. With he died on September 30th of this year, though, it is time to remember the Los Angeles Dodgers' outfielder for giving Sandy the offence he needed to win both those contests.

References

“1965 World Series.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Sept. 2020, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1965_World_Series. 

Buckley, James, and Phil Pepe. Unhittable: Reliving the Magic and Drama of Baseball's Best-Pitched Games. Triumph Books, 2004. 

Neft, David S., Richard M. Cohen. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball, 1992. St. Martin's Press, 1992. Print.

Neft, David S., and Richard M. Cohen. The World Series: Complete Play-by-Play of Every Game, 1903-1989. St. Martin's Press, 1990. 

Nemec, David. The Baseball Chronicle: Year-by-Year History of Major League Baseball. Publications International, Ltd., 2008. 

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. https://www.baseball-reference.com/. 11 Oct. 2020.

World Series: Did You Know?

Jack Morris led (or tied for the lead) in K's in 1984, 1991, and 1992. He was Jack-of-All-Trades for Detroit in '84 and Minnesota in '91, but couldn't quite help Toronto in '92, alas.

But, as a member of that great Detroit Tigers team in 1984, Morris had some strikeout experience. He'd topped the American League in K's the year before with 232. The Detroit Tigers were invincible in '84, but Jack finished with just 148 strikeouts. What could possibly be different in the playoffs?

Well, Jack Morris was 19-11 that season, but his earned run average was high, 3.60. That didn't stop him from winning his only start in the American League Championship Series vs. Kansas. 7 IP, 5 H and 4 K. The key stat is that Jack allowed just one run. So much for the ERA.

The same in the Fall Classic vs. San Diego. Morris won a close first game, 3-2. It was far from easy. And it seemed like Jack was about to get lit up and not make it out of the first inning.

The Tigers, playing on the road in a World Series that featured the last use of the designated hitter in National League ballparks until this year (2020), gave Jack a run to work with. That was in the top of the first. Morris started out on the right foot with a strikeout of Alan Wiggins. The dangerous Tony Gwynn flied out. Two away. What could possibly go wrong?

Steve Garvey singled. So did ex-New York Yankee Greg Nettles. Terry Kennedy cashed 'em both in with a two-bagger. 2-1, San Diego.

Jack, to his credit settled down. No one else reached base that inning. The second was 1-2-3 and another K. The Padres would threaten. Morris had the answers. No inning better illustrated it than the bottom of the sixth: First two batters reach, Jack fans the next three!

The eighth inning was his best. Morris got 'em 1-2-3 again, but with two strikeouts. Bobby Brown was the last strikeout by Morris as he led off the ninth. Morris then retired the next two batters for a second-straight three up, three down frame. Jack had gotten stronger, it seemed, as the contest moved on.

And Detroit rallied for the win, Morris had nine K's, and the Tigers were off on the right foot.

 

Jack also won game four, but only 4-2. He went nine innings, allowed five hits, two runs, walked none. Now for the bad part: Just four strikeouts.

The Tigers clinched it by doubling up on the Padres 8-4 at home in the fifth contest. Morris had thirteen strikeouts in two games. The second-most was by Craig Lefferts of San Diego. But Craig had only seven.

In 1991, Jack Morris was on the Minnesota Twins, and they were in the Fall Classic. They beat Toronto in just five games in the ALCS, with Jack picking up two more wins. And again, in the World Series, Jack showed 'em how.

Having gone 18-12, but with a 3.43 earned run average in the regular season, you'd think Jack, who'd beaten the Blue Jays 5-4 and 9-3 (For an ERA of 4.05) in the American League Championship Series, might need a lot of run support. It was not the case in the first game of October's Showdown vs. Atlanta. Jack beat the Braves 5-2 in the first contest. The home side, Minny, was up 4-0 by the time Atlanta finally nicked Morris for a run in the top of the sixth. Jack went seven strong, allowing just five hits and two runs. His strikeout totals for this contest were a tad disappointing: Just three!

And Atlanta got another crack at him. Having lost the first two games in Minnesota, Atlanta returned home and won all three games at Fulton County Stadium. Game five was a 14-5 rout by the Braves.

And they had won the fourth contest even though our boy had started for the visitors. It was a close game, but Jack couldn't quite help.

Morris lasted six innings and allowed only one run. The bad news is, another low K total, four. In the last of the third, he looked like he had a nice 1-2-3 frame as Jack fanned John Smoltz, the pitcher, and Lonnie Smith. But Terry Pendleton hit a game-tying solo home run.

The series went to the limit. Jack pitched game seven and won it. But just barely. It took the home team ten innings to walk it off, 1-0. But what you want to know is how many strikeouts did Jack Morris get, right?

He fanned Ron Gant to end a 1-2-3 top of the first. He left the only runner to get on in the second, fanning Brian Hunter along the way. But Atlanta's starting pitcher, John Smoltz, was staying right with him in this deciding contest. Smoltz fanned the very first batter he faced in this big one, Dan Gladden, in a 1-2-3 first of his own. When he departed after 7 1/3 innings, John had allowed the Minnesota Twins no runs, just six hits and fanned four. This task of winning the game (And getting strikeouts) seemed steep for Morris!

In the seventh, he fanned two in a three-up, three-down frame. Morris got the side 1-2-3 again in the ninth and ten innings, picking up a strikeout in each frame. When the smoke cleared, Morris had gone ten innings, allowed seven hits and fanned eight!

Oh, the Twins won the game in dramatic fashion! Morris' last K was that of Lonnie Smith in the top of the tenth, but what about the bottom of the frame? The game was still scoreless, you see.

Dan Gladden didn't fan to start it, like he had in the first. This time, Dan doubled off reliever Alejandro Pena. Winning run in scoring position. Chuck Knoblauch bunted him to third. Kirby Puckett and Ken Hrbek were put on to set up a force at home.

Gene Larkin was sent up to the dish to bat for Jarvis Brown. First pitching swining, Gene singled to drive in Danny with the World Series-winning tally! Well, Jack Morris had a shutout, the win, another World Series ring...And something else, too!

The 8 whiffs gave Jack Morris 15 K's. John Smoltz ended up in second with 11 (But in one less start and only 14 1/3 innings). Morris walked off the field with the Most Valuable Player of the 1991 World Series. Why not? His ERA, so high in the regular season, was a miniscule 1.17 in the Fall Classic!

Jack had one last time in the October Classic the next year. Morris was up north pitching for the Blue Jays. He'd become the first Toronto Blue Jay pitcher to win 20 games (Morris actually won 21) that year, but his earned run average was over four (4.04). And Jack Morris was not Jack Morris in the postseason.Oakland handed him a 4-3 loss in the first game of the ALCS that year. In game four, Jack got hammered. Morris lasted just 3 1/3 innings, allowing five earned runs. Toronto won the game 7-6 in extras, but was something wrong with the great righty?

Didn't seem to be in the World Series. Toronto finished off Oakland in six games to advance, and they turned the ball to him to get it done in the opener. It was Atlanta again. Jack, pitching on the road, stopped the Braves through five innings. Joe Carter had hit a home run off Tom Glavine earlier to make it 1-0 for the visitors.

Morris had picked up a strikeout to end the first, stranding Otis Nixon at second. The next inning was even better: 1-2-3 went the home team and Morris fanned Ron Gant and Damon Berryhill back-to-back!

Two more K's in the fourth. Another in the fifth. But Berryhill hit a two-out three-run home run off Morris to make it 3-1 for Atlanta in the sixth. It certainly hadn't been a bad outing for Jack. In six frames, he'd allowed just four hits, three runs and fanned seven. However, the five walks were a problem. Jack was removed for Todd Stottlemyre, who would fan two batters himself in the bottom of the seventh. The Braves won, 3-1. A rare postseason loss for Morris!

But when game five at SkyDome rolled around, Toronto was at home, up 3-1 and looking to finish it off. Who'd they turn the ball to?

You see, in the ALCS vs. Oakland, the Blue Jays had gone with a three-man rotation: Morris, David Cone, and Juan Guzman. Morris was 0-1, Cone 1-1, Guzman 2-0. In the World Series, it was a four-man rotation. Cone had been pulled in game two, but Toronto won 5-4. Guzman went eight strong in game three, got a no-decision like Cone, but the Blue Jays won 3-2 via a walk-off single. Jimmy Key, who hadn't started in the American League Championship Series, and only 13-13 in the regular season, beat Tom Glavine 2-1 in the fourth contest.

But here, Toronto was looking to clinch at home. And they had the right guy to do it. Morris had brought it home to Minnesota against this very same Atlanta team the year before. Why not in 1992? The Blue Jays were also looking for their very first championship.

Morris didn't quite look like himself. He wasn't walking anyone, but Atlanta was swinging. Otis Nixon led off with a double. Morris fanned Deion Sanders. But Terry Pendleton drove Nixon home with a two-bagger of his own.

Jack Morris was still picking up the K's as the game progressed. The second frame was much better. Atlanta was retired in order and Jack fanned Jeff Blauser. The home team tied the game against Morris' old pal John Smoltz. The third inning saw neither team score, and Morris fan Pendleton.

But the Braves were not to be denied. The fourth inning stared with Dave Justice rocketing a home run to right for a 2-1 Braves lead. The Blue Jays did tie it in their half, but Jack was soon out of gas.

He fanned Damon Berryhill to start the top of the fifth. That gave Jack five strikeouts in just 4 1/3 innings. Mark Lemke grounded out. It was the fourteenth batter retired by Morris. But it was also the last batter Jack Morris got out.

Nixon singled, stole second and Sanders singled. It was 3-2, Atlanta. Pendleton hit a double, touched by a fan, to get Sanders to third. Toronto had Justice put on intentionally, given how dangerous his bat was. The bases were loaded.

Morris looked poised to get out of it, however. Jack quickly got two strikes on Lonnie Smith. But Lonnie stayed alive by fouling off two pitches with the count 1-2. On the sixth pitch of the at-bat, he hit it into the Braves' bullpen. 7-2 for the visitors. Morris was done, and so were the Blue Jays. Atlanta was heading back home for a sixth game.

Morris had allowed the seven earned runs on nine hits in this important fifth contest. He'd lasted just 4 2/3 innings. John Smoltz got some sweet revenge for last year's seventh contest. He'd gone just six innings himself. But he'd fanned 4, allowing 5 hits and 4 walks. The four strikeouts (None in the fifth and six innings, though) would be crucial, as you will see later.

But Toronto won, 4-3 in eleven innings, with Jimmy Key picking up his second World Series game won. Duane Ward, the reliever, won the other two games for the Blue Jays. So Jack Morris was left was the worse Toronto pitcher in the 1992 Fall Classic: 8.44 earned run average!

Now compare that ERA to the other starting pitchers on the Jays' staff. You had Key at 1.00. Juan Guzman at 1.13. David Cone 3.48. Over on Atlanta, it was Tom Glavine with an earned run of just 1.59. He'd beaten Morris in that first contest, remember? Then Tom had narrowly lost to Jimmy Key 2-1 in game four. Steve Avery had narrowly lost the previous game 3-2, walk-off style. While Steve was knocked out early in the sixth contest, he finished the 1992 World Series with an earned run average of 3.75. How about John Smoltz?

Well, he'd gone more innings than Jack Morris, 13 1/3. Toronto had scored three times off him in 7 1/3 innings in the second contest, then twice more time in just six innings in game five. However, Smoltz had fanned five of the first six batters to face him in game two, finishing with eight strikeouts. Add to that the four K's in the fifth tilt, John tied Jack Morris for the lead with twelve in this Fall Classic. Morris only pitched 10 2/3 innings, though.

References

Enders, Eric. 100 Years of the World Series: 1903-2004. New York, Sterling, 2005. Print.

George, Gamester, and Gerald Hall. On Top of the World: The Toronto Star’s Tribute to the ’92 Blue Jays. Canada, Doubleday Canada, 1992. Print.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 01 Oct. 2020.

Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/. 01 Oct. 2020. Web.