Don Newcombe never had an ERA under 3.06. Big Newk? No way!
Newk was no doubt the best pitcher on the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1949 to 1957, before the team headed out west. The Dodgers, by the way, made it to the World Series in '49, 1952, 1953, 1955, and 1956 during those years. Yes, Don struggled there, but he sure got 'em there. And had he not been in the military service in 1952 and '53, you never no. Not only could Newk have won a game in the Fall Classic (Newk never did, sadly), Brooklyn might have won both World Series. As it was, they fell to the New York Yankees in seven and six games, respectively.
Newk pitched well in the 1949 World Series, losing only game one, 1-0. In game four, he was kayoed in the fourth inning, as the Dodgers lost to the Yankees, 6-4. New York won game five, 10-6, and the series, four games to one. Even if Don had won both his starts (How could he have in game one, the Dodgers didn't score!), the Dodgers lost the other two games. In 1955, he lost his only start, but that didn't matter. Brooklyn won in seven. In 1956, he was knocked out early in the second game, but his team ended up winning it anyways. But in game seven, he was again knocked out early. The Dodgers lost, 9-0. So Newk had to be content with his 0-4 World Series record.
But Don was the reason they got there. Okay, why not a better ERA? Well, that sort of beats me. Jack Morris, years later, had the same deal. The wins but not the good ERA. Newk pitched in Ebbets Field, which was essentially a bandbox (Short dimensions). What would be just a short fly could easily go out. It was only 389 feet to dead centre, 297 to right (So other teams could easily stack their lineup against the righty, Newk), and even only 348 to left.
Newk posted a lifetime ERA of 3.58 at home. Not bad under the circumstances. In 1956 and '57, Newk got to pitch a few games at a home, away from Ebbets, Theodore Roosevelt Stadium. All Big Don did was post a great ERA in the seven games he pitched there: 1.80! The Dodgers, amazingly enough, went only 4-3 (Newk's record, too) in the seven games that Newcombe pitched! How about some road parks? You know, like the kind that favours pitchers?
Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Newk was just great. Not only did he go 13-3 there lifetime (This of course, includes his later, less successful years), but his ERA was again great, 2.50. Another good ballpark was Wrigley Field in Chicago, 2.97.
But Newk didn't always like pitching on the road. Despite a 9-4 record at the Polo Grounds, that might have been one ballpark he was glad to see the end of after 1957. Newk posted an ERA of 4.33 there. And County Stadium in Milwaukee was problematic. You had enough trouble with the likes of Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews and Joe Adcock, there. Newk went only 3-6 with an ERA of 4.63.
When the Dodgers moved west, the wheels came off Newcombe's career, which seemed destined for the Hall Of Fame. Although 11-12 in 1957, Newk still looked great out there more days and nights. Once in Los Angeles, the wheels came off the chariot. Newcombe was 0-6 with an ERA over seven before he was dealt to Cincinnati. There, he managed to go 7-7 the rest of the year. Although he came back in a big way in 1959, (13-8, 3.16), that proved to be his last good season. Pitching at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles wasn't pretty: 3-5, 5.25 ERA!
Who knows for sure. Newk was 23 when he arrived at prime time. He missed two prime years (As it was, Newcomb still won 149 games). Newk was clearly going to be a winner and guy who would go nine (He was in the top ten in complete games seven times), and this might have brought his career to an end too soon. It's true Don was also a heavy drinker, too. But I doubt you can be the big winner he was and blame that.
References
Shalin, Mike, and Neil Shalin. Out By A Step: The 100 Best Players Not In The Baseball Hall of Fame. Lanham: Diamond Communications, 2002. PP 139-141. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 08 Aug. 2016.
Turkin, Hy, and S. C. Thompson. The Vest-Pocket Encyclopedia Of Baseball. 2nd ed. New York: A.S. Barnes, 1956. pp. 266-267. Print.
Newk was no doubt the best pitcher on the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1949 to 1957, before the team headed out west. The Dodgers, by the way, made it to the World Series in '49, 1952, 1953, 1955, and 1956 during those years. Yes, Don struggled there, but he sure got 'em there. And had he not been in the military service in 1952 and '53, you never no. Not only could Newk have won a game in the Fall Classic (Newk never did, sadly), Brooklyn might have won both World Series. As it was, they fell to the New York Yankees in seven and six games, respectively.
Newk pitched well in the 1949 World Series, losing only game one, 1-0. In game four, he was kayoed in the fourth inning, as the Dodgers lost to the Yankees, 6-4. New York won game five, 10-6, and the series, four games to one. Even if Don had won both his starts (How could he have in game one, the Dodgers didn't score!), the Dodgers lost the other two games. In 1955, he lost his only start, but that didn't matter. Brooklyn won in seven. In 1956, he was knocked out early in the second game, but his team ended up winning it anyways. But in game seven, he was again knocked out early. The Dodgers lost, 9-0. So Newk had to be content with his 0-4 World Series record.
But Don was the reason they got there. Okay, why not a better ERA? Well, that sort of beats me. Jack Morris, years later, had the same deal. The wins but not the good ERA. Newk pitched in Ebbets Field, which was essentially a bandbox (Short dimensions). What would be just a short fly could easily go out. It was only 389 feet to dead centre, 297 to right (So other teams could easily stack their lineup against the righty, Newk), and even only 348 to left.
Newk posted a lifetime ERA of 3.58 at home. Not bad under the circumstances. In 1956 and '57, Newk got to pitch a few games at a home, away from Ebbets, Theodore Roosevelt Stadium. All Big Don did was post a great ERA in the seven games he pitched there: 1.80! The Dodgers, amazingly enough, went only 4-3 (Newk's record, too) in the seven games that Newcombe pitched! How about some road parks? You know, like the kind that favours pitchers?
Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Newk was just great. Not only did he go 13-3 there lifetime (This of course, includes his later, less successful years), but his ERA was again great, 2.50. Another good ballpark was Wrigley Field in Chicago, 2.97.
But Newk didn't always like pitching on the road. Despite a 9-4 record at the Polo Grounds, that might have been one ballpark he was glad to see the end of after 1957. Newk posted an ERA of 4.33 there. And County Stadium in Milwaukee was problematic. You had enough trouble with the likes of Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews and Joe Adcock, there. Newk went only 3-6 with an ERA of 4.63.
When the Dodgers moved west, the wheels came off Newcombe's career, which seemed destined for the Hall Of Fame. Although 11-12 in 1957, Newk still looked great out there more days and nights. Once in Los Angeles, the wheels came off the chariot. Newcombe was 0-6 with an ERA over seven before he was dealt to Cincinnati. There, he managed to go 7-7 the rest of the year. Although he came back in a big way in 1959, (13-8, 3.16), that proved to be his last good season. Pitching at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles wasn't pretty: 3-5, 5.25 ERA!
Who knows for sure. Newk was 23 when he arrived at prime time. He missed two prime years (As it was, Newcomb still won 149 games). Newk was clearly going to be a winner and guy who would go nine (He was in the top ten in complete games seven times), and this might have brought his career to an end too soon. It's true Don was also a heavy drinker, too. But I doubt you can be the big winner he was and blame that.
References
Shalin, Mike, and Neil Shalin. Out By A Step: The 100 Best Players Not In The Baseball Hall of Fame. Lanham: Diamond Communications, 2002. PP 139-141. Print.
Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 08 Aug. 2016.
No comments:
Post a Comment