World Series: Did You Know?

Despite some bad misplays, it was Willie Davis with the best defensive play of the 1966 Fall Classic. What he and his teammates needed, however, was to generate more offence. The poor guy in centre for Los Angeles no doubt wanted to dig a hole in the ground and crawl into it at one point during the World Series that year.

The Baltimore Orioles went into the World Series of '66 as the underdogs. It was the Los Angeles Dodgers who had Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale and Claude Osteen. Phil Regan, who had one of the best seasons ever by a relief pitcher, was the Dodger stopped that year. "The Vulture" was an appropriate nickname.

But Baltimore won game one, right there in Los Angeles, 5-2. Drysdale struggled, although so did Orioles starter Dave McNally. Neither of them lasted very long.



In game two, Koufax pitched well, but lost 6-0 to Jim Palmer. Off the four runs scored against Koufax (Who left after six), only one was earned. Here's where Willie Davis had his problems. In the top of the fifth with the game scoreless, Willie dropped a flyball off the bat of the O's Paul Blair. There was one on and one out at the time. The next batter hit another fly towards Davis. And again, he dropped it. For good measure, Willie made a throwing error on a peg towards third, and that allowed two runs to score. As it turns out, Davis made half the Dodger errors in this game two. So he had plenty of company as far as poor fielding is concerned.



In game three, now in Baltimore, it was Wally Bunker of the home team doing the honours. He pitched the second Oriole shutout of the Fall Classic. The second in a row, of course. The Dodgers didn't make any errors this game, and held the O's to just three hits and one run. Baltimore made good on one run and three hits. Could the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers be swept?

The answer was "Yes!" after game four. Don Drysdale came back to pitch, and was he ever solid. Baltimore got just four hits off him. But Dave McNally beat him 1-0, allowing Los Angeles just four hits as well. But, this game was not without some highlights by Los Angeles. It was Davis' time to shine.

In the top of the fourth, Boog Powell (Who had one of the four Oriole hits) came to the dish, and sent a Drysdale pitch way back to centre. But Davis, with his back to the wall, scaled it and made the catch with his glove over the wall. A great catch to keep the score 1-0. But to no avail.

The Orioles got a nice catch of their own in the bottom of the eighth by Paul Blair. Los Angeles, fighting to the end, got a single and a walk in the ninth with only one out. But Willie lined out to right and Lou Johnson flied out to centre. A sweep of the Dodgers? Yes!



The Los Angeles Dodgers had been beaten by their very Achilles Heel. All throughout their times during the Koufax / Drysdale years of pennants (1959-1966), they had a shallow offence. Except for a few years. Koufax, Drysdale and the rest of the Dodgers' staff, would often have to win games 1-0 during that stretch. And the Orioles, with a fine pitching staff of their own, exploited that in the 1966 Fall Classic. The great pitching and defence of Los Angeles meant nothing without some offence!


References

http://www.baseball-reference.com

http://www.retrosheet.org/

McLain VS Tiant, 1968: Who was REALLY Better?

I'm not here to debate who was the National League's best pitcher in 1968, because that's obvious.

Denny McLain was the last pitcher to win 30 games (Actually, he won 31 that year) and posted a 1.96 ERA in 1968.

But Luis Tiant of the Cleveland Indians was pretty good that year, too. I thought I'd take a look at both of their 1968 stats. This one was so close, I'll let you decide who was better!

That 1.96 ERA was only good enough for 4th. Luis Tiant led the junior circut with a 1.60 ERA. Sam McDowell of Cleveland was second (1.81) and Dave McNally of Baltimore was third (1.95). Amazingly, Tommy John of the Chicago White Sox was just a bit behind McLain with a 1.98 ERA.

Tiant had the best WAR rating of any pitcher in the American League, 8.4. McLain was second, but at 7.4. So I guess Tiant contributed 1 more win than McLain would have that year. But McLain won 9 more games.

Tiant came in tied for third with Mel Stottlemyre (Yes, that's Todd's dad! And the only pitcher to win 20 games 3 times with the Yankees without ever winning 20 on a pennant winner) for wins with 21. McNally had 22.

McNally lost 10 games that year, Stottlemyre 12, McLain 6, Tiant 9.

31-6 for McLain gave him an amazing W% of .838. Boston's Ray Culp (16-6) was second with a .727 W%. Tiant (21-9) was good enough for a .700 W%

How about WHIP?

It was Dave McNally ahead of Tiant and McLain in that category, 0.842. Tiant was second, 0.871. McLain was third, 0.905.

But Tiant was the hardest to get a hit off, as he allowed just 5.3 hits per nine innings. McNally was second with 5.8. McDowell was third with 6.1. Sonny Siebert of the Indians was 4th with 6.3, and McLain was 5th (6.5).

McLain's control was superb, as he allowed just 1.7 walks per nine innings. That was second to Yankee Fritz Peterson's 1.2. Tiant, meanwhile averaged 2.5 walks per nine innings. Too many for a top ten finish.

But Tiant was just behind Sam McDowell for K/9 with 9.2. McDowell topped the junior circuit with 9.5. McLain didn't even lead the Tigers in that category, as Mickey Lolich's 8.1 was good enough for 3rd in the AL. Ray Culp pushed McLain almost out of the top 5 with 7.9. McLain was next with 7.5.

I'll say this for McLain, his arm must have been tired at the end of the season, as he tossed 336.0 innings pitched, plus 16 2/3 more in the World Series that year. Dean Chance (Minnesota) was next, but way back. Chance had 292.0 IP for second, Stottlemyre third with 278.2, McNally next with 273.0. It was McDowell with 269.0 IP that rounded out the top 5. Stan Bahnsen of the Yankees (AL ROTY) was ahead of Tiant with 267.1 IP. Finally, Luis, with 258.1 IP, was 7th.

McDowell was all alone with the Special K, with 283. McLain was second with 280, and Tiant third with 264.

McLain was all alone in games started with 41. This was just 2 more than Chance and 4 more than McDowell.

McLain also went the distance in 28 of those starts. Tiant second, but way back with 19. And that was only a second place tie with Stottlemyre.

But 9 of those complete games by Tiant saw the unflattering "0" underneath the "R" on the scoreboards. That was enough to lead the AL in shutouts. McLain was in a 5 way tie for second with 6. The others being Jim Nash of the A's, Culp, Stottlemyre and Chance.

McLain was taken downtown by hitters 31 times in 1968, for the AL lead in that dubious category. By comparison, Tiant gave up just 16. Earl Wilson of the Tigers, Jim Hardin of the Orioles and Chuck Dobson of the Athletics were tied for 10th with 20.

McDowell led the AL in walks with 110. Next was Tom Phoebus of the O's with 105. Blue Moon Odom of the A's was third with 98, Siebert 4th with 88. Dave Boswell of the Minnesota Twins was 5th with 87. Culp was 6th with 82. Steve Hargan of the Indians right behind him with 81. Another Detroit Tiger, Joe Sparma, was 9th with 77, pushing Tiant down to 10th place with 73.

Stottlemyre led the AL in hits allowed with 243, but that was in 278.2 IP, don't forget. McLain was 2nd with 241 hits allowed. But remind yourself of McLain's IP: 336.0. Dick Ellsworth of the Red Sox was 10th with 196 hits allowed, and that was in 196.0 IP. Tiant allowed just 152 hits in 258.1 innings pitched.

McLain topped the AL in K/BB ratio with 4.4. Second was Peterson with 4.0, but that's actually 3.96 rounded up. Chance was next with 3.7. McNally was third with 3.7, rounded up from 3.673. Tiant was 5th with 3.6.

Gary Bell of Boston was first in fewest homeruns allowed per nine innings with 3.2. Siebert was 10th with 5.2. Neither McLain (0.8) and Tiant (0.6) were good enough for a top 10 finish.

George Brunet led the AL in losses with 17. McDowell, Joe Horlen and Cisco Carlos of the White Sox were tied with Dobson for 8th place in losses with 14. Tiant lost 9 games that year, McLain only 6.

Catfish Hunter of the A's led the AL in earned runs allowed with 87. 9th place (a tie) went to Sparma and Dobson with 75 each. McLain was just back of that with 73. Tiant was even further back with just 46.

Frank Bertaina of the Washington Senators (First in War, First in Peace, Last In The Amercian League, First In Wild Pitches?) and Odom tied for the AL lead in wild pitches. Gary Waslewski of the Red Sox, underrated Gary Peters of the White Sox, Bell, Joe Coleman of the Sens, Hardin, Boswell and Culp tied for 8th place with 9 each. McLain and Tiant would throw just 3 wild pitches each in 1968.

Horlen led the AL in batters hit with 14. Carlos, Hardin, McDowell, Chance, McNally and Stan Williams of the Indians tied for 6th spot with 10. McLain hit 6 batters and Tiant hit 4.

The Tigers won 103 games that year. The Indians won 86 games that year.

McLain received some pretty good run support that year, as the Tigers scored an average of 5.23 runs in his 41 starts. Tiant received about 2 runs less than that, 3.20. Tiant pitched in relief twice.

Overall the Tigers went 33-8 in the games Denny McLain started. The Indians went 23-9 in the games Tiant started. Tiant lost a game in relief and also recorded a no decision, 2 IP, in a 3-2 win over California on September 21st.

The Tigers played .576 (72-53) ball when McLain didn't pitch. The Indians played .496 (65-66) ball when Tiant didn't pitch.

So McLain improved the Tigers W% .262. Tiant improved the Indians W% .204.

McLain, for his numbers, received not only the AL CY Young, the Sporting News Pitcher Of The Year, but also the AL MVP. So he matched his game 1 and 4 World Series opponent, Bob Gibson, in taking in those awards.

Gibson's ERA that year was 1.12! Bobby Bolin of the San Francisco Giants was second in the NL in ERA with 1.99.

Tiant could take solace in the ERA title of the Amercian League, with 1.60. He also trumped McLain in another area: he was named the AL starter in the All Star Game. He actually was the losing pitcher. McLain pitched a scoreless 5th and 6th as the AL lost, 1-0.

How about hitting?

McLain batted .162 with 4 RBI and 7 runs scored. Tiant batted .080 with 3 RBI and 4 runs scored.

How about fielding?

McLain led the AL in putouts by a pitcher with 36.

McLain (1.85) trailed Tommy John (2.56) and Mel Stottlemyre (2.06) in Range Factor Per Game among pitchers.

Tiant was not among the leaders in any fielding category. He made 15 putouts that season.

Mel Stottlemyre and Tom Phoebus were tied for 4th place in the AL with 20 putouts.

Tiant's Range Factor Per Game was just 1.18 that year. Camilo Pascual was 5th in the AL in Range Factor Per Game with 1.74.

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. Print.

Sports Reference LLC. Baseball-Reference.com - Major League Statistics and Information. http://www.baseball-reference.com/. Web. 19 Aug. 2013.

Every Decade, Baseball Deals With Problems, Scandals

While I believe this Steroids Scandal to be a huge problem in baseball, it's not like there has not been problems before. And in each case, baseball moved on:

1900s: As the World Series began in 1903, this was supposed to be an annual affair, but just one year after baseball had taken then right step in becoming the national pastime, it took a huge step back as the New York Giants did not want to compete against a "Minor League" opponent in an "Exhibition Series". Fortunately, the World Series became an annual affair starting the next year. Nevertheless, I wonder how fans of the Boston Americans (as they were called) were to view this "exhibition" after 1918?

1910s: An certainly, this was no exhibition in 1919, when the Series was thrown, or earlier when a third league, the Federal League, openly competed. Fortunately, that league lasted just 2 years, and 8 White Sox players, were thrown out of baseball for life. Too bad, for two of them, Buck Weaver and Shoeless Joe Jackson, had little to do with it.

1920s: The very next year, Ray Chapman was killed by a pitch ball, which cried out for the use of batting helmets. They didn't actually become mandatory until the the late 1950s. Nonetheless, baseball had suffered a black eye

1930s: Spitballs were actually a problem, because they were legal, and dangerous. The above occurrence, sans the fatality, was becoming far to common, and the spitball just made it worst. Fortunately, the league abolished it in 1920. But the reason it is here was, those that threw it, were allowed to continue to use it, until Burleigh Grimes retired in 1934. So from 1934 on, there were NO legal spitballs thrown. Or were allowed without punishment, unless you found a way.

Also in this decade, the use of night baseball, which no doubt raised the issue of the realism of baseball. Not until 1971, however, would the World Series be played under the lights!

1940s: World War 2, obviously made baseball seem irrelevant, but when blacks were not allowed to play until 1947, it cost baseball fans the likes of a prime Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson. Along came Jackie Robinson in 1947. And then Larry Doby to the American League the next year. Baseball was for everyone.

Although, having said that, the forming of the Mexican League, cost MLB some of its better players, several of whom tried to return, and were banned for almost  the rest of the decade, including my favourite, Sal Maglie.

1950s: Baseball wasn't really coast to coast, but soon MLB was on the move, to Baltimore, to Milwaukee, to Kansas City, and finally, sadly for many, to the west coast, costing New York two of it's teams. But at least the National League was everywhere now. With the expansion Los Angeles Angels in 1961, the American League was now a coast to coast affair.

1960s: Baseball was an outdoor sport, until the Houston Colt .45s opened the Astrodome, and changed their names to the Houston Astos in 1965. The game would no longer be just an outdoor affair. Also, the game would now be played on artificial surfaces, such as Astroturf, something Tug McGraw said he had never smoked before and wasn't sure he liked.

MLB also adapted a draft in 1965. Suddenly, the Yankees, Dodgers and Mets would no longer have an advantage over everyone.

Also, a very turbulent decade, as United States lost both Kennedys and Martin Luther King. Baseball was declining in attendance.

Marvin Miller was appointed the very first Executive Director Of The Major League Baseball Players Association.

1970s: With the advent of the Designated hitter by the American League in 1973, baseball was now almost two different sports, rather than two different leagues.

Curt Flood took baseball to court in 1970. And while he lost his case, others would soon take up the challenge. The reserve clause, which had been in effect since the dawn of big league hardball, would soon be abolished.

After the Reds beat the Red Sox in the 1975 World Series (and an exciting one at that), two pitchers, Dave McNally and Andy Messersmith, filed for a hearing, having played a season without a contract. McNally and Messersmith won their case, and the dawn of free agency began.

1980s: Carlton Fisk tested the free agent market after the 1985 season, but received no offers. The same happened to Andre Dawson the next year and Jack Morris in 1987.

It was soon found that that there was a collusion among owners to keep contracts down during those three years. The owners were forced to pay the players 280 million.

Pete Rose was investigated as having gambled on his own team. While he did fight the case, he agreed to a lifetime suspension. Then in 2004, Rose admitted that he did, indeed, gamble on his own team. Whether or not Rose will ever make the Hall Of Fame is unknown.

1990s: The World Series was not played in 1994 due to a players strike, which was not settled until early in the 1995 season. The season had already been reduced to 144 games, but the real players returned that season, avoiding replacement players, who were slated to step in.

2000s: Jose Canseco retired in 2002, and told Fox Sports Net. that 85 percent of major league baseball players used steroids.

Then two years later, he released his book, Juiced, where he admitted that he took steroids, along with sluggers, Mark McGwire, Jason Giambi  Rafael Palmerio,  Juan Gonzalez and Ivan Rodriguez.

Palmerio would fail a drug test in 2005, while McGwire would admit to steriod use in 2010. Earlier in 2002, Ken Caminitti would admit to steroid use in 1996. In 2004, Caminitti died of a drug overdose.

Baseball instituted a random drug test in 2003 to see how bad the problem was. Over 100 major leaguers tested positive. Then in 2007, a 409 page report (The Mitchell Report) investigating the use of performance enhancing drugs, named 89 major leaguers.

Today, major league players are tested twice a year. A player failing one test is suspended 50 games.  If twice, 100 games. Three times and your out, lifetime suspension.

2010s: Hall Of Fame Debate. With so many of the games legends, in recent years, linked to steroids, it bears the question, if it was legal to do at the time, should they be allowed in the Hall Of Fame. And just how close, or not close, would the players be to Hall Of Fame caliber if they hadn't taken PEDs. This is one subject the has no right or wrong answer.
Who knows what other scandals baseball will experience in the coming decades to come? Rest assured though, MLB will once again reassert itself on us fans, as always, with it's integrity never questioned!


References

Anderson, Dave. Pennant Races: Baseball At Its Best. New York: Doubleday, 1994. Print.

Baseball: A Film By Ken Burns. Prod. Ken Burns. PBS. 1994. Television.

Baseball's Greatest Moments. Prod. Major League Baseball Home Video. Perf. Warner Fusselle. Major League Baseball, 1991. Videocassette. Narrated by Warner Fusselle.


Press, From Associated. “Canseco: Steroid Use By Players At 85%.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times. Web. 18 May 2002, <articles.latimes.com/2002/may/18/sports/sp-bbnotes18>.

Enders, Eric. 100 Years Of The World Series. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. 2005. Print.

Frommer, Harvey. Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball. Dallas, TX: Taylor Pub., 1992. Print.

Kalb, Elliott. The 25 Greatest Sports Conspiracy Theories of All Time: Ranking Sports' Most Notorious Fixes, Cover-ups, and Scandals. New York: Skyhorse Pub., 2007. Print.

Nemec, David et all. 20th Century Baseball Chronicle: A Year-by-year History of Major League Baseball. Collector's Edition. Lincolnwood, Ill: Publications International, 1993. Print.

Thorn, John, and Pete Palmer. Total Baseball. Vers. 1994. Portland, OR: Creative Multimedia Corp., 1994. Computer software. CD-ROM.

Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Web. 23 Dec. 2012. <https://en.wikipedia.org>.