Jim Burton pitched for a Joe Morgan in the minors. Pitching for the Boston Red Sox in the 1975 World Series, he faced another Joe Morgan. One of those classic lefty-versus-lefty matchups we all love in the Fall Classic!
Stuck in the minors that magical year of 1975, Burton went 8-2 in 12 starts for Pawtucket, the Red Sox's AAA team. Managed by Joe Morgan, Burton was pitching extremely well. And with a 1.53 ERA, the parent club took notice. He was called up and made his MLB debut on June 10, 1975. He was still only 25 years old.
But what a year he turned in for the Red Sox. Burton went only 1-2, with only 1 save in 29 games (4 starts). However, he posted a 2.89 ERA and also 6 holds. The lefty was needed!
Boston would face the favoured Cincinnati Reds. While Boston took game one, 6-0, the Reds won game two, 3-2. Game three was over in Cincy.
The Reds had no intention of letting Boston take the series lead. The jumped on Boston starter Rick Wise. With one out in the bottom of the fourth, it was 4-1, Cincinnati! Pete Rose had finished off Wise with a triple. Jim Burton came in.
The first batter was Ken Griffey. Burton walked him. The Red Sox needed a double play. But guess who came up to the dish for the Reds? Why, Joe Morgan, of course. It was a good at-bat, as both pitcher and batter waged a tough war.
Burton got Morgan to swing and miss for strike one. Then Jim threw two straight balls. After getting another strike on a miss by Joe, Burton missed again. So with a full count, Joe Morgan sent a fly to centre that was caught. But the fly was deep enough to score rose. Griffey, on first, then stole second when Burton missed for ball one to Tony Perez. Burton's night was over. He departed with the Reds up 5-1. Boston rallied to tie it before losing.
In a winner-take-all game seven, the two teams fought hard and long into the night. The Fall Classic was tied at three in games. Game seven was also tied at three. Burton came on to pitch the ninth.
The first batter to face him was Griffey. And Griffey coaxed another walk from Jim on a 3-2 pitch. On the first pitch to Cesar Geronimo, the Red batter executed a perfect bunt to third. That moved the go-ahead runner into second with just one out. Dan Driessen batted for pitcher Clay Carroll. Again, it took just one pitch to retire the batter by Burton. But it was a ground out. Again, the runner advanced. But there was now two outs.
Pete Rose was in the on-deck circle. As he watched Driessen get retired, he turned to Joe Morgan, who was entering the on-deck circle. "If I don't get it done," he said, "You do!"
Rose and Burton had quite a struggle. Burton fell behind 2-0, got a strike when Pete missed. Then he missed for ball three. But a strike again on a Rose miss, and Burton was one pitch away from getting out of this. But he missed for ball four. It was up to Joe Morgan.
Burton had no intentions of walking him, too. Johnny Bench was next. Bench batted right and Morgan hit left. He missed for ball one, but then got Morgan to swing and miss on the next two pitches. 1-2. Burton was again, just a strike away from ending this. He threw Morgan a tough slider, low and away. And it broke late. But Morgan, doing a fabulous job of protecting the plate, got the last 1/3 of the bat on it. The blooper landed just in front of the Red Sox infielders and an on-rushing Fred Lynn, the centrefielder. The Reds had the lead, 4-3. Burton was done for the night.
Cincinatti went on to win the game 4-3, and the 1975 World Series, four games to three.
Jim Burton never made it back to the World Series. In fact, apart from a 2/3 inning appearance on the hill for Boston in 1977, this was it for his MLB career.
That's what the game of baseball can be like in the postseason. Morgan, went on to play in the World Series the next year, and eventually wound up in baseball's Hall Of Fame. Burton, as mentioned, was not so lucky despite his pretty good performance in '75. He had a good enough year to belong there in the seventh game. Morgan deserved to be there too. Yet, look at where the baseball gods took them: In separate directions after 1975!
You never know, of course, at the time. There can be many more moments like this, or it can be your only moment, be it as a batter or hitter. Still, that's the sort of thing that makes baseball the great sport it is. Pitcher vs. batter, where a hit or an out can make all the difference in the world. Whether your at the game or at home watching it on television, you are always glued to the action in these moments! The 1975 World Series had several of them. And hey, Jim Burton went from the minors under Joe Morgan, to facing Joe Morgan in game seven in the ninth inning! You couldn't ask for much more!
Stuck in the minors that magical year of 1975, Burton went 8-2 in 12 starts for Pawtucket, the Red Sox's AAA team. Managed by Joe Morgan, Burton was pitching extremely well. And with a 1.53 ERA, the parent club took notice. He was called up and made his MLB debut on June 10, 1975. He was still only 25 years old.
But what a year he turned in for the Red Sox. Burton went only 1-2, with only 1 save in 29 games (4 starts). However, he posted a 2.89 ERA and also 6 holds. The lefty was needed!
Boston would face the favoured Cincinnati Reds. While Boston took game one, 6-0, the Reds won game two, 3-2. Game three was over in Cincy.
The Reds had no intention of letting Boston take the series lead. The jumped on Boston starter Rick Wise. With one out in the bottom of the fourth, it was 4-1, Cincinnati! Pete Rose had finished off Wise with a triple. Jim Burton came in.
The first batter was Ken Griffey. Burton walked him. The Red Sox needed a double play. But guess who came up to the dish for the Reds? Why, Joe Morgan, of course. It was a good at-bat, as both pitcher and batter waged a tough war.
Burton got Morgan to swing and miss for strike one. Then Jim threw two straight balls. After getting another strike on a miss by Joe, Burton missed again. So with a full count, Joe Morgan sent a fly to centre that was caught. But the fly was deep enough to score rose. Griffey, on first, then stole second when Burton missed for ball one to Tony Perez. Burton's night was over. He departed with the Reds up 5-1. Boston rallied to tie it before losing.
In a winner-take-all game seven, the two teams fought hard and long into the night. The Fall Classic was tied at three in games. Game seven was also tied at three. Burton came on to pitch the ninth.
The first batter to face him was Griffey. And Griffey coaxed another walk from Jim on a 3-2 pitch. On the first pitch to Cesar Geronimo, the Red batter executed a perfect bunt to third. That moved the go-ahead runner into second with just one out. Dan Driessen batted for pitcher Clay Carroll. Again, it took just one pitch to retire the batter by Burton. But it was a ground out. Again, the runner advanced. But there was now two outs.
Pete Rose was in the on-deck circle. As he watched Driessen get retired, he turned to Joe Morgan, who was entering the on-deck circle. "If I don't get it done," he said, "You do!"
Rose and Burton had quite a struggle. Burton fell behind 2-0, got a strike when Pete missed. Then he missed for ball three. But a strike again on a Rose miss, and Burton was one pitch away from getting out of this. But he missed for ball four. It was up to Joe Morgan.
Burton had no intentions of walking him, too. Johnny Bench was next. Bench batted right and Morgan hit left. He missed for ball one, but then got Morgan to swing and miss on the next two pitches. 1-2. Burton was again, just a strike away from ending this. He threw Morgan a tough slider, low and away. And it broke late. But Morgan, doing a fabulous job of protecting the plate, got the last 1/3 of the bat on it. The blooper landed just in front of the Red Sox infielders and an on-rushing Fred Lynn, the centrefielder. The Reds had the lead, 4-3. Burton was done for the night.
Cincinatti went on to win the game 4-3, and the 1975 World Series, four games to three.
Jim Burton never made it back to the World Series. In fact, apart from a 2/3 inning appearance on the hill for Boston in 1977, this was it for his MLB career.
That's what the game of baseball can be like in the postseason. Morgan, went on to play in the World Series the next year, and eventually wound up in baseball's Hall Of Fame. Burton, as mentioned, was not so lucky despite his pretty good performance in '75. He had a good enough year to belong there in the seventh game. Morgan deserved to be there too. Yet, look at where the baseball gods took them: In separate directions after 1975!
You never know, of course, at the time. There can be many more moments like this, or it can be your only moment, be it as a batter or hitter. Still, that's the sort of thing that makes baseball the great sport it is. Pitcher vs. batter, where a hit or an out can make all the difference in the world. Whether your at the game or at home watching it on television, you are always glued to the action in these moments! The 1975 World Series had several of them. And hey, Jim Burton went from the minors under Joe Morgan, to facing Joe Morgan in game seven in the ninth inning! You couldn't ask for much more!
