Comments on: The Master. July 2, 1997

By: Mad Dog 20-20, Retirement Edition

Mad Dog 20-20, Retirement Edition — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 18:44:52 +0000

[...] case you missed it, I wrote a post on that game not all that long ago. That was my favorite ever Greg Maddux game. And yes, I do rank my Greg [...]

By: John K. Jansons

John K. Jansons — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 05:39:15 +0000

As Skip once said “He is the best folks. He is the best.” RIP Skip and there will never be another like Mad Dog.

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:28:14 +0000

I’ve had a mancrush on Mr. Maddux since he came to the Braves so much that I named my son Maddux in 2002. I would take a well pitched Maddux game over a well pitched Clemens game every time.

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:36:13 +0000

I was lucky enough to have been at Yankee Stadium for this game. I remember watching Maddux warm up in the bullpen before the game (we had box seats near the left field foulpole, right by the visiting team bullpen.) I don’t keep score while I am at the game but I remember being compelled to count pitches in my head as it became clear that Maddux was toying with the Yankee hitters.

I was at Dwight Gooden’s no-hitter a few years earlier and also was present when Bartolo Colon, then with the Indians, one-hit the Yankees. I have also been present for 2 different games that ended with walk-off grand slams. But I remeber this one as the most special game I was ever actualy present for. You don’t often get to see one of the best ever at this chosen profession have one of the best days he ever had.

By: andrew

andrew — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 02:46:23 +0000

I too would dodge reponsibility for Maddux starts. But I was only 15 when this gamed happened… it was hard for me to catch every start, but from 94 – ??? I did my best.
I forgot the reasons why, but I was forced to watch this game in my mother’s room in Rhode Island. I remember sitting at the edge of the bed, not moving until the Bernie at bat.
I assume the other televisions with TBS were being used up by scheduled VCR tapings of forgetable shows. Mom’s bedroom tv was the last stop. At 19 inches, it was the less ideal screen to watch Maddux.
For years I would site that game as the best I’ve seen ever. (The best I’ve seen live was Pedro fanning 17 Braves at Fenway. THe experience was intensified, but Fenway had a lot to do with that. I also remember seeing Maddux warm-up in the bulpen at Fenway when the Braves visited Boston for interleague play. 99 I believe. I got to shake Maddux’s hand and that was the pinnacle moment of my childhood)
I talked baseball more when I lived home and was surrounded by family and friends – most of whom were former teamates. Since moving away, I find that I talk baseball less often. When I do reference my favorite game ever, I forget specific details. I simply remember it as the game Maddux shut down the MF Yankees… the one where Yankee fans got all excited for Bernie Williams to pinch hit and strike out looking… look it up.
Thanks for helping me revisit that game.
Sure is something weird about Maddux, but I’m glad enough people ‘get it.’

By: Mad Dog 20/20 « Zilla Rocca’s CLAP COWARDS

Mad Dog 20/20 « Zilla Rocca’s CLAP COWARDS — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:22:50 +0000

[...] Posnanski wrote a great piece on Greg Maddux and the best piece of pitching he’s ever seen.Â You can read the full story here.Â Some of the commenters had some pretty impressive stories about Maddux from his early days with [...]

By: David Wintheiser

David Wintheiser — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 06:59:38 +0000

Joe, did I miss the post explaining why Nolan Ryan wasnâ€™t lisited?

Jerry, you’ll want to go back to the post entitled “Koufax and GREAT Pitchers”; in it, Joe lists all of the pitchers with four or more seasons with 33 Runs Saved Above Average.

Nolan Ryan doesn’t make the list. Bret Saberhagen does, Dave Stieb does, Bert Blyleven does, Phil Niekro does, Mike Mussina does. Greg Maddux is tied for second with Walter Johnson and Lefty Grove. Ryan isn’t even on the list.

People tend to forget that Ryan pitched a lot of years in situations that made his numbers look better than they were. He first became a starter in 1968, then moved to Anaheim to a good pitcher’s park, then to Houston to one of the most extreme pitcher’s parks in history.

I’m not going to say he wasn’t a Hall of Famer, but better writers than I am have questioned whether he was really one of the all-time greats.

By: Doug Cramer

Doug Cramer — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 20:32:19 +0000

This says more about being a Royals fan, but the best pitched game I have ever seen in person was Appier against the Blue Jays. We lost 1-0 on a moonshot by Delgaldo. God, Appier was good that night, Clemens was just a little bit better.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KCA/KCA199704300.shtml

By: Marty Winn

Marty Winn — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:22:34 +0000

Thank you. I still map out my week based on when Maddux pitches. Hope you start a Mad Dog Log too.

By: ajnrules

ajnrules — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 13:32:30 +0000

Michael – I too would appreciate a copy of said game.

Anyways, I wasn’t much of a Maddux fan growing up, mostly because I was an Indians bandwagoner in that magical 1995 season, and then Maddux & Co. promptly came in and ruined everything. However, I eventually warmed up to him, around the time when he won his 300th game. And you could say I became near-obsessed. I compiled all of his starts in Excel spreadsheets and got printouts of all of his wins via Microfiche, so I’ve read about this Yankees game, but it’s different to hear it from the best baseball writer in the country.

I like watching Maddux pitch whenever I can, but I’m at that precarious age when it’s difficult to spend time in front of MLB.TV. I’m still hoping that Maddux would make a start at the new Nationals Park, so I can finally watch him pitch in person. I’ve always wanted to ask him if he still plays Nintendo in his free time, like what he reportedly did in the 1990s.