Debuts (Part 1)
Posted: April 4th, 2009 | Filed under: Baseball | 32 Comments »
Well, this thing turned out very different from what I expected. I thought it would be a short thing about several different baseball players’ debuts. As it turned out, though, I got off-track — imagine that — and it has ended up being some 2,400 words about Roger Clemens debut. So, I’m thinking that maybe this will be a series … looking back at the debut of some great players. We’ll see about that. I don’t know if there will ever be a Part II, but here’s Part I.
So, I was reading Jeff Pearlman’s interesting new book called The Rocket That Fell To Earth* about Roger Clemens, and it told me something that I had either forgotten or had never known.
Roger Clemens began his big-league career in Cleveland.
*It is a very interesting book to me … and not for the reasons that I think many would expect. I’m not interested in how deep into the steroid world Clemens plunged, and I’m not interested in how many extramarital affairs the guy had, and I’m not even all that interested in Clemens’ big league career. He was a great pitcher, but he was to me, by far, the least interesting of the great pitchers of the era — much, much, much less interesting to me than Maddux or Glavine or Unit or Pedro or Mo or Oswalt or Halladay or even Zito or Santana. I always just viewed him as a bully with great stuff and supernatural control … nothing more, nothing less. When the book arrived in the mail, I had exactly 0.00 interest in reading it.
But Jeff is an e-migo, and so I started reading it. And Jeff did what I did not expect .. he got me interested in how Roger Clemens became Roger Clemens. Maybe the details or Clemens’ childhood are well known, but like I say I have had no interest in the guy and didn’t read much about him. So Jeff detailing the young Clemens — wounded by the loss of two fathers, driven by a big brother disappointed by life, haunted by an Ohio childhood where he was nothing special, transformed by an obsessive Larry Bird work-ethic and a junior college coach who saw something in his delivery, propelled by this desperate need to leave his past behind (so much so that, according to the book, he did not even tell those junior college coach good bye) — was new to me and it really moved me. I won’t say it made me LIKE Clemens any more, but I also won’t say it made me DISLIKE Clemens any more. It just gave me a more complete way to look at him and, more, it reminded me of one of more core beliefs: No one just ended up a certain way. Everyone has a story.
Clemens pitched his first game at cavernous Cleveland Municipal Stadium — cavernous is the official adjective of Cleveland Municipal. He faced my Indians on May 15, 1984. There were 4,004 people in the stands. And it was cold, really cold, so cold that Roger Clemens’ soon-to-be wife Debbie said that she had to hide in the bathroom*. All this makes it a quintessential day of my childhood. I wasn’t a child then — I was 17 — but that was OK, this was a team that fit my childhood. They were all kinds of lousy, and would have been even worse if not for the herculean efforts of Bert Blyleven (19-7, 2.87 ERA).
*I never was in the women’s bathroom at Cleveland Municipal but if it was anything like the men’s bathroom, I have to say, I would have found it preferable to face the cold.
The starting lineup Clemens faced that day:
Brett Butler, cf
Tony Bernazard, 2b
Pat Tabler, lf
Andre Thornton, dh
Mike Hargrove, 1b
Julio Franco, ss
Ron Hassey, c
Brook Jacoby, 3b
George Vukovich, rf
That lineup brings back so many memories … I could right off my head tell you something semi-interesting about each of those players.
Brett Butler was a backup in high school (in Illinois, I believe) and he ended up having an outstanding career, scoring 100 or more runs six times (as many times as Tim Raines) and stealing more than 500 bases.
Tony Bernazard was traded to the Cleveland Indians for Gorman Thomas, ending one of the sadder sports experiences of my life. I was heartbroken when the Indians traded one my co-heroes, Rick Manning, to Milwaukee, but I was somewhat soothed because the Tribe got Stormin’ Gorman, who had led the league in home runs twice. I was SO excited about that. Gorman played like a half season in Cleveland, struck out once or twice a game, hit a handful of home runs and then was traded for Bernazard. Sad.*
*The only childhood sports memory that I recall being worse was when Cleveland Browns traded for receiver John Jefferson. JJ was probably my favorite non-Cleveland athlete ever when he played with San Diego — he made like five or the 10 greatest catches I ever saw. Then a few years later the Browns got him, and it was like watching Willie Mays fall down in the outfield. One day, many years later, I was walking in Allen Fieldhouse for something or other, and I saw a well-dressed man, and I turned to a friend and said, “Wow, he looks just like John Jefferson.” And the friend said, “That IS John Jefferson.” He was working for Kansas. I was not entirely sure how to proceed at that point. People always talk about the intimidation of meeting their childhood heroes. But there’s a different feeling meeting a childhood hero turned childhood disappointment. He was very nice. It was a lot like that when I met former Indians pitcher Wayne Garland, and he also turned out to be very nice.
Pat Tabler, of course, was incredible with the bases loaded. I did look this up — he struck out the first time he came up with the bases loaded. He hit a sac fly the second time. Then:
In 1983, he went 11 for 19 with the bases loaded.
In 1984, he went 5 for 9 with a grand slam.
In 1985, he went 6 for 7 with a grand slam.
It was so cool, that his 1986 Donruss baseball card (rather oddly, looking back) had “Mr. Clutch” written on it in red script. He had gone 22 for his last 35 with the bases loaded, a .629 average with two home runs. Of course, as soon as anyone noticed, the magic ended. He promptly went 2 for 10 with the bases loaded in 1986, and he never hit another grand slam. But, even so, Pat did have a little of the old Mr. Clutch magic in him … he went 5-for-9 in 1987 and, astonishingly, 8-for-9 in 1988. Then he went 1-for-11 in 1989 and nobody noticed after that.
He finished his career hitting .489 with the bases loaded with those two grand slams and 108 RBIs.
Andre Thornton was the first player I remember talking openly about his faith. I got to meet him once at an appearance (at a mall, maybe?) and he gave me this pamphlet detailing his story, and I read that thing over and over and over again. Thornton had been in a terrible auto accident when he was a young player, and it killed his wife and daughter. I remember reading that thing about how he wanted his own life to end, and then he found God, and he found the strength to go on and, for a time, become one of the better power hitters in baseball. For a while now, I have thought about writing a book about the crossing of sports and religion, and if I ever do that, my inspiration will be Andre Thornton.
Mike Hargrove, of course, was the Human Rain Delay because of the way he fiddled around and adjusted himself between every pitch. I had the act down pat … rest the bat against your midsection, twist the thumb of your glove, rub your hand on your jersey and so on. Bill James has written that what seemed so out of place in Hargrove’s time has become absolutely standard for hitters today … you wouldn’t even be able to pick Hargrove out of a lineup. Everybody goes Human Rain Delay between pitches.
Julio Franco was a promising rookie in 1983 … he finished second in the Rookie of the Year balloting. Who beat him out? Right: Ron Kittle.
Ron Kittle’s last year: 1991.
Julio Franco’s last year: 2008
Ron Kittle played 843 games, got 648 hits, managed 176 homers, faced 8 Hall of Fame pitchers.
Julio Franco played 2,527 games, got 2,586 hits, managed 173 homers, faced 9 Hall of Fame pitchers (but his number figures to go up quite a bit).
Ron Hassey is the only catcher in baseball history to catch two perfect games. He caught Lenny Barker’s perfect game in Cleveland and, later, caught the perfect game of El Presidente, Dennis Martinez.
Brook Jacoby was probably my favorite Indians player of this time period (post Duane Kuiper, pre-Cory Snyder) and he’s probably most remembered for his 32 homer, 69 RBI season, though that combination (30+ homers, 70- RBIs) has becoming increasingly common in recent years. Just last year, Hanley Ramirez hit 33 homers and drove in 67, and the year before that Alfonso Soriano hit 33 homers and driving in 70 RBIs. In fact, the combo has happened five times since 2004. It was pretty uncommon, though, when Jacoby did it. Before him on Felix Mantilla, who hit 30 homers and drove in 64 runs in 1964 had pulled off the trick.
George Vukovich is the only player in the lineup who does not inspire a bunch of memories. I know he was one of the five players the Indians got when they traded Von Hayes, and I seem to recall him hitting a big postseason home run at some point (He did … he hit a walk-off homer off Jeff Reardon in Game 4 of the 1981 Division Series to force Game 5, which the Expos won on Steve Rogers shutout.
Clemens was 21 years old, and he had started 17 games in the minor leagues. He was 9-5 with a 1.56 ERA, he had struck out 145 and walked 26, he had thrown 127 innings. Jeff called it “the debut of baseball’s most highly anticipated mound prospect since David Clyde’s arrive in Texas 11 years earlier,” but I don’t entirely agree The way I remember it, Dwight Gooden’s debut just a month earlier was at least as anticipated, probably moreso, and I’d say Floyd Bannister’s debut in 1977 and Fernando Valenzuela’s debut in 1981 (though he had already thrown a few relief innings the previous September) were up there too. But that’s just the baseball geek in me talking … Jeff’s point is that lots of people were really eager to see what Clemens could do, and that’s precisely true.
Clemens began the game by getting Butler to ground out and Bernazard to foul out. And then, well, we get some weird stuff.
Pat Tabler singled. He promptly stole second base. Tabler stole 16 bases in his entire career. … Thornton followed it up with a single, that scored Tabler. Then Thornton stole second. It was his second stolen base of the season.
In the third inning, Brett Butler led off with a single, and he stole second base. Later in the inning, Thornton walked. And he stole second base — that was the only time Andre ever stole two bases in a game. In the fifth inning, Julio Franco stole second base. In the sixth Butler stole second base for the second time. Clemens was in the game for 5 2/3 innings, and he allowed six stolen bases. Later, Otis Nixon stole a base for the Tribe … that set a team record for seven stolen bases.
So, obviously Clemens was not too quick to the plate. And the Indians actually slapped him around pretty good. Clemens gave up 11 hits and four earned runs. He also intentionally walked Pat Tabler AND Ron Hassey in the same game, which is actually a felony in 12 states. I find it hilarious and meaningful that the great career of the intimidating Roger Clemens began with intentional walks to Pat Tabler and Ron Hassey.
Clemens took a month or so to get his bearings. Then, on June 22, he threw a complete game against Toronto, gave up one run, struck out nine, walked one, and he was on his way. He won seven of his last 10 decisions with a 3.35 ERA. He had some health issues in 1985, though he generally pitched well when he pitched. And then in 1986, he had one of the great seasons ever, a 14-0 start, a 20-strikeout, no walk game against Seattle, a final record of 24-4 with a league leading 2.48 ERA, a Cy Young Award. And he won the Cy Young Award again in 1987. And so on.
I was not in the stands that day, which makes me a little bit sad because debuts absolutely fascinate me. And I would love to know if I might have seen something in the young Roger Clemens.*
*I feel quite certain I would not have. I was in the press box in Jacksonville in 1987 — I believe that was the first road trip I ever took as a sportswriter … I wasn’t even a full-time employee then. I was there with a co-worker and friend to see the Charlotte O’s face the Jacksonville Expos in the playoffs, and about the only thing I remember was that at one point my friend (on deadline) asked what was the name of the river outside the ballpark, and some guy in the press box took great offense to that and said, in as snotty a voice as he could manage, that it was the (of course) St. John’s river, which (of course) was one of the few rivers in the United States that actually flowed North.
To which my friend, without missing a beat or a mistyping a word, said: “Oh, sorry, I guess I was absent that day in school when we studied obscure Southern towns.”
I also remember that the Expos pitched a tall lefty against the Charlotte O’s. I hardly noticed him, though someone did say he was the tallest pitcher in professional baseball. That, of course, was Randy Johnson. And I don’t recall seeing anything great in him. So maybe I’m just kidding myself.
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This debut seemed a lot cooler two months ago than it does now (well, maybe it’s the same), but I was at A-Rod’s MLB debut against the Red Sox at Fenway.
That same game, John Valentin turned an unassisted triple play.
How hyped was Gooden’s debut earlier in 1984? I guess he kind of came out of nowhere, as far as the buildup was concerned. Clemens at least was known from the ‘83 College World Series.
I’m not sure if he meant to say “stats” felony or states but I like stats. Will the Posterick be carried over into part II?
Amazingly enough, I remember all those Indians from 1984, even though I rarely paid attention to the junior circuit–this was in the pre-interleague play days, of course. I must know them because of Strat-O-Matic Baseball, the world’s greatest game.
I remember Gooden’s debut–watched it on TV. It was on the road in the Astrodome. I think he pitched just five innings and got the win.
Nick Evans debut was pretty awesome. I think he hit three doubles.
Nate
The books claim that Clemens frequently visited sick kids with no media around was the only fact that softened the way I look at him. Other than that, I disagree that the book showed Clemens in anything other than a very bad light. Yes, he had problems growing up. So do others, many grow up in worse situations.
What it showed, especially by the example of Clemens transferring and not bothering to tell his coach, is that even before reaching the majors he was a first class narcissist. And I think to reach his level you have to have that attitude. But Clemens takes it to a whole new level, and though it worked on the field, it certainly has hurt him off the field.
Yeah, I don’t want to complain at these prices, and anyone who begrudges you the occasional typo is an idiot — but you CAN’T leave us hanging with two unfulfilled Pozterisks like that. We hang on your every word. How will I sleep?
I remember that Indians lineup like yesterday. Channel 4 always seemed to carry those games that started at 6pm in KC. Seemed like every game in the 80’s ended with Joe Carter facing Dan Quisenberry.
I saw Kevin Appier’s debut on a vacation to L.A. in 1989. He was beaten by Bert Blyleven. I remember the place being packed and buzzing because of Bo Jackson. He hit a home run, and that was the Royals only offense the whole day.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CAL/CAL198906040.shtml
Funny, I just read that box score and Pat Tabler was the Royals DH.
I don’t really care what Clemens is like off the field and I would imagine most star players are jerks. For the most part, he does what he is supposed to do on the field and with the media (unlike Bonds). You can’t really let loose a 100 mph inside fastball if you aren’t outwardly aggressive. He was one of the most exciting pitchers I’ve ever seen.
The moment that will forever scar my memory of him was when he threw the bat at Piazza. That is one of the ugliest things I’ve ever seen on a baseball field.
“Julio Franco played 2,527 games, got 2,586 hits, managed 173 homers, faced 9 Hall of Fame pitchers (but his number figures to go up quite a bit).”
When I first read this I thought you were predicting another comeback… and hey, why not?
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Pat Burrell came back to philly this weekend for a rays/phillies exhibition series. for those that look at philly as the dumb/mean town you would not understand the absolutely bizarre relationship with the guy who is now revered in philly. (he hit a home run off hamels and got a cheer, how about that for cheering against your interests? it was spring training though) i only bring this up because burrel went 8 for 11 his rookie year with the bases loaded with two home runs. if that werent clutch enough i think he started his career 6 for 6 against the met’s closer benetez with 6 home runs. now that’s mr clutch…
…and then he never had a clutch hit ever again.
Joe, just a heads-up, if you do a book on religion and baseball, you may look at Chad Curtis. I remember when I sent him a card in the mail to autograph, he signed it and sent another card and a letter that described his faith.
Also, I hear that Gary Gaetti has had a conversion experience, and that he and Kent Hrbek don’t get along all that much, because they used to go boozing together during their playing days, and now Gaetti is against that kind of thing.
Cris Carter is a minister, and he used to catch a lot of heat because of the nasty things he would say on the field.
Sandy Koufax didn’t pitch Game 1 in the ‘65 World Series against the Twins because it was Yom Kippur.
And you probably know that Mike Sweeney has been a guest on Catholic radio programs to talk about faith and sports.
People who say the earth is not round don’t think anything outside of theoretical constructs are round. The earth is more spherical than a ball-bearing.
Joe, you’re forgetting what made Brook Jacoby’s 1987 special. He not only hit 32 HRs, but he hit .300, and still had only 69 RBIs.
I just looked it up and I didn’t realize that Hanley Rameriz did that last year. At least he had the excuse of batting leadoff.
Gooden didn’t exactly come out of nowhere, at least as I recall it. He’d been on the cover of Baseball America and IIRC had struck out 300 batters as an 18-year-old in A-ball the season before his major league debut.
If you do write a book about religion and sports, I hope you have a chapter (at least) devoted to Crazy Carl Everett. While Dutch Daulton might not fit exactly – from what I understand, his beliefs are even more out there – his bizarro views would also be a pretty damn interesting piece.
I happened to be at Kevin Maas’ big league debut on June 29, 1990. Singled for his first career hit. I was in the wrong ballpark that night though — that was the night of no-hitters in two other ballparks. And Maas hit his first homer the next day when I didn’t go to Comkiskey, on his way to being the fastest to hit 10 homers in a career. I did go to Comiskey for the final game of the series, and I got to see a no-hitter — only it’s not a no-no any more by one of the worst double standards of baseball records. Andy Hawkins gave up four runs but no hits (thanks Jim Leyritz), but since he only got to pitch eight innings (being the road team), he does not get credited with a no-hitter.
Top 5 most anticipated/hyped Royals debuts (IMHO):
5) Saberhagen
4) Greinke
3) T Gordon
2) Damon
1) Jackson
Oddly, the two best hitters the Royals system has ever produced (Brett & Beltran) didn’t seem to be all that hyped when they came up – probably because their minor league stats were not overwhelming like everybody else (save Jackson) on this list. Jackson is here, obviously, because he was a big national story due to his fame from college football.
Joe – Roger Clemens was less interesting to you than Roy Halladay, Tom Glavine and Bary freaking Zito? What, How… why? I mean “interesting” is pretty subjective, but still. I can see Maddux being more interesting, and Unit and Pedro equally so, but Barry Zito?
Oh, I also take offense to you mentioning Barry Zito as one of the great pitchers of that era.
Matt S,
While I don’t necessarily share Joe’s feelings toward Clemens, I can see where he’d feel the way he does. There was a sense that, with all Clemens’ talent, every time he went out and dominated, he was just doing what Roger Clemens does. He also made it seem less fun – like he was just a machine going out there and mowing down hitters – than some of the other guys. He never gave the impression that he was enjoying himself much on the mound, partly because of his focus, and didn’t seem to have much else on his ledger.
With every great Maddux start, you’d always wonder how it seemed like some random guy finished his shift at the local library, went down to the ballpark and proceeded to shut down a major league team. Glavine was kind of the same – he went up there tossing what looked to be cookies (particularly in his later years) but somehow managed to wind up on the right side of the ledger more often than not. Johnson was a freak of nature – a gangly, 6′10″ monster. Mo has one pitch and no one seems to have found a way to hit it. Pedro’s a toothpick who has tons of stuff ranging from overpowering to baffling. Even Zito had his laid-back surfer demeanour.
Clemens was just a combination of great stuff, command, mentality and so on. He was more or less the textbook pitcher, and I don’t blame anyone who doesn’t necessarily care to read (or, in this case, watch) a textbook. The biggest story around a Roger Clemens start was always when Roger lost.
Ironically, if fewer people felt the same way about dominant athletes, Joe’s man Pujols would be more appreciated. Because he’s SO dominant, when he has a great game it sort of fades into the woodwork.
I was at the debut game for Bo Jackson. If i remember correctly, he went 3-4 and 2 of the 3 hits were infield singles. Anybody else would have been out by a wide margin, Bo outran the throw from short both times. Oh, what could have been…
Pat Tabler was obtained for the Dybber.
Justin,
I appreciate your point of view, and while I will again note that “interesting” is a fairly subjective word– I still stand by my questions.
I agree with you that Maddux could be more interesting for all the reasons you noted above (I even qualified my original post by saying ‘I can see Maddux being more interesting’). But where is the appeal in Halladay, Glavine, and Zito?
Clemens was, as you note a mechanical freak for years, but he did log spectacular games and moments unmatched by the trio I just named (the 20K game is just one feat that comes to mind which Halladay, Glavine, and Zito can’t compete with). Then, to follow his career arc a bit, he is forced out of Boston and basically called a bum by his former GM. At which point he resurrects his ailing career and puts together two dominating years in Toronto, possibly his two best years ever. He then goes on to win a world series with his first clubs most bitter rival in a subway series while nearly decapitating and impaling the opposing team’s best player (Piazza). He next plays a poor man’s Brett Favre, all the while racking up Cy Young awards into his mid 40’s. Am I missing something here?
First, the typo. he did not even tell those junior college coach good bye should probably be either the junior college coach or those junior college coaches. In my fantasies, this will someday lead to my successful side career as a proof reader for all the sports writing stars.
In 1984, by virtue of an insane amount of losses and some forced redefinitions of league rules, my Strat-O-Matic keeper team finished with the second worst record. Worst record drafted Darryl Strawberry. I got Julio Franco. Kittle took the bronze. In another argument about Ron Kittle in that league, a friend traded Gwynn to get Kittle IIRC in 1983. Yeah, I know, but he already had Raines on that team and needed power and Gwynn hadn’t yet shown any real sign of the HOFer to be. But the other manager didn’t report the trade by the deadline, so my friend assumed it was dead. Then Kittle got some minor injury a week later, and the other manager insisted he had reported the trade (even though my friend had done another move to clear up his power shortage) and net result was he gave up Gwynn for Kittle at a clearly bad time to do so. Not that in hindsight there was ever a good time to do so.
As for anticipated hype, Fernando Valenzuela went 2-0, 17.2 IP, 16 K, 0 ER, WHIP of 0.736, in September 1980. Then Lasorda DIDN’T throw Fernando in the one game playoff against Houston, and the Dodgers missed the playoffs. The next year, his official rookie season, Fernando won ROY, CYA, and actually improved on K/9 over that short stint, while (IIRC) setting the major league record for most consecutive scoreless innings at the start of a career. I think it was subsequently broken by a couple of relievers, but it’s pretty darned tough to set that record as a starter. So yeah, there was a *ton* of hype for Fernando in 1981. He and Koufax were the only two pitchers I ever saw who actually led to so much demand that the scalpers lining up on the streets outside Dodger Stadium caused traffic problems. Of, for all you ABBA fans out there, “There was something in the air that night, a called third strike, Fernando”. Koufax was the best pitcher I ever saw, but Fernando’s screwball was the toughest single pitch I ever saw.
Joe,
I may have been at that game. I was if the Indians pitcher was a rookie pitcher named John Bohnet (sp?). A matchup of the touted rookies of each team. Of course, Bohnet was injured in that game or soon thereafter and became another Indian prospect on the ash heap of history. Also, I seem to remeber Rick Waits coming in to pitch and doing pretty well, but I may be mixing games in my memory.
Oddly, I saw Clemens last start as a Red Sock in Cleveland. Late summer or early fall and he was clearly not well and scuffling. And then suddenly, he was superman again in the coming years.
i emailed my buddy about pat tabler’s numbers with the bases loaded. i think he hit the nail on the head with his reply:
wow ,that was like Winter Warlock when he had a little bit of magic reindeer food left up his sleave to excape from the Burger meisters clutches.He must have just sat on fastballs.
How interesting that you write about Roger Clemens’s debut, since I made a printout of Clemens’s debut on a microfiche just a few months ago. The interesting thing is, two of the people that wrote about the game, Larry Whiteside and Peter Gammons, have won the J.G. Taylor Spink Award.
Some highlights:
“On a night when the wind-chill factor went below freezing in a ballpark where you take your kid if he wants to understand the Depression (the announced crowd of 4004 counted cobwebs) against a team that hasn’t contended since three years before Clemens was born, Ralph Houk introduced the most ballyhooed Red Sox pitcher since Ken Brett, or maybe even Frank Baumann.” – Peter Gammons
“What happened was a lesson for all those who thought Clemens’ presence might help turn the Red Sox’ fortunes around. His skill alone wouldn’t have overcome the defensive lapses and foolish mistakes that kept this team in the Eastern cellar. Cleveland did most of its damage with a three-run fourth, which should have ended when Clemens picked Brett Butler off third[sic] base, only to see him wind up on second on an interference call against first baseman Mike Esler.” – Larry Whiteside
“‘I never expected to go to the Hall of Fame in one night.,’ Clemens said with a shrug after a 5 2/3-inning debut that could have been from the cutting floor of ‘Little Shop of Horrors.’ ‘I kind of expected something crazy would happen my first time out there. And it did.’” – Peter Gammons
Anyways, I like this idea, exploring the debuts of some Hall of Fame caliber players. You should write about Greg Maddux’s debut next. While there wasn’t the ballyhoo of Dwight Gooden or even Roger Clemens, there’s nothing quite like appearing as a pinch-runner in a game suspended in the previous night, and then making a pitching appearance and giving up the game-winning home run in the 18th.
Part 2 has to be Maddux’s debut in 1986. He came in as a pinch runner for Jody Davis in the bottom of the 17th inning after the Cubs had just gotten a 3 run homer to tie the game. The game started on September 2. I am almost positive the game got suspended for darkness and was not completed until the next day. Maddux pitched the top of the 18th and gave up a homer to Billy Hatcher and lost the game. The starters that day (or the previous day) were Nolan Ryan and Jamie Moyer.
To add to the list of Christian players you have John Smoltz, Curt Schilling, Albert Pujols, Andy Pettite, Orel Hershiser, and Clint Hurdle. Dale Murphy is a Mormon. I know that many of the Padres back in the early 90s were Chrisitans. Dave Dravecky’s story has been told.
Rick #19 – Thanks for pointing out, for those who may not have been aware of it, the utterly ridiculous, counterintuitive, and pointless redefinition by MLB of what constitutes a “no-hitter”.
In addition to the 9-inning rule that cost Hawkins his “no-hitter” (also caused Dean Chance to lose a reain-shortened 5-inning “perfect game”), it is not a no-hitter even if there was NO CHANCE to pitch 9 innings (home team scores a run without a hit, and leads after 8 innings).
As far as I am concerned, if, at the end of the game, one team has a “0″ in the H column (scoreboard at the game, box score in the paper, whatver), then the other team pitched a “no-hitter”. I mean, really: are you prepared to have this conversation?
ME: Hey, I saw the Braves game last night, and Jair Jurrjens gave up NO HITS in his 7 innings. Too bad the game was called because of weather/curfew/whatever.
YOU: Wow, you saw a no-hitter?!
ME: No, actually, I didn’t because it wasn’t a 9-inning game. Doesn’t count if it’s only 7 innings.
YOU: But you said Jurrjens didn’t give up any hits.
(Cue Abbott and Costello for the rest of this conversation.)
I am all for statistical purity; in fact, I am a tad obsessed by it. But this isn’t statistical purity; it’s statistical stupidity.
Right up there with whichever commissioner announced that, despite research by SABR and RetroSheet showing that Cobb only had 4,190 hits (not 4,191), the official record would not be changed because “people are used to 4,191″ (paraphrasing).