Know Your Ballplayer #4

More fascinating info…

JOHN SMOLTZ  [SABR Bio] is the only pitcher in major league history to record both 200 wins and 150 saves - 213 W / 154 S. Tiger Woods called him the best golfer outside of the PGA Tour that he has seen - "Smoltzy? Well, I had not ever played with an amateur that had ever shot the scores he shot... I've gone out there with him when he's shot 69-67 in the same day … so it's pretty phenomenal." ~Tiger Woods. He is a distant cousin of Hall of Famer Charlie Gehringer. "My grandmother was a Gehringer." ~John Smoltz during the playoff broadcast on 11-Jun-2016.

 

FRANK ROBINSON [SABR Bio] won a Rookie of the Year Award, a Triple Crown, two Most Valuable Player awards and the Presidential Medal of Freedom - ROY 1956, TC 1966, MVP 1961 & 1966,  MoF 2005. He is one of only two major league players to have his number retired by three different organizations. His #20 retired in Cincinnati, Baltimore & Cleveland (Nolan Ryan has also had his uniform number thrice retired). He hit a home run in first at bat as a player-manager. HR as Mgr 08-Apr-1975 off Doc Medich of NYY.

JOHN MONTEFUSCO [SABR Bio] a former Rookie of the Year, hit a home run in his first major-league at-bat – 1st AB HR = 03-Sep-1974 off Charlie Hough. He has a no-hitter on his major league résumé - No-no = 26-Sep-1976 vs. ATL. He also served two years in prison. Indicted in December 1997 and released on bail in November 1999; acquitted in February 2000 of the most serious charges and found guilty of criminal trespass and simple assault and so sentenced to three years of probation.

 

RICK DEMPSEY [SABR Bio] a 24-year veteran catcher, is the uncle of former baseball commentator on Canadian television. Gregg Zaun, former MLB catcher, is Dempsey's nephew and was regularly seen from 2006 through 2017 between innings during Blue Jays games, among other events. He (the uncle) won a Little League World Series championship and an MLB World Series championship - LLWS in 1963 with Canoga Park-Woodland Hills, California; WS in 1983 w/BAL. In fact, he was the WS MVP n '83. He owns a brew pub in one of the best possible locations. Restaurant located inside the gates at OPACY. 

DUANE WARD a righty who led the league in saves and games finished then was in the top five for the Cy Young Award and top 25 for the MVP award in his last full year in the majors. In 1993 Ward had 45 S (tied w/ KCR's Jeff Montgomery), 70 GF, finished #5 in CYA voting, tied for 22nd in league MVP voting and…oh yeah, led his team to a World Series championship. Has more games finished, saves and strikeouts and a better career pitcher's WAR than any other pitcher born in his state. His 272 GF, 121 S & 678 K plus 10.15 WAR led all pitchers born in the state of New Mexico. He grew up in the small town now known as "Baseball Town, USA" - Farmington, New Mexico, a town with fewer than 300 people at its founding in 1901, occupies the northwesternmost corner of the state. 

 

RUDY MAY led his league in ERA at the age of 35, but never led the league in any other major category during his sixteen-year career - 2.46 ERA for NYY in 1980 led the AL. In his MLB debut, he pitched nine innings, gave up one hit but no earned runs, struck out ten, but took a no-decision. Debut G = 18-Apr-1965 One of his Oakland, California high school teammates was a future Hall of Famer. Attended Castlemont High School, Oakland w/Joe Morgan.

 

TIPPY MARTINEZ a former Yankee and Minnesota Twin, his only All-Star appearance was in the same season he led his team to a World Series championship - AS + WS = 1983; Played for NYY in 1974-76, for MIN in 1988. This former Ram was in the tenth year of his fourteen-season career - Attended Colorado State University. In his ninth season, he had parlayed a Player of the Week Award into a Pitcher of the Month Award. Was voted AL Player of the Week near the end of July 1982 when he had finished 6 straight G, including a W & 2 S. That topped off a terrific July where he appeared in 16 of the Os' 27 G w/4saves, 2 holds and a W. A grass roots fan club was created for him near the bullpen where home fans blew on an official whistle every time he came into the game. "Tippy's Tweeters" were a grass roots fan club was created for Martinez near the bullpen in left field of Memorial Stadium in 1980.  Fans blew on an Official Oriole Tweeter every time he came into the game as the reliever and again if he struck out the side.

 

SCOTT McGREGOR was a BBTL 13-year veteran pitcher played high school baseball with a first-ballot Hall of Famer whom he later held to a .222 BA in the majors. El Segundo High School, California with George Brett, who went 12-54 against McGregor. McGregor spent his playing career and is spending his post-playing career with the Orioles. Has been an All-Star, a 20-game winner and a part-time pastor at a Christian church. Rock City Church. Had a 20-8 record in 1980 and was an AS the next year in Cleveland, but did not play. 

PEPE FRIAS was the last player from the Quebec Provincial League to reach the majors. Frias played for the Quebec City Carnavals in 1971. The independent Quebec Provincial League folded at the end of that year. It had been a haven for black and Indian players excluded from organized baseball. Taking full advantage of the geography of North America, he finished his professional career in the Mexican League. His lone home run in the majors came at the expense of John Candelaria - HR = 02-May-1979. He did not write "Rita's Tune" - Rita's Tune

 

WEEKLY THEME – Players traded for Doyle Alexander

Traded by LAD to BAL for Frank Robinson 02-Dec-1971

 

Traded by BAL to NYY for Rick Dempsey, Tippy Martinez, Rudy May & Scott McGregor 15-Jun-1976

 

Traded by TEX to ATL for Pepe Frias 06-Dec-1979

 

Traded by ATL to SFG for John Montefusco 12-Dec-1980

 

Traded by TOR to ATL for Duane Ward 06-Jul-1986

 

Traded by ATL to DET for John Smoltz 12-Aug-1987