JIM BOUTON [SABR Bio] his decent 3.91 ERA couldn’t prevent his team’s staff ERA from being the worst in its first year in the American League. SEP 1969 team ERA was the worst in the AL. Not why they moved to Milwaukee, but it couldn’t have helped. In games he started, his cap flew off his head more than even Willie Mays’s did. When pitching well, his violent pitching motion caused his pitching arm to brush up against his cap and knock it off. This could happen a few dozen times in a complete game. Only Mother Nature could prevent this bulldog from starting a World Series Game Seven. He was originally slated to pitch the 1962 WS G 7 vs. the San Francisco Giants, but was bumped in favor of Ralph Terry when rain postponed that deciding game by one day. After a seven-year MLB hiatus, he joined a team blessed with two former MVPs, a former Rookie of the Year and a manager and fellow knuckle-baller both headed for the Hall of Fame. After being out of the majors since 1970, he returned for a 5-game cameo with ATL. Bill Madlock was his lead-off strikeout victim (using mostly knuckleballs) on 14-Sep-1978 In his only victory with them he struck out the first batter he faced—a four-time batting champion. Even in light of his very respectable MLB career, he made a bigger impact on the game with a pen in his hand than with a baseball in it. Bouton’s seminal work, “Ball Four”, was a controversial tell-all exposé that cracked wide-open the hidden lives of major league players. This well-received book was on The New York Times best-seller list for 17 weeks, the longest a sports book had stayed there for nearly 25 years.
Loved the title of his sequel to Ball Four: “I’m Glad You Didn’t Take It Seriously.”
All Star Game: Acuna struck out looking, but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Only 22 years old, facing a pitcher he’s never seen before, who’s throwing in the upper 90’s with movement. Acuna might’ve been given a scouting report saying to expect a screwball low and away in that situation, and got a fastball instead. Tough to adjust at the major league level – though he did battle with two strikes, fouling off 2 or 3 pitches. Then a ball. Not like he just watched the first pitch go by with two strikes.
Nice that Mike Trout wore his deceased teammate’s number in the game. Loved having Freddie being interviewed as he was hitting. Surely a first. Also the interviews with players as they were playing in the field: the three Astros, Yelich and Bellinger, and Lindor. Nice that Lindor was such an ambassador, making restaurant reservations for an umpire’s family. The rookie first baseman for the Mets sounds like a good guy, gracious in his interviews, confident in his abilities. Also a nice moment for the Cleveland Indians pitcher battling cancer. Manager Terry Francona giving him a hug, and cheering when his other pitcher struck out the side.
Looked like the jets were late flying overhead after the anthem ending, though it was hard to tell. For the Braves at least the following have been all-stars: Freeman, Albies, Donaldson, Acuna, Keuchel, Folty, Soroca, McCann, and Snitker. Probably Washington.
I’m reading the Tim Tebow autobiography ”Through My Eyes.” Not only was he home schooled, he also grew up on a farm. Early on he wanted to start lifting weights, but his father wanted him to wait until puberty, and used Herschel Walker as an example of someone who worked out without weights. Tebow’s parents and sister had graduated from Florida before Tim made his decision where to go. He almost chose Alabama, who was coached by Mike Schula at the time.
Jeff Bagwell was inducted into the baseball hall of fame in his 7th year of eligibility, with 86.2% of the vote. In his 9th year on the ballot Fred McGriff garnered 14.1% of the vote.
.HR…RBI…hits
493 1550 2490 FM
449 1529 2314 JB
AVG.OBP.SLG postseason
303 385 532 FM
226 364 321 JB
Seinfeld’s top 20 greatest sports moments:
Tuesday: after work I stopped by and got a haircut.
Wednesday: not much to report. Did not watch the ESPYs. Ceil cooked chicken and cut vegetables for supper. Matthew ate with us. My eye isn’t getting better yet. Need to exercise. Trying to eat right, getting ready for physical later this month.
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