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6/19/2008
Billy-Ball Daily
Bill Chuck (Billy-Ball his own self)
Billy-Ball - From the diamond to your desktop…
By Baseball Newstalgist, Bill Chuck
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The only spin here is on my screwball
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Top of the 1st
OH-FER CRYING OUT LOUD
It doesn’t take much to distract me. Today it was a simple statement regarding the 0-20 slump that Chase Utley of the Phillies finds himself in, " "Ted Williams went 0 for 20," Phils’ manager Charlie Manuel said. "Those are things you work through. It's all part of it. It's the everyday grind."
It was Manuel first part of the comment, "Ted Williams went 0 for 20," that sent me down the Google Highway. When did Ted Williams go 0 for 20?
I found Ted talking with Leigh Montville about hitting slumps, particularly the one Tony Gwynn was experiencing at the time of the interview (August, 1998):
LM: What would bring a slump to you - a little change in your mechanics?
TW: I might run into a little period where I'm really ripping the ball and pulling it good and hitting them 420, now I'm gonna hit one 450 and all of a sudden I'm uggh too much and all of a sudden I'm getting pitched tough to. I'd lay in bed and I'd think, "Oh boy, why am I not hitting? I remember a couple weeks ago I was hitting real good and I remember a couple pitches I hit that boy I was really quick on that." Then things would start coming back to me and I'd say, "I'm getting too big, I'm not keeping my head on the ball." And all of a sudden I might get out f it but you can't do it sometimes for a long period, just like Gwynn today. He's been in this thing he's in for three weeks.
LM: You would never swing at a ball out of the strike zone.
TW: I tried not to. I got criticized. One of the biggest writers in the country, and one of the smarties I think, George Will, politically I'm with him all the way, but baseballically he don't know too much about hitting or playing.
I found that in 1947 was slumping and he told Time magazine, that omeone suggested that he back away from the plate a few inches more. “Snarled Williams: "I get all that sort of advice from newspapermen who can't hit, from pitchers and from .250 hitters. I'm not changing my position at the plate."”
I read that Babe Ruth said, "Scallions are the greatest cure for a batting slump ever invented."
I read about William Aloysius "Bill" Bergen who played for 11 years (1901-1911) and had a career batting average of .170, the all-time lowest for any position player who was a legitimate regular. Between June 29, 1909 and July 17, 1909, Bergen went 0 for 46, the record for the longest consecutive hitless streak, 46 at bats.
I learned that Pete Siegel, a Southern California hypnotherapist who has worked with numerous major leaguers, said, "A slump is a life-crippling, life-crushing experience," said including Damion Easley, Tim Salmon and Scott Spiezio.
Hall of Famers went into slumps, even Cal Ripken, Jr. had a streak of 0-for-29 stretch in April, 1988. Mike Schmidt topped that going 0 for 30 for the 1988 Phils. That’s nothing compared to Looie Aparicio who went 0 for 44 with the Boston Red Sox in 1971.
Robin Ventura, in his rookie season in 1990, had 41 hitless at bats with the White Sox. Last season, with the Red Sox, Julio Lugo went hitless in 33 straight at-bats between singles on June 14 vs. Colorado and July 3 vs. Tampa Bay. Boomer Scott went 0 for 35 with the 1978 BoSox.
In 2005, Ichiro went 0-24 for the M’s and Andruw Jones last season went 0-21. Jose Cruz, Jr. holds the Pirates record going 0-37.
This season, New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano had a hitless streak of 17 at-bats and Yankees’ catcher Jose Molina had a 0-23 streak earlier this season as well. In 2004, Yankees captain Derek Jeter broke a 0-32 slump with a home run. That was the longest slump for the Yankees since Jimmy Wynn went 0 for 32 in 1977. Yogi Berra had an 0-32 stretch which he also broke with a home run. Bernie Williams once went 0-23 and Don Mattingly went 0-21 from 4/21 to 4/25/1993
Alex Rodriguez had a postseason hitless streak of 18 at-bats that he broke in 2007. Gil Hodges went 0-21 in the 1952 World Series prompting call for prayers in churches all over Brooklyn. In 2000, the Mariners’ catcher Dan Wilson's soft single stopped a record 42 at-bat hitless streak for him in postseason play and a 26 at-bat hitless streak in the LCS. Marv Owen went 0-for-31 for Detroit in 1934 and '35 post-seasons.
Willie Mays went 0 for his first 12 major league at bats before homering against Warren Spahn. Barry B*nds worst oh-fer was 0-22. Fellow steroid user, Jose Cans*co went 0 for 40 when he was the A’s in 1980.
In 1984, Mets exec Tony Bernazard was playing for the Indians and he went 0 for 44. The manager he helped fire, Willie Randolph went 0 for 30 with the Yanks in 1988 to end the season. In 1989, he started off 0 for 3 compiling a 0 for 33 streak altogether.
Larry Stone wrote in an article for Baseball Digest (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_10_64/ai_n15756682/pg_1) that when Tim Naehring was mired in an 0-for-39 slump with the Boston Red Sox in 1991, he had his barber carve "hit" into the back of his scalp. Ozzie Guillen sprinkled eyedrops on his bats "so they could see the ball good."
Dave Campbell, the baseball analyst/broadcaster, once went 0 for 45 in 1973, doing it for three teams. He started it with the Padres, was traded to the Cardinals for whom he wen 0 for 21 and ended it with the Astros. On the subject of broadcasters, Joe Morgan when he was with the Phils in 1983 went 0 for 35 and Buck Martinez went 0 for 32 with the Brewers in 1978.
No hitless conversation would be complete without pitcher Bob Buhl’s 1962 season. Buhl started the season with Milwaukee Braves and went 0 for 1. He had ended the 1961 season with Braves 0 for 2 so when he was traded to the Cubs he was in a 0 for 3 “slump.” Pitching for the Cubs that season, Buhl was 12-13. At the plate he was 0 for 69 making him 0 for 72. In his 16th at bat of the 1963 season, on May 8, Buhl singled off the Pirates’ Al McBean. Buhl finished his career hitting a robust .089.
But my searching to this point has not been able to verify Charlie Manuel’s statement about Teddy Ballgame. So now it’s your turn, email me (Bill@Billy-Ball.com) and share with me what you can dig up about hitting slumps and next week, I’ll write a follow-up article.
Oh-fer goodness sakes, somebody should be able to find this, don’t you think?
Top of the 2nd
GOODBYE MCLAREN
The Seattle Mariners have fired manager John McLaren, replacing him with bench coach Jim Riggleman. In 156 games over two seasons with McLaren as manager, the Mariners were 68-88. Entering Thursday, Seattle, which many observers thought had the talent to compete for the American League West, was last in the division with a 25-47 record -- 17½ games back in a four-team division.
Mariners GM Bill Bavasi was fired on Monday.
Top of the 3rd
WORLD SERIES PREVIEW?
The Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Chicago Cubs 5-4 for their second straight win over the club with baseball's best record. On top of that the Cubbies also lost starter Carlos Zambrano to a shoulder problem and will have an MRI today.
The Rays have won 24 of their last 28 home games and with 23 games left before the All-Star break they have 42 wins which matches its most before the All-Star break for any season.
Troy Percival tied Rollie Fingers for ninth all-time with his 341st career save.
Top of the 4th
WORLD SERIES PREVIEW?
J.D. Drew led the way for the Red Sox, going 4-for-5 with a home run, double and two singles and four RBIs as the Sox topped the Phils, 7-4 to win the three game series. Since David Ortiz was injured May 31, Drew is batting .441 (26-for-59) with nine homers and 21 RBIs. The Phillies have now lost three straight series. Boston is a major league-best 7-2 in interleague games.
Top of the 5th
THIS WILL TRULY BE A MID-SUMMER CLASSIC
MLB announced a partial list of the Hall of Famers who will be honored during a special pre-game on-field ceremony prior to the 79th MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 15th. Ernie Banks, Yogi Berra, George Brett, Lou Brock, Bob Feller, Tony Gwynn, Willie Mays, Phil Niekro, Frank Robinson and Mike Schmidt are among the more than 40 Hall of Famers who will be honored on the field prior to the game as a gesture to the majesty and history of Yankee Stadium during its last year. The pre-game ceremony will begin at 8:00 p.m. (EDT) and will air live on FOX.
The Hall of Famers will also participate in the All-Star Game Red Carpet Parade, where they will join the American League and National League All-Stars in a parade up Sixth Avenue from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (EDT) on the day of the game. The Red Carpet, which will span more than 95,000 square feet, will begin at 40th Street and extend up Sixth Avenue to 58th Street. MLB mascots will be on the Red Carpet, distributing gifts to fans along the parade route.
FOX will televise the All-Star Game Red Carpet Parade presented by Chevy at 7:00 p.m. (EDT) as a lead-in to the network telecast of the 79th MLB All-Star Game at 8:00 p.m. (EDT).
Top of the 6th
BILLY-BALL-VIDEO-OF-THE-DAY
Jon Stewart on Willie Randolph’s firing by the NY Mets
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=173865&title=intro-willie-randolph-fired
Top of the 7th
PROBABLE PITCHERS
Dodgers (Eric Stults) at Reds (Aaron Harang), 12:35
Padres (Josh Banks) at Yankees (Joba Chamberlain), 1:05
Nationals (Shawn Hill) at Twins (Glen Perkins), 1:10
Pirates (Phil Dumatrait) at White Sox (Gavin Floyd), 2:05
Braves (Charlie Morton) at Rangers (Scott Feldman), 2:05
Blue Jays (A.J. Burnett) at Brewers (David Bush), 2:05
Royals (Zack Greinke) at Cardinals (Brad Thompson), 2:15
A's (Greg Smith) at Diamondbacks (Doug Davis), 3:40
Astros (Shawn Chacon) at Orioles (Brian Burres), 7:05
Cubs (Sean Gallagher) at Rays (Jamie Shields), 7:10
Indians (Jeremy Sowers) at Rockies (Jorge De La Rosa), 9:05
Top of the 8th
DID YOU KNOW?
The Phillies Jimmy Rollins has stolen 28 bases without getting caught, with the streak dating to last Aug. 31.
Top of the 9th
HOW BAD ARE THE MARINERS?
Seattle Geoff Baker, astutely pointed out in his blog, the 2008 Mariners could become the first ballclub in baseball history to join the 100-100 club — 100 losses with a payroll of more than $100 million.
The worst seasons in Mariners history:
1977, 64-98 (.395)
1978, 56-104 (.350)
1980, 59-103 (.364)
1983, 60-102 (.370)
1992, 64-98 (.389)
2004, 63-99 (.389)
Bottom of the 9th
BUY THE BOOK
Bill Chuck is the creator of Billy-Ball.com and, with Jim Kaplan, is the author of the book, “Walk-Offs, Last Licks, and Final Outs – Baseball’s Grand (and not so Grand) Finales,” with a Foreword by Jon Miller available now from ACTA Sports.
Autographed first editions are available by contacting, Bill@billy-ball.com or order directly from Acta Sports, http://www.actasports.com/detail.html?&id=3427 or from your favorite bookstore worldwide.
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Information provided in Billy-Ball has been gathered from A.P. reports, espn.com, sportsline.com, mlb.com and numerous other e-sources. Opinions expressed in Billy-Ball are obviously solely the opinions of the author of Billy-Ball and do not reflect those of source material no matter how off the wall they may be.
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