[ad_1]
Craig Lefferts has a spot in San Diego Padres historical past, and an excellent story that goes together with it. The 65-year-old veteran of 12 big-league seasons shared it with me previous to a current Arizona Fall League recreation.
“My rookie 12 months was 1983, with the Chicago Cubs,” mentioned Lefferts, who’s now a pitching coordinator within the Oakland Athletics group. “We had two left-handers within the bullpen, myself and Willie Hernandez, and the 2 of us would play catch daily, attempting to work on a changeup. We had a right-hander in our pen by the title of Bill Campbell who threw a screwball. He taught, or at the very least tried to show, us find out how to throw a screwball. Mine was horrible and Willie’s wasn’t excellent both. [Pitching coach] Billy Connors informed me, ‘I don’t need you to ever use that in a recreation. I would like you to pitch with the stuff that acquired you right here. You’re a rookie, so don’t go on the market and attempt to throw a brand new pitch.’ So I didn’t, however I saved engaged on it. After the season, I went to winter ball and perfected it.
“The subsequent 12 months, Willie acquired traded to the Tigers and I acquired traded to the Padres,” continued Lefferts. “Each of us threw a screwball as our greatest pitch. He gained the Cy Young Award and I had arguably the very best 12 months of my profession. I had 10 saves, however was principally organising Rich Gossage. Then Willie and I met within the World Collection.”
That’s the place Lefferts’s place in Padres historical past resides. The southpaw entered Sport 2 within the high of the seventh inning with the Padres clinging to a 5-3 lead over a powerhouse Detroit Tigers crew that had began the season 35-5 on their technique to a 104-58 report. He proceeded to permit one baserunner over three scoreless frames.
That the Tigers went on to win the following three video games is a part of the story.
“I acquired the save in the one win the Padres have had within the World Collection,” defined Lefferts. “San Diego has performed 9 World Collection video games and is 1-8. I threw three shutout innings that evening, with 5 strikeouts. Alan Trammell acquired the one hit I allowed. It was on the largest stage, and doubtless my greatest thrill.”
———
RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
Dusty Baker went 22 for 69 in opposition to Steve Carlton.
Mike Schmidt went 33 for 82 in opposition to Bob Knepper.
Terry Puhl went 16 for 45 in opposition to Dick Ruthven.
Lenny Dykstra went 13 for 35 in opposition to Mike Scott.
Willie Montanez went 13 for 39 in opposition to Larry Dierker.
———
Adam Macko noticed a restricted quantity of motion this season. He threw simply 38-and-a-third innings, all with Excessive-A Everett, and previous to becoming a member of the Arizona Fall League’s Peoria Javelinas he hadn’t pitched in a recreation since late Might. Final weekend, I requested the No. 8 prospect within the Seattle Mariners group about his prolonged stint on the injured listing.
“It was principally precautionary,” Macko informed me. “I used to be having some discomfort, so I had to return to [the team’s training facility in] Arizona for somewhat bit and sort of get myself collectively. I really feel good now. I wouldn’t be out right here if I didn’t really feel 100%.”
Requested to elaborate, the 21-year-old Slovakia-born, Canada-raised southpaw mentioned that the discomfort wasn’t arm-related, however relatively his “physique was simply actually drained, so it was sort of all the things.”
Per MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo, Macko had handled “an elbow pressure after which meniscus damage” through the 2022 season.
Macko’s distinctive backstory was a major focus after I interviewed, and subsequently wrote about him, in Might of final 12 months. We’d additionally addressed his plus curveball, so I requested in our current dialog if he nonetheless considers it his finest pitch.
“I used to be truly fascinated about that myself, not too way back,” replied Macko. “It’s powerful to say, as a result of I’ve modified my repertoire somewhat bit. I’m at all times evolving. Whereas my curveball is technically my bread and butter, I’m undecided what my finest pitch is true now.”
Macko at present throws the curveball, a fastball, a changeup, and a slider that he’s labored to make each more durable and tighter. Neither a gyro nor a sweeper, he desires the pitch to have cutter traits. Extra lately, he’s been “taking part in round with the curveball somewhat bit,” the first goal being extra range in velocity. Relying on the depend, he desires to have the ability to throw his hook “as sluggish as 68-70, and as agency as 80-81 [mph].”
The Vauxhall (Alberta) Baseball Academy product can be upping his psychological recreation.
“A giant change has been getting from inner to exterior considering,” defined Macko. “I’m being conscious of each single pitch, relatively than fascinated about my mechanics and at all times simply attempting to throw onerous. I’m turning into extra of a pitcher.”
———
A quiz:
The identical participant has each probably the most runs scored, and probably the most RBIs, in World Collection historical past. Who’s it?
The reply will be discovered beneath.
———
NEWS NOTES
The Cincinnati Reds introduced this week that Bronson Arroyo has been elected to the crew’s Corridor of Fame, making him the 82nd individual so honored. The proper-hander spent 9 of his 16 seasons with the Reds, going 108-100 with a 4.18 ERA.
Miami Marlins infielder Jon Berti has been inducted in to the Bowling Inexperienced State College Athletic Corridor of Fame. The Troy, Michigan native performed on the Mid-American Convention faculty from 2009-2011.
The Altoona Curve have promoted Michelle Gravert to the place of Assistant Normal Supervisor. A graduate of St. Ambrose College, Gravert has been with the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Double-A affiliate since 2016.
——-
The reply to the quiz is Mickey Mantle, with 42 runs scored and 40 RBIs. The Commerce Comet additionally has probably the most residence runs (18) and complete bases (123) in World Collection historical past.
———
Three tidbits from Tyler Kepner’s glorious The Grandest Stage: A History of the World Series:
4 gamers have homered in the one World Collection at-bat of their careers: Jim Mason of the 1976 Yankees, Geoff Blum of the 2005 White Sox, Bobby Kielty of the 2007 Pink Sox, and Michael A.Taylor of the 2019 Nationals.
Kansas Metropolis Royals nearer Dan Quisenberry confronted 43 batters within the 1980 World Collection and struck out none of them.
Dusty Rhodes walked off Sport 1 of the 1954 World Collection with a pinch-hit, three-homer that traveled simply over 270 toes into the right-field stands on the Polo Grounds. The New York Giants legend went 4 for six with two homers over the primary three video games, then didn’t play within the clincher of the four-game sweep of heavily-favored Cleveland. Per Kepner’s e book, Rhodes later informed sportswriter Ira Berkow, “I used to be ingesting to everybody’s well being a lot that I about ruined mine.”
———
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Yoshinobu Yamamoto was honored with the Sawamura Award — NPB’s equal to the Cy Younger Award — for the second consecutive season. The 24-year-old Orix Buffaloes right-hander completed the 12 months 15-5 with a 1.68 ERA, and 205 strikeouts in 193 innings.
The Orix Buffaloes beat the Yakult Swallows 3-0 in Saturday’s Sport 6 and want yet one more win to seize the franchise’s first Japan Collection title since 1996. The Osaka-based membership leads the sequence three video games to 2 (Sport 2 resulted in a 12-inning tie).
Yasiel Puig homered because the Kiwoom Heroes beat the LG Twins 4-1 on Friday to advance to the Korean Collection. SSG Landers obtained a bye to the best-of-seven championship sequence by posting the KBO’s finest common season report.
Citing contractual points, MLB introduced throughout World Collection Sport 1 that they’re cancelling the 4 exhibition video games that had been to be performed in South Korea subsequent month. The video games had been to have featured MLB gamers versus KBO gamers.
Nate Pearson has appeared in 5 video games and thrown 5 hitless and scoreless innings for Tigres del Licey within the Dominican Winter League. The 26-year-old Toronto Blue Jays right-hander was restricted to 15-and-a-third minor-league innings this season as a consequence of damage points.
———
Justyn-Henry Malloy was a visitor on Friday’s episode of FanGraphs Audio, and one of many topics addressed by the 22-year-old Atlanta Braves outfield prospect was batting apply energy. Malloy is at present taking part in within the Arizona Fall League, and I needed to to know which of his Scottsdale Photo voltaic Sox teammates places on the very best present. His reply got here with little hesitation.
“Heston, [Kjerstad]” replied Malloy. “Interval. Arms down, Heston. He places on an absolute show. I’ll be within the outfield, attempting to get my work in, however I can’t actually get a lot outfield work in when balls are going over the wall. On the similar time, he’s not attempting to hit residence runs in BP. Now, I’m not in Heston’s head, however it’s like he may clip balls — he doesn’t get [them] properly — they usually’re nonetheless homers. That’s only a robust human. Credit score to him and what he does. He’s particular.”
Kjerstad, whom the Baltimore Orioles drafted second general in 2020 out of the College of Arkansas, has 5 residence runs and a 1.010 OPS in 81 Fall League at-bats. Malloy, Atlanta’s sixth spherical decide in 2021, started this 12 months in Excessive-A and superior to Triple-A earlier than becoming a member of the Photo voltaic Sox.
———
FARM NOTES
Connor Thomas has a 1.53 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 17-and-two-thirds innings for the Arizona Fall League’s Salt River Rafters. The 24-year-old left-hander within the St. Louis Cardinals system spent the common season with Triple-A Springfield.
Bailey Horn has thrown 10-and-two-thirds scoreless innings for the Mesa Photo voltaic Sox. The 24-year-old left-hander within the Chicago Cubs system made 28 of his 33 regular-season appearances with Double-A Tennessee.
Edouard Julien is slashing .373/.536/.706 with 4 residence runs in 69 plate appearances with the Glendale Desert Canine. Featured here at FanGraphs final October, the 23-year-old infielder within the Minnesota Twins system performed at Double-A Wichita this season.
Johan Rojas has 13 hits in 42 at-bats and is an ideal 13-for-13 stolen base makes an attempt with the Shock Saguaros. The 22-year-old outfielder within the Philadelphia Phillies system cut up the 2022 season between Excessive-A Jersey Metropolis and Double-A Studying.
———
Jordan Lawlar — featured here at FanGraphs earlier this week — supplied an surprising reply after I requested him which of the pitchers he confronted this season stood out probably the most. After I pose this query to minor-league hitters, the reply is often a higher-profile prospect. Lawlar cited an unranked, recently-turned-20-year-old right-hander who logged a 5.88 ERA this 12 months in Low-A
“I’d say Eric Silva, with the San Jose Giants,” mentioned Lawlar, who confronted the 2021 fourth-round decide twice in April. “It was early within the season, most likely the second week of professional ball for me, and all three of his pitches had been working. He was commanding them, and any time you’ve acquired a pitcher with two or three pitches that he can command within the zone, it’s going to be somewhat more durable on the plate.”
———
LINKS YOU’LL LIKE
Prospects Dwell’s Joe Doyle thinks that College of Tennessee right-hander Chase Dollander could be a generational expertise.
Blue Chook Banter’s Tom Dakers looked back on the profession of former Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Juan Guzman.
Viva El Birdos’s J.P. Hill looked each back and forth on the St. Louis Cardinals catching place.
Federal Baseball’s Patrick Reddington looked back on the blockbuster deal that despatched Juan Soto to San Diego and introduced a bevy of prospects to Washington in return.
Over at The Washington Publish, Frederic J. Frommer wrote about how World Collection day video games went extinct.
———
RANDOM FACTS AND STATS
Bill Dinneen (35) and Cy Younger (34) mixed to pitch all however two innings for the Boston Individuals once they beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 5 video games to a few to win the primary modern-era World Collection in 1903. Dineen threw a four-hit shutout within the clincher, with Hobe Ferris driving in all three of Boston’s runs.
The 1906 World Collection was gained in six video games by the Chicago White Sox, who’d completed the common season with a report of 93-58-3. The “Hitless Wonders” prevailed over the 116-36-3 Chicago Cubs, whose .763 profitable proportion stays the best in MLB historical past.
The Philadelphia Phillies misplaced eight of the primary 9 video games they performed within the World Collection. The scores in these losses had been (in 1915): 2-1, 2-1, 2-1, 5-4, and (in 1950): 1-0, 2-1, 3-2, 5-2.
The primary season for the Houston Astros franchise was 1962. The then-named Colt .45s went 1-17 in opposition to the Philadelphia Phillies that 12 months.
Irish Meusel performed within the 1921, 1922, and 1923 World Collection for the New York Giants and went 22 for 74 with 16 RBIs. His brother, Bob Meusel, performed within the 1921, 1922, and 1923 World Collection for the New York Yankees and went 19 for 76 with 13 RBIs.
Tommy Bond gained 40 or extra video games in every of the 1877, 1878, 1879 seasons whereas pitching for the Nationwide League’s Boston Pink Stockings. The Granard, Eire native went 123-55 with a 2.03 ERA and 174 full video games over the three-year stretch.
John “The Count” Montefusco was named Nationwide League Rookie of the 12 months on right this moment’s date in 1975. The San Francisco Giants right-hander went 15-9 with a 2.88 ERA. Montreal Expos catcher Gary Carter, who hit 17 residence runs and had a 113 wRC+, completed second within the voting.
On right this moment’s date in 2013, the Boston Pink Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 to seize third World Collection title prior to now decade. Shane “The Flyin’ Hawaiian” Victorino hit a bases-clearing, three-run double within the third inning to key the win.
Gamers born on right this moment’s date embody Mark Ettles, a right-handed pitcher who appeared in 14 video games for the San Diego Padres in 1993. The Perth, Australia native had a 6.50 ERA in 18 innings and was on the profitable finish of his solely resolution.
Additionally born on right this moment’s date was Roe Skidmore, whose big-league profession comprised one plate look for the Chicago Cubs in 1970. Pinch-hitting for Joe Decker, the Millikin College product singled off of St. Louis Cardinals southpaw Jerry Reuss.
[ad_2]
Source link
