|
|
Post by ypaterson on Jul 22, 2024 21:13:59 GMT -5
I looked him up and was surprised to see he only pitched in two games in his career. One with the Yankees, one with Cleveland. He pitched 5 2/3 total innings, no runs and one hit. Not too shabby. Hah, we were watching the same game 55. I remember it too. It was 1968. I'm too lazy to search for the box score right now. There were probably some potential Ohtani's in baseball's past but those guys didn't have the DH to fall back on. It's too hard to pitch and play a position as a hitter, in my opinion. Back when pitchers still hit Ken Brett retired with a lifetime batting average of 262 ? More recently Madison Bumgarner had an OPS over 720 in 3 of four seasons from 2014 to 2017. Maybe if he had been in the AL ??? |
|
|
|
Post by inger on Jul 22, 2024 22:04:13 GMT -5
I've got to nominate Rocky Colavito who is indeed still with us. Not because I believe he is the greatest living player but because he was my favorite player growing up and I want to see him get a mention. The Rock? Everybody loves him. The flame simply burned out too soon… |
|
|
|
Post by 1955nyyfan on Jul 23, 2024 8:37:57 GMT -5
One of my favorite memories was the Yanks were getting beat pretty good early in the first game of a DH against the Tigers. I think Houk was the manager and he brought Colavito in to pitch to save the pen for game 2. Rocky pitched 3 scoreless innings of 1 hit ball and the Yanks came back and won. I remember watching that game like it was yesterday. I looked him up and was surprised to see he only pitched in two games in his career. One with the Yankees, one with Cleveland. He pitched 5 2/3 total innings, no runs and one hit. Not too shabby. Hah, we were watching the same game 55. I remember it too. It was 1968. I'm too lazy to search for the box score right now. Pretty sure the hit he gave up was to HOFer Al Kaline. IIRC, it was a double. |
|
|
|
Post by JEGnj on Jul 23, 2024 9:07:50 GMT -5
Not sure about his fielding but where would Pete Rose fall?
|
|
|
|
Post by ypaterson on Jul 23, 2024 9:32:27 GMT -5
Not sure about his fielding but where would Pete Rose fall? The guy finished 10th or better in the MVP voting 10 times. You can make a case for him. |
|
|
|
Post by pippsheadache on Jul 23, 2024 9:36:54 GMT -5
I looked him up and was surprised to see he only pitched in two games in his career. One with the Yankees, one with Cleveland. He pitched 5 2/3 total innings, no runs and one hit. Not too shabby. Hah, we were watching the same game 55. I remember it too. It was 1968. I'm too lazy to search for the box score right now. Pretty sure the hit he gave up was to HOFer Al Kaline. IIRC, it was a double. Right you are 55. Al Kaline hit a double off of Rocky, the only hit he would allow in his major league career. At least it was a name brand! It was Game One of a doubleheader on August 25 1968 after which the Yanks record stood at 63-63. The Yanks won 6-5, with Bill Robinson driving in four runs (including a three-run HR against Pat Dobson.) Bobby Cox hit a solo shot and Jake Gibbs drove in the other run. Andy Kosco hit two doubles. Man that was an ugly lineup. Detroit of course would go on to win the World Series that year. Rocky came in to relieve Steve Barber with one out in the fourth inning after Barber had allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits. Colavito pitched 2 2/3 scoreless, with only the double to Kaline and a walk plus one strikeout. Dooley Womack pitched one inning of scoreless relief for the hold and Lindy McDaniel pitched a scoreless ninth to save the win for Rocky. Here is something really crazy. That doubleheader was one of four doubleheaders the Yanks would play in five days! Can you imagine? Working with a ten-man pitching staff, no wonder Rocky got to pitch. The Yanks had a DH against Detroit on August 23, a single game on August 24, another DH against Detroit on August 25, and back to back DHs against the Angels on August 26 and 27. Single games against the White Sox on August 28 and 29, then another doubleheader against the Indians on August 30. Single games against Cleveland on August 31 and September 1, then ANOTHER doubleheader against Baltimore on September 2. Looking down the road, more DHs on September 7, 10, and 13. How is that possible? Starting with an August 7 doubleheader against Oakland, the Yankees played 36 games in 29 days without a day off!! No wonder those of us of a certain vintage shake our heads at load management. |
|
|
|
Post by pippsheadache on Jul 23, 2024 9:42:49 GMT -5
Not sure about his fielding but where would Pete Rose fall? The guy finished 10th or better in the MVP voting 10 times. You can make a case for him. Somehow I can't see MLB honoring Pete Rose as Greatest Living Player. Although it's hypocrisy of gargantuan proportions that the games have constant ads for Fan Duel and are always flashing up various prop bets during the game. They should at least let Pete do ads for those. He was a hell of a player, but didn't have the all-around numbers to qualify as greatest living player. I couldn't put him above guys like Schmidt or Henderson or Trout or Griffey or even his teammate Johnny Bench. But he was memorable, that's for sure. |
|
|
|
Post by ypaterson on Jul 23, 2024 9:45:16 GMT -5
Rocco Colavito got his start in professional baseball after attending a tryout in Yankee Stadium ! Too bad it was the Indians that signed him. I recall reading stories that the Yankees wanted him as a pitcher but I cannot find any source for that story.
|
|
|
|
Post by pippsheadache on Jul 23, 2024 9:50:24 GMT -5
Rocco Colavito got his start in professional baseball after attending a tryout in Yankee Stadium ! Too bad it was the Indians that signed him. I recall reading stories that the Yankees wanted him as a pitcher but I cannot find any source for that story. I know that as a Bronx Boy he grew up a Yankee fan and quite naturally Joe D was his favorite. He would have seemed like a natural fit, but I have some vague recollection of reading somewhere that George Weiss gave the thumbs down. If true, that would have been a rare mistake for him. Although the Yanks had so many great players at that time that it would have been hard for Colavito to break through. He was a folk hero in Cleveland. |
|
|
|
Post by azbob643 on Jul 23, 2024 10:00:23 GMT -5
Rocco Colavito got his start in professional baseball after attending a tryout in Yankee Stadium ! Too bad it was the Indians that signed him. I recall reading stories that the Yankees wanted him as a pitcher but I cannot find any source for that story. I know that as a Bronx Boy he grew up a Yankee fan and quite naturally Joe D was his favorite. He would have seemed like a natural fit, but I have some vague recollection of reading somewhere that George Weiss gave the thumbs down. If true, that would have been a rare mistake for him. Although the Yanks had so many great players at that time that it would have been hard for Colavito to break through. He was a folk hero in Cleveland. Rod Carew is another "local" great the Yanks missed out on. |
|
|
|
Post by 1955nyyfan on Jul 23, 2024 10:42:49 GMT -5
Pretty sure the hit he gave up was to HOFer Al Kaline. IIRC, it was a double. Right you are 55. Al Kaline hit a double off of Rocky, the only hit he would allow in his major league career. At least it was a name brand! It was Game One of a doubleheader on August 25 1968 after which the Yanks record stood at 63-63. The Yanks won 6-5, with Bill Robinson driving in four runs (including a three-run HR against Pat Dobson.) Bobby Cox hit a solo shot and Jake Gibbs drove in the other run. Andy Kosco hit two doubles. Man that was an ugly lineup. Detroit of course would go on to win the World Series that year. Rocky came in to relieve Steve Barber with one out in the fourth inning after Barber had allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits. Colavito pitched 2 2/3 scoreless, with only the double to Kaline and a walk plus one strikeout. Dooley Womack pitched one inning of scoreless relief for the hold and Lindy McDaniel pitched a scoreless ninth to save the win for Rocky. Here is something really crazy. That doubleheader was one of four doubleheaders the Yanks would play in five days! Can you imagine? Working with a ten-man pitching staff, no wonder Rocky got to pitch. The Yanks had a DH against Detroit on August 23, a single game on August 24, another DH against Detroit on August 25, and back to back DHs against the Angels on August 26 and 27. Single games against the White Sox on August 28 and 29, then another doubleheader against the Indians on August 30. Single games against Cleveland on August 31 and September 1, then ANOTHER doubleheader against Baltimore on September 2. Looking down the road, more DHs on September 7, 10, and 13. How is that possible? Starting with an August 7 doubleheader against Oakland, the Yankees played 36 games in 29 days without a day off!! No wonder those of us of a certain vintage shake our heads at load management. For some reason I'm remembering the K being Norm Cash but wouldn't wager a lot on it. What a crazy schedule and those were some bad Yankee teams. About the same time, maybe a few years in the future the Yanks went to a youth movement. I still recall how excited Scooter would get hyping the kids, the likes of Jerry "hop skip and a throw" Kenny, Mike Pags, Celerino Sanchez, John Ellis but at least there was one player in the group.....a young Bobby Murcer. |
|
|
|
Post by Max on Jul 23, 2024 11:08:07 GMT -5
I know that as a Bronx Boy he grew up a Yankee fan and quite naturally Joe D was his favorite. He would have seemed like a natural fit, but I have some vague recollection of reading somewhere that George Weiss gave the thumbs down. If true, that would have been a rare mistake for him. Although the Yanks had so many great players at that time that it would have been hard for Colavito to break through. He was a folk hero in Cleveland. Rod Carew is another "local" great the Yanks missed out on. Twice. |
|
|
|
Post by fwclipper51 on Jul 23, 2024 13:09:35 GMT -5
Rocco Colavito got his start in professional baseball after attending a tryout in Yankee Stadium ! Too bad it was the Indians that signed him. I recall reading stories that the Yankees wanted him as a pitcher but I cannot find any source for that story. It was a Yankees MLB Scout who visited Rocky at his home, who would cost the Yankees their chance to sign him. Apparently Rocky was turn off with his attitude and cigar smoking. Rocky favorite player was Yankees CF Joe DiMaggio. My former HS Gym teacher Pitcher Bob Hooper who was with the 1954 Indians, said that on the mound, Rocky was threw faster than AL All-Star starter Herb Score. That his bat would rescue from the MLB career on the mound. |
|
|
|
Post by inger on Jul 23, 2024 15:33:45 GMT -5
Pretty sure the hit he gave up was to HOFer Al Kaline. IIRC, it was a double. Right you are 55. Al Kaline hit a double off of Rocky, the only hit he would allow in his major league career. At least it was a name brand! It was Game One of a doubleheader on August 25 1968 after which the Yanks record stood at 63-63. The Yanks won 6-5, with Bill Robinson driving in four runs (including a three-run HR against Pat Dobson.) Bobby Cox hit a solo shot and Jake Gibbs drove in the other run. Andy Kosco hit two doubles. Man that was an ugly lineup. Detroit of course would go on to win the World Series that year. Rocky came in to relieve Steve Barber with one out in the fourth inning after Barber had allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits. Colavito pitched 2 2/3 scoreless, with only the double to Kaline and a walk plus one strikeout. Dooley Womack pitched one inning of scoreless relief for the hold and Lindy McDaniel pitched a scoreless ninth to save the win for Rocky. Here is something really crazy. That doubleheader was one of four doubleheaders the Yanks would play in five days! Can you imagine? Working with a ten-man pitching staff, no wonder Rocky got to pitch. The Yanks had a DH against Detroit on August 23, a single game on August 24, another DH against Detroit on August 25, and back to back DHs against the Angels on August 26 and 27. Single games against the White Sox on August 28 and 29, then another doubleheader against the Indians on August 30. Single games against Cleveland on August 31 and September 1, then ANOTHER doubleheader against Baltimore on September 2. Looking down the road, more DHs on September 7, 10, and 13. How is that possible? Starting with an August 7 doubleheader against Oakland, the Yankees played 36 games in 29 days without a day off!! No wonder those of us of a certain vintage shake our heads at load management. Ugly lineup? Perhaps, but they were first in my heart. I’m proud to have stood with them in the face of the success of the local franchise (Orioles) in those years and all of the other neighborhood kids thumbing their nose at me an “my” Yankees…all those names are like treasures to me, and pull at my heartstrings as I remember rooting for them… |
|
