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Post by inger on Mar 22, 2023 8:31:13 GMT -5
We all recall the Yankees plucking a player away from the Red Sox in part because he both pitched and played in the field. A fella named Babe Ruth, right? Well, Ruth easnt the first one. First there was: . HARRY WOLTER Wolter was a handy two-way player for the 1909 Red Sox, appearing in 11 games on the mound, 18 more at 1B & another 9 in the OF. On 12-Jan-1910, he was selected off waivers by NYY [Highlanders] from BOS for $1,500. Wolter became a regular in New York & posted the best 4-year stretch of his career with a strong Dead Ball Era composite OPS+ of 121. Wolter doubled his career-best in HRs in 1910, bashing four (4!) & finishing with the 6th highest HR total in the AL. Of his 12 career HRs, 10 were inside-the-park & the 11th was of the “bounce” variety allowed at the time. His only outside-the-park HR was hit to RF at the Polo Grounds where the distance to the bleachers was a mere 258’ down the line… Those balls must have been like livermush back then. I don’t know. I never showered with him… |
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Post by inger on Mar 22, 2023 8:53:36 GMT -5
We all recall the Yankees plucking a player away from the Red Sox in part because he both pitched and played in the field. A fella named Babe Ruth, right? Well, Ruth easnt the first one. First there was: . HARRY WOLTER Wolter was a handy two-way player for the 1909 Red Sox, appearing in 11 games on the mound, 18 more at 1B & another 9 in the OF. On 12-Jan-1910, he was selected off waivers by NYY [Highlanders] from BOS for $1,500. Wolter became a regular in New York & posted the best 4-year stretch of his career with a strong Dead Ball Era composite OPS+ of 121. Wolter doubled his career-best in HRs in 1910, bashing four (4!) & finishing with the 6th highest HR total in the AL. Of his 12 career HRs, 10 were inside-the-park & the 11th was of the “bounce” variety allowed at the time. His only outside-the-park HR was hit to RF at the Polo Grounds where the distance to the bleachers was a mere 258’ down the line… Those balls must have been like livermush back then. But getting more serious about that comment. Wolter slashed .277 .382 .382 .764 121 for those four years with the Yankees. In so doing he totaled 10 HR and 122 RBI for the four seasons. I’m not sure those (base)balls were made to livermush standards. I was too lazy to find us an exact match of Wolter’s .764 OPS and 121 OPS+, but look at Brenden Donovan from St. Louis in 2022. .281 .394 .379 .773 126 That’s with 5 HR and 45 RBI, which we could extrapolate to a four year total of 20 HR and 180 RBIs. As weak as offenses are now, that’s still quite an increase in firepower over Wolter’s four seasons with the Yanks… I know. Eras. Can’t compare. Livermush baseballs, three true out comes and all that. But I always try to. Nobody seems to be begging for more Brendan Donovans on their team… |
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Post by pippsheadache on Mar 22, 2023 12:40:08 GMT -5
Johnny Lindell is the only Yankee of to ever hit 4 doubles in a game. With all the great of, it seems Johnny would not be the one you’d expect to do that, just as one would never expect light-hitting Jim Mason to hit four in a game 30 years later. Lindell had quite a career track. In MiLB he he went 18-7 and 23-4 in 1940 and 41. After working 23 games for the Yanks in 1942 and pitching to a 3.76 ERA he was quickly switch to the OF and lead the AL in triples each of his first two seasons. For the time being he was no longer a pitcher. Once his bat became ineffective, Lindell, now in the Pirates organization switched back to pitching and on 1952 he posted a MiLB mark of 24-9. In 1953 he pitched at least 8 innings in 15 of 32 starts for Pittsburgh, the 36 year old struggled along with the rest of his team mates, posting a 6-15 before they dealt him to the Phillies where he worked to a 1-1 mark. Lindell ( .273 .344 .429 .773 114) was a successful MLB of, but one must wonder what kind of pitcher he might have been, but he had lost some of his fastball after his short MLB test and manager McCarthy said he would have play OF if he wanted to stay… Quite a career… Thanks for bringing these guys up, Inger. I had forgotten about Johnny Lindell's adventures in pitching. Lindell himself acknowledged later that McCarthy was right that he did not have a major league fastball. He re-invented himself as a knuckleball pitcher in the early 1950s, and while the knuckler was at times effective, he had almost no control over it -- he led the NL in both walks and wild pitches in 1953. He is one of those background noise guys on the great Yankee squads of the 1940s. Players who made significant contributions for a few years and then moved on -- Lindell, Billy Johnson, Bobby Brown, Snuffy Stirnweiss, Hank Borowy, Atley Donald, Tiny Bonham and so on. He was a big guy for his day at 6'4" and around 220 pounds. According to the book "Dynasty" by Peter Golenbock (not one of my favorite writers, but he was pretty straightforward in this one) Lindell was one of the leading pranksters on the team, often in a rather gross manner, and the kindly but gullible Phil Rizzuto was one of his favorite targets (and Phil didn't get angry about it.) As good of a ballplayer as he was, by the late forties he was competing for OF time with not only with the starting trio of Joe DiMaggio, Charlie Keller and Tommy Henrich, but up and coming talent like Hank Bauer and Gene Woodling. Just an embarrassment of riches on those teams, almost inconceivable that you could have six OFers who ranged from All Star level to HOF level. Between injuries and rotating at first base now and then and pinch-hitting, Lindell still got his ABs, but by 1950, with Mickey Mantle in the pipeline, Casey Stengel saw him as expendable and he was sold to the Cardinals. And it's almost impossible to believe that Jim Mason could get four doubles in one game. He was about the weakest Yankee hitter I ever saw. There had to be some pop flies lost in the sun or chalk-raising bloops down the line. |
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Post by inger on Mar 22, 2023 14:51:47 GMT -5
Johnny Lindell is the only Yankee of to ever hit 4 doubles in a game. With all the great of, it seems Johnny would not be the one you’d expect to do that, just as one would never expect light-hitting Jim Mason to hit four in a game 30 years later. Lindell had quite a career track. In MiLB he he went 18-7 and 23-4 in 1940 and 41. After working 23 games for the Yanks in 1942 and pitching to a 3.76 ERA he was quickly switch to the OF and lead the AL in triples each of his first two seasons. For the time being he was no longer a pitcher. Once his bat became ineffective, Lindell, now in the Pirates organization switched back to pitching and on 1952 he posted a MiLB mark of 24-9. In 1953 he pitched at least 8 innings in 15 of 32 starts for Pittsburgh, the 36 year old struggled along with the rest of his team mates, posting a 6-15 before they dealt him to the Phillies where he worked to a 1-1 mark. Lindell ( .273 .344 .429 .773 114) was a successful MLB of, but one must wonder what kind of pitcher he might have been, but he had lost some of his fastball after his short MLB test and manager McCarthy said he would have play OF if he wanted to stay… Quite a career… Thanks for bringing these guys up, Inger. I had forgotten about Johnny Lindell's adventures in pitching. Lindell himself acknowledged later that McCarthy was right that he did not have a major league fastball. He re-invented himself as a knuckleball pitcher in the early 1950s, and while the knuckler was at times effective, he had almost no control over it -- he led the NL in both walks and wild pitches in 1953. He is one of those background noise guys on the great Yankee squads of the 1940s. Players who made significant contributions for a few years and then moved on -- Lindell, Billy Johnson, Bobby Brown, Snuffy Stirnweiss, Hank Borowy, Atley Donald, Tiny Bonham and so on. He was a big guy for his day at 6'4" and around 220 pounds. According to the book "Dynasty" by Peter Golenbock (not one of my favorite writers, but he was pretty straightforward in this one) Lindell was one of the leading pranksters on the team, often in a rather gross manner, and the kindly but gullible Phil Rizzuto was one of his favorite targets (and Phil didn't get angry about it.) As good of a ballplayer as he was, by the late forties he was competing for OF time with not only with the starting trio of Joe DiMaggio, Charlie Keller and Tommy Henrich, but up and coming talent like Hank Bauer and Gene Woodling. Just an embarrassment of riches on those teams, almost inconceivable that you could have six OFers who ranged from All Star level to HOF level. Between injuries and rotating at first base now and then and pinch-hitting, Lindell still got his ABs, but by 1950, with Mickey Mantle in the pipeline, Casey Stengel saw him as expendable and he was sold to the Cardinals. And it's almost impossible to believe that Jim Mason could get four doubles in one game. He was about the weakest Yankee hitter I ever saw. There had to be some pop flies lost in the sun or chalk-raising bloops down the line. Perspective: Mason got approximately 7.5% of his career doubles in that one game, about 1.7% of his games played. I remember seeing Mason in person in Baltimore. He seemed to draw attention to himself by bitching constantly at the umpires. His career slash .203 .259 .275 .534 54 must have been their fault. He did have that one “glorious” season (1974) when he hit .250 and slugged his only Yankee HR. Hit hit another HR in ‘77 with Toronto. It’s hard to believe he tallied 9 seasons in the bigs… |
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Post by rizzuto on Mar 22, 2023 15:54:41 GMT -5
Johnny Lindell is the only Yankee of to ever hit 4 doubles in a game. With all the great of, it seems Johnny would not be the one you’d expect to do that, just as one would never expect light-hitting Jim Mason to hit four in a game 30 years later. Lindell had quite a career track. In MiLB he he went 18-7 and 23-4 in 1940 and 41. After working 23 games for the Yanks in 1942 and pitching to a 3.76 ERA he was quickly switch to the OF and lead the AL in triples each of his first two seasons. For the time being he was no longer a pitcher. Once his bat became ineffective, Lindell, now in the Pirates organization switched back to pitching and on 1952 he posted a MiLB mark of 24-9. In 1953 he pitched at least 8 innings in 15 of 32 starts for Pittsburgh, the 36 year old struggled along with the rest of his team mates, posting a 6-15 before they dealt him to the Phillies where he worked to a 1-1 mark. Lindell ( .273 .344 .429 .773 114) was a successful MLB of, but one must wonder what kind of pitcher he might have been, but he had lost some of his fastball after his short MLB test and manager McCarthy said he would have play OF if he wanted to stay… Quite a career… Thanks for bringing these guys up, Inger. I had forgotten about Johnny Lindell's adventures in pitching. Lindell himself acknowledged later that McCarthy was right that he did not have a major league fastball. He re-invented himself as a knuckleball pitcher in the early 1950s, and while the knuckler was at times effective, he had almost no control over it -- he led the NL in both walks and wild pitches in 1953. He is one of those background noise guys on the great Yankee squads of the 1940s. Players who made significant contributions for a few years and then moved on -- Lindell, Billy Johnson, Bobby Brown, Snuffy Stirnweiss, Hank Borowy, Atley Donald, Tiny Bonham and so on. He was a big guy for his day at 6'4" and around 220 pounds. According to the book "Dynasty" by Peter Golenbock (not one of my favorite writers, but he was pretty straightforward in this one) Lindell was one of the leading pranksters on the team, often in a rather gross manner, and the kindly but gullible Phil Rizzuto was one of his favorite targets (and Phil didn't get angry about it.) As good of a ballplayer as he was, by the late forties he was competing for OF time with not only with the starting trio of Joe DiMaggio, Charlie Keller and Tommy Henrich, but up and coming talent like Hank Bauer and Gene Woodling. Just an embarrassment of riches on those teams, almost inconceivable that you could have six OFers who ranged from All Star level to HOF level. Between injuries and rotating at first base now and then and pinch-hitting, Lindell still got his ABs, but by 1950, with Mickey Mantle in the pipeline, Casey Stengel saw him as expendable and he was sold to the Cardinals. And it's almost impossible to believe that Jim Mason could get four doubles in one game. He was about the weakest Yankee hitter I ever saw. There had to be some pop flies lost in the sun or chalk-raising bloops down the line. "Dynasty" was on the shelf at Joe Simas' home and was one of the first books I borrowed from him. Golenbock certainly was no Roger Angell, but I did enjoy the book. Rizzuto had so many phobias and fears, he was a natural set-up for a prank. And, pranksters knew that Uncle Phil would laugh off the episodes and hold no grudges. I doubt anyone pranked Joe DiMaggio. Can you imagine if this Yankee team had someone in left field the caliber of Keller (HOF worthy and underrated as anyone), Henrich, Bauer, or Woodling (so valuable)? |
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Post by pippsheadache on Mar 22, 2023 16:30:29 GMT -5
Thanks for bringing these guys up, Inger. I had forgotten about Johnny Lindell's adventures in pitching. Lindell himself acknowledged later that McCarthy was right that he did not have a major league fastball. He re-invented himself as a knuckleball pitcher in the early 1950s, and while the knuckler was at times effective, he had almost no control over it -- he led the NL in both walks and wild pitches in 1953. He is one of those background noise guys on the great Yankee squads of the 1940s. Players who made significant contributions for a few years and then moved on -- Lindell, Billy Johnson, Bobby Brown, Snuffy Stirnweiss, Hank Borowy, Atley Donald, Tiny Bonham and so on. He was a big guy for his day at 6'4" and around 220 pounds. According to the book "Dynasty" by Peter Golenbock (not one of my favorite writers, but he was pretty straightforward in this one) Lindell was one of the leading pranksters on the team, often in a rather gross manner, and the kindly but gullible Phil Rizzuto was one of his favorite targets (and Phil didn't get angry about it.) As good of a ballplayer as he was, by the late forties he was competing for OF time with not only with the starting trio of Joe DiMaggio, Charlie Keller and Tommy Henrich, but up and coming talent like Hank Bauer and Gene Woodling. Just an embarrassment of riches on those teams, almost inconceivable that you could have six OFers who ranged from All Star level to HOF level. Between injuries and rotating at first base now and then and pinch-hitting, Lindell still got his ABs, but by 1950, with Mickey Mantle in the pipeline, Casey Stengel saw him as expendable and he was sold to the Cardinals. And it's almost impossible to believe that Jim Mason could get four doubles in one game. He was about the weakest Yankee hitter I ever saw. There had to be some pop flies lost in the sun or chalk-raising bloops down the line. "Dynasty" was on the shelf at Joe Simas' home and was one of the first books I borrowed from him. Golenbock certainly was no Roger Angell, but I did enjoy the book. Rizzuto had so many phobias and fears, he was a natural set-up for a prank. And, pranksters knew that Uncle Phil would laugh off the episodes and hold no grudges. I doubt anyone pranked Joe DiMaggio. Can you imagine if this Yankee team had someone in left field the caliber of Keller (HOF worthy and underrated as anyone), Henrich, Bauer, or Woodling (so valuable)? Yes, Golenbock was on his best behavior in this one. Summarizing every year of the amazing 1949-1964 run of 14 pennants in 16 years. If Cashman can pull that off I will never criticize him again. The Scooter was just a saintly guy. That's why when he got old and started rambling about cannolis and getting over the GWB in time nobody complained. He earned some indulgences. And for those who only remember him in his dotage, in his early years he was a very perceptive broadcaster and just sounded like New York. Joe D. almost used him as a valet when Phil first came up, although he was clearly very fond of him. And I don't think even a big ox of a practical joker like Johnny Lindell would have dared to put snakes in Joe D's locker or give him a hot foot. I can't even imagine it. Charlie Keller is vastly vastly under-rated. He was a GREAT player and was considered as such when he was active. I'd take him in LF anytime. |
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Post by inger on Mar 22, 2023 17:24:02 GMT -5
Consider what the Yankees lost during World War II, in terms of production. Their team, especially their lineup, was gutted, primarily for the 1943-45 seasons.
PLAYER (AGE IN SEASONS MISSED WHILE SERVING IN WW2)
Joe DiMaggio (27, 28, 29)
Joe Gordon (29, 30)
Phil Rizzuto (25, 26, 27)
Tommy Henrich (30, 31, 32)
Charlie Keller (27, 28)
Bill Dickey (37, 38)
Yogi Berra (19, 20)
Spud Chandler (34, 35)
Marius Russo (29, 30)…
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Post by inger on Mar 23, 2023 9:27:29 GMT -5
When Elvis Luciano made his Major League debut with the Toronto Blue Jays on March 31, 2019, he became the first ballplayer born in the 2000s to play in a regular season game…
He appeared in 25 games (he’s a pitcher) that season at age 19. He hasn’t yet made it back to MLB, but is still active…
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Post by inger on Mar 23, 2023 9:28:55 GMT -5
2020 highlight:
The first team in Major League history to hit at least one grand slam in four consecutive games was the San Diego Padres, who made baseball history on August 17, 18, 19, and 20! All of the record setting grand slams were hit against the Texas Rangers…
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Post by inger on Mar 23, 2023 9:32:06 GMT -5
On April 4, 2021, Akil Baddoo became the thirty-first player in basebally history to hit a home run on the first pitch ever thrown to him during a regular season game...
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Post by inger on Mar 23, 2023 12:19:56 GMT -5
"Phil Rizzuto stood only 5 feet, 6 inches tall, but there was no better shortstop in his era. Casey Stengel's 'little fella" was the American League leader in double plays three times. Same goes for total changes. Said starting pitcher Vic Raschi: 'My best pitch is anything the batter grounds, lines or pops in the direction of Rizzuto.'" - Author Ken McMillan in Tales from the Yankee Dugout: Quips, Quotes & Anecdotes about the Bronx Bombers (Sports Publishing, 05/25/2001, Phil Rizzuto, Page 150) [Phil Rizzuto Quotes]
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Post by inger on Mar 23, 2023 12:25:07 GMT -5
In 1938, Frankie Crosetti took part in 120 double plays, setting a new record for double plays in a season by a New York Yankees shortstop. In 1950, Phil Rizzuto turned 123 double plays, breaking The Crow's record, and no shortstop in Yankees history has ever had more…
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Post by inger on Mar 23, 2023 12:30:12 GMT -5
.324 .418 .439 .857 122
Anyone here recognize this slash line from 1950? They were posted by the best SS in MLB that season, along with his 200 hits. Phil Rizzuto had his best offensive season by a long shot and won a well-deserved MVP award…
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Post by domeplease on Mar 23, 2023 18:51:11 GMT -5
Got back from the Doctor today = Not good news.
And Fungus cases growing in the World
AND: We are NOT going to the 2023 WS with Donaldson, Hicks, Cash, Boone, etc.
BOY, today I am depressed!!!
Was really hoping/praying that I would get to see the Yanks once more time in the WS. Heck maybe it might be 2024???
Still depressed.
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Post by inger on Mar 23, 2023 18:59:56 GMT -5
Got back from the Doctor today = Not good news.
And Fungus cases growing in the World
AND: We are NOT going to the 2023 WS with Donaldson, Hicks, Cash, Boone, etc.
BOY, today I am depressed!!!
Was really hoping/praying that I would get to see the Yanks once more time in the WS. Heck maybe it might be 2024???
Still depressed.
Sorry to hear your doctor report wasn’t good, friend. Aging is a bear, and I think you might be blaming yourself and your lifestyle for your issues. I know people who have barely indulged themselves in life, no smoke, no alcohol, no carousing, yet the fall into poor health anyway. Others (think Keith Richard) go on and on and nothing can touch them. What’s the point of life if you never did what you enjoyed? … |
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