Friday Quiz

What two current starting pitchers who have won a World Series title with at least two teams?

Here's a hint: Though both have been around for a bit and racked up some impressive stats, neither are shoo-in's for getting elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, and certainly not on the first ballot.

If I had a vote, I would not vote for either of them.

Answer coming on Monday.

***

In other news, on this day in 1990, my childhood baseball hero, Dwight Evans, hit what would become his last home run with the Boston Red Sox. "Dewey," who had played with the Sox since 1972, hit 379 with the Sox and a paltry 6 with the Baltimore Orioles in 1991, the season he finally hung up the cleats.

The man with the rifle right arm, one of the most famous and interesting batting stances in baseball history, and a man who should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame: Dwight Evans! He led the American League in homers in the 1980s, and perhaps all of the negative attention on homers hit during the Steroid Era will create more appreciation for homers manufactured the right, hard way, as "Dewey" hit them.

Almost 400 homers and about 2,500 hits, a right arm that made runners on third think twice about going home, and a 5-tool player (hit for average, hit for power, smart baserunning, fielding skills, and throwing ability).

This Day in Baseball History

August 16, 1957: 50 Years Ago Today

The Philadelphia Phillies' Richie Ashburn, battling in an at-bat against the New York Giants--who were playing their last year in New York before relocating to San Francisco--hit spectator Alice Roth twice on foul pitches--once as she was watching the game, and a second time, on the very next pitch after play resumed, while she was being removed from her seat on a stretcher.

Article on 300 career wins

Here's a decent article from Fungoes on CNNSI about the debate over whether the New York Mets' pitcher (and Massachusetts native) Tom Glavine will be the last hurler to win 300 games in a career. Click the link below:

300 wins.

It is awfully presumptious and naive to project that NO pitcher will ever again win 300 games. I've heard and read comments on this debate, and shook my head at fans who think this will NEVER happen again.

Yes, the 5-man rotation and starting pitchers going no more than 5 or 6 innings in games regularly--thus risking the win to their bullpen for 3 or more innings--limits the pool of potentials.

But pitchers today also have access to training regimens, team-imposed pitch counts, and other (yes, legal and illegal) means to ensure that their careers oftentimes will last into their 40s, even if they seldom rack up 20-win seasons.

My money is on the Astros' Roy Oswalt (110 wins at age 29) and Cleveland's C.C. Sabathia (95 wins at age 26) as the best shots at 300 wins. The Indians must be careful to monitor Sabathia's physique as time goes on. He's built like a pitcher's version of former slugger Mo Vaughn, and any weight gain will adversely affect his performance; i.e., the more weight, the less wins, as injuries might crop up more frequently.

Last August Oswalt inked a 5-year, $73M deal to stay with Houston, which took Oswalt to the postseason in 2004 and 2005 (including that year's World Series). He needs to keep getting 30+ starts a season and 17-20 wins over the next 7-9 years to solidify his chances. He is entering his prime and needs to take advantage of that factor. If the Astros become more like the first part of their name, he'll bolt for more money and a better shot at immortality.

***Finally, in the second paragraph, there is mention of 19th-century records.

Here is a little "This Day in Baseball History" anecdote about a turn-of-the-century streak. On this day in 1906, the Brooklyn Dodgers ended Chicago Cubs pitcher Jack Taylor’s 187 complete-games and 15 relief-games record; Taylor had pitched 1,727 consecutive innings during the streak, dating back to June 1901.

Taylor pitched every inning of 187 straight games. As legendary Yankees announcer Mel Allen might've said, "How about that?!"