Header - Baseball by the Letters

Month: October 2010

Do Umpires Hold Grudges? See For Yourself!

by
No Valentine from Valentine!

Umpire Bill Valentine seemed to have two lists of catchers he encountered in his career.

Yesterday, he shared comments of those catchers he admired.

Valentine reserved a few words for the oddball receivers he remembered, writing:

“Everyone will tell you Berra ran at the mouth. But the one who ran at the mouth the most was Andy Etchebarren of the Baltimore club. He was a so-so catcher, and a real pain in the ass. He ran at the mouth for no reason, and really made his pitchers have to throw to a tighter strike zone because of his mouth. The out-of-the-strike-zone pitches he wanted when he was catching, we gave to him when he was hitting.

“Cleveland’s Joe Azcue was talkative, but in a great and friendly way. Hitters would sometimes say, ‘Shut up, Joe. I’m trying to hit.’ He loved it when they did that, and he would keep on chatting with me about anything.

“I broke in behind the plate in the American League behind Haywood Sullivan, and he stood up so high I think I had to stand up, just to try and see around him. There was a Spanish catcher, Paul Casanova, who caught for the Washington Senators in the late sixties, who got down so low he was about knee high. That was when the big outside chest protector came in handy.”

One Ump Lists Top 1960s Catchers

by

Ask, ask, ask!

When I wrote the book Great Catchers (Metrobooks, 1997), I called out my TTM collecting skills to do some fast research. Bill Valentine, a colorful umpire of the 1960s, was the first to respond. Minor league baseball fans know Valentine as the front office force behind the Arkansas Travelers for 40 years.

Valentine sent an eye-popping response, giving his frank assessment of the men he worked behind. He wrote:

“I guess everyone has told you that Del Crandall was one of the top defensive catchers in baseball when he played for Milwaukee. Looking at his batting average, you can see he must have been, or he would not have been in a a lot of lineups. Sherm Lollar was such as a catcher for the White Sox. Both men kept the baseball in front of their body, and had quick release of the ball when runners attempted to steal.

“I liked Bob Rodgers of the California Angels. He was one of the team leaders, and he took command behind home plate. It was his game, and the pitchers threw to him. He did not allow his pitchers to argue with umpires, and would tell them that was his department. ‘Just throw the ball.’

“[On the other hand] Earl Battey of the Minnesota Twins was very quiet, but a leader in his actions.”

Tomorrow: Valentine reflects on some of the oddest receivers he encountered.

Pitcher Dyar Miller Learned a Lesson From Baltimore Orioles Manager Earl Weaver

by

Dyar Miller threw me an off-speed pitch in his kind reply. He answered questions. However, I’m still scratching my head over his first reply. Miller came up with the Orioles. What did he learn under manager Earl Weaver that’s helped him through his years as a pitching coach?

“Never hold a grudge.”

Hmmm…

I liked his recollection of making the most of his first National League at-bat, following years of sitting for designated hitters.

“First time I took a swing, I lined a fastball past Burt Hooton. When I got to first, Steve Garvey said, ‘That was a nice swing!'”

Does Miller have a prize pupil from his year as a minor league instructor/coach? How does he convince young pitchers who’ve succeeded for years in high school and college to try his ideas? He wrote:

“I tried to help all of the pitchers I worked with. Sometimes, a good pitcher needs to fail before they improve.”

Miller’s conclusion sticks with me.

“Thanks for your interest in baseball. I have enjoyed all 43 years of it.”

The way I read this, I just enjoyed a letter not from a former player or current coach, but a fellow fan.

Readers: any guesses how Miller, manager Earl Weaver and holding a grudge fit together?

Pirate Bob Friend Earns His Name(s)

by

Former Pittsburgh Pirates hurler Bob Friend is one.

He’s been a friend to autograph collectors for nearly 60 years. On the always-awesome www.sportscollectors.net, hobbyists had logged in 461 by-mail successes with Friend.

He didn’t disappoint me, adding some insightful comments.

Q: Your nickname “Warrior”?

“A Workhorse in all sports. Football and basketball. A classmate in high school gave me the nickname.”


Q: Of your 138 career hits, two were homers. Both on the road.What do you remember?

“Monk Meyer, Dodger pitcher, 1954. We WON the game.

“Warren Hacker, Cubs pitcher, 1956. We WON the game.

Teammates called me ‘Long-ball.'”


Q: You pitched a full nine innings 163 times, plus 11 games of MORE THAN NINE! How do you feel about managers using pitch counts? How often was it left up to you if you stayed in?

“I didn’t like it. Too much control over the pitchers. It was never left up to me. The manager made the decision based on performance.”

Based on his performance with fans, Friend belongs in the hobby’s hall of fame.

When Cub Ken Rudolph Bested Johnny Bench

by

These days, you can find former catcher Ken Rudolph coaching at an Arizona High School.

Once, he outshone a future Hall of Famer in the eyes of the Chicago Cubs. Rudolph was a second-round pick in the 1965 inaugural draft. The Cubbies preferred him over an Oklahoman named Johnny Bench. Rudolph wrote:

“Yes, I was drafted BEFORE Johnny Bench, and so were fifty other players.”

In Chicago, Rudolph was trapped behind ironman Randy Hundley, the catcher who didn’t believe in days off. Waiting his turn, Rudolph was able to witness Hundley’s new receiving style.

“Baseball people are slow to change. Once they noticed how effective catcher was, it then caught on.”

Rudolph operated on Doc Ellis on June 29, 1969, collecting his first career homer. Of course, http://www.retrosheet.org/ captured the moment. Rudolph remembered:

“My first home run put the team either into a tie or put the Cubs ahead in the game. We did win and that ball is one of my prized possessions.


“Because I didn’t hit many home runs, my first one was special.”

Someday, I hope someone coaxes Rudolph into telling how he and the Cubs convinced a fan to give up a home run ball!