By Hal McCoy
UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, so glad the All-Star carnival/circus is over and we can get back to Real Baseball.
—DREAM ON: How delightful would it be to see Middletown native Kyle Schwarber in a Cincinnati Reds uniform? Even in those ugly black City Connects. They wouldn’t have to give away so many bobbleheads to draw fans.
And fans sitting in those cozy right field seats would be deluged with souvenir baseballs.
Why bring up such a pipe dream? Because of what Schwarber said at the All-Star game.
“Growing up and watching Cincinnati baseball for your whole youth, that’s how you fall in love with baseball,” he said. “Being able to play for your childhood team is something that I’d think it’d be awesome.”
Schwarber is a free agent after this season and he did add that he would like to stay in Philadelphia and added, “Obviously there’s interest (in staying) on my side and I know there will be interest on their side.”
And, obviously, the Reds couldn’t afford a guy coming off a four-year $79 million contract that will inflate more than double.
—A DRAFTY SITUATION: No matter how much analytics is applied, the Major League Baseball Draft is unscientific. Analytics can’t measure heart, soul and hustle.
Had there been a draft in 1960 when Pete Rose signed, he would not have been drafted. The Reds signed him as an afterthought, mostly as a favor to his uncle, Buddy Bloebaum, a bird dog scout for the Reds.
As have all teams, the Reds have had their muffs with their No. 1 picks — Jeter Downs, Taylor Trammell, Nick Senzel, Alex Blandino, Nick Howard, Jeff Gaelich, Nick Travieoso, Kyle Lotzkar, Mark Schramek, Chris Gruler and Dustin Moseley, all since 2000.
And to prove the draft is hit-and-miss, mostly miss, consider this: Fred McGriff was a ninth-round pick, the 233rd player picked. Goose Gossage was a ninth-round pick, the 204th player picked. Wade Boggs was a seventh-round pick, the 166th player picked. Tim Raines was a fifth-round pick, the 106th player picked. Jack Morris was a fifth-round pick, the 98th player picked.
And what do all those players have in common? Each and every one is in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
—FOR PETE’S SAKE: Pete Rose did two things exceptionally well. He not only could play the game at a superior level, he talked it on an even higher level.
For example, his take on hitting always was unique.
“The easiest place to hit in the world is the big leagues,” he once said. “The lights are better, the umpires are better, a pitcher’s control is better and probably most important, you are facing the same guys year after year after year after year.
“Once you realize that as a baseball player, I don’t care how much money you got, what color you are or where you’re from, you are going to make seven out of ten outs and go to the Hall of Fame.”
Then he paused for effect, flashed that sly grin, and said, “Well, most guys.”
—THS ONE’S FOR YOU: It was 1968 and Guy Allegretto was being processed out of the Marines in San Francisco after serving in Vietnam. He discovered that his favorite team, the New York Yankees, were playing in Oakland.
So he found his way to the Oakland-Alameda County Stadium. Only 9,000 were there so he slipped his way to seats behind the Yankees dugout.
Mickey Mantle, in his last season, was headed to home plate and Allegretto yelled, “Hey, Mickey, I’m a Marine back from Khe Sahn, hit a homer.”
Mantle hit a 440-foot home run and before he disappeared into the dugout he winked at Allegretto and doffed his cap.
“I had tears running down my cheek,” he said. “Sometimes true stories are the best ones.”
—WHAT A BOLT: They don’t make pitchers like this anymore.
In August of 1919, Ray Caldwell was pitching his first game for the Cleveland Indians. He was one out away from pitching a victory.
He was struck by lightning and lay motionless on the mound for 10 minutes. Then he got up and retired the last batter for the win. . .truly an ‘electric’ victory.
But wait. There’s more. Two weeks later he pitched a no-hitter, but wasn’t struck by lightning.
—HE WAS TERRIFIC: They don’t make pitchers like this anymore. . .PART II.
On April 4, 1983, Tom Seaver tied Walter Johnson’s record by pitching his 14th Opening Day. It was against the Philadelphia Phillies and he pitched six scoreless innings with five strikeouts in a 2-0 win.
There were five future Hall of Famers in the Phillies’ lineup, including three former Cincinnati Reds — Pete Rose, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez — plus Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton.
Seaver would pitch two more Opening Days, pushing the record that still stands to 16.
—GIVE ME A BREAK: They don’t make pitchers like this anymore. . .PART III.
On July 15, 1967, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Bob Gibson was facing the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Roberto Clemente scorched a line drive that only Roberto Clemente could scorch. The line drive smashed into Gibson’s leg, breaking it.
Did he come out of the game? Not right away. He pitched to two more hitters before he collapsed on the mound.
And less than three months later Gibson pitched in the World Series against the Boston Red Sox. Pitch? He won three games.
—ON STAN’S TIME: It was 1955 and the All-Star game was in old Milwaukee County Stadium. There were no gimmicky finishes if the game was tied. They played it out in extra innings.
The 1955 game rolled into the 12th inning. The leadoff hitter for the National League was Hall of Famer Stan Musial. As he stepped into the batter’s box, he looked at catcher Yogi Berra and said, “I’m tired. Let’s go home.”
And he hit pitcher Frank Sullivan’s first pitch into the right field seats, a walk-off home run. And everybody went home.
My question? Why were Stan Musial and Yogi Berra still in the game in the 12th inning?
—TRIVIA TIME: Stuff nobody thinks about:
—There is only one city in which all its professional franchises have the same colors. Where? It’s Pittsburgh, where the MLB Pirates, NFL Steelers and NHL Penguins all wear black and gold.
—Everbody knows that if a ball bounces over the outfield fence it is a ground rule double. Did you know there is a ground rule triple? Yes, there is. If a player attempts to stop a ball with his hat or tries to catch a fly ball in his hat, it’s a ground rule triple. The best hat to do this with is Texas manager Bruce Bochy’s size 8 1/8, and don’t forget the 1/8th..
—How long does a baseball last in a game? The average is six to seven pitches, unless Cal Raleigh, The Big Dumper, hits the first pitch into the seats. That’s why the home team is required to have 90 baseballs ready for each game
—QUOTE MACHINE: Hall of Fame baseball people say the darndest things:
—From Hall of Famer Reggie Jacksonn about fans forever booing him: “Fans don’t boo nobodies.”
—From Hall of Famer Willie Mays: “I think I was the best baseball player I ever saw.” (If the truth fits, wear it.)
—From Hall of Famer Whitey Ford: “The way to make coaches think you are in shape for spring training is to show up with a tan.”
—From Hall of Fame manager Leo Durocher: “Never save a pitcher for tomorrow. It may rain tomorrow.”
—From Hall of Fame pitcher/manager Bob Lemon: “The two most important things in life are good friends and a good bullpen.”
—PLAYLIST NUMBER 188: As English writer Aldous Huxley put it, “After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.”
—Penny Lane (The Beatles), I’m A Believer (The Monkees), Rag Doll (Four Seasons), I Am, I Said (Neil Diamond), Bennie & The Jets (Elton John), Hello Walls (Faron Young), Down Under (Men At Work), Straight Up (Paula Abdul), Listen To Your Heart (Roxette), It Doesn’t Matter Anymore (Buddy Holly), Killin’ Time (Clint Black).
—Make Love Stay (Dan Fogelberg), I’ve Got You Under My Skin (Four Seasons), Do You Know What I Mean? (Lee Michael), Another Day In Paradise (Phil Collins), You Got It (Roy Orbison), Jean (Oliver), I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight (Boyce & Hart),