Official Baseball In Memoriam Thread

[revo]

Former Cubs All-Star 2B Glenn Beckert died at age 79. His best year was 1971 when he hit .342 and finished 3rd in the NL batting race. RIP.

[Judge Jude]

ah, that's the first year I collected, 1968. have that Beckert - and nearly the whole set - around here somewhere.

RIP, Glenn.

[revo]

New York Yankees co-owner Hank Steinbrenner died at age 63 of a long illness. RIP.

Former KC Royals and Chicago Cubs manager Jim Frey died at age 88. RIP.

[TranaGreg]

Former Blue Jays 2B Damaso Garcia passed away, aged 63

[revo]

Former Blue Jays 2B Damaso Garcia passed away, aged 63

Wow, just weeks after Tony Fernandez.

[TranaGreg]

Wow, just weeks after Tony Fernandez.

yeah, I feel like someone should check in on Alfredo Griffin.

[fuhrdog]

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Bobby Winkles, former MLB manager and college coach passed away at age 90.

[revo]

Matt Keough, who pitched primarily for the Oakland A’s from 1977-1986 and later was a participant in the “Real Housewives of Orange County,” died at age 64. RIP.

[madducks]

Matt Keough, who pitched primarily for the Oakland A’s from 1977-1986 and later was a participant in the “Real Housewives of Orange County,” died at age 64. RIP.

My first memory of Keough was this 1981 Sports Illustrated cover and all of the hype surrounding the 81 A's team and "Billy Ball". Oakland finished with the best record in the AL that year and then got swept by the Yankees in the ALCS. Then the A's and Keough really fell victim to the SI cover curse in 82 as they finished with the 12th best record out of 14 AL teams. RIP.

[Judge Jude]

only 40 years ago, Keough was part of an A's rotation that completed an incredible 94 games:

Matt Langford 19-13, completed 28 of 33 starts, 290 IP, 116 ERA+
Mike Norris 22-9, completed 24 of 33 starts, 284 IP, 149 ERA+
Matt Keough 16-13, completed 20 of 32 starts, 250 IP, 129 ERA+
Steve McCatty 14-14, completed 11 of 31 starts, 222 IP, 98 ERA+
Brian Kingman 8-20, completed 10 out of 30 starts, 211 IP, 98 ERA+

"The field" 4-10, completed 1 of 3 starts (a Bob Lacey shutout)

Lacey and Jeff Jones were the RP stars, collected 11 of the club's meager 13 saves on a 83-79 team.

no one else tossed more than 30 IP and only 9 P managed even 14 IP for this Billy Martin-managed squad.

in strike-shortened 1981, the same fivesome managed a similar 59 CG in 103 starts (56 for 88 not counting lightweight Kingman), the team only had 10 SV, and only 9 P managed even 13 IP. The A's won the AL West but lost to the Yankees in the ALCS.

the same fivesome produced another encore in 1982, but for some reason they were awful - with ERA+s ranging from 67 to 97 as the A's nosedived to 68-94. the quintet started only 133 games this time and completed a meager 37 - 15 of those from workhorse Langford.

only McCatty and Norris kept their gigs in 1983, and they were mediocre in a 74-88 season under new manager Steve Boros. CG? 22.

[cavebird]

"but for some reason they were awful" I think I can guess why, lol.

[madducks]

Bob Watson, former Astros first baseman/outfielder who was later the GM of the Astros and Yankees and then an MLB executive, has died at age 74. RIP.

[fuhrdog]

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Biff Pocoroba dead at 66.

[revo]

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Biff Pocoroba dead at 66.

Oh no! I did a piece on him for the "Let's Remember a Guy" Thread. I'll have to bump that one.

[Hornsby]

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Biff Pocoroba dead at 66.

Sad, perhaps my favorite battery ever was Bob Apodaca throwing to Biff Pocoraba...