The boy who loved Tom Gordon
I have always liked relief pitchers. I think the nature of their job, specifically the role of closer, has always appealed to my dramatic side.
I grew up in Kansas City, during a time when the Royals were great (leading up to their 1985 World Series win, the I-70 series). Dan Quisenberry was the dominant and probably most widely known of the relievers of that era, though the first baseball player I really got into was Al Hrabosky, who was known as the Mad Hungarian. I remember how much I loved when he'd come into a game... fierce look on his face, rubbing the ball like a crazed madman. In 1978 I made my dad take me to Bartle Hall for the KC Auto show... the two draws for me were Darth Vader and Al Hrabosky. I got both their autographs... though Darth Vader was just a guy in the suit who signed pictures as Darth Vader. The Mad Hungarian was the real deal.
When I was in high school the Royals had Tom Gordon, who I don't remember being a closer but I have this vague memory of him being my favorite Royal at the time, I think because a classmate of mine worked at a condo complex where several of the Royals players had places, and she said he was the nicest and coolest of the bunch. Gordon, who at some point picked up the nickname "Flash" (I don't remember that from his KC days). He's had a nice long career, and I've kept tabs on him, as he played for the pale hose, cubbies, boston?, and now the damn yankees.
Seattle had Sasaki, who is perhaps my second favorite reliever of all time (behind Hrabosky). It was sad to see him go, but nice he could finish in Japan.
I've always liked to observe the habits, quirks, and rituals that relievers use. Sasaki was mostly memorable for his intensity, and how he sweated like crazy, but then after a win he looked happy like a little kid. Mike Fetters (who last played for the d'backs) did his intense stare down move from the mound. This season I've watched Guardado closely... he's got a set ritual (to AC/DC's Hell's Bells):
sprints to the infield
stops before the grass
kick grass with toe of each foot
adjust cup
adjust cup with upward stretching motion, left knee in the air
circle mound, thumping cup with hand a few times
When stressed, he'll do the cup thumping thing between batters to focus.
The season is almost up, the M's are in last place. To my football-fan friends, I now yield to you. I will go to a few more games, try to go for the Dan Wilson sendoff if they have one.
I grew up in Kansas City, during a time when the Royals were great (leading up to their 1985 World Series win, the I-70 series). Dan Quisenberry was the dominant and probably most widely known of the relievers of that era, though the first baseball player I really got into was Al Hrabosky, who was known as the Mad Hungarian. I remember how much I loved when he'd come into a game... fierce look on his face, rubbing the ball like a crazed madman. In 1978 I made my dad take me to Bartle Hall for the KC Auto show... the two draws for me were Darth Vader and Al Hrabosky. I got both their autographs... though Darth Vader was just a guy in the suit who signed pictures as Darth Vader. The Mad Hungarian was the real deal.
When I was in high school the Royals had Tom Gordon, who I don't remember being a closer but I have this vague memory of him being my favorite Royal at the time, I think because a classmate of mine worked at a condo complex where several of the Royals players had places, and she said he was the nicest and coolest of the bunch. Gordon, who at some point picked up the nickname "Flash" (I don't remember that from his KC days). He's had a nice long career, and I've kept tabs on him, as he played for the pale hose, cubbies, boston?, and now the damn yankees.
Seattle had Sasaki, who is perhaps my second favorite reliever of all time (behind Hrabosky). It was sad to see him go, but nice he could finish in Japan.
I've always liked to observe the habits, quirks, and rituals that relievers use. Sasaki was mostly memorable for his intensity, and how he sweated like crazy, but then after a win he looked happy like a little kid. Mike Fetters (who last played for the d'backs) did his intense stare down move from the mound. This season I've watched Guardado closely... he's got a set ritual (to AC/DC's Hell's Bells):
sprints to the infield
stops before the grass
kick grass with toe of each foot
adjust cup
adjust cup with upward stretching motion, left knee in the air
circle mound, thumping cup with hand a few times
When stressed, he'll do the cup thumping thing between batters to focus.
The season is almost up, the M's are in last place. To my football-fan friends, I now yield to you. I will go to a few more games, try to go for the Dan Wilson sendoff if they have one.