tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83596298114209699532024-03-13T15:03:54.176-07:00The Arky Vaughan ProjectA Pittsburgh Pirates BlogMatt Carlinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03653833525291255338noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8359629811420969953.post-87862528666802863232013-08-09T19:09:00.005-07:002013-08-09T19:09:55.919-07:00Is The Next .400 Hitter Out There?I recently offered up this random question on Twitter.<br />
<br />
Is there an active player who's capable of a .400 season?<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Gaby Sanchez or Clint Barmes: <a href="https://twitter.com/MattCarlins">@MattCarlins</a>: Random baseball question: Is there an active player who's capable of a .400 season? <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23MLB&src=hash">#MLB</a><br />
— Ian Smith (@ismithKDKA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ismithKDKA/statuses/365959688493338625">August 9, 2013</a></blockquote>
Very funny Ian, but this is a conversation about statistics and baseball. There's no room for jokes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjN76Zb02mSZH3u149zyS8WkwVtuZDdsMaoBhjsVViFoJIOgRSpgZvzSe3hokoTQzZRgINHeB5CNu500vMK-1slZ2IGHZzPRN2Dwqu8p3EmV-uInxSVx_4PdaI3puXRGpnjG1ZUjOoTY/s1600/ted+williams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXjN76Zb02mSZH3u149zyS8WkwVtuZDdsMaoBhjsVViFoJIOgRSpgZvzSe3hokoTQzZRgINHeB5CNu500vMK-1slZ2IGHZzPRN2Dwqu8p3EmV-uInxSVx_4PdaI3puXRGpnjG1ZUjOoTY/s1600/ted+williams.jpg" height="368" width="640" /></a></div>
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Ted Williams closed out the 1941 season with a .405 batting average. His was the last of the 28 .400+ seasons. There haven't been many serious runs since. These are the best since Williams topped .400 in 1941. I included their age that season and which side of the plate they bat from.<br />
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1946 - <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1009405&position=1B/OF" target="_blank">Stan Musial</a> - .365 (25 - L)<br />
1948 - Stan Musial - .376 (27 - L)<br />
1948 - <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1014040&position=OF" target="_blank">Ted Williams</a> - .369 (29 - L)<br />
1957 - Ted Williams - .388 (38 - L)<br />
1977 - <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1001942&position=1B/2B" target="_blank">Rod Carew</a> - .388 (31 - L)<br />
1980 - <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1001400&position=3B" target="_blank">George Brett</a> - .389 (27 - L)<br />
1985 - <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1001124&position=3B" target="_blank">Wade Boggs</a> - .367 (27 - L)<br />
1987 - <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1005166&position=OF" target="_blank">Tony Gwynn</a> - .370 (27 - L)<br />
1993 - <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1390&position=1B" target="_blank">Andres Galarraga</a> - .370 (32 - R)<br />
1994 - Tony Gwynn - .393 (34 - L)<br />
1994 - <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=547&position=1B" target="_blank">Jeff Bagwell</a> - .367 (26 - R)<br />
1995 - Tony Gwynn - .368 (38 - L)<br />
1997 - Tony Gwynn - .371 (37 - L)<br />
1997 - <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=455&position=OF" target="_blank">Larry Walker</a> - .366 (30 - L)<br />
1999 - Larry Walker - .379 (32 - L)<br />
2000 - <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=190&position=SS" target="_blank">Nomar Garciaparra</a> - .372 (26 - R)<br />
2000 - <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=432&position=1B" target="_blank">Todd Helton</a> - .372 (26 - L)<br />
2002 - <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1109&position=OF" target="_blank">Barry Bonds</a> - .369 (37 - L)<br />
2004 - <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1101&position=OF" target="_blank">Ichiro Suzuki</a> - .372 (30 - L)<br />
2009 - <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1857&position=C" target="_blank">Joe Mauer</a> - .365 (26 - L)<br />
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See a trend? One of my Twitter friends saw it coming.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/MattCarlins">@MattCarlins</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ismithKDKA">@ismithkdka</a> don't think a righty will ever do it. Just the way the game has evolved<br />
— Scott G (@JustBaseball25) <a href="https://twitter.com/JustBaseball25/statuses/365965445393678338">August 9, 2013</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Scott also thinks there's only one active player who <em>was</em> capable of a .400 season. That's Ichiro, whose best shot was in 2004. He hit .372. <br />
<br />
Ichiro hit a <em>ton</em> of ground balls in 2004. His ground ball pecentage was 63.7%, the highest of his career. His fly ball percentage was the lowest of his career (17.9%). Ichiro didn't do it by bunting more. His bunt hit percentage was 40%, below his career mark (46.3%).<br />
<br />
Ichiro also posted career-best marks for strikeout percentage (8.3%) and BABIP (.399, compared to .345 for his career).<br />
<br />
Todd Helton followed a similar path to his .372 season in 2000. His strikeout percentage plunged to career-low 8.8%, and his BABIP that season outdistanced his career pace. It was one of the best offensive seasons in the history of Major League Baseball, but it wasn't enough to produce a .400 batting average.<br />
<br />
There is a formula to hitting .400, but few are capable of putting all the ingredients together.<br />
<br />
Stan Musial won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1946 and 1948, when he came closest to hitting .400. He hit a modest .312 in 1947. I thought it might be interesting to look at some key stats for Musial during those three seasons.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Stan Musial 1946 / 1947 / 1948</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Strikeout Percentage: 4.4% / 3.5% / 4.9% (Career: 5.5%)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
BABIP: .367 / .301 / .355 (Career: .320)</div>
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Ted Williams was 22 years old and in only his third season in the big leagues when he became the last player to hit over .400 in 1941. A couple years later, he went to war and lost three seasons from the prime of his career. After returning, he made a couple more runs at .400: 1948 and 1957, when he hit .388 at the age of 38. Here's how those three seasons compare.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Ted Williams 1941 / 1948 / 1957</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Strikeout Percentage: 4.5% / 6.4% / 7.9% (Career: 7.2%)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
BABIP: .378 / .368 / .367 (Career: .328)</div>
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Tony Gwynn was a modern master at chasing the elusive .400 mark. There was a lot of buzz in 1994, before the strike abruptly ended the season. Gwynn was hitting .393, and not seeing how his pursuit would end was one of the most bitter disappointments that surrounded the work stoppage. Gwynn also made runs in 1987, 1995 and 1997. Here are some of his numbers from those seasons.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Tony Gwynn 1987 / 1994 / 1995 / 1997</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Strikeout Percentage: 5.1% / 4.0% / 2.6% / 4.3% (Career: 4.2%)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
BABIP: .383 / .389 / .364 / .363 (Career: .341)</div>
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Tony Gwynn's walk percentage was really high in both 1987 (12.1%) and 1994 (10.1%). He was never big on drawing bases on balls. He finished in the top 10 in the N.L. just once, in 1987. Meantime, he led the N.L. in hits 7 times. Ichiro also rarely draws a walk, but he led his leage in hits 7 times during his career.<br />
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In that sense, Ichiro and Gwynn are very different from the mold of Ted Williams. Williams never led the A.L. in hits, but he was a league leader in walks 8 times. In his .400 season in 1941, his walk percentage was 24.3%, the second highest of his career. In 1954, his walk percentage was 25.9%. He hit only .345, perhaps because his BABIP for that season was .317.<br />
<br />
Larry Walker rarely drew a base on balls, struck out a lot and was never a league leader in hits. Still, when he was able to contain the less pleasant parts of his game, he was one of the best hitters for average in his generation. He hit .379 in 1999, after hitting .366 and .363 in the previous two seasons. He did it by controlling his strikeouts.<br />
<br />
In 1999, Walker's strikout percentage was 10.1%, the best of his career. That season he hit .379. His on-base + slugging percentage was 1.168, one of the highest ever for a single season. What's scary is that it was even <em>higher</em> in 1997 (1.719). That season Walker hit .366.<br />
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OPS isn't just a good indicator for Walker. It holds for the best seasons of Ted Williams and Stan Musial, as well as other players who posted high batting averages during their career seasons, Jeff Bagwell (1.2009 in 1994) and Todd Helton (1.1617 in 2000).<br />
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So, when we're looking for the next .400 hitter, do we use Ichiro and Gwynn as the model? Or, is the player we're looking for more like Larry Walker? On the list of the top 500 OPS seasons in MLB history, you'll find Gwynn only once. Ichiro is nowhere to be found.<br />
<br />
George Brett made the list. His OPS in 1980 was 1.1181, the 68th best all-time. His batting average was .389, one of the best runs at .400 since 1941.<br />
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You also need luck to hit .400, as seen in BABIP that exceed the career benchmark. You have to put the ball in play. Nothing eats away at batting average like strikeouts. Finally, history tells us batting left-handed is almost a <em>must</em>.<br />
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So, are there any contenders among active players?<br />
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<a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1744&position=1B/3B" target="_blank">Miguel Cabrera</a> may the best hitter of this generation, but he doesn't appear to fit the profile of a .400 hitter. Cabrera is currently posting a 1.1202 OPS in 2013. That would be the 66th best all-time, but it still can't approach Larry Walker in his prime. Cabrera also has the historical misfortune of batting right-handed.<br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/MattCarlins">@MattCarlins</a> Can't see that. Catching has probably taken it's toll over the years. Don't think he'd have the stamina.<br />
— Steve Malawski (@SteveMalawski) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveMalawski/statuses/365982513560174593">August 9, 2013</a></blockquote>
<a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1857&position=C" target="_blank">Joe Mauer</a> bats left-handed, so he has that going for him. He posted a 1.0309 OPS in 2009, when his batting average reached his career peak at .365. However, some of Mauer's career trends are troubling. His strikeout percentage is rising.<br />
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<a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=4314&position=1B" target="_blank">Joey Votto</a> posted a 1.0240 OPS in 2010. He's just 29 years old. He's already led the N.L. in walks three times. But it can't seem to offset his high strikeout percentage. Still, he could post a career-best batting average in 2013, approaching .330.<br />
<br />
Strikeout percentage is a big issue for <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=10155&position=OF" target="_blank">Mike Trout</a> as well, though there's hope that he's young enough to improve his plate discipline and perhaps improve his batting average in the process. He's already showing the eye and approach needed to boost his walk percentage to among the best in baseball. There is one other issue. He's got that dang right-handed batter thing hanging over him.<br />
<br />
The truth is that few players look capable or even interested in hitting .400. Baseball history is a vast, seemingly endless ocean. I would expect we'll see another someday, but I doubt it will be anytime soon.<br />
<br />Matt Carlinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03653833525291255338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8359629811420969953.post-4327581315649675232013-06-27T12:08:00.000-07:002013-06-27T12:08:05.085-07:00Kings Of The First Half? Not Quite.As of this blog post, the Pittsburgh Pirates are tied with the St. Louis Cardinals for the best record in Major League Baseball. This is nothing new for the Pirates. First half success has been the theme of the Clint Hurdle era. Don't ask about the second half of those three seasons.<br />
<br />
The Pirates have been<i> really</i> good before the All-Star Break, but they haven't been the <i>best</i> in the National League. Here's some crude research I put together with some help from Baseball Reference. Feel free to check and correct my math.<br />
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<b>Cumulative Records Before All-Star Break Over Past Three Seasons:</b><br />
<b>2013 (thru 6/26) / 2012 / 2011</b><br />
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ATLANTA: 45-34 / 46-39 / 54-38 = 145-111<br />
PITTSBURGH: 48-30 / 48-37 / 47-43 = 143-110<br />
ST. LOUIS: 48-30 / 46-40 / 49-43 = 143-113<br />
CINCINNATI: 45-34 / 47-38 / 45-47 = 137-119<br />
SAN FRANCISCO: 38-40 / 46-40 / 52-40 = 136-120<br />
WASHINGTON: 39-38 / 49-34 / 46-46 = 134-118<br />
ARIZONA: 41-36 / 42-43 / 49-43 = 132-122<br />
PHILADELPHIA: 38-41 / 37-50 / 57-34 = 132-125<br />
NEW YORK METS: 31-43 / 46-40 / 46-45 = 123-128<br />
LOS ANGELES DODGERS: 35-42 / 47-40 / 41-51 = 123-133<br />
MILWAUKEE: 32-44 / 40-45 / 49-43 = 121-132<br />
COLORADO: 39-40 / 33-52 / 43-48 = 115-140<br />
SAN DIEGO: 39-40 / 34-53 / 40-52 = 113-145<br />
MIAMI: 27-50 / 41-44 / 43-48 = 111-142<br />
CHICAGO CUBS: 32-44 / 33-52 / 37-55 = 102-151<br />
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I excluded the Houston Astros because...well, they're the Astros and they're in the American League now. You understand.<br />
<br />
What do the Braves have to show for all their first half success over the past three seasons? One Wild Card playoff game (a loss) to the Cardinals. Hey, at least they got in. I think most Pirates fans would take it.<br />
<br />Matt Carlinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03653833525291255338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8359629811420969953.post-40817692734628093772013-05-04T15:14:00.000-07:002013-05-04T15:14:33.073-07:00The Truth Is Out There<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGoHWvs4NyyehxuMt6cAoeDN2d9NdgPIGRqxbUjQXziev9aTHgS8mH5hWsgoBEqlteQWQn-Eggt2NzZ7koj2p0EJWMeq06NDdEnxUND6qEiSfxRuAOkaL8lzlluTzP3Gb01H0-kSccEQ/s1600/ostermuellerTMZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifGoHWvs4NyyehxuMt6cAoeDN2d9NdgPIGRqxbUjQXziev9aTHgS8mH5hWsgoBEqlteQWQn-Eggt2NzZ7koj2p0EJWMeq06NDdEnxUND6qEiSfxRuAOkaL8lzlluTzP3Gb01H0-kSccEQ/s1600/ostermuellerTMZ.jpg" height="307" width="400" /></a></div>
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"42" has been seen by millions since it opened in theaters, so it's unlikely reality will ever eclipse what Hollywood planted in the public consciousness. Still, the truth about what actually happened between Jackie Robinson and former Pirates pitcher Fritz Ostermueller is spreading.<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<a href="http://arkyvaughan.blogspot.com/2013/04/fritz-ostermuellers-daughter-talks.html" target="_blank">It's now well-established that former Pirates pitcher Fritz Ostermueller never struck Jackie Robinson with a pitch out of malice</a>. His adopted daughter, Sherrill Ostermueller Duesterhaus, has provided evidence that it was a simple case of a pitcher protecting his part of the plate, and she's getting a lot of opportunities to share it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.whig.com/story/22098867/quincy-native-plays-key-yet-unflattering-role-in-jackie-robinson-film" target="_blank">One of the first to publish a story on her was the Herald-Whig</a>, in Fritz Ostermueller's hometown of Quincy, Illinois. A couple days later, <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/daughter-jackie-robinson-movie-villain-cries-foul-article-1.1331034" target="_blank">the New York Daily News picked up the story</a>, and its <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/madden-yanks-remember-5-year-rule-article-1.1329229" target="_blank">baseball columnist Bill Madden dissected some of the finer inaccuracies in "42"</a>, specifically the climactic, final confrontation between Robinson and Fritz Ostermueller. (SPOILER ALERT)<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"...when it came to the final scene, where Jackie, wearing his home Dodger whites, gets his revenge against Pirates lefty Fritz Ostermueller (who was nevertheless throwing righthanded), with a game-winning homer, I threw up my arms in exasperation. Only in Hollywood could a Brooklyn Dodger hit a walk-off homer in Pittsburgh."</i></blockquote>
It's true. <a href="http://arkyvaughan.blogspot.com/2012/09/whos-that-in-42-trailer.html" target="_blank">The home run Jackie Robinson hit at Forbes Field in "42" never happened</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.koamtv.com/story/22122541/joplin-woman-speaks-out-about-her-fathers-portrayal-in-jackie-robinson-movie" target="_blank">Sherrill was interviewed by KOAM-TV's Rudy Harper</a> for a report that aired in Joplin, Missouri, where she now lives.<br />
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The high point of the media's embrace of Sherrill's story has to be <a href="http://www.tmz.com/2013/04/30/42-jackie-robinson-fritz-ostermueller-movie-upset/" target="_blank">this article on the TMZ website</a>. The headline holds nothing back. <b>Pitcher's Family PISSED Over Racist Portrayal in "42"</b>. The last line of the article got my attention.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>"We reached out to the people behind the movie -- so far, no word back."</i></span></span></blockquote>
I've also reached out to Legendary Pictures. I haven't heard back from them either. I had better luck with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The club's Senior Director of Communications was kind enough to provide me with a statement.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>“With Mr. Ostermueller passing
away more than fifty-five years ago, it is impossible for us to comment either
way on the accuracy of his specific portrayal in the movie “42”.
Overall, the movie is a great reminder of Mr. Jackie Robinson’s
character, strength and determination. When he stepped foot on a Major
League Baseball field for the first time it was not only the game’s proudest
moment, but also its most powerful social statement. As an
organization, thanks to Mr. Robinson, the Pirates are also proud to be the
first team in Major League Baseball to field an all-minority starting line-up
some 24 years later.”</i></blockquote>
<br />
I've spoken with other people about Fritz Ostermueller. That may lead to even more coverage in the future. It's been great to see so many sharing this story. There have been dissenting opinions about Sherrill's motives and Fritz Ostermueller's true intentions, but I feel the press clippings I uncovered those shared with me by Sherrill are hard to dispute.<br />
<br />
When I first spoke with Sherrill in April, she was heartbroken and didn't seem to know what she could do to defend her father's good name. Now, we know how much power she truly holds: A vast trove of mementos, press clippings and memories. Her story is being heard.<br />
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Finally, I'll leave you with an example of the ignorance and carelessness that brought us to this point in the first place. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZLx6Cek8nM&feature=youtube_gdata_player" target="_blank">Actor Linc Hand, who played Fritz Ostermueller in "42", appeared on "The Artie Lange Show" in April</a>.<br />
<br />Matt Carlinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03653833525291255338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8359629811420969953.post-67698090878446545072013-04-28T18:36:00.001-07:002013-04-28T18:42:18.447-07:00Fritz Ostermueller's Daughter Talks About "42"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i></i></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Over the past couple weeks, I've had the pleasure of speaking with Fritz Ostermueller's adopted daughter Sherrill Ostermueller Duesterhaus. She was born in Canonsburg, PA - just outside Pittsburgh - and was adopted just after her birth. She now lives in Joplin, Missouri.</i></span></span><br />
<em><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;"></span></em><br />
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Sherrill learned about the less than flattering (and frankly, inaccurate) portrayal of her father in "42" on the Monday after the film's opening. No one from the studio ever contacted her to inform her that her father would be one of the movie's primary villains opposing Jackie Robinson.</i></span></span><br />
<em><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;"></span></em><br />
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>"It's broken my heart," she told me over the phone.</i></span></span><br />
<em><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;"></span></em><br />
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>Since our first conversation, Sherrill has seen "42" for herself. She recently put her reaction into words, and posted it as a comment under <a href="http://arkyvaughan.blogspot.com/2012/09/whos-that-in-42-trailer.html" target="_blank">my previous post on Fritz Ostermueller on this blog</a>. She also shared some press clippings from her personal scrapbook of her father's career. It includes the best evidence I've seen that Ostermueller did not hit Jackie Robinson with a pitch out of malice.</i></span></span><br />
<em><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;"></span></em><br />
<span style="color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><i>I've become very invested and passionate about Fritz Ostermueller, and how he's portrayed in "42". However, I could never speak or write with the same honest and heartfelt emotion as his daughter does. The man she knew was not a racist. He was a good man. A great father. Now, she's taken up what she calls her duty to defend his good name.</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Matt, I have seen the movie "42" and have nothing but the upmost respect for Jackie Robinson. He faced and overcame racial bigotry that I'm not sure many of us could have endured. If it weren't for him I may not have had my other favorite number 21, Roberto Clemente for my baseball hero growing up. But Jackie's story should have been told by actual experiences and not harmful fabricated portions of Fritz Ostermueller's relationship with Jackie Robinson.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Just a level 1 Google search will tell you Fritz did NOT "bean" Jackie Robinson. I have a newspaper clipping written by Les Biederman of the Pittsburgh Press-Gazette, who was actually there. Scrapbooks are a wonderful thing.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;">He writes, "Jackie Robinson collected a single to center and beat out a bunt to run his batting streak through 14 games in a row. Osty threw a high inside pitch that caught Robinson on the left wrist in the first inning."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Remember it was chronicled by Wendell Smith that Fritz was apologetic</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial;">, which of course was left out of the movie. Also the actor that portrayed Fritz was right handed. They called Fritz, "Lefty", for a reason. There was no melee on the mound that day. The "revenge" homerun banter was another rewrite of history by screenwriters as Jackie got his first homer off Fritz at Ebbets Field on June 5, 1947...so there was no need for such words in Sept. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Not much research done here. <span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">No one contacted me or any family member for information and we are not hard to find.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xFraELmVhCt_lV3eSUDu38zQGs08oKvSPk6w85Rphe9TyixWW8Y_2XGa_nUdlbDTBVsFXpX4Oj2kfLEmNg4yv1bUytUNvYfgS7g9WS0P2x1BHbmq1VScdNDIgNL5fJHvBYVxSPyuVtA/s1600/Osty+ABSOLUTE+PROOF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xFraELmVhCt_lV3eSUDu38zQGs08oKvSPk6w85Rphe9TyixWW8Y_2XGa_nUdlbDTBVsFXpX4Oj2kfLEmNg4yv1bUytUNvYfgS7g9WS0P2x1BHbmq1VScdNDIgNL5fJHvBYVxSPyuVtA/s320/Osty+ABSOLUTE+PROOF.jpg" width="232" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Now to further substantiate that this was no more than a veteran pitcher facing a rookie hitter I offer the following.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br />In an article titled, "Old Folks Talks on Pitching" the writer starts by saying, "Ever since he joined the Pirates in 1944, Fritz Ostermueller has been one of my favorite baseball people. Not because Fritz can pitch well at an age when most ball players are looking up their pension fund benefits, but because he is gentlemanly, soft-spoken, intelligent and an interesting conversationalist."</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Then it quotes Fritz, "Just sitting on the bench watching what the other fellows are doing, whether in practice or during a game, will teach you things. Observation, like experience, is a great teacher. By observing other ball players you learn both their strong and weak points. For instance, when the Dodgers were in town I had a chance to study Jackie Robinson before going in to pitch one game. I noticed he crowded the plate and lunged at every pitch. He didn't give the pitcher 'much room'. I didn't like that at all because I want my half of the 'heart' of the plate, and no batter, no matter who he is will crowd me out of my share. I told my wife the night before I pitched I might have trouble with Robinson-that one of my pitches would hit him, if he didn't move back. I knew, too, some people would say it was intentional. It wasn't at all, but in his first trip to the plate I hit him. After that he moved back a couple of inches and showed me some respect. The idea is to keep the batter off balance, besides keeping him guessing as to what you're going to throw next...."</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Pure baseball..nothing more. Fritz was a good pitcher, a good man and a great Dad. It is hard to defend yourself when you are no longer here and those who knew you best are no longer here but as you said, I AM HERE. And this is for you Dad, with love.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Fritz' daughter,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Sherrill</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><i>I was sad to inform Sherrill that I had spoken with a Pittsburgh-based lawyer, who is experienced in matters involving the motion picture industry. He put it rather bluntly. Once you're dead, you're fair game. There's little legal recourse for Sherrill and the rest of Fritz Ostermueller's family. All they can do is try to get out their side of the story. I'm more than happy to play a small role in making that happen.</i></span>Matt Carlinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03653833525291255338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8359629811420969953.post-92201651430120365852013-02-13T05:56:00.001-08:002013-02-13T06:03:28.619-08:00Projecting Pirates Opening Day Roster <p>In light of the signing of Brandon Inge and the start of spring training, I find myself pondering the Pirates opening day roster. It appears Inge has a legit chance to make the team as a platoon option for Pedro Alvarez. </p>
<p>C<br>
Russell Martin<br>
Michael McKenry</p>
<p>OF<br>
Andrew McCutchen<br>
Starling Marte<br>
Travis Snider<br>
Jerry Sands</p>
<p>IF<br>
Garrett Jones<br>
Gaby Sanchez<br>
Neil Walker<br>
Clint Barmes<br>
Pedro Alvarez<br>
Brandon Inge<br>
Josh Harrison</p>
<p>SP<br>
AJ Burnett<br>
Wandy Rodriguez<br>
James McDonald <br>
Jeff Karstens<br>
Francisco Liriano (if healthy)</p>
<p>RP<br>
Jason Grilli<br>
Mark Melancon<br>
Jared Hughes<br>
Tony Watson<br>
Bryan Morris<br>
Chris Leroux<br>
Justin Wilson</p>
<p>The Pirates schedule last season allowed the team to break camp with 4 starting pitchers (Burnett was on the DL). That won't be the case this year.</p>
<p>They also brought 7 relief pitchers north last season. The final few bullpen spots could change, but the important conclusion is how many there will be, not who they are.</p>
<p>Inge's signing looks like bad news for players like Clint Robinson, Jose Tabata and Alex Presley. Josh Harrison is a must to back up Barmes and Walker. Plus, he's versatile enough to play outfield, if needed. The Pirates broke camp last season with 4 outfielders, and there's not much reason to think things will be different this year if everyone is healthy.</p>
<p>In general, I like the current position players. There is no Nate McLouth or Matt Hague, whose roster spot appears questionable. Everyone here can be expected to contribute in a positive way. Hopefully, that's not a sign that a trade is imminent.</p>
Matt Carlinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03653833525291255338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8359629811420969953.post-10999868924846033332013-01-11T17:02:00.001-08:002013-01-11T17:02:59.588-08:00"42" Trailer #2: Forbes Field In Its Glory!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The new trailer for "42", the biopic on Jackie Robinson, has made its debut online. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlaUzQgRKPI" target="_blank">The first trailer was spectacular</a>, and it really got my wheels turning. My interest was peaked by a scene in which Robinson is hit in the head by a ball thrown by a Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher. It's pretty vile, and we get to see more of it in the second trailer. Take a look.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/I9RHqdZDCF0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's now well-established that the Pirates pitcher portrayed in "42" is a real person. <a href="http://arkyvaughan.blogspot.com/2012/09/whos-that-in-42-trailer.html" target="_blank">His name is Fritz Ostermueller</a>. In this new trailer we see more of a confrontation between Ostermueller and Robinson, and there's even some dialogue. Here's a fresh collection of screen grabs. You can check out the shot by shot analysis I did for the first trailer <a href="http://arkyvaughan.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-42-trailer-shot-by-shot.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">"You don't belong here, and you never will."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> Jackie Robinson batting at Forbes Field in 1947, his rookie season. This is the first in a series of shots from the Forbes Field scene that we saw in the first trailer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Ostermueller delivers a pitch. Look at the detail in the scenery behind him. The scoreboard looks perfect. Just beyond it, you can see part of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The ball hits Robinson square in the head.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This did happen in real life. Robinson has hit by a pitch thrown by Ostermueller during a game at Forbes Field in 1947, but the circumstances in "42" appear to be much different, and quite frankly, fabricated. One account I found of the game indicates it was most likely an accident. The report says Ostermueller apologized to Robinson through a teammate later in the game.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This new trailer for "42" suggests Robinson later gets his revenge against Ostermueller.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Robinson drives the ball to left in this gorgeous shot. It looks like it could be a home run. That would be interesting because Robinson didn't record an extra base hit at Forbes Field during his rookie year. Again, the details of Forbes Field are incredible, especially the buildings beyond the outfield wall.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Robinson makes a face. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQAeVwsU29VxAvRcSF2rRiTlQxU7xE-Y-08OqMdjEg_xYiWjL-i5rTii4ax_y4Lp03_jMk0Hi3CkMR5tG443vcv-lSV5W5G7O7WRWwuk75EL5bGOvoIkJyFXMw3ctQLcSd1lueoSCjcqE/s1600/42trailer2-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQAeVwsU29VxAvRcSF2rRiTlQxU7xE-Y-08OqMdjEg_xYiWjL-i5rTii4ax_y4Lp03_jMk0Hi3CkMR5tG443vcv-lSV5W5G7O7WRWwuk75EL5bGOvoIkJyFXMw3ctQLcSd1lueoSCjcqE/s1600/42trailer2-11.jpg" height="337" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Ostermueller makes a face. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicIhHJFb2xQ2-riJV_oDRdPTdcJD7K_3txFaKtDjFHiJXZ2OEcMTcOpTTo7EgGqYTvMj9belHNUVs_9hIe5sYdbFtTAmFNQIL3_2Z_V56TubcfRIKMg7HeICa70BeTYcbigylQCsoiwZ8/s1600/42trailer2-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicIhHJFb2xQ2-riJV_oDRdPTdcJD7K_3txFaKtDjFHiJXZ2OEcMTcOpTTo7EgGqYTvMj9belHNUVs_9hIe5sYdbFtTAmFNQIL3_2Z_V56TubcfRIKMg7HeICa70BeTYcbigylQCsoiwZ8/s1600/42trailer2-13.jpg" height="340" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">This a new shot that was not in the first "42" trailer, and it may be the most remarkable one yet from the Forbes Field scene. You can clearly see the Cathedral of Learning on the University of Pittsburgh campus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There's little doubt in the my mind that "42" will include the most detailed and accurate recreation of Forbes Field ever put to film. It's almost mind-blowing to see just the handful of shots in the first couple trailers. What makes it all the more remarkable is that Forbes Field probably plays little more than a cameo role in the movie.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In both trailers there are also scenes at Brooklyn's Ebbets Field which look just as gorgeous. I can imagine more than a few longtime Dodgers fans will be welling up when they see it on the big screen. For Pirates fans, seeing the old "House of Thrills" in recreated with such care and attention to detail is going to be a great treat.</span></div>
Matt Carlinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03653833525291255338noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8359629811420969953.post-73549303216682572092012-09-26T22:29:00.000-07:002012-09-26T22:29:15.821-07:00The "42" Trailer: Shot By Shot<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We now present an even closer examination of the series of events that apparently depicts a Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher beaning <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/robinja02.shtml" target="_blank">Jackie Robinson</a> in the head during the trailer for the movie "42". <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/osterfr01.shtml" target="_blank">Fritz Ostermueller</a> is the culprit. We know this from newspaper reports on the filming in Birmingham, Alabama earlier this year. However, Ostermueller may not be the only Pirates pitcher shown. There may be someone else. Watch the trailer one more time. The initial sequence of events involving the Pirates begins around the 1:00 mark of the trailer.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/6hww-Xxbud0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, let's take a closer look at the sequence of shots involving the Pittsburgh Pirates.</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjG4JlvXfyydcN68uoHjBoFkdu-2An6bunzhsSJjm3UR9tNcV7mHcbM-Q11jZ6M7R_FhyQN1IVCNU39dU_URYWlhXPQV78fZldyx7_3IystCTY8LwThHROdATV9m2OTLPbMteJmA37jk/s1600/42trailer2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjG4JlvXfyydcN68uoHjBoFkdu-2An6bunzhsSJjm3UR9tNcV7mHcbM-Q11jZ6M7R_FhyQN1IVCNU39dU_URYWlhXPQV78fZldyx7_3IystCTY8LwThHROdATV9m2OTLPbMteJmA37jk/s640/42trailer2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the first Pirates pitcher we see in the trailer for "42", but it may not be Fritz Ostermueller.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghj2NgJlh5vf3wn2QR99eN8UGWIyNPMu7CIF19f1OV86KpzVO_9PWAk-U2CxrgBLiaBTn6EbLLCWRM-hpLTxrm3nOOCavxhZDlvsmiDILVu9gCxsGbKDLeriRfjIu-zl6rvwWjT0vjwIQ/s1600/42trailer3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghj2NgJlh5vf3wn2QR99eN8UGWIyNPMu7CIF19f1OV86KpzVO_9PWAk-U2CxrgBLiaBTn6EbLLCWRM-hpLTxrm3nOOCavxhZDlvsmiDILVu9gCxsGbKDLeriRfjIu-zl6rvwWjT0vjwIQ/s640/42trailer3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The next shot shows Jackie Robinson in a Montreal Royals uniform, but it appears this is from another scene.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmA-DrGRSMlM4thPCbs4LSAM1SmQxXIZTt7hIk12WSa0hfWegXVQa5KrI7PTWhep5exuOADESPQkqNe7mlftSWUCW4EV8GlHkvwYF0h0E2ggy95aQGAPJnVEWKCljLW5m_qMSR-AH8fIU/s1600/42trailer4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmA-DrGRSMlM4thPCbs4LSAM1SmQxXIZTt7hIk12WSa0hfWegXVQa5KrI7PTWhep5exuOADESPQkqNe7mlftSWUCW4EV8GlHkvwYF0h0E2ggy95aQGAPJnVEWKCljLW5m_qMSR-AH8fIU/s640/42trailer4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's because the next shot is most certainly Robinson in a Brooklyn Dodgers uniform. You can see the loop of the "g" just under his left arm. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBOYdoZNYHlFUp20JqHliaCX1-NLk5QPyeQ0Olqu5GApY6RjbZdlN1w7CxOxX46A0oBy1Sz0z8LBgf5sNg96uykjR4rPFiykThCXgSHjUe7S07hEUZG2dwHYB8VCFo_R7SnUFaP3YEsM/s1600/42trailer5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBOYdoZNYHlFUp20JqHliaCX1-NLk5QPyeQ0Olqu5GApY6RjbZdlN1w7CxOxX46A0oBy1Sz0z8LBgf5sNg96uykjR4rPFiykThCXgSHjUe7S07hEUZG2dwHYB8VCFo_R7SnUFaP3YEsM/s640/42trailer5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cutaway during the swing shows that we are at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. You can see the iconic scoreboard in left field. It is 1947, Robinson's rookie season.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9EY-Qd9S7u2CLMCdqKwf0DUnlMwzEf8q18gQBoWjdd-Gv8Knn6HmOLe1EDuBrUH6dwy3fUeNIv8TDbW1riaeQ5lXKcaes1rRWZ96EsxwT9iykStLJ4cmNavyKq1j-HCb7_NeuOLnvZY/s1600/42trailer6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9EY-Qd9S7u2CLMCdqKwf0DUnlMwzEf8q18gQBoWjdd-Gv8Knn6HmOLe1EDuBrUH6dwy3fUeNIv8TDbW1riaeQ5lXKcaes1rRWZ96EsxwT9iykStLJ4cmNavyKq1j-HCb7_NeuOLnvZY/s640/42trailer6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like a home run, even though records show Robinson didn't have any extra base hits during his first series as a Dodger at Forbes Field. Regardless, Robinson casually tosses aside his bat. The #21 on the back of the pitcher's uniform is the clue that led us to discover that the character is real-life Pirates pitcher, Fritz Ostermueller.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0f0fsI2M4A26TuZ1lHQk9-Oa-i6YRouWgUyU9Ol-Rk_ZZCS6ECUfIA3wek1paZ-usJp7GJ2n6-TSYQqogBisCaB8WxvkP7TjkfV7-4fJnCWv_R_Io8WszoBuP69B6hIC6nYq_6-8eJTc/s1600/42trailer1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0f0fsI2M4A26TuZ1lHQk9-Oa-i6YRouWgUyU9Ol-Rk_ZZCS6ECUfIA3wek1paZ-usJp7GJ2n6-TSYQqogBisCaB8WxvkP7TjkfV7-4fJnCWv_R_Io8WszoBuP69B6hIC6nYq_6-8eJTc/s640/42trailer1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The next shot shows that Ostermueller is not amused. He is played by actor Linc Hand. Also, look at the attention to detail in this shot. You can see the roof of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History over the left field wall in the background. The scene was shot at <a href="http://www.rickwood.com/" target="_blank">Rickwood Field</a> in Birmingham, Alabama. There is no such building there in real life. It was added during post-production.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At this point, the trailer goes off on a bit of a tangent. It returns to the scene seconds later.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFGS4Hf_wxNz_k6fWZSluHAqvocJN1d9RwvNEY4iktNPBuzFxWLwI0ICTOl1WACzx_u9Fr7INbMml7z-WNWjpEIWffjukLV0mLjMpTw9Uq21-vaHFdrMtnzCYDJ6pa0Z7dJxT8MI8iYw/s1600/42trailer7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFGS4Hf_wxNz_k6fWZSluHAqvocJN1d9RwvNEY4iktNPBuzFxWLwI0ICTOl1WACzx_u9Fr7INbMml7z-WNWjpEIWffjukLV0mLjMpTw9Uq21-vaHFdrMtnzCYDJ6pa0Z7dJxT8MI8iYw/s640/42trailer7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Pirates pitcher delivers. Is it Fritz Ostermueller, or someone else? Compare the pitcher in this shot to the one we know is Ostermueller in the shot directly above. To me, it looks like someone else. Specifically, it looks like the pitcher in the very first shot at the top of this article.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqnKFaVD_lbJCh9JS35cYhAmirAFtF05nk06rC0KN_RyAY9syMV8ctvU8MrNF8DX5lVAxf2UHvUKOHCFedCtqSeartYboi0iD0Bz6cCFKKpkX7kXHuJx9FqBghglhT5sR6ebnCPUPJZjs/s1600/42trailer8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqnKFaVD_lbJCh9JS35cYhAmirAFtF05nk06rC0KN_RyAY9syMV8ctvU8MrNF8DX5lVAxf2UHvUKOHCFedCtqSeartYboi0iD0Bz6cCFKKpkX7kXHuJx9FqBghglhT5sR6ebnCPUPJZjs/s640/42trailer8.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pitch is traveling directly at Jackie Robinson's head.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJghnuLtvC1mT5F0lU0euKyk71KJQ7FIfSl-HmZjAhF_brpmShlZUvlZBpTn1BAZADLByJ9bE2GPkSJEjatLgKLgFqY3kj4ainQq2w_x_7Oh6EjvoBZAhbyu-Qy54D6u9YjLNGItBwuy0/s1600/42trailer9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJghnuLtvC1mT5F0lU0euKyk71KJQ7FIfSl-HmZjAhF_brpmShlZUvlZBpTn1BAZADLByJ9bE2GPkSJEjatLgKLgFqY3kj4ainQq2w_x_7Oh6EjvoBZAhbyu-Qy54D6u9YjLNGItBwuy0/s640/42trailer9.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIiRKRgSt1FGugvZcjsJ3ZPOU9A63aqK9-NcRDiyHBRMPlNmkPWjbMO3vKOWfq060TDnps2H0UQNOKwj0edx_QtQSvPbEEHM8vMrDxvgVgAaNNPgIpvEV-rXkNGZW0XgyNv2iCjN7Lbg/s1600/42trailer10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVIiRKRgSt1FGugvZcjsJ3ZPOU9A63aqK9-NcRDiyHBRMPlNmkPWjbMO3vKOWfq060TDnps2H0UQNOKwj0edx_QtQSvPbEEHM8vMrDxvgVgAaNNPgIpvEV-rXkNGZW0XgyNv2iCjN7Lbg/s640/42trailer10.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Certainly not trying to make light of the situation. The trailer shows the ball striking Robinson directly in the head. That contradicts at least one report from the time, which stated that Robinson appeared to get his arm up to protect his face. Perhaps the reporter meant to say that Robinson tried to get his arm up to protect himself, but was unable to do so.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As far as a second Pirates pitcher, I'm not sure what to believe. It makes sense for it to be Ostermueller alone. Perhaps I'm looking too closely. Take a look for yourself and share your own feedback. It's always appreciated. Thanks for reading.</span><br />
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<br />Matt Carlinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03653833525291255338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8359629811420969953.post-65916628649438571282012-09-25T21:11:00.001-07:002012-09-25T21:11:57.968-07:00Who's That In The "42" Trailer?I had heard some good things about the trailer for "42", the upcoming Jackie Robinson biopic.<br />
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Then, I watched it. You should too. It's really cool. The fun for Pirates fans begins at the 1:00 mark.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/6hww-Xxbud0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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My first reaction: Oh boy! Meet the most evil player in the history of the Pittsburgh Pirates!<br />
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I think Warner Bros. must have missed the memo stating that only the New York Yankees are <br />
to be used as the embodiment of pure evil in major motion pictures about baseball.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMUCwsA5g-pJK_4vDCTWDrDd0tufvpf1XtM4P4MScDsRan2hHgewXxq1SY0l_0i1Mz-Itv0gySZBfLlPGHWfYVOD84yC2ty6vK89nYMqVM0M728T8MBcNJEuy0cft1uj7sniEJFUV8PfQ/s1600/Linc-as-Ostermueller.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMUCwsA5g-pJK_4vDCTWDrDd0tufvpf1XtM4P4MScDsRan2hHgewXxq1SY0l_0i1Mz-Itv0gySZBfLlPGHWfYVOD84yC2ty6vK89nYMqVM0M728T8MBcNJEuy0cft1uj7sniEJFUV8PfQ/s400/Linc-as-Ostermueller.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Who is that pitcher seen beaning Jackie Robinson in the head? Did this really happen?<br />
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The trailer provides us with the clue we need. When the pitcher turns his back you can clearly see his jersey #21. It didn't take long to learn the mystery pitcher being portrayed on screen is a real person.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYg3VY7caD1IHD2TEyhwDsNINS5NVp8tdiBPnpExhHLJDo6Bj9wNoyXgaFcQiBU8EmHs1OSc2U4WP5Ph0bMPOcWerY9PRH9SMkXYc7hYjTebcWkqPsErzYzEy9rGxvsMS6E9SS7XnmrE/s1600/OstermuellerPirates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYg3VY7caD1IHD2TEyhwDsNINS5NVp8tdiBPnpExhHLJDo6Bj9wNoyXgaFcQiBU8EmHs1OSc2U4WP5Ph0bMPOcWerY9PRH9SMkXYc7hYjTebcWkqPsErzYzEy9rGxvsMS6E9SS7XnmrE/s400/OstermuellerPirates.jpg" width="321" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/osterfr01.shtml" target="_blank">Fritz Ostermueller</a> pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1944-1948. Over those five season the southpaw started 106 games, posting a 49-42 record and a 3.48 ERA. It was the final stop of his 15 year career, that previously included time with Branch Rickey's Brooklyn Dodgers.<br />
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The actor playing Ostermueller in "42" is <a href="http://www.linchand.com/" target="_blank">Linc Hand</a>. The beaning scene was filmed in Birmingham, Alabama earlier this year. <a href="http://mountaineagle.com/bookmark/18624876" target="_blank">A local newspaper reported on Hand's role</a>, and added a few details on the scene we see in the trailer.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<em>Ostermueller hit Robinson with a pitch early in his groundbreaking rookie season and was also on the mound in June 1947 when Robinson led his team to a 4-2 victory against the Pirates by stealing home.</em></blockquote>
A quick look at Baseball Reference located <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT194705170.shtml" target="_blank">the first game referenced in the article</a>.<br />
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On May 17, 1947, Ostermueller scattered 12 Dodger hits in a complete game shutout victory at Forbes Field. The Pirates scored 4 runs on 4 hits to create the winning margin. The box score shows Robinson went 2-4, and was hit by a pitch, the fourth HPB of the season for him.<br />
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Was the incident as violent and mean-spirited as it appears in the "42" trailer? The 2008 book, <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CB8QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FOpening-Day-Jackie-Robinsons-Season%2Fdp%2F0743294602&ei=On1iUPzvDYe_0QGT-IH4Bg&usg=AFQjCNHgsO37NhIRBImAe7PXWuQG6EWWcQ" target="_blank">"Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season"</a>, includes the original reporting of the game by the <i>Pittsburgh Courier</i>'s Wendell Smith.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>...pitcher Fritz Ostermueller threw a fastball up and in. Robinson, unable to duck it in time, raised his arm to protect his face and fell to the ground.</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>"When the ball hit him a deathly silence hovered over the entire park," Smith wrote. "Jackie was on the ground grimiacing in pain." The Dodger bench emptied as teammates checked to see if he was all right. As soon as Robinson got up and ran to first, some of his teammates began shouting threats at Ostermueller.</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Though the taunting was profane, Smith interpreted the Dodgers' attacks on the pitcher as "expressions of their regard for Robinson." Later in the game, <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gustifr01.shtml" target="_blank">Frankie Gustine</a> singled and went to first, where he apologized to Robinson on Ostermueller's behalf. "I'm sure he didn't mean it," Gustine told Robinson, adding that he, too, was happy to see the rookie getting on well in the big leagues.</i></blockquote>
<div>
The trailer seems to indicate that the beaning incident involving Ostermueller is some kind of retaliation against Robinson, but there's nothing I can find to support that being the case.</div>
<br />
<a href="http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1947/B05170PIT1947.htm" target="_blank">The box score for the game on the Retrosheet website</a> shows Robinson was hit by the pitch in the top of the first inning, after the Dodgers lead-off man had grounded out. It's Robinson's rookie year, and the first series of the season between the Dodgers and Pirates. Safe to assume, Jackie Robinson and Fritz Ostermueller had never faced one another on the diamond previously. Smith's report also indicates that Ostermueller was apologetic after the incident.<br />
<br />
Most of us understand that any movie based on actual events is going to take some liberties with the truth in the interest of pacing or simply telling a better story. However, if Fritz Ostermueller is indeed portrayed as a villain in "42", I wonder if it would have been better to simply make up a fictional name for the Pirates pitcher who beans Robinson.<br />
<br />
Honestly, I had never heard the name Fritz Ostermueller until my curiosity about the "42" trailer led me to him. I'm now wondering how much the line between truth and fiction is blurred in this movie. Whether a forgotten, yet successful, Pirates pitcher from the past is having his name dragged back into the spotlight for the wrong reason.Matt Carlinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03653833525291255338noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8359629811420969953.post-76257971332893434602012-05-11T18:46:00.001-07:002012-05-11T18:47:12.268-07:00Time Machine: Rebuilding The Pirates<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQR5PHwfYAiuqILTRnWOAK1k3-cazS5SWdBrnipf0GozxQVaYfK4M4QC7vcqxB1q7xhnjH1KoUxJqHL0iFWsJnRKh-RSAsumwylvls2QRaf44jP6mJ5fwCzPkilHPxYQHGtAXXYVk8tw/s1600/weitersandcutch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUQR5PHwfYAiuqILTRnWOAK1k3-cazS5SWdBrnipf0GozxQVaYfK4M4QC7vcqxB1q7xhnjH1KoUxJqHL0iFWsJnRKh-RSAsumwylvls2QRaf44jP6mJ5fwCzPkilHPxYQHGtAXXYVk8tw/s400/weitersandcutch.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I guess you could call it "Draft Remorse".<br />
<br />
I hear folks talking all the time about where the Pirates have made mistakes in the draft, and how different things could be today if just a few decisions were changed.<br />
<br />
Let's examine this, shall we?<br />
<br />
Why not begin with the most egregious, painful error in the recent history of the Pittsburgh Baseball Club, Dave Littlefield's decision to draft low-ceiling relief pitcher <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/moskoda01.shtml" target="_blank">Daniel Moskos</a> over stud catching prospect <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wietema01.shtml" target="_blank">Matt Weiters</a>.<br />
<br />
Let us presume that we have a time machine that allows us to transport ourselves back in time and somehow incapacitate Littlefield before he can draft Moskos. Instead, the Pirates thrill fans by selecting their catcher of the future.<br />
<br />
<strong>2007: Matt Weiters, C</strong><br />
<br />
No need to change the decision made the following year. I don't think many would have chosen differently then, though you can make an argument that they may choose differently now. I remain optimistic.<br />
<br />
<strong>2008: <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alvarpe01.shtml" target="_blank">Pedro Alvarez</a>, 3B</strong><br />
<br />
The 2009 draft is where things get interesting. The Pirates went with a unique draft budgeting strategy, spreading their spending throughout the draft. That meant a conservative pick in the first round, catcher <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=sanche001ton" target="_blank">Tony Sanchez</a>. Well, in our alternate timeline, there's no longer any need to select Sanchez because the Pirates already have Weiters. So, who do the Bucs select instead with the 4th overall pick? <br />
<br />
There was a run on pitching right after the Pirates selected Sanchez at #4, the next eight picks were all pitchers. The following two picks were a pair of super talented high school prospects, <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=hobgoo001mat" target="_blank">Matthew Hobgood</a> (selected by the Orioles) and <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=wheele001zac" target="_blank">Zack Wheeler</a> (Giants). Considering the fact that Neal Huntington selected <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=taillo001jam" target="_blank">Jameson Taillon</a> with the #2 overall pick the following year, I think it's safe to assume he would go with a high school pitcher here. Wheeler has proven to be a strikeout machine in the minor leagues. If Huntington had to choose between the two, I'm guessing he goes with the youngster posting a 10.3 SO/9 during his professional career.<br />
<br />
<strong>2009: Zack Wheeler, RHP</strong><br />
<br />
Taking Zack Wheeler gives the Pirates their best starting pitching prospect in a generation, precisely what Jameson Taillon would become the following year. But since we're in the alternate timeline, where Wheeler is already scorching overmatched hitters in the minors, the Pirates can address another glaring need on their organizational depth chart. Why don't we get a top prospect in the middle infield? Seems like a simple pick, but perhaps not in Huntington's eyes. Since his first draft as Pirates general manager in 2008, he's steadily drafted fewer high school position players. Take a look at his track record for selecting such prospects in the first 25 picks of the draft.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
2008: <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=grossm002rob" target="_blank">Robbie Grossman</a>, OF (6th Round); <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=gardne002rob" target="_blank">Robert Gardner</a>, OF (13); <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=freema001wes" target="_blank">Wes Freeman</a>, OF (16); <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=cunnin001jar" target="_blank">Jarek Cunningham</a>, SS (18); <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=palmei001pat" target="_blank">Patrick Palmeiro</a>, 3B (22); <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=litwin001bri" target="_blank">Brian Litwin</a>, 3B (24)<br />
<br />
2009: <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=schoen001joe" target="_blank">Joey Schoenfeld</a>, C (10); <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=gourle001joh" target="_blank">Walker Gourley</a>, SS (13); <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=lafoun001aar" target="_blank">Aaron LaFountaine</a>, OF (25)<br />
<br />
2010: <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=lakind001jar" target="_blank">Jared Lakind</a>, 1B (23)</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
I'm not sure why Neal Huntingdon seems to be shying away from high school position players as the years go by, but the trend is there. So, as badly as I want to say the Pirates would have selected <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=machad001man" target="_blank">Manny Machado</a> with their 1st round pick in the alternate timeline, I think the draft history of Neal Huntington tells us it would be someone else.<br />
<br />
<strong>2010: <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=colon-001chr" target="_blank">Christian Colon</a>, SS</strong><br />
<br />
That brings us to last year's draft. With Wheeler and, presumably, <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=allie-001ste" target="_blank">Stetson Allie</a> and Luis Heredia in the farm system and more depth up the middle than they have right now, there's no reason to think the Pirates would do things differently than they did.<br />
<br />
<strong>2011: <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=cole--001ger" target="_blank">Gerritt Cole</a>, RHP</strong><br />
<br />
So, does all this actually leave the Pirates in a better place than they are right now? Referring to BaseballAmerica's prospect rankings for 2012, I was able to put together the following:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>2012 Pittsburgh Pirates Top 10 Prospect Rankings (Alternate Timeline Edition)</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1. Gerritt Cole, RHP (BA #12)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
2. Zach Wheeler, RHP (BA #35)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
3. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=bell--007jos" target="_blank">Josh Bell</a>, OF (BA #60)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
4. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=marte-001sta" target="_blank">Starling Marte</a>, OF (BA #73)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
5. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=heredi002lui" target="_blank">Luis Heredia</a>, RHP</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
6. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=mcpher001kyl" target="_blank">Kyle McPherson</a>, RHP</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
7. Robbie Grossman, OF</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
8. Stetson Allie, RHP</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
9. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=locke-001jef" target="_blank">Jeff Locke</a>, LHP</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
10. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=dicker001ale" target="_blank">Alex Dickerson</a>, 1B</div>
<br />
I'd love to let Christian Colon have the #10 slot, but it's frankly not deserved. He entered 2011 as #51 on BaseballAmerica's prospect rankings, but his season was a disappointment. He was unranked by BA coming into this season, and barely hanging on in the organizational rankings I looked at for the Kansas City Royals. He no longer appears to be part of that franchise's long-term plans. No doubt, there is much angst among Pirates fans in the alternate timeline over this selection.<br />
<br />
There's good news. Matt Weiters is in Pittsburgh, along with fellow super prospect Pedro Alvarez. Weiters has been occupying the 5th spot in the Orioles batting order for most of this season, so I'd assume that's where he'd land in the Pirates lineup once Alvarez worked out his early season slump. The Pirates batting order probably looks something like this:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>2012 Pittsburgh Pirates Batting Order (Alternate Timeline Edition)</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
1. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tabatjo01.shtml" target="_blank">Jose Tabata</a>, RF</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
2. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/walkene01.shtml" target="_blank">Neil Walker</a>, 2B</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
3. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mccutan01.shtml" target="_blank">Andrew McCutchen</a>, CF</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
4. Pedro Alvarez, 3B</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
5. Matt Weiters, C</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
6. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jonesga02.shtml" target="_blank">Garrett Jones</a>/<a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcgehca01.shtml" target="_blank">Casey McGehee</a>, 1B</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
7. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/preslal01.shtml" target="_blank">Alex Presley</a>, LF</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
8. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/barmecl01.shtml" target="_blank">Clint Barmes</a>, SS</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
9. (Pitcher)</div>
<br />
I'm sure you'd get some platoon situations involving <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/harrijo05.shtml" target="_blank">Josh Harrison</a> and <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/navarya01.shtml" target="_blank">Yamaico Navarro</a> as we move forward.<br />
<br />
The fallout from the alternate timeline 2010 draft is interesting. I find it hard to believe the Orioles would pass on Jameson Taillon at #3. He'd be the O's #2 prospect according to BaseballAmerica, behind pitcher <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=bundy-000dyl" target="_blank">Dylan Bundy</a>. That leaves the Royals to select Manny Machado at #4. He'd be their top ranked prospect today, according to BA, and probably would've cost <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=escoba001alc" target="_blank">Alcides Escobar</a> that nice contract extension he signed during the offseason.<br />
<br />
So, what do we take from this exercise? You can almost make the argument that this scenario plays out worse for the Pirates than the one we're all witnessing in the "prime" timeline. In this scenario, the huge draft bust that set back the franchise isn't all the way back in 2007, it's fresh in everyone's minds. By now, fans in the alternate timeline are realizing Christian Colon probably wasn't the right selection in 2010. They're hating the fact that the other three players taken in the top four picks of that draft are all top prospects: <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/harpebr03.shtml" target="_blank">Bryce Harper</a>, Taillon and Machado. <br />
<br />
Zach Wheeler's arrival is still probably at least a season away, as is Gerritt Cole's. Still, there's a big hole in the middle of the Pirates' lineup that's been filled and appears stable for years to come. The decision not to draft Matt Weiters haunts the Pirates, and unless you have a time machine lying around, there's no way to undo the damage.Matt Carlinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03653833525291255338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8359629811420969953.post-3024066575995307742012-02-27T06:24:00.001-08:002012-02-27T10:07:51.116-08:00Did I Invent A New Baseball Stat?Now for something slightly different.<br />
<br />
I'm taking a little time to write a post that has nothing to do with Arky Vaughan or the Pittsburgh Pirates. This one is about fantasy baseball. I'm doing research for my upcoming draft, and one of my goals is to reduce risk in players. My league docks points for strikeouts, hitting into double plays and being caught stealing. <br />
<br />
The base stealing issue is what brings me to this little effort.
Simply looking up a list of the league leaders in caught stealing in 2011 was not enough for me. There were indications of a stolen base percentage stat out there, but my searches of baseball-reference.com, fangraphs.com and other sites didn't give me the results I was looking for. So, I created my own stat.<br />
<br />
The formula is simple, and probably a little crude as it doesn't factor in things like catcher indifference. It does show how efficient the most aggressive base stealers are. I read somewhere online that anyone stealing bases at a lower than 75% success rate would be better off not trying at all. I'm not certain where to draw the line, but this effort was useful in showing which players are doing too much harm while putting up high stolen base totals. It also shows some added value for elite players that fantasy owners may not be aware of. I limited my pool of players to those with a minimum of 30 stolen base attempts in 2011.<br />
<br />
2011 Stolen Base Success Rate (Stolen Bases/Caught Stealing) - Minimum 30 Attempts<br />
<br />
Ian Kinsler - 88.2% (30/4)
<br />
Eric Young - 87.0% (27/4)
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Ichiro Suzuki - 85.1% (40/7)
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Jose Reyes - 84.7% (39/7)
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Ryan Braun - 84.6% (33/6)
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Coco Crisp - 84.4% (49/9)
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Jason Bourgeois - 83.7% (31/6)
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Erick Aybar - 83.3% (30/6)
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Cameron Maybin - 83.3% (40/8)
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Angel Pagan - 82.0% (32/7)
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Michael Bourn - 81.3% (61/14)
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Drew Stubbs - 80.0% (40/10)
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Brett Gardner - 79.0% (49/13)
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Ben Revere - 79.0% (34/9)<br />
Jimmy Rollins - 78.9% (30/8)
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Emilio Bonifacio - 78.4% (40/11)
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Matt Kemp - 78.4% (40/11)
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Dee Gordon - 77.4% (24/7)
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Dustin Pedroia - 76.4% (26/8)
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Elvis Andrus - 75.5% (37/12)
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Rajai Davis - 75.5% (34/11)
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B.J. Upton - 75.0% (36/12)
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Alcides Escobar - 74.2% (26/9)
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Jacoby Ellsbury - 72.2% (39/15)
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Ian Desmond - 71.4% (25/10)
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Curtis Granderson - 71.4% (25/10)
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Starlin Castro - 70.9% (22/9)
<br />
Peter Bourjos - 70.9% (22/9)
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Chris Young - 70.9% (22/9)
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Justin Upton - 70.0% (21/9)
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Jason Bartlett - 69.6% (23/10)
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Andrew McCutchen - 69.6% (23/10)<br />
Jeff Francoeur - 68.7% (22/10)
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Willie Bloomquist - 66.6% (20/10)
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Melky Cabrera - 66.6% (20/10)
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Hanley Ramirez - 66.6% (20/10)
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Jemile Weeks - 66.6% (22/11)
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Juan Pierre - 61.3% (27/17)
<br />
<br />
Pretty interesting to see players like Kinsler and Braun at the top of this list. Fantasy owners don't need many extra reasons to draft them, but knowing how efficient they are on the base paths doesn't hurt.
<br />
<br />
I'd love to hear your feedback on this. How much value is there in these numbers? Are there other factors to bring into the equation? Let me know. Thanks for reading.Matt Carlinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03653833525291255338noreply@blogger.com0Pleasant Hills, PA, USA40.3356252 -79.960606640.3114177 -80.000088600000012 40.359832700000005 -79.9211246tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8359629811420969953.post-48755523698888513102012-02-07T18:58:00.000-08:002012-02-07T18:58:44.996-08:00Swinging And Rarely MissingIt was recently brought to my attention that Arky Vaughan struck out only 276 times in his 6,662 career at-bats. For a little perspective, Cincinnati Reds outfielder Drew Stubbs led all of Major League Baseball in strikeouts in 2011 with 205. Back when Vaughan was playing, it was rare for a hitter to record more than 100 strikeouts in a single season. Still, Vaughan's ability over his career to put balls in play and get on base puts him in some exclusive company. Somewhat surprisingly, that company is littered with other greats who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Here's <a href="http://www.baseball-almanac.com/hitting/histrkop1.shtml" target="_blank">a lovely table of all-time leaders in strikeout percentage compiled by Baseball-Almanac</a>.<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/seweljo01.shtml" target="_blank">Joe Sewell</a> - 1.6<br />
2. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wanerll01.shtml" target="_blank"><strong>Lloyd Waner</strong></a> - 2.2<br />
3. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/foxne01.shtml" target="_blank">Nellie Fox</a> - 2.3<br />
4. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/holmeto01.shtml" target="_blank">Tommy Holmes</a> - 2.4<br />
5. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/highan01.shtml" target="_blank">Andy High</a> - 3.0<br />
6. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/ricesa01.shtml" target="_blank">Sam Rice</a> - 3.0<br />
7. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/friscfr01.shtml" target="_blank">Frankie Frisch</a> - 3.0<br />
8. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mitchda01.shtml" target="_blank">Dale Mitchell</a> - 3.0<br />
9. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/coonejo01.shtml" target="_blank">Johnny Cooney</a> - 3.2<br />
10. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mccorfr01.shtml" target="_blank">Frank McCormick</a> - 3.3<br />
11. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/muelldo01.shtml" target="_blank">Don Mueller</a> - 3.3<br />
12. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/southbi01.shtml" target="_blank"><strong>Billy Southworth</strong></a> - 3.4<br />
13. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/radclri01.shtml" target="_blank">Rip Radcliff</a> - 3.5<br />
14. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/roushed01.shtml" target="_blank">Edd Roush</a> - 3.5<br />
15. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/traynpi01.shtml" target="_blank"><strong>Pie Traynor</strong></a> - 3.7<br />
16. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cramedo01.shtml" target="_blank">Doc Cramer</a> - 3.8<br />
17. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bigbeca01.shtml" target="_blank"><strong>Carson Bigbee</strong></a> - 3.8<br />
18. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sislege01.shtml" target="_blank">George Sisler</a> - 4.0<br />
19. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wanerpa01.shtml" target="_blank"><strong>Paul Waner</strong></a> - 4.0<br />
20. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/adamssp01.shtml" target="_blank">Sparky Adams</a> - 4.0<br />
21. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/finnelo01.shtml" target="_blank">Lou Finney</a> - 4.0<br />
22. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/meuseir01.shtml" target="_blank">Irish Meusel</a> - 4.1<br />
23. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/schoere01.shtml" target="_blank">Red Schoendienst</a> - 4.1<br />
24. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/powervi01.shtml" target="_blank">Vic Power</a> - 4.1<br />
25. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vaughar01.shtml" target="_blank"><strong>Arky Vaughan</strong></a> - 4.2<br />
<br />
Out of the 25 players on this list, 5 played a majority of their career with the Pittsburgh Pirates - Lloyd Waner, Pie Traynor, Carson Bigbee, Paul Waner and Vaughan. There's a virtual tie when it comes to the career of Billy Southworth, between the Pirates and the Boston Braves.<br />
<br />
That's 6 Pirates on this list of some of the all-time toughest hitters to strike out. The tie for distant second place is shared by four franchises, with three players each - the Boston Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants and Philadelphia Athletics.<br />
<br />
What's interesting about the former Pirates on this list other than Vaughan is the fact that their careers all intersected as the franchise was building up the team that won the World Series in 1925 and the National League pennant in 1927.<br />
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There were a lot of interesting things that happened as the Pittsburgh Pirates roster evolved during the 1920's. I'm finishing up a full post on that which should be published in the near future. In the meantime, enjoy the fact that a bunch of Pirates hitters during the 1920's were historically difficult to strike out.<br />
<br />Matt Carlinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03653833525291255338noreply@blogger.com0Pleasant Hills, PA, USA40.3356252 -79.960606640.3114177 -80.000088600000012 40.359832700000005 -79.9211246tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8359629811420969953.post-79181410150207680162012-01-02T02:00:00.000-08:002012-01-01T23:08:47.659-08:00The Best Hitting Shortstops Of All TimeOffensively, Arky Vaughan is one of the greatest shortstops in baseball history. Statistics show him to be second only to Honus Wagner himself. We're not just talking about the history of the Pittsburgh Pirates. We're talking about the history of baseball. In a time when pitchers and hitters competed on a more even playing field, Vaughan excelled. When looking at his career, only a handful of players at the shortstop position can compare.<br />
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<u>Career Batting Average</u><br />
1. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wagneho01.shtml" target="_blank">Honus Wagner</a> - .327<br />
<strong>2. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vaughar01.shtml" target="_blank">Arky Vaughan</a> - .318</strong><br />
3. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jeterde01.shtml" target="_blank">Derek Jeter</a> - .313<br />
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<u>Career On-Base Precentage</u><br />
<strong>1. Arky Vaughan - .406</strong><br />
2. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/applilu01.shtml" target="_blank">Luke Appling</a> - .399<br />
3. Honus Wagner - .391<br />
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<u>Career On-Base Plus Slugging</u><br />
1. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garcino01.shtml" target="_blank">Nomar Garciaparra</a> - .882<br />
<strong>2. Arky Vaughan - .859</strong><br />
3. <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cronijo01.shtml" target="_blank">Joe Cronin</a> - .857<br />
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<br />Matt Carlinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03653833525291255338noreply@blogger.com0Pleasant Hills, PA, USA40.3356252 -79.960606640.3114177 -80.000088600000012 40.359832700000005 -79.9211246tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8359629811420969953.post-11179568498786451212011-12-18T10:23:00.000-08:002012-08-26T16:12:11.269-07:00"Baseball's Most Superbly Forgotten Man"The debate over who is the greatest shortstop in baseball history begins at second place. Honus Wagner has held an unimpeachable grip on the title for nearly a century. Over that time, it seems the appreciation for The Flying Dutchman's playing career has only grown.<br />
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However, in many ways the shortstop Wagner mentored during his years as a coach on the Pirates staff was his equal. In others, he was superior. But despite his brilliant play, there is no statue erected in his honor. There is no baseball card that has become an icon in the world of sports memorabilia. There are only the statistics from a remarkable baseball career, the anecdotes of a quiet man not interested in personal fame and the tragedy that he had such little time to reflect on what he accomplished.<br />
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In 1999, the Pittsburgh Pirates, in cooperation with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, invited baseball fans to vote for their Pirates Team of the Century. Over 14,000 fan ballots were received. Honus Wagner was the clear choice at shortstop with 11,106 votes. Trailing far behind were Dick Groat and Jay Bell, with 951 and 937 votes respectively. Out of more than 14,000 ballots sent in by Pittsburgh sports fans, Arky Vaughan received a meager 264 votes.<br />
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But why would anyone expect any other result? The New York sports columnist Red Smith, at one time the most popular in the country, once described Vaughan as "baseball's most superbly forgotten man."<br />
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Arky Vaughan was a baseball prodigy. He entered the major leagues at the age of 20. By the time he was 23, he was a National League batting champion, but that's just part of the story of one of the best seasons for a hitter in baseball history.<br />
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Arky Vaughan's batting average in 1935 was .385, the highest ever by a National League shortstop. His on-base percentage (.491) and OPS (1.098) still stand as single season records for a shortstop in Major League Baseball. Vaughan's adjusted OPS+ of 190 in 1935 is one of the top 100 in baseball history, on par with the best seasons of Albert Pujols' career. The Sporting News recognized the greatness of Vaughan's season, naming him National League Most Valuable Player.<br />
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Vaughan was an All-Star in 9 consecutive seasons (1934-1942), and he excelled against the best the game had to offer. In 1941, he became the first player to hit 2 home runs in a single All-Star Game, and he hit them when it mattered the most. His first was a two-run homer in the 7th inning that lifted the National League to a 3-2 lead. He extended the lead with another two-run home run with 2 outs in the top of the 8th. Not many people remember Vaughan's brilliant day. It was overshadowed for all time when Ted Williams hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the 9th to win the game for the American League, 7-5.<br />
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Despite his individual success, Arky Vaughan never reached the postseason while playing for the Pirates, although it appeared the stars had aligned in 1938. The Pirates led the Chicago Cubs by seven games on September 4. By the end of the month, the Cubs were within half a game of the Pirates. On September 28, 1938, the most famous home run in Cubs history struck down the Pirates' postseason dreams. With the game tied 5-5 with 2 outs in the bottom of the ninth, Gabby Hartnett hit his "Homer In The Gloamin'", a blast into the Wrigley Field night. Three days later, Chicago had won the National League by two games. The Pirates' September collapse is considered one of the worst in baseball history.<br />
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1941 was Arky Vaughan's last season with the Pirates. He was traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers that offseason. There, he clashed with manager Leo Durocher while standing up for a teammate. The dispute nearly resulted in the Dodgers team sitting out a game in 1942. The following season, Vaughan led the National League in stolen bases for the first time in his career. He was also the league leader in runs scored. He played one more season and then retired at the unthinkably young age of 31.<br />
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Vaughan only came out of retirement for the Dodgers after Durocher was suspended. His play in his final two major league seasons didn't meet the lofty standards he had set before his retirement, but it did pay off in one way. Vaughan reached his first and only World Series with the Dodgers in 1947. He was used as a pinch-hitter in 3 games. The Dodgers fell to the New York Yankees. Vaughan played in the Pacific Coast League in 1949. Then, he retired for good.</div>
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Three years later, Arky Vaughan was dead. He was fishing with a friend on Lost Lake, near a ranch he owned in Eagleville, California. It was nowhere near the bustle of the West Coast, tucked away along the Nevada border. Vaughan's friend stood up to cast his line. The boat capsized. Both men drowned. Arky Vaughan, by almost every measure the greatest shortstop the game of baseball had seen since Honus Wagner, was suddenly, tragically dead at the age of 40.<br />
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The Fullerton Daily News Tribune published Arky Vaughan's obituary the following day, and seemed to capture perfectly the essence of who he was, and why his career has been underappreciated for decades.<br />
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<em>"He lacked only one thing--a colorful personality. Those who knew him best believe he would have been one of the game's greatest heroes had he been endowed with the sparkling personality that made lesser players great."</em>Matt Carlinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03653833525291255338noreply@blogger.com0Pleasant Hills, PA, USA40.3356252 -79.960606640.3114177 -80.000088600000012 40.359832700000005 -79.9211246tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8359629811420969953.post-25989885354170258282011-12-17T08:25:00.000-08:002011-12-17T09:27:08.660-08:00An Open Letter To The Pittsburgh Baseball ClubIt's not always easy being a fan of the Pittsburgh Pirates. We all know the reasons. One thing that makes it easier is this franchise's long, rich history. Pittsburgh's baseball fans are fortunate to have more than 125 years of baseball to cherish, but time has eroded our memories of players and moments that should never be forgotten. One player in particular stands out.<br />
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Arky Vaughan is one of the greatest shortstops in baseball history. Statistics show us he is second only to the legend he succeeded at the position, Honus Wagner. Vaughan was an All-Star in nine consecutive seasons. His 1935 season is by many measures the greatest offensive season for a shortstop in baseball history. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.<br />
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As a man, Arky Vaughan's reputation would make any Pittsburgh sports fan proud. He had a quiet demeanor on and off the field. In fact, there is very little to indicate he ever sought fame or recognition for his individual achievements. He left that responsibility to us. Until now, we have failed to properly preserve his legacy, but we have an opportunity to change that.<br />
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Arky Vaughan should be recognized as one of the greatest players to ever wear a Pirates uniform. He deserves a place among the most celebrated names in the history of the Pittsburgh Baseball Club. This franchise has retired ten numbers. Today, I am respectfully calling on the Pirates front office to make Arky Vaughan the eleventh player to receive this honor.<br />
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Why has this not already happened? Part of the answer may be the fact that Arky Vaughan wore #21 for the majority of his career with the Pirates. There is precedent in other organizations for retiring the same number twice for two players. However, in respect to Roberto Clemente's place in baseball history, I propose an alternative. Arky Vaughan also wore the #3 and #5 during his time with the Pirates. Retiring one of these numbers accomplishes the same goal.<br />
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August 30, 1952 will mark the 60th anniversary of Arky Vaughan's death. The Pirates have a home game scheduled for August 29. That is the day to celebrate Arky Vaughan, retire his number and ensure that he is never forgotten.<br />
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Make August 29, 2012 a day to remind the baseball world that the Pittsburgh Pirates' legacy of greatness at shortstop goes beyond Honus Wagner. Make it a day to permanently preserve Arky Vaughan's place in history. Give Pirates fans another reason to be proud of their team.<br />
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Sincerely,<br />
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Matthew Carlins<br />
Pirates Fan<br />
<a href="http://www.arkyvaughan.blogspot.com/">arkyvaughan.blogspot.com</a><br />
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<br />Matt Carlinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03653833525291255338noreply@blogger.com0Pleasant Hills, PA, USA40.3356252 -79.960606640.3114177 -80.000088600000012 40.359832700000005 -79.9211246