Tagged: Horace Clarke Era

August 10, 2015

Monument Monday: Bill Monbouquette

Tomorrow would be the 79^th birthday of Yankee pitcher Bill Monbouquette, who died at the beginning of this year after a valiant fight with acute myelogenous leukemia. Bill had a great eleven year baseball career, spending eight years with the Red Sox, followed by the Tigers, Yankees and Giants. Aside from his statistical accomplishments that included a 20-game win season and three All-Star games (including one as the American League’s starting pitcher), Bill was also the last starting pitcher to face Satchel Paige, then 59-years-old and playing in one game for the Kansas City Athletics on September 25, 1965. Bill was also the last hitter Satchel ever struck out. I was a college student from Chicago in 1962 and listened on the radio as Bill threw a no-hitter against Early Wynn and my team at the time, the White Sox. And anyone who had ever thought about pitching knew about his 17-strikeout game against the Senators in 1961. He was popular in Boston – I think he grew up not far from Fenway Park – but baseball is baseball and after the 1966 season (and before the team became the improbable vault to the 1967 World Series), Bill was traded to Detroit for a handful of prospects.

After Bill became a Yankee, he told me about his own major league debut, against the Tigers in 1959 at Fenway, with all his family and friends watching. I can still hear him telling it. It was the first inning. He walked the first batter, and then gave up a single to Billy Martin. Now there were runners on first and third and Al Kaline was up; a run scored when Kaline hit into a fielder’s choice that Boston third baseman Frank Malzone bumbled. Now the bases were load and Bill got the next two batters out. Then Billy Martin stole home. That’s a heck of an introduction to MLB.

The first time I watched Bill pitch in person was on April 14, 1966. The weather in New York was so cold the day before that the game was postponed to a doubleheader – that’s how we played the second and third games of my rookie season. He pitched a complete game and struck out six (Roger Maris twice), and the Tigers won 5-2. He beat us again in June in a tough 4-3 loss; Bill actually came in relief, blew the save, and then got the win. I didn’t face him in any of the four games against the Yankees that’s season.

The Tigers released him ten games into the 1967 season, and the Yankees were able to sign him. His first game wearing the Pinstripes (#40) was on June 2, against the Tigers. He pitched the eighth and ninth innings, faced seven batters, and gave up one hit. In 33 games, he had a 2.33 ERA – and 56 strikeouts in 135 innings. He won the final game of that season with a complete game against the Athletics. The Yankees traded him to the Giants in June of 1968, who would be the Yankees closer until we got Sparky Lyle four years later. And for McDaniel, we got Lou Piniella, who would play a key role in ending the Horace Clarke Era and returning the Yankees to their glory. In a weird sort of way, the Yankees got Bill Monbouquette for free and turned him into Sweet Lou.

One thing the Yankees and Red Sox have in common is that they take care of their own. When Bill first got sick in 2007, the Red Sox launched a massive campaign to get fans to enter the National Marrow Donor Registry as a way of saving his life. He had a stem cell transplant and that gave him several more years.

Monument Monday is a weekly tribute to the Pitchers I knew during my baseball career. Click here to read my previous entries.

July 19, 2015

The four times Frank Robinson almost became a Yankee

One Hall of Famer that eluded the New York Yankees was Frank Robinson, despite repeated attempts to get him in pinstripes. As early as 1965, the Cincinnati Reds were shopping this superstar at winter meetings. My understanding was that the Reds owner thought Robby was an “old 30” and that his body would not withstand much more of a baseball career. He was anxious to trade him while the value remained high. There was talk that the Reds had offered him to the Astros for Jimmy Wynn and a relief pitcher named Claude Raymond, but that Houston turned them down. The Yankee deal I heard about – I had just finished by third year in the minor leagues at the time – was that the Yankees would send and Joe Pepitone to the Reds for Robby and pitcher Jim O’Toole. A couple of weeks later, the Yankees traded catcher Doc Edwards to the Cleveland Indians for Lou Clinton and that seemed to end their search for a power-hitting outfielder. Maybe it was a metaphor for the Horace Clarke Era. The Reds did trade Robby, to Baltimore for Milt Pappas, Jack Baldschun and Dick Simpson. Robby won the Triple Crown in his first season with the Orioles.

After winning three AL pennants with Robby and the 1970 World Series, the Orioles put him on the trading block again. The Yankees tried to put a deal together. The problem, I was told, was that Harry Dalton wanted Mel Stottlemyre or me. Mel was the ace of the staff and I was the #2 pitcher coming off a 20-win season. Lee McPhail countered with Stan Bahnsen, and the Dalton wanted Steve Kline and Mike Kekich too. The Yankees were unwilling to decimate their pitching staff for one superstar outfielder.

Apparently the Mets were in a similar situation. The Orioles wanted Tom Seaver for Frank Robinson, straight up, and the Mets said no. The counter from Baltimore was at least two other pitchers from a list that included Jerry Koosman, Nolan Ryan, Jon Matlack, Tug McGraw, and Gary Gentry – and they Danny Frisella. The Mets said no to that too.

Most players followed the winter meetings carefully, because you never knew what would happen and how it might affect your life. But the Yankees, still owned by CBS – the George Steinbrenner Era was still a few years away – didn’t do much after they traded Bill Robinson for Barry Moore. The Washington Senators offered Frank Howard for cash the Yankees didn’t have, and the Cleveland Indians were shopping star pitcher Sudden Sam McDowell, but they apparently wanted a lot of cash too. The Boss would have had them both in pinstripes.

In 1971, after losing the AL pennant to the Oakland A’s, the Orioles traded Robby to the Los Angeles Dodgers for a group of prospects that included future Yankee Doyle Alexander. The Orioles had Don Baylor and Terry Crowley coming up and wanted to give them more playing time. And Robby was making what was then a huge salary – about $125,000 – and they wanted to unload the expense. The Yankees had shown interest in him then, but they got busy making the “blockbuster deal” that sent Bahnsen to the White Sox for Rich McKinney and missed out. After the 1972 season, the Dodgers traded Robby to the California Angeles, in what really was a blockbuster trade: the Dodgers sent Robby and Bill Singer, an excellent pitcher, to the California Angeles for pitcher Andy Messersmith, Bobby Valentine and Ken McMullen.

After the Boss bought the Yankees and brought Gabe Paul over as the GM – and after Charlie Finley refused to allow the Yankees to hire Dick Williams as their manager — there was some serious talk about hiring Robby to become baseball’s first black manager. Mr. Paul had been GM in Cincinnati when Robby was the NL Rookie of the Year and MVP, and was a huge Frank Robinson fan.

The fourth chance for the Yankees to see Frank Robinson in pinstripes came in June of 1974, when he was again on the trading block. Mr. Paul had been negotiating a deal with the Angels that I recall would have brought Robby and Rudy May to the Yankees for Roy White, Bill Sudakis and Dick Woodson. What I heard was that Robby’s contract gave him the right to veto a deal, and when the Yankees refused to pay about $35,000 in relocation expenses, Robby vetoed the trade. That was just a couple of days before I was traded to the Cleveland Indians, where Robby would soon become my teammate and my manager.

You can’t live life on a bunch of what ifs, like how my career would have been different if I has been pitching for a contending team like the Orioles. But I’ll tell you this: I met my soulmate while playing in New York, I got to play with Boog Powell anyway in Cleveland, and I wouldn’t trade my years with the Yankees for anything.

July 11, 2015

Vida Blue or Alonzo Neal? You decide.

Let’s talk about an obscure ex-Yankee, Jim Deidel, a catcher who played in two major league games in 1974 – both about five weeks after I was traded to the Indians. There’s a point to this, I promise. Jim’s MLB debut was on May 31, 1974 against the Twins at Metropolitan Stadium. Bill Virdon had Lou Piniella pinch hit for Rick Dempsey, and Jim came in to catch the bottom of the eighth inning. He played again five days later in Chicago, as catcher in the ninth inning of what would become a fifteen inning game. He went 0-for-2 and the Yankees lost. He never played in the majors again, but he did play in two games and that is an extraordinary accomplishment.

Deidel was the Yankees #1 pick in the 15^th round of the 1967 Amateur Draft. There were 77 rounds of that draft – 974 players total — and because of the Horace Clarke Era, the Yankees had first pick in each of those rounds. Of those 77 picks, only 5 ever donned the pinstripes: Ron Blomberg (1^st Round); Larry Gowell (4^th Round); Deidel; Loyd Colson (28^th Round); and Roger Hambright (67^th Round). Here others — Mike Reinbach (43^rd Round); Sam Ewing (45^th Round); and Steve Rogers (60^th Round) – made it to the majors, but not as Yankees.

It’s not easy making it to the major league, and I’m sure it wasn’t easy being Yankees General Manager Lee McPhail, trying to play Carnac the Magnificent as he tried to predict the ingredients for the next generation of the greatest team to ever play baseball. Could the Horace Clarke Era have come to a close if McPhail had drafted Vida Blue instead of Alonzo Neal?; Ralph Garr instead of James Yawn? Steve Busby instead of Gowell? (My answer: I wouldn’t have given up my fifteen days with Larry for anything!) Billy Barlow or Dave Goltz? How about this one: Dusty Baker or Ronald Watts? I posted the full 1967 Draft on my website. What would you do? Let me know.

1967 Amateur Baseball Draft by Baseball Almanac
Rd	Pick	Phase	Player Name	Drafting Team	Pos
1	1	JR	Ron Blomberg	New York Yankees	1B
1	2	JR	Terry Hughes	Chicago Cubs	SS
1	3	JR	Mike Garman	Boston Red Sox	P
1	4	JR	Jon Matlack	New York Mets	P
1	5	JR	John Jones	Washington Senators	C
1	6	JR	John Mayberry	Houston Astros	1B
1	7	JR	Brian Bickerton	Kansas City Athletics	P
1	8	JR	Wayne Simpson	Cincinnati Reds	P
1	9	JR	Mike Nunn	California Angels	C
1	10	JR	Ted Simmons	St. Louis Cardinals	C-OF
1	11	JR	Jack Heidemann	Cleveland Indians	SS
1	12	JR	Andrew Finlay	Atlanta Braves	OF
1	13	JR	Dan Haynes	Chicago White Sox	3B
1	14	JR	Phil Meyer	Philadelphia Phillies	P
1	15	JR	Jim Foor	Detroit Tigers	P
1	16	JR	Joe Grigas	Pittsburgh Pirates	OF
1	17	JR	Steve Brye	Minnesota Twins	3B-OF
1	18	JR	Dave Rader	San Francisco Giants	C
1	19	JR	Bobby Grich	Baltimore Orioles	SS
1	20	JR	Don Denbow	Los Angeles Dodgers	3B
2	21	JR	Alphonso Neal	New York Yankees	3B
2	22	JR	Jimmy McMath	Chicago Cubs	OF
2	23	JR	Danny Graham	Boston Red Sox	SS
2	24	JR	Daniel Carey	New York Mets	P
2	25	JR	Dexter Baker	Washington Senators	P-OF
2	26	JR	Jay Schlueter	Houston Astros	OF
2	27	JR	Vida Blue	Kansas City Athletics	P
2	28	JR	Wayne Holsoppie	Cincinnati Reds	P
2	29	JR	Dave Kingman	California Angels	P
2	30	JR	Jerry Reuss	St. Louis Cardinals	P
2	31	JR	Mark Ballinger	Cleveland Indians	P
2	32	JR	Dennis Dalton	Atlanta Braves	P
2	33	JR	Stuart Singleton	Chicago White Sox	SS-OF
2	34	JR	Larry Keener	Philadelphia Phillies	P
2	35	JR	Robert Ware	Detroit Tigers	P
2	36	JR	David Sells	Pittsburgh Pirates	P
2	37	JR	Robert Storm	Minnesota Twins	3B
2	38	JR	Michael Roby	San Francisco Giants	1B
2	39	JR	Don Baylor	Baltimore Orioles	OF
2	40	JR	Thomas Harris	Los Angeles Dodgers	SS
3	41	JR	Jimmy Yawn	New York Yankees	2B
3	42	JR	Terry Bongiovanni	Chicago Cubs	P
3	43	JR	Christopher Cross	Boston Red Sox	C
3	44	JR	Gary Myers	New York Mets	OF
3	45	JR	Michael Thompson	Washington Senators	P
3	46	JR	Craig Hilden	Houston Astros	P
3	47	JR	Gary Coleman	Kansas City Athletics	C
3	48	JR	Dick Pooschke	Cincinnati Reds	SS
3	49	JR	Bruce Harkey	California Angels	P
3	50	JR	Bart Johnson	St. Louis Cardinals	P
3	51	JR	Charles Cichosz	Cleveland Indians	C
3	52	JR	Ralph Garr	Atlanta Braves	2B
3	53	JR	Chris Ward	Chicago White Sox	OF
3	54	JR	Bob McLachlin	Philadelphia Phillies	P
3	55	JR	James Tanner	Detroit Tigers	OF
3	56	JR	Richie Zisk	Pittsburgh Pirates	OF
3	57	JR	Tom Norman	Minnesota Twins	3B
3	58	JR	Don Carrithers	San Francisco Giants	P
3	59	JR	Greg Arnold	Baltimore Orioles	P
3	60	JR	William Rainer	Los Angeles Dodgers	OF
4	61	JR	Larry Gowell	New York Yankees	P
4	62	JR	Tom Krawczyk	Chicago Cubs	SS
4	63	JR	Dudley Mitchell	Boston Red Sox	OF-1B
4	64	JR	Gary King	New York Mets	SS
4	65	JR	Ken Caldwell	Washington Senators	3B
4	66	JR	Lewis Brown	Houston Astros	3B
4	67	JR	Victor Schamarelli	Kansas City Athletics	OF
4	68	JR	Fred Kendall	Cincinnati Reds	C
4	69	JR	David Biber	California Angels	OF
4	70	JR	Ronald McCollum	St. Louis Cardinals	C
4	71	JR	Lawrence Crossan	Cleveland Indians	P
4	72	JR	Bob Didier	Atlanta Braves	C
4	73	JR	Martin Morrison	Chicago White Sox	1B-3b
4	74	JR	Nicholas Graybeal	Philadelphia Phillies	C
4	75	JR	Leslie Tanona	Detroit Tigers	OF
4	76	JR	Mike Roberts	Pittsburgh Pirates	3B
4	77	JR	William Perkins	Minnesota Twins	C
4	78	JR	Steve Busby	San Francisco Giants	P
4	79	JR	Chris Farasopolous	Baltimore Orioles	2B
4	80	JR	Steve Yeager	Los Angeles Dodgers	C
5	81	JR	Billy Barlow	New York Yankees	C-3B
5	82	JR	Terrell Jones	Chicago Cubs	C
5	83	JR	Michael Witt	Boston Red Sox	OF
5	84	JR	Jackie Adams	New York Mets	OF
5	85	JR	Ike Brookens	Washington Senators	P
5	86	JR	Douglas Olson	Houston Astros	P
5	87	JR	Gene Dusan	Kansas City Athletics	C
5	88	JR	Robert Watts	Cincinnati Reds	OF
5	89	JR	Stanley Zawacki	California Angels	OF
5	90	JR	Matt Sterling	St. Louis Cardinals	P
5	91	JR	Ed Farmer	Cleveland Indians	P
5	92	JR	Harold Ziegler	Atlanta Braves	3B
5	93	JR	Michael Slade	Chicago White Sox	P
5	94	JR	Joseph Daniels	Philadelphia Phillies	OF
5	95	JR	Paul Jata	Detroit Tigers	C
5	96	JR	Dave Goltz	Minnesota Twins	P
5	97	JR	Marty Pfenninger	San Francisco Giants	SS
5	98	JR	David Johnson	Baltimore Orioles	P
5	99	JR	Ronald Cash	Los Angeles Dodgers	SS
6	100	JR	Tim Feldhaus	New York Yankees	iF-Of
6	101	JR	Bruce Dixon	Chicago Cubs	OF
6	102	JR	Samuel Phillips	Boston Red Sox	P
6	103	JR	Russell Seals	New York Mets	P
6	104	JR	Michael Schooff	Washington Senators	P
6	105	JR	Forrest Weatherford	Houston Astros	C
6	106	JR	Carl Ives	Kansas City Athletics	P
6	107	JR	Michael Pstragowski	Cincinnati Reds	P
6	108	JR	Rudolph Kinard	California Angels	2B
6	109	JR	Paul Womble	St. Louis Cardinals	SS
6	110	JR	William Reuss	Cleveland Indians	OF
6	111	JR	Ronald Owens	Atlanta Braves	P
6	112	JR	Dennis O’toole	Chicago White Sox	P
6	113	JR	Terry Mathis	Philadelphia Phillies	SS
6	114	JR	Dennis Saunders	Detroit Tigers	P
6	115	JR	Harry Tobergate	Pittsburgh Pirates	P
6	116	JR	Mark Strader	Minnesota Twins	C
6	117	JR	Michael Welker	San Francisco Giants	P
6	118	JR	Ronny Stewart	Baltimore Orioles	OF
6	119	JR	Ken Hansen	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
7	120	JR	Phillip Ranneberger	New York Yankees	OF-P
7	121	JR	Michael Redling	Chicago Cubs	P
7	122	JR	Alan Wolfenbarger	Boston Red Sox	SS
7	123	JR	Barry Sheldon	New York Mets	P
7	124	JR	Melvin Lowe	Washington Senators	OF
7	125	JR	John Kryczowski	Houston Astros	P
7	126	JR	Joseph Robinson	Kansas City Athletics	SS
7	127	JR	James Lewis	Cincinnati Reds	C
7	128	JR	Terrance Thompson	California Angels	P
7	129	JR	John Polovina	St. Louis Cardinals	P
7	130	JR	Timothy Sanders	Cleveland Indians	P
7	131	JR	Bobby Croswell	Atlanta Braves	SS
7	132	JR	Stephen Krull	Chicago White Sox	P
7	133	JR	Bruce Hotchkiss	Philadelphia Phillies	OF
7	134	JR	Lynn Adams	Detroit Tigers	SS
7	135	JR	Dennis vaughn	Pittsburgh Pirates	C
7	136	JR	Daniel Mellars	Minnesota Twins	SS
7	137	JR	Larry Price	San Francisco Giants	OF
7	138	JR	Wayne Hoots	Baltimore Orioles	OF
7	139	JR	Russell Bodkin	Los Angeles Dodgers	OF
8	140	JR	Stanton Evenhus	New York Yankees	P
8	141	JR	Allen Robinson	Chicago Cubs	OF
8	142	JR	Steven Salata	Boston Red Sox	C-OF
8	143	JR	Mike McCready	New York Mets	P
8	144	JR	Thomas Elgin	Washington Senators	P
8	145	JR	Gary Long	Houston Astros	C
8	146	JR	Bruce Raible	Kansas City Athletics	P
8	147	JR	Steve Cochran	Cincinnati Reds	P
8	148	JR	Thomas Tikker	California Angels	C
8	149	JR	Lawrence Koch	St. Louis Cardinals	P
8	150	JR	Ronald Zuber	Cleveland Indians	P
8	151	JR	Dave Elmendorf	Atlanta Braves	OF
8	152	JR	Norman Kraft	Chicago White Sox	3B-OF
8	153	JR	Robert Stevens	Philadelphia Phillies	P
8	154	JR	James Wosman	Detroit Tigers	C-1B
8	155	JR	John Landry	Pittsburgh Pirates	1B
8	156	JR	Anthony Serenelli	Minnesota Twins	SS-3B
8	157	JR	Davey Lopes	San Francisco Giants	OF
8	158	JR	Lou Lanehardt	Baltimore Orioles	P
8	159	JR	Aubrey Saxon	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
9	160	JR	Robert Carson	New York Yankees	iF-Of
9	161	JR	Edward Thomas	Chicago Cubs	1B
9	162	JR	Cal Meier	Boston Red Sox	SS
9	163	JR	Fred Howard	New York Mets	1B
9	164	JR	Chris Cammack	Washington Senators	3B
9	165	JR	Jeffery Morrell	Houston Astros	OF-3B
9	166	JR	Donald Camy	Kansas City Athletics	P
9	167	JR	Bob Degrate	Cincinnati Reds	P-OF
9	168	JR	Douglas Ross	California Angels	P
9	169	JR	James Braxton	St. Louis Cardinals	1B-OF
9	170	JR	Vic Correll	Cleveland Indians	C
9	171	JR	William Hodge	Atlanta Braves	C
9	172	JR	William Cooper	Chicago White Sox	P
9	173	JR	Michael Schomaker	Philadelphia Phillies	OF-C
9	174	JR	Lawrence Fritz	Detroit Tigers	P
9	175	JR	Theodore Taylor	Pittsburgh Pirates	3B-OF
9	176	JR	Steve Simon	Minnesota Twins	P
9	177	JR	James Gasbarro	San Francisco Giants	iF-Of
9	178	JR	Fred Kuppers	Baltimore Orioles	C
9	179	JR	Gary Wedel	Los Angeles Dodgers	3B
10	180	JR	Les Gibbens	New York Yankees	P
10	181	JR	Joseph Reyda	Chicago Cubs	P
10	182	JR	Mark Kleibl	Boston Red Sox	3B
10	183	JR	Charles Hudson	New York Mets	P-OF
10	184	JR	Robert Koehler	Washington Senators	P
10	185	JR	Daniel Evans	Houston Astros	P
10	186	JR	Lazara Mata	Kansas City Athletics	C
10	187	JR	Jerry Cole	Cincinnati Reds	1B
10	188	JR	Gerald Lanning	California Angels	P
10	189	JR	Lenny Randle	St. Louis Cardinals	SS
10	190	JR	Thomas Jenner	Cleveland Indians	SS
10	191	JR	Edward Rios	Atlanta Braves	OF-P
10	192	JR	James Rafferty	Chicago White Sox	SS
10	193	JR	Terry Howarth	Philadelphia Phillies	1B
10	194	JR	Mike Deniro	Detroit Tigers	3B
10	195	JR	Darrell Brown	Pittsburgh Pirates	SS-3B
10	196	JR	Danny Long	Minnesota Twins	C
10	197	JR	Robert Tate	San Francisco Giants	SS
10	198	JR	Robert Blakeley	Baltimore Orioles	OF-1B
10	199	JR	Carmine Marceno	Los Angeles Dodgers	1B
11	200	JR	Donnie Davis	New York Yankees	3B
11	201	JR	John Lung	Chicago Cubs	3B
11	202	JR	Ronald Sheppard	Boston Red Sox	3B
11	203	JR	Jessie Hudson	New York Mets	P
11	204	JR	Rich Stelmaszek	Washington Senators	C
11	205	JR	George Hunt	Houston Astros	1B
11	206	JR	Eric Soderholm	Kansas City Athletics	iF-P
11	207	JR	Art Ramsey	Cincinnati Reds	P
11	208	JR	Lawrence Rybicki	California Angels	P
11	209	JR	Alfred Buchta	St. Louis Cardinals	P
11	210	JR	Richard Ogle	Cleveland Indians	P
11	211	JR	Terry Hankins	Atlanta Braves	SS
11	212	JR	Kurt Aschermann	Chicago White Sox	C
11	213	JR	Donald Thomson	Philadelphia Phillies	P
11	214	JR	Gary McGhee	Detroit Tigers	2B
11	215	JR	William Spikes	Pittsburgh Pirates	OF
11	216	JR	Al Hrabosky	Minnesota Twins	P
11	217	JR	Jim Willoughby	San Francisco Giants	P
11	218	JR	William Ray	Baltimore Orioles	P
11	219	JR	Charles Boggs	Los Angeles Dodgers	C
12	220	JR	Brian Engle	New York Yankees	SS
12	221	JR	Charles Pollock	Chicago Cubs	P
12	222	JR	John Newton	Boston Red Sox	SS
12	223	JR	Tom Horne	New York Mets	P
12	224	JR	Richard Eisenacher	Washington Senators	P
12	225	JR	Gerald Johnson	Houston Astros	P
12	226	JR	Steve Mikulic	Kansas City Athletics	SS
12	227	JR	Gordon Longmire	Cincinnati Reds	SS
12	228	JR	James Englehardt	California Angels	P
12	229	JR	Jeffrey Ice	St. Louis Cardinals	P
12	230	JR	Richard Dickinson	Cleveland Indians	2B
12	231	JR	Chester Patterson	Atlanta Braves	P
12	232	JR	Thomas Wright	Chicago White Sox	OF
12	233	JR	Frank Odum	Philadelphia Phillies	C
12	234	JR	Henry Bunnell	Detroit Tigers	OF-P
12	235	JR	Charles Helms	Pittsburgh Pirates	SS
12	236	JR	Don Brown	Minnesota Twins	P
12	237	JR	Osvaldo Bosch	San Francisco Giants	OF
12	238	JR	Robert Sorrentino	Baltimore Orioles	P
12	239	JR	Robert Lamber	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
13	240	JR	Michael Gomez	New York Yankees	P
13	241	JR	David Classen	Chicago Cubs	3B-C
13	242	JR	Lawrence Bellm	Boston Red Sox	P
13	243	JR	Tim Bograkos	New York Mets	1B
13	244	JR	Wayne Stack	Washington Senators	SS
13	245	JR	John Ritter	Houston Astros	P
13	246	JR	William Harkins	Kansas City Athletics	P
13	247	JR	John Hale	Cincinnati Reds	C
13	248	JR	Charles Oakes	California Angels	1B-C
13	249	JR	Raymond Wood	St. Louis Cardinals	OF-1B
13	250	JR	Ray Cox	Cleveland Indians	C
13	251	JR	Byron Kennedy	Atlanta Braves	C
13	252	JR	Steven Agerton	Chicago White Sox	3B-SS
13	253	JR	Dennis Davies	Philadelphia Phillies	C
13	254	JR	Jerry Killian	Detroit Tigers	P
13	255	JR	Meredith Cox	Pittsburgh Pirates	P
13	256	JR	Steve Luebber	Minnesota Twins	P
13	257	JR	Rosendo Cedeno	San Francisco Giants	1B-OF
13	258	JR	Michael Wertz	Baltimore Orioles	SS
13	259	JR	Kara Hall	Los Angeles Dodgers	IF
14	260	JR	Daniel Bohannon	New York Yankees	SS
14	261	JR	Richard Arbogast	Chicago Cubs	P
14	262	JR	James Thurston	Boston Red Sox	3B-SS
14	263	JR	Wendell Franke	New York Mets	SS-p
14	264	JR	Ray Bare	Washington Senators	P
14	265	JR	Steve Grover	Houston Astros	P
14	266	JR	Bill Aubertin	Kansas City Athletics	P
14	267	JR	Samuel Greenwood	Cincinnati Reds	OF
14	268	JR	Edward Fields	California Angels	P
14	269	JR	William Kelly	St. Louis Cardinals	p-1B
14	270	JR	Jay ray Rokey	Cleveland Indians	OF
14	271	JR	Richard Wurstner	Atlanta Braves	SS-2B
14	272	JR	Gerald Hall	Chicago White Sox	C-OF
14	273	JR	Eugene Stack	Philadelphia Phillies	P
14	274	JR	Gilbert LaHaine	Detroit Tigers	1B
14	275	JR	Thomas Saunches	Pittsburgh Pirates	C
14	276	JR	Nils Lambert	Minnesota Twins	P
14	277	JR	Eugene Cook	San Francisco Giants	2B
14	278	JR	Dave Schmid	Baltimore Orioles	OF
14	279	JR	James Loll	Los Angeles Dodgers	1B-P
15	280	JR	James Deidl	New York Yankees	C
15	281	JR	Lloyd Kingfisher	Chicago Cubs	P
15	282	JR	James Powers	Boston Red Sox	C
15	283	JR	Charles Landis	New York Mets	OF
15	284	JR	Joseph Frye	Washington Senators	P
15	285	JR	Thomas Suchanek	Houston Astros	P
15	286	JR	Ray Elder	Kansas City Athletics	3B
15	287	JR	Patrick Martin	Cincinnati Reds	P
15	288	JR	Steven Elliott	California Angels	P
15	289	JR	David Polcari	St. Louis Cardinals	OF
15	290	JR	Charles Sprinkle	Cleveland Indians	SS
15	291	JR	Mark vanderwater	Atlanta Braves	C
15	292	JR	Joseph Bowen	Chicago White Sox	3B-1b
15	293	JR	Joseph Sanchez	Philadelphia Phillies	P
15	294	JR	Isiah Blessitt	Detroit Tigers	OF
15	295	JR	Tyrone Hines	Pittsburgh Pirates	SS
15	296	JR	Rick Dempsey	Minnesota Twins	C
15	297	JR	Pat Westley	San Francisco Giants	SS
15	298	JR	James Reynolds	Baltimore Orioles	P
15	299	JR	Glenn Woodruff	Los Angeles Dodgers	C
16	300	JR	Craig Fellows	New York Yankees	P
16	301	JR	Richard Tekavec	Chicago Cubs	C
16	302	JR	Michael Spellman	Boston Red Sox	P
16	303	JR	John Frilling	New York Mets	OF
16	304	JR	Bruce Kinder	Washington Senators	SS
16	305	JR	Kenneth Hovance	Houston Astros	OF
16	306	JR	Rex Kern	Kansas City Athletics	3B
16	307	JR	Robert Cramer	Cincinnati Reds	P
16	308	JR	John Lyles	California Angels	SS
16	309	JR	Melvin Pettigrew	St. Louis Cardinals	OF
16	310	JR	Larry Gallagher	Cleveland Indians	P
16	311	JR	Robert Andrews	Atlanta Braves	P
16	312	JR	Kent Calderan	Chicago White Sox	SS
16	313	JR	Jeff Beattie	Philadelphia Phillies	P
16	314	JR	Steve Allen	Detroit Tigers	OF
16	315	JR	Charles Malitz	Pittsburgh Pirates	OF-1B
16	316	JR	Dan Humay	Minnesota Twins	SS
16	317	JR	Anthony Ketelsleger	San Francisco Giants	P
16	318	JR	Dave Kropfelter	Baltimore Orioles	C
16	319	JR	John Donovan	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
17	320	JR	David Gunderman	New York Yankees	2B-SS
17	321	JR	John Merten	Chicago Cubs	P
17	322	JR	Michael James	Boston Red Sox	OF-SS
17	323	JR	Forrest Dover	New York Mets	P
17	324	JR	Robert George	Washington Senators	P
17	325	JR	Ricky Wilson	Houston Astros	3B
17	326	JR	Robert Pirnik	Kansas City Athletics	C
17	327	JR	William Mottershead	Cincinnati Reds	P
17	328	JR	Steve Moore	California Angels	OF
17	329	JR	John Carroll	St. Louis Cardinals	P
17	330	JR	Ronald Butterfield	Cleveland Indians	P
17	331	JR	Robert Wiswell	Atlanta Braves	P
17	332	JR	George Weimer	Chicago White Sox	P
17	333	JR	Henry Jacquez	Philadelphia Phillies	OF
17	334	JR	Marvin Gurley	Detroit Tigers	P
17	335	JR	Howard Deacon	Pittsburgh Pirates	C
17	336	JR	Ray Shoup	Minnesota Twins	OF
17	337	JR	Gary Houston	San Francisco Giants	P
17	338	JR	Mike Duggan	Baltimore Orioles	2B
17	339	JR	Robert Knight	Los Angeles Dodgers	2B-SS
18	340	JR	Richard Cross	New York Yankees	SS
18	341	JR	Thomas Brown	Chicago Cubs	P
18	342	JR	Tommy Harmon	Boston Red Sox	C
18	343	JR	Warren Holmes	New York Mets	OF
18	344	JR	Gordon Steinbach	Washington Senators	OF
18	345	JR	Richard Hartzog	Houston Astros	OF
18	346	JR	Mark Resser	Kansas City Athletics	P
18	347	JR	Kenneth Geiger	Cincinnati Reds	P
18	348	JR	Gregory Smith	California Angels	P
18	349	JR	Ronnie Roberts	St. Louis Cardinals	P
18	350	JR	Michael Schroeder	Cleveland Indians	P
18	351	JR	John Wilmouth	Atlanta Braves	1B
18	352	JR	John Amoroso	Chicago White Sox	P
18	353	JR	Robert Kenny	Philadelphia Phillies	P
18	354	JR	Richard Szal	Detroit Tigers	P
18	355	JR	Paul Strauch	Pittsburgh Pirates	P
18	356	JR	Keith Spicer	Minnesota Twins	OF
18	357	JR	Fred Glass	San Francisco Giants	P
18	358	JR	Winston Presley	Baltimore Orioles	P
18	359	JR	Don Stoulil	Los Angeles Dodgers	3B
19	360	JR	Michael Ball	New York Yankees	3B
19	361	JR	Q.V. Lowe	Chicago Cubs	P
19	362	JR	Walter Povlick	Boston Red Sox	P
19	363	JR	Joseph Tillman	New York Mets	3B
19	364	JR	Richard Astor	Washington Senators	3B
19	365	JR	Don Jumper	Houston Astros	P
19	366	JR	Samuel Lovelace	Kansas City Athletics	SS-2B
19	367	JR	Paul Walton	Cincinnati Reds	P
19	368	JR	Richard David	California Angels	1B
19	369	JR	Richard Wilson	St. Louis Cardinals	P
19	370	JR	William Kohl	Cleveland Indians	P
19	371	JR	Carl Mayfield	Atlanta Braves	C
19	372	JR	Martin Sauble	Chicago White Sox	1B
19	373	JR	Joseph Anderson	Philadelphia Phillies	OF
19	374	JR	William Castle	Detroit Tigers	SS
19	375	JR	Jack Burns	Pittsburgh Pirates	OF-p
19	376	JR	Robert Gamache	Minnesota Twins	P
19	377	JR	Larry Item	San Francisco Giants	C
19	378	JR	Sam Cook	Baltimore Orioles	OF
19	379	JR	Abraham Sears	Los Angeles Dodgers	SS-OF
20	380	JR	Gerald Wickman	New York Yankees	P
20	381	JR	Gary Lance	Chicago Cubs	P
20	382	JR	Steve Broege	New York Mets	P
20	383	JR	Robert Gambill	Washington Senators	2B-p
20	384	JR	Wayne Brechtel	Houston Astros	P
20	385	JR	Steve Zimmerman	Kansas City Athletics	P
20	386	JR	Rick Farizo	Cincinnati Reds	P
20	387	JR	Robert Foderaro	California Angels	P
20	388	JR	Thomas Dunn	St. Louis Cardinals	1B
20	389	JR	Mike Paul	Cleveland Indians	P
20	390	JR	Edward Fisher	Atlanta Braves	SS
20	391	JR	Kenneth valentine	Chicago White Sox	SS
20	392	JR	John Maczuga	Philadelphia Phillies	OF
20	393	JR	Doug Swiss	Detroit Tigers	C
20	394	JR	Paul Keany	Pittsburgh Pirates	3B
20	395	JR	Gary Reierson	Minnesota Twins	OF
20	396	JR	Gary Lavelle	San Francisco Giants	P
20	397	JR	Doug Rau	Baltimore Orioles	P
20	398	JR	Larry King	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
21	399	JR	Daniel Bina	New York Yankees	P
21	400	JR	Allen Dukate	Chicago Cubs	P
21	401	JR	Donald Russell	New York Mets	3B
21	402	JR	Gary Carter	Washington Senators	P
21	403	JR	George Shaw	Houston Astros	P
21	404	JR	David Rhodenbaugh	Kansas City Athletics	P
21	405	JR	Keith Pridgen	Cincinnati Reds	SS
21	406	JR	Craig Baker	California Angels	P
21	407	JR	Stanley Dyson	St. Louis Cardinals	3B-OF
21	408	JR	Richard Pack	Cleveland Indians	1B
21	409	JR	James Brittan	Atlanta Braves	P
21	410	JR	Gary Cook	Chicago White Sox	OF
21	411	JR	Milton Jackson	Philadelphia Phillies	P
21	412	JR	Daniel Fife	Detroit Tigers	P
21	413	JR	James Iglehart	Pittsburgh Pirates	OF
21	414	JR	Larry Rathje	Minnesota Twins	OF
21	415	JR	Van Fixico	San Francisco Giants	2B
21	416	JR	Earl Nance	Baltimore Orioles	P
21	417	JR	Bruce Matte	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
22	418	JR	Robert Vaught	New York Yankees	P
22	419	JR	Martin Miller	Chicago Cubs	OF
22	420	JR	Dennis Lingenfelter	New York Mets	P
22	421	JR	Jeffrey Drexler	Washington Senators	P
22	422	JR	Kenneth McCary	Houston Astros	OF
22	423	JR	John Austin	Kansas City Athletics	P
22	424	JR	Terry Wilshushen	Cincinnati Reds	3B
22	425	JR	Michael Derrington	California Angels	p-1B
22	426	JR	John Howard	St. Louis Cardinals	1B-OF
22	427	JR	William Gray	Cleveland Indians	2B
22	428	JR	Howard Hall	Atlanta Braves	1B-OF
22	429	JR	Craig Perkins	Chicago White Sox	C
22	430	JR	Donald Keenan	Philadelphia Phillies	C
22	431	JR	Jess Rossiter	Detroit Tigers	P
22	432	JR	Michael Derrig	Pittsburgh Pirates	P
22	433	JR	James Enlund	Minnesota Twins	P
22	434	JR	Garry Pinnow	San Francisco Giants	OF-1B
22	435	JR	Terry Wedgewood	Baltimore Orioles	SS-3B
22	436	JR	Leon Murray	Los Angeles Dodgers	1B
23	437	JR	Barney Scholl	New York Yankees	OF
23	438	JR	Bruce Olson	Chicago Cubs	P
23	439	JR	Michael Lersch	New York Mets	P
23	440	JR	Roger Sheridan	Washington Senators	OF
23	441	JR	Paul Greer	Houston Astros	C
23	442	JR	Ron Gordon	Kansas City Athletics	OF
23	443	JR	Edgar Avila	Cincinnati Reds	1B-P
23	444	JR	Richard Shibley	California Angels	SS-2B
23	445	JR	Glenn Marshall	St. Louis Cardinals	1B
23	446	JR	Ronald Hunt	Cleveland Indians	SS
23	447	JR	Gary Moleberg	Atlanta Braves	3B-1b
23	448	JR	Victor LaDuna	Chicago White Sox	SS
23	449	JR	Kenneth Bangsberg	Philadelphia Phillies	P
23	450	JR	Donald Honne	Detroit Tigers	P
23	451	JR	George Arnott	Pittsburgh Pirates	2B
23	452	JR	John Shuloch	Minnesota Twins	3B
23	453	JR	Danny Guerrero	San Francisco Giants	C
23	454	JR	Billy DeMars	Baltimore Orioles	SS
23	455	JR	Malcolm Bass	Los Angeles Dodgers	2B-3b
24	456	JR	Richard Ordway	New York Yankees	P
24	457	JR	John Johnson	Chicago Cubs	OF
24	458	JR	Bob Bryant	New York Mets	C
24	459	JR	Thomas Worthington	Washington Senators	3B
24	460	JR	Emmitt Money	Houston Astros	P
24	461	JR	Joe Grace	Kansas City Athletics	3B
24	462	JR	James Angelo	Cincinnati Reds	2B
24	463	JR	Dennis Heberlein	California Angels	1B
24	464	JR	Robert Richardson	St. Louis Cardinals	P
24	465	JR	Ed Southard	Cleveland Indians	OF
24	466	JR	Forest Patterson	Atlanta Braves	2B-SS
24	467	JR	Frank Grundler	Chicago White Sox	SS
24	468	JR	Anthony Giresi	Philadelphia Phillies	P
24	469	JR	Ricky Sayle	Detroit Tigers	OF
24	470	JR	James Topping	Pittsburgh Pirates	P
24	471	JR	Jim O’Bradovich	Minnesota Twins	2B
24	472	JR	Glen Davis	San Francisco Giants	2B
24	473	JR	David Ekelund	Baltimore Orioles	1B
24	474	JR	Norman Dermody	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
25	475	JR	Joseph Gill	New York Yankees	OF
25	476	JR	David Stone	Chicago Cubs	P
25	477	JR	Peter Cappelli	New York Mets	C
25	478	JR	Ralph Owens	Washington Senators	SS
25	479	JR	Larry Franklin	Houston Astros	P
25	480	JR	Sheldon Spicher	Kansas City Athletics	SS
25	481	JR	Sheldon Andrens	Cincinnati Reds	OF
25	482	JR	John Jackson	California Angels	3B
25	483	JR	Freddy Jamison	St. Louis Cardinals	P
25	484	JR	Kevin Casey	Cleveland Indians	OF
25	485	JR	Mike Testa	Atlanta Braves	OF
25	486	JR	Richard Hanselman	Chicago White Sox	P
25	487	JR	Dale Scilley	Detroit Tigers	SS
25	488	JR	Dave Rose	Pittsburgh Pirates	P
25	489	JR	Michael Shields	Minnesota Twins	P
25	490	JR	John Floyd	San Francisco Giants	1B
25	491	JR	Robert Williams	Baltimore Orioles	OF
25	492	JR	James Hughes	Los Angeles Dodgers	SS
26	493	JR	Ronald Watts	New York Yankees	P
26	494	JR	Leonard Bible	Chicago Cubs	C
26	495	JR	Jerry Perkins	New York Mets	P
26	496	JR	Lyle Edwards	Washington Senators	OF
26	497	JR	Larry Caldwell	Houston Astros	OF
26	498	JR	Robert Stickels	Kansas City Athletics	P
26	499	JR	Robert Beck	Cincinnati Reds	P
26	500	JR	Donald Peracchi	California Angels	1B
26	501	JR	Thomas Kuczynski	St. Louis Cardinals	P-OF
26	502	JR	Tom Taylor	Cleveland Indians	SS
26	503	JR	Dusty Baker	Atlanta Braves	OF
26	504	JR	Steve Ostrowski	Chicago White Sox	P
26	505	JR	Jim Burton	Detroit Tigers	P
26	506	JR	Lee Lamb	Pittsburgh Pirates	P
26	507	JR	Frank Archuleta	Minnesota Twins	OF
26	508	JR	Bobby Wade	San Francisco Giants	C
26	509	JR	Ronald Hale	Baltimore Orioles	P
26	510	JR	James Norton	Los Angeles Dodgers	C
27	511	JR	Thomas Porthen	New York Yankees	P
27	512	JR	Dennis Rockwell	Chicago Cubs	1B
27	513	JR	Eugene Salmon	New York Mets	1B
27	514	JR	Richard Bechtel	Washington Senators	SS-2B
27	515	JR	Michael Cahill	Houston Astros	P
27	516	JR	Clyde Steele	Kansas City Athletics	P
27	517	JR	John Young	Cincinnati Reds	1B
27	518	JR	Ed Crosby	California Angels	2B
27	519	JR	Paul Kacera	St. Louis Cardinals	3B
27	520	JR	Phillip Still	Cleveland Indians	2B
27	521	JR	Donald Autry	Atlanta Braves	SS
27	522	JR	Ken Ottoson	Chicago White Sox	P
27	523	JR	Peter Perpich	Detroit Tigers	P
27	524	JR	Donald Schroeder	Pittsburgh Pirates	P
27	525	JR	Kenneth Gill	Minnesota Twins	P-OF
27	526	JR	Martin Downen	San Francisco Giants	P
27	527	JR	Roy Swanson	Baltimore Orioles	P
27	528	JR	Michael Rapkin	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
28	529	JR	Loyd Colson	New York Yankees	p-1B
28	530	JR	Larry Sheffield	Chicago Cubs	P
28	531	JR	Steve McMillan	New York Mets	2B
28	532	JR	Howard Williams	Washington Senators	3B
28	533	JR	Jerry Proctor	Houston Astros	iF-p
28	534	JR	Clarence Stoner	Kansas City Athletics	1B
28	535	JR	Daniel Hootstein	Cincinnati Reds	OF
28	536	JR	Roy Lee	California Angels	C-1B
28	537	JR	Bob Bonalewicz	St. Louis Cardinals	C
28	538	JR	Jerry McConnell	Cleveland Indians	P
28	539	JR	Wayne Boatman	Atlanta Braves	OF
28	540	JR	Leonard Filbeck	Chicago White Sox	P
28	541	JR	Lanny Yost	Detroit Tigers	SS
28	542	JR	Donald Barnes	Pittsburgh Pirates	P
28	543	JR	Louis Billmeier	Minnesota Twins	P
28	544	JR	Gregory Yarbrough	San Francisco Giants	P
28	545	JR	James Davies	Baltimore Orioles	OF
28	546	JR	Greg Smith	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
29	547	JR	Robert Hefflinger	New York Yankees	1B
29	548	JR	Donald Davis	Chicago Cubs	3B
29	549	JR	Roger Spagnuolo	New York Mets	SS
29	550	JR	Robert Corwin	Washington Senators	C
29	551	JR	James Evans	Houston Astros	P
29	552	JR	Moody Jackson	Kansas City Athletics	OF
29	553	JR	Dave Tomlin	Cincinnati Reds	P
29	554	JR	Carl Wright	California Angels	P
29	555	JR	James Scieres	St. Louis Cardinals	C
29	556	JR	John Hathaway	Cleveland Indians	P
29	557	JR	Thomas Urquhart	Atlanta Braves	P
29	558	JR	Steve Humphrey	Chicago White Sox	1B-OF
29	559	JR	Jack McCloud	Detroit Tigers	P
29	560	JR	Lewis Green	Pittsburgh Pirates	SS
29	561	JR	Robert Fizner	Minnesota Twins	C
29	562	JR	Rick Sawyer	San Francisco Giants	P
29	563	JR	Larry Mongillo	Baltimore Orioles	OF
29	564	JR	James Flynn	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
30	565	JR	Ken Johnson	New York Yankees	P
30	566	JR	Charles Hunt	Chicago Cubs	P
30	567	JR	Larry Kiser	New York Mets	P
30	568	JR	Donald Burkhalter	Washington Senators	P
30	569	JR	Donald Paulsen	Houston Astros	OF
30	570	JR	Donald Ruris	Kansas City Athletics	2B
30	571	JR	John Lynn	Cincinnati Reds	1B
30	572	JR	Wesley Rutledge	St. Louis Cardinals	P
30	573	JR	Larry McDivitt	Cleveland Indians	P
30	574	JR	David Byerly	Atlanta Braves	OF
30	575	JR	Charlie Wolfe	Chicago White Sox	P
30	576	JR	Richard Highduke	Detroit Tigers	SS
30	577	JR	J.T. Ingram	Pittsburgh Pirates	P
30	578	JR	Daniel Adams	Minnesota Twins	3B
30	579	JR	Donald Elam	San Francisco Giants	P
30	580	JR	Dave Harter	Baltimore Orioles	P
30	581	JR	James Brunnworth	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
31	582	JR	Douglas Braun	New York Yankees	C
31	583	JR	Mike Pietrantonio	New York Mets	SS
31	584	JR	Dale Hillard	Washington Senators	C-OF
31	585	JR	Pat McKean	Houston Astros	P
31	586	JR	Robert Schiffner	Kansas City Athletics	P
31	587	JR	Chris Chambliss	Cincinnati Reds	1B
31	588	JR	Randolph Siebert	St. Louis Cardinals	P
31	589	JR	Tim Huntley	Cleveland Indians	OF
31	590	JR	Robert Churchich	Atlanta Braves	3B
31	591	JR	Jimmy Norris	Chicago White Sox	OF
31	592	JR	Daniel Carroll	Detroit Tigers	1B
31	593	JR	Terry Gardner	Pittsburgh Pirates	P
31	594	JR	Walter Evanik	Minnesota Twins	OF
31	595	JR	Michael Newsom	San Francisco Giants	iF-p
31	596	JR	Daniel Ryan	Baltimore Orioles	1B
31	597	JR	Ronald Thompson	Los Angeles Dodgers	p-1B
32	598	JR	Willie Elmore	New York Yankees	C
32	599	JR	Dan Pastorini	New York Mets	SS
32	600	JR	Richard Baldwin	Washington Senators	OF
32	601	JR	Robert Danaher	Houston Astros	P
32	602	JR	Thomas Kaehler	Kansas City Athletics	OF
32	603	JR	Billy Robertson	Cincinnati Reds	2B
32	604	JR	Richard McHale	St. Louis Cardinals	P
32	605	JR	Mike Yetter	Cleveland Indians	3B
32	606	JR	Joseph Fanning	Atlanta Braves	C
32	607	JR	Lee Jacobsen	Chicago White Sox	OF
32	608	JR	Carl Schulz	Detroit Tigers	SS
32	609	JR	Lyle Wilber	Pittsburgh Pirates	P
32	610	JR	Patrick Smith	Minnesota Twins	2B-SS
32	611	JR	Robert Huddelston	San Francisco Giants	OF
32	612	JR	Joe Crocker	Baltimore Orioles	C
32	613	JR	David Thompson	Los Angeles Dodgers	OF
33	614	JR	Tommy Monroe	New York Yankees	C
33	615	JR	Del Corral	New York Mets	OF
33	616	JR	Edwin Mossman	Washington Senators	3B
33	617	JR	Rory Hummell	Houston Astros	C
33	618	JR	Randy Smith	Kansas City Athletics	1B
33	619	JR	Reuben Haliburton	Cincinnati Reds	P
33	620	JR	Pat Osborn	St. Louis Cardinals	p-1B
33	621	JR	Thomas Callan	Cleveland Indians	SS
33	622	JR	Gene Rinaldi	Atlanta Braves	SS
33	623	JR	John Hankammer	Chicago White Sox	P
33	624	JR	George McKenzie	Detroit Tigers	2B
33	625	JR	Don Anderson	Pittsburgh Pirates	P
33	626	JR	Jerald Brown	Minnesota Twins	C
33	627	JR	David voss	San Francisco Giants	1B
33	628	JR	Richard Wagener	Baltimore Orioles	P
33	629	JR	John Brannigan	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
34	630	JR	Michael Baier	New York Yankees	SS
34	631	JR	William Luftig	New York Mets	SS
34	632	JR	George Hubal	Washington Senators	P
34	633	JR	David Buchanan	Houston Astros	3B
34	634	JR	Douglas Ross	Kansas City Athletics	P
34	635	JR	Roger Menaugh	Cincinnati Reds	OF
34	636	JR	Joel Hall	St. Louis Cardinals	C
34	637	JR	Jack Brohamer	Cleveland Indians	SS
34	638	JR	George Sahadi	Atlanta Braves	1B
34	639	JR	Harold Jones	Chicago White Sox	P
34	640	JR	Lee Sage	Detroit Tigers	P
34	641	JR	Jerald vitatoe	Pittsburgh Pirates	3B-Of
34	642	JR	Mike Cichon	Minnesota Twins	P
34	643	JR	Jeff Campbell	San Francisco Giants	P
34	644	JR	William Carroll	Baltimore Orioles	OF
34	645	JR	Robert Huellemeier	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
35	646	JR	David Gonzalez	New York Yankees	SS
35	647	JR	Bill Olsen	New York Mets	P
35	648	JR	Delbert Marcus	Washington Senators	C
35	649	JR	Robert Warner	Houston Astros	P
35	650	JR	Parke Davidson	Kansas City Athletics	SS
35	651	JR	Edward Bravo	Cincinnati Reds	3B
35	652	JR	Orlando Ortega	St. Louis Cardinals	OF
35	653	JR	Bill Moynier	Cleveland Indians	P
35	654	JR	Michael Magness	Atlanta Braves	P
35	655	JR	Tim Foy	Chicago White Sox	C
35	656	JR	Darrell Schneller	Detroit Tigers	P
35	657	JR	Perry Dunn	Pittsburgh Pirates	SS-3B
35	658	JR	William Templeton	Minnesota Twins	P
35	659	JR	Wayne Mitchell	San Francisco Giants	OF
35	660	JR	Edward Watts	Baltimore Orioles	3B
35	661	JR	William Wright	Los Angeles Dodgers	C
36	662	JR	Jerry McCollough	New York Yankees	Of-1B
36	663	JR	David Lipp	New York Mets	2B
36	664	JR	Bobby Jones	Washington Senators	1B
36	665	JR	Steven Ritchie	Houston Astros	P
36	666	JR	Michael Heinitz	Kansas City Athletics	C
36	667	JR	Thomas Hooper	Cincinnati Reds	3B
36	668	JR	Freddie Smith	St. Louis Cardinals	C
36	669	JR	Elwood Walker	Cleveland Indians	P
36	670	JR	Willie Frazier	Atlanta Braves	SS
36	671	JR	Thomas Gehrke	Chicago White Sox	3B-Of
36	672	JR	Gary Ignasiak	Detroit Tigers	P
36	673	JR	Thomas Grayson	Pittsburgh Pirates	if-Of
36	674	JR	Ronald Pritchett	Minnesota Twins	P
36	675	JR	Leonard Cargill	San Francisco Giants	P
36	676	JR	Watkins Blane	Baltimore Orioles	1B
36	677	JR	Chava Flores	Los Angeles Dodgers	SS
37	678	JR	Walter Peto	New York Yankees	SS
37	679	JR	John Bachman	New York Mets	C
37	680	JR	Frank Fillman	Washington Senators	P
37	681	JR	Glen Hassell	Houston Astros	P
37	682	JR	Larry Gonsalves	Kansas City Athletics	P
37	683	JR	Jerome Thomas	Cincinnati Reds	P
37	684	JR	Mark Driscoll	St. Louis Cardinals	2B
37	685	JR	Fred Reedy	Cleveland Indians	P
37	686	JR	Derk Hoving	Atlanta Braves	C
37	687	JR	Willie Garrison	Chicago White Sox	P
37	688	JR	Mike Marshall	Detroit Tigers	SS
37	689	JR	Lorenzo Lanier	Pittsburgh Pirates	OF
37	690	JR	Larry Agrella	Minnesota Twins	SS-3B
37	691	JR	Vache Bahadurian	San Francisco Giants	1B
37	692	JR	Edward Gilkes	Baltimore Orioles	OF
37	693	JR	Greg Mattinson	Los Angeles Dodgers	OF
38	694	JR	Joseph Hindelang	New York Yankees
38	695	JR	David Schneck	New York Mets	P-OF
38	696	JR	Lawrence Mischik	Washington Senators	P
38	697	JR	Carl Hayes	Houston Astros	SS
38	698	JR	Ron Fisher	Kansas City Athletics	C
38	699	JR	Johnnie Williamson	Cincinnati Reds	p-1B
38	700	JR	Benny Haynie	St. Louis Cardinals	P
38	701	JR	Joe Staples	Cleveland Indians	C
38	702	JR	William Wright	Atlanta Braves	P
38	703	JR	Kenneth quarles	Chicago White Sox	OF
38	704	JR	Marvin Isensee	Detroit Tigers	1B
38	705	JR	Bob Auriegemma	Pittsburgh Pirates	P
38	706	JR	Mel Bannon	Minnesota Twins	SS
38	707	JR	Robert Kenney	San Francisco Giants	P
38	708	JR	Bill Borelli	Baltimore Orioles	1B
38	709	JR	Charles Kingsbury	Los Angeles Dodgers	3B
39	710	JR	James Corcoran	New York Yankees	SS
39	711	JR	Mark Crandall	New York Mets	P
39	712	JR	William Metcalf	Washington Senators	P
39	713	JR	Geoff Price	Houston Astros	2B
39	714	JR	Allen Simas	Kansas City Athletics	P
39	715	JR	Roger Tipton	Cincinnati Reds	P
39	716	JR	Richard Householder	St. Louis Cardinals	SS-Of
39	717	JR	Ladon Green	Cleveland Indians	OF
39	718	JR	Craig Lown	Atlanta Braves	P
39	719	JR	Earl vickers	Chicago White Sox	OF
39	720	JR	Richard Miceli	Detroit Tigers	C
39	721	JR	Daryl French	Pittsburgh Pirates	P
39	722	JR	William Rahn	Minnesota Twins	P
39	723	JR	Donald Weber	San Francisco Giants	P
39	724	JR	Lee Chilton	Baltimore Orioles	P
39	725	JR	Willie Strickland	Los Angeles Dodgers	OF
40	726	JR	Jerry Algeo	New York Yankees	if-Of
40	727	JR	Robert Thomas	New York Mets	1B
40	728	JR	William Wood	Washington Senators	P
40	729	JR	Louie Gavrell	Houston Astros	P-OF
40	730	JR	Ernest Fimbres	Kansas City Athletics	OF
40	731	JR	Paul Simon	Cincinnati Reds	OF
40	732	JR	Richard Rix	St. Louis Cardinals	OF
40	733	JR	Bo Rein	Cleveland Indians	SS
40	734	JR	Russell Ross	Atlanta Braves	SS
40	735	JR	Al Fritz	Chicago White Sox	P
40	736	JR	Greg Plant	Detroit Tigers	2B-SS
40	737	JR	Danny Brown	Pittsburgh Pirates	2B
40	738	JR	Patrick Knutzen	Minnesota Twins	P
40	739	JR	John Terista	San Francisco Giants	SS
40	740	JR	James Cherwa	Baltimore Orioles	P
40	741	JR	Gene Martin	Los Angeles Dodgers	3B
41	742	JR	John Wiley	New York Yankees	P
41	743	JR	Joseph Abene	New York Mets	3B
41	744	JR	Terry Brecher	Washington Senators	SS
41	745	JR	John Burger	Houston Astros	C
41	746	JR	David Margolius	Kansas City Athletics	C
41	747	JR	Leo Bouvet	Cincinnati Reds	P
41	748	JR	Malcolm Beard	St. Louis Cardinals	SS
41	749	JR	Michael Burns	Cleveland Indians	OF
41	750	JR	Keith Walters	Atlanta Braves	P
41	751	JR	Larry Stewart	Chicago White Sox	P
41	752	JR	Dan Rounds	Detroit Tigers	P
41	753	JR	William Hager	Pittsburgh Pirates	P
41	754	JR	Mike Ford	Minnesota Twins	C
41	755	JR	Robert Graczyk	San Francisco Giants	P
41	756	JR	Dave Dingman	Baltimore Orioles	C
41	757	JR	Larry Tingle	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
42	758	JR	Nelson Straley	New York Yankees	C
42	759	JR	Ken Henderson	New York Mets	1B
42	760	JR	John Wockenfuss	Washington Senators	3B-p
42	761	JR	Bruce Haynes	Houston Astros	P
42	762	JR	Gregory Hill	Kansas City Athletics	OF
42	763	JR	Robert Zavorskas	Cincinnati Reds	SS
42	764	JR	Robert Olszewski	St. Louis Cardinals	OF
42	765	JR	Brad Lawson	Cleveland Indians	SS
42	766	JR	Gerald Burton	Atlanta Braves	OF
42	767	JR	Albert Holland	Chicago White Sox	OF
42	768	JR	Ralph Darin	Detroit Tigers	P
42	769	JR	Edward Perry	Pittsburgh Pirates	of-1B
42	770	JR	Henry Baker	Minnesota Twins	3B
42	771	JR	Douglas Theriault	San Francisco Giants	P
42	772	JR	Henry Hoxit	Baltimore Orioles	P
42	773	JR	Douglas Barker	Los Angeles Dodgers	P-OF
43	774	JR	Mike Reinbach	New York Yankees	OF
43	775	JR	Robert Larson	New York Mets	p-SS
43	776	JR	Reggie Sanders	Kansas City Athletics	OF
43	777	JR	Jerry Flick	Cincinnati Reds	P
43	778	JR	Charles Paparone	Cleveland Indians	SS
43	779	JR	Archie Manning	Atlanta Braves	SS
43	780	JR	Toby Heath	Chicago White Sox	P
43	781	JR	Philip Rashead	Detroit Tigers	C
43	782	JR	Neal Kalberer	Minnesota Twins	P
43	783	JR	Michael Miller	San Francisco Giants	1B
43	784	JR	Doug Hatten	Baltimore Orioles	P
43	785	JR	Dennis Murphy	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
44	786	JR	Dana Ryan	New York Yankees	2B
44	787	JR	Melvin McNeil	New York Mets	OF
44	788	JR	Ed Assaf	Kansas City Athletics	P
44	789	JR	Joel Green	Cincinnati Reds	SS
44	790	JR	Craig Erbland	Cleveland Indians	1B
44	791	JR	Alan Bush	Atlanta Braves	P
44	792	JR	Richard Ortner	Chicago White Sox	C
44	793	JR	William Mullins	Detroit Tigers	OF
44	794	JR	Gary Hohman	Minnesota Twins	C
44	795	JR	Mickey Cureton	San Francisco Giants	OF
44	796	JR	John Gonzales	Baltimore Orioles	P
44	797	JR	James O’Brien	Los Angeles Dodgers	OF
45	798	JR	Sam Ewing	New York Yankees	1B-OF
45	799	JR	Michael Swenton	New York Mets	OF
45	800	JR	Joe Emanuel	Kansas City Athletics	C
45	801	JR	Robert Renninger	Cincinnati Reds	P
45	802	JR	Robert Brooder	Cleveland Indians	P
45	803	JR	Allen Jillison	Atlanta Braves	P
45	804	JR	Bob DeFries	Chicago White Sox	P
45	805	JR	Thomas Jackson	Detroit Tigers	SS
45	806	JR	Tim Bodle	Minnesota Twins	P
45	807	JR	Dave Gillette	San Francisco Giants	C-of
45	808	JR	James Snyder	Baltimore Orioles	OF
45	809	JR	Phillip Cabibi	Los Angeles Dodgers	2B
46	810	JR	Gerry vanaman	New York Yankees	2B
46	811	JR	Frank Alfano	New York Mets	SS
46	812	JR	Mark Pena	Kansas City Athletics	P
46	813	JR	Alfred Lee	Cincinnati Reds	OF
46	814	JR	William Bright	Cleveland Indians	P
46	815	JR	Charles Atkinson	Atlanta Braves	SS
46	816	JR	David Rusco	Chicago White Sox	2B-SS
46	817	JR	Robert Counterman	Detroit Tigers	C
46	818	JR	Robert Berezowitz	Minnesota Twins	C
46	819	JR	Martin Coil	San Francisco Giants	1B
46	820	JR	Robert Wilczynski	Baltimore Orioles	1B-OF
46	821	JR	James Southworth	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
47	822	JR	Dennis Gideon	New York Yankees	P
47	823	JR	Allen Clements	New York Mets	P
47	824	JR	Garland Godwin	Kansas City Athletics	1B
47	825	JR	Terry Edwards	Cincinnati Reds	OF
47	826	JR	Terry Blitz	Cleveland Indians	P
47	827	JR	Harry Brinson	Atlanta Braves	P
47	828	JR	Douglas McGrath	Chicago White Sox	P
47	829	JR	James Sangregario	Detroit Tigers	OF
47	830	JR	Lloyd Brunick	Minnesota Twins	P
47	831	JR	Lynn Sparks	San Francisco Giants	P
47	832	JR	Robert Taylor	Baltimore Orioles	P
47	833	JR	Gene Willetts	Los Angeles Dodgers	C
48	834	JR	Jerry Schultz	New York Yankees	2B-3b
48	835	JR	Roy Myers	New York Mets	3B
48	836	JR	James Burns	Kansas City Athletics	OF
48	837	JR	Ray Nygard	Cincinnati Reds	3B
48	838	JR	John Walker	Cleveland Indians	C
48	839	JR	Thomas Trailer	Atlanta Braves	OF
48	840	JR	Mike McCarter	Chicago White Sox	C-of
48	841	JR	Richard Cutler	Detroit Tigers	SS-3B
48	842	JR	Vern Gove	Minnesota Twins	OF
48	843	JR	Garry Shade	San Francisco Giants	2B
48	844	JR	Len Pupo	Baltimore Orioles	OF
48	845	JR	William Susa	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
49	846	JR	Walter Failor	New York Yankees	p-1B
49	847	JR	James Bergholtz	New York Mets	SS
49	848	JR	James veryzer	Kansas City Athletics	OF
49	849	JR	Mike Mores	Cincinnati Reds	P
49	850	JR	John Stephenson	Cleveland Indians	3B
49	851	JR	Thomas Fuller	Chicago White Sox	C
49	852	JR	Richard Wacheli	Detroit Tigers	P
49	853	JR	Robert Meyer	Minnesota Twins	P
49	854	JR	Joe Wischnowski	San Francisco Giants	P
49	855	JR	Charles Sylvester	Baltimore Orioles	2B
49	856	JR	Steven Napoli	Los Angeles Dodgers	OF
50	857	JR	Dennis Murray	New York Yankees	P
50	858	JR	Tom Robson	New York Mets	1B
50	859	JR	Greg Wilcox	Cincinnati Reds	P
50	860	JR	Michael Leppa	Cleveland Indians	3B
50	861	JR	Lawrence Ulanski	Chicago White Sox	P
50	862	JR	Richard Shirk	Detroit Tigers	3B-p
50	863	JR	Michael vogel	Minnesota Twins	SS
50	864	JR	Hunter Hollar	Baltimore Orioles	P
50	865	JR	John Marino	Los Angeles Dodgers	C
51	866	JR	Jeffery Mason	New York Yankees	SS
51	867	JR	Frank Ujcich	New York Mets	P
51	868	JR	William Povia	Cincinnati Reds	SS
51	869	JR	Gary Zipfel	Cleveland Indians	of-1B
51	870	JR	Roger Benko	Chicago White Sox	P
51	871	JR	Dan Jackson	Detroit Tigers	if-p
51	872	JR	Richard Pope	Minnesota Twins	P
51	873	JR	Joseph MacDonald	Baltimore Orioles	OF
51	874	JR	David Conway	Los Angeles Dodgers	of-1B
52	875	JR	Dale Braumberger	New York Yankees	P
52	876	JR	George Carter	New York Mets	OF
52	877	JR	Ron Spain	Cincinnati Reds	SS
52	878	JR	Gilbert Marrujo	Cleveland Indians	C
52	879	JR	Gary Hoskins	Chicago White Sox	OF
52	880	JR	Phillip Honeycutt	Baltimore Orioles	3B
52	881	JR	William Graves	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
53	882	JR	Atheophilus Jermany	New York Yankees	P
53	883	JR	Harry Saferight	New York Mets	C
53	884	JR	Donald Sasso	Cincinnati Reds	1B
53	885	JR	Bob Dorn	Cleveland Indians	P
53	886	JR	Allen Kwiatkowski	Baltimore Orioles	P
53	887	JR	Harold Armstrong	Los Angeles Dodgers	SS
54	888	JR	Randy Nelson	New York Yankees	3B
54	889	JR	Martin Gearhart	New York Mets	OF
54	890	JR	Thomas Peppier	Cincinnati Reds	C
54	891	JR	Gerald Robert	Cleveland Indians	P
54	892	JR	George Ferguson	Baltimore Orioles	SS
54	893	JR	Steven Lee	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
55	894	JR	Randy vataha	New York Yankees	SS
55	895	JR	Gary Coombs	New York Mets	P
55	896	JR	Franklin Thompson	Cincinnati Reds	P
55	897	JR	James McMahon	Cleveland Indians	C
55	898	JR	Gene Ammann	Baltimore Orioles	P
55	899	JR	Joe Jacobsen	Los Angeles Dodgers	C
56	900	JR	Andrew Botten	New York Yankees	of-1B
56	901	JR	William Seyfert	New York Mets	1B
56	902	JR	Joseph Gavel	Cincinnati Reds	3B-1b
56	903	JR	William Hendricks	Cleveland Indians	P
56	904	JR	Carl Bennett	Baltimore Orioles	C
56	905	JR	Michael McPartlin	Los Angeles Dodgers	3B
57	906	JR	Donald Keeler	New York Yankees	1B
57	907	JR	Charles Merlo	New York Mets	SS
57	908	JR	David Abell	Cincinnati Reds	1B
57	909	JR	Kenneth Dean	Cleveland Indians	P
57	910	JR	Jimmy Blackmon	Baltimore Orioles	P
57	911	JR	David Dale	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
58	912	JR	Craig Keister	New York Yankees	P
58	913	JR	Robert Shearer	New York Mets	OF
58	914	JR	Larry Broeman	Cincinnati Reds	P
58	915	JR	Alex Duncan	Cleveland Indians	P
58	916	JR	Richard Coble	Baltimore Orioles	P
58	917	JR	Steven Easton	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
59	918	JR	Gerald Bosch	New York Yankees	OF
59	919	JR	Timothy Ukraskevich	New York Mets	P
59	920	JR	Ralph Kirkland	Cincinnati Reds	OF
59	921	JR	Kenneth Burt	Cleveland Indians	P
59	922	JR	Mike Ehlers	Baltimore Orioles	C
59	923	JR	David Lloyd	Los Angeles Dodgers	OF
60	924	JR	Steve Rogers	New York Yankees	P
60	925	JR	Richard Shelly	New York Mets	C
60	926	JR	Kenneth Jones	Cincinnati Reds	2B
60	927	JR	Ron Opatkiewicz	Cleveland Indians	SS
60	928	JR	James Thomas	Baltimore Orioles	if-of
60	929	JR	Patrick Manahan	Los Angeles Dodgers	3B
61	930	JR	Michael Fowler	New York Yankees	P
61	931	JR	William Barr	Cincinnati Reds	1B
61	932	JR	Dave Phares	Cleveland Indians	C
61	933	JR	Steve Webber	Baltimore Orioles	P
61	934	JR	Albert Rossi	Los Angeles Dodgers	2B
62	935	JR	Steve Wiencek	New York Yankees	SS
62	936	JR	Timothy Boese	Cincinnati Reds	P
62	937	JR	Joseph Bienko	Cleveland Indians	P
62	938	JR	Barry Woodruff	Baltimore Orioles	P
62	939	JR	Frank Rucker	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
63	940	JR	Paul Branca	New York Yankees	C
63	941	JR	Donald Churchwell	Cincinnati Reds	OF
63	942	JR	Mike Young	Baltimore Orioles	P
63	943	JR	Bruce Ellingsen	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
64	944	JR	John Pavlik	New York Yankees	OF
64	945	JR	Larry Phillipe	Cincinnati Reds	P
64	946	JR	Tom Skendarian	Baltimore Orioles	OF
64	947	JR	Francis Karmelich	Los Angeles Dodgers	C
65	948	JR	Charles Zecco	New York Yankees	P
65	949	JR	Wendell Starrick	Cincinnati Reds	SS
65	950	JR	Tom Lundstedt	Los Angeles Dodgers	C
66	951	JR	Frank Whigham	New York Yankees	SS
66	952	JR	Danny Peelman	Cincinnati Reds	1B-OF
66	953	JR	Antonio Latour	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
67	954	JR	Roger Hambright	New York Yankees	P
67	955	JR	Richard Moss	Cincinnati Reds	OF
67	956	JR	Craig Fox	Los Angeles Dodgers	P
68	957	JR	Wayne Stephens	New York Yankees	SS
68	958	JR	Wayne Church	Cincinnati Reds	P
68	959	JR	Bart Bell	Los Angeles Dodgers	2B
69	960	JR	Michael Hunt	New York Yankees	P
69	961	JR	Fred Steinmark	Cincinnati Reds	SS
69	962	JR	Harold Murray	Los Angeles Dodgers	C
70	963	JR	Kelly Godfrey	New York Yankees	P-OF
70	964	JR	John Fodor	Cincinnati Reds	C
70	965	JR	Keith Lieppman	Los Angeles Dodgers	SS
71	966	JR	Larry McClenny	New York Yankees	P
71	967	JR	Bill Sluka	Cincinnati Reds	OF
72	968	JR	Michael Bubalo	New York Yankees	of-1B
72	969	JR	Allen Criswell	Cincinnati Reds	P
73	970	JR	Robert Scott	New York Yankees	C
74	971	JR	Thomas Gill	New York Yankees	SS
75	972	JR	Greg Wellman	New York Yankees	P
76	973	JR	David Walsh	New York Yankees	SS
77	974	JR	Donald vandeusen	New York Yankees	SS

July 11, 2015

How the Yankees got Ron Blomberg

Fritz Peterson and Ron Blomberg (right)

A little Jack Heidemann trivia: he was the Indians #1 draft pick (11th overall) in the 1967 Amateur Draft. The Yankees, thanks to the Horace Clarke Era, had the first overall pick and that’s how Ron Blomberg got his pinstripes. This was another talented pool, with guys like Jon Matlack (Mets, 4th overall), Big John Mayberry (Royals, 6th overall), Ted Simmons (Cardinals, 10th overall), Dave Rader (Giants, 18th overall) and Bobby Grich (Orioles, 19th overall). Guys like Vida Blue, Dave Kingman, Don Baylor and Jerry Reuss went in the second round. I’m glad to be friends with Bloomie – and I’d like to keep it that way — so I won’t speculate whether Lee McPhail made the right call.

July 8, 2015

Howdy Doody was almost a Yankee

A little Yankee trivia: Darrell Evans was drafted by the Yankees in 1966 as a 2^nd Round pick, but did not sign. I remember he was not an easy get: at various points, the Cubs, Tigers and Phillies drafted him but couldn’t get him to ink his contract. Howdy Doody finally signed with the Kansas City Athletics, only to be picked up by the Braves in the 1968 Rule 5 Draft. He went on to enjoy a great baseball career that included 414 Home Runs. As a pitcher, I guess I am a little relieved that he enjoyed such a long career in the other league, so I never had to face him. The Home Run threat, combined with how often Howdy Doody would draw a walk, made him especially formidable.

Darrell got called up by the Braves about seven weeks into the 1971 season, replacing Clete Boyer as the regular Third Baseman. Imagine if he had signed with the Yankees. No doubt he would have won the starting 3B job over Jerry Kenney and later Celerino Sanchez. Howdy Doody might have changed the history of the Horace Clarke Era. But when reality sets in – and before you start cursing poor Dan Topping all over again – remember that if the Yankees had Darrell Evans at third, they might never have traded for Craig Nettles – and no Yankee fan can imagine life without Craig Nettles. So it was all for the best.

July 7, 2015

Happy Birthday, Bill Melton

Happy Birthday to Bill Melton, who was a power-hitting third baseman for the Chicago White Sox while I was pitching for the New York Yankees. Some called him Beltin’ Bill because he hit 160 Home Runs in a short ten-year career that prematurely ended due to injury. He hit 33 Home Runs with 95 RBI’s in 1970, his second full major league season, and 33 Home Runs (best in the American League). Between 1968 and 1976, we played in 22 games together. He went 18-for-30, a career average of .300 – and after Paul Blair, no one hit more Home Runs off me that Bill Melton.

One game that comes to mind against Bill and the White Sox was on August 26, 1969, a weeknight game at Yankee Stadium. I was facing a very tough pitcher in Tommy John. We got off to a good start when Tommy gave up a second inning two-run Home Run to our catcher, Frank Fernandez. Tommy and I were pitching nicely; each of us got into jams a few times, but we both pitched our way out of them. By the time Chisox manager Al Lopez pulled him for a pinch runner in the top of the ninth, Tommy had not let more Yankees score. I was also pitching a shutout as I entered the ninth. Ron Hansen (my future teammate), hitting for Tommy, led off with a single to left. Gene Michael’s fielding error let Walt Williams (also my future teammate) reach first and Tommy McCraw (running for Ron) move to second. Luis Aparicio bunted to Bobby Cox at third, moving Tommy to third and No Neck to second. I got a second out when Don Pavletich popped up to Ron Woods in center. Then Beltin’ Bill comes up and hits a double past Roy White in left, scoring Tommy and No Neck and tying the game up 2-2. Ralph Houk had enough of me and brought in Lindy McDaniel to get the third out.

Wilbur Wood came in to pitch in the bottom of the ninth and retired the Yankees 1-2-3. Lindy pitched the top of the tenth in what was clearly a metaphor for the Horace Clarke Era. Stick made another error at shortstop, putting Ken Berry on first. Then Bobby Cox committed a throwing error, putting Ken on third and Bobby Knopp on first. Frank Fernandez let a ball get by him and Bobby advanced to second. Then Pete Ward (yet another future teammate) hit a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Berry and giving the White Sox a 3-2 lead.

The Yankees rallied in the bottom of the tenth, but they couldn’t get the job done. Gary Bell, now pitching for the White Sox, gave up a leadoff walk to Roy White. Then he walked Fernandez, advancing Heeba to second; Lopez switched pitchers (now Danny Lazar); The Major put Jerry Kenney in to run for Julio Big Head. Bobby Murcer bunted – well, as usual – to the Birthday Boy at third, with Heeba and Lobo each advancing a base. Lazar intentionally walks Ron Woods. Now Danny Murphy comes in to pitch. Batting for Cox, Jimmie Hall hit popped up to Aparicio at short. With two outs, bases loaded, and down 3-2, The Major puts Jake Gibbs in to hit for Len Boehmer. Giblets struck out looking, ending the game with a painful loss for the entire team.

One last story – quickly, I promise: the last time I ever faced Bill Melton was on May 9, 1976 at Anaheim Stadium. We were both at the ends of our careers – Bill with the Angels, me with the Indians (not long before my trade to the Rangers). Birthday Boy came up in the bottom of the seventh with two outs and Cleveland ahead 2-0 and hits a single to center.

July 6, 2015

Happy Birthday, Willie Randolph

Happy Birthday to Willie Randolph, whose emergence as the Yankees regular second baseman marked the end of the Horace Clarke Era and the genesis of the George Steinbrenner Era that restored the Yankee Tradition of winning. I missed Willie by a year and a half. The Yankees traded me to Cleveland in April 1974, and Pittsburgh traded him to New York after the 1975 season. His rookie season was the first Yankee pennant since 1964, when I was a sophomore minor leaguer. His place in Yankee history is solid, and I’m pleased that the team chose to honor him last month. (Note: Don’t rush through this post, it has a tear-jerker ending.)

The first time I saw Willie up close was on May 18, 1976, a 4 ½ hour, 16-inning game at Cleveland stadium. I was pitching against Catfish Hunter, who gave up three hits and three runs in the top of the first. I faced Willie for the first time in the second inning, and he hit a two-out single to center. I got him out the next two At-Bats. We had a 6-1 lead in the top of the ninth. I gave up singles to the first two batters, Lou Piniella and Graig Nettles, and that’s when Frank Robinson gave me the hook. Dave LaRoche entered in relief and struck out Otto Velez. Then Willie was up. He hit a single to left, loading the bases. Dave walked Rick Dempsey and gave up a two-run single to Sandy Alomar. After walking Roy White, Tom Buskey came in to pitch and promptly gave up a two-run single to Thurman Munson. That tied the score 6-6.

Sparky Lyle pitched six innings in relief, which explains why the Indians couldn’t get a seventh run. He was awesome, as he always was. In the 16^th, Jim Kern gave up five runs – the fifth run was on a one-out RBI double to Willie.

I only pitched once more to Willie, on May 27, 1976 at Yankee Stadium, and he went 0-2 against me. In the fifth inning, I gave up a two-run Home Run to Mickey Rivers, and after giving up a single and wild pitch – and with the game tied 3-3, I was done.

What I didn’t know at the time was just how done I was. The next day the Indians traded me to the Texas Rangers for Ron Perzanowski. And within the next three weeks, a shoulder injury ended my baseball career.

So for me, 5/27/76 would be the last time on the mound for Yankee Stadium (not including an Old Timer’s Day). The last batter I would face there was Thurman Munson, my friend and my old catcher. That was fine by me.

1967 Amateur Baseball Draft by Baseball Almanac