Game Thread: 8.10 Worms @ Lumber

[LHG]

Interesting that the 19th century guys are both in the HOF, along with Matthewson and Hubbel.

Schmitty the best ERA+ not in.

The longer the game has been played, the harder it is to impress with numbers and get in the HOF. I do wonder how inductees would have been left out if the HOF was established in the 50s or 60s instead of the 30s.

 

[Stokes1931]

It would have been cool to have watched Mathewson pitch. The dude's numbers are amazing, even for his era.

Read an article once about Matthewson and Hubbell. Both threw the screwball (think reverse curve), though Matthewson called his a "fadeaway". Matthewson didn't throw it often, as it put huge strain on the arm. Hubbell excelled at the pitch. After he retired, Hubbell's pitching arm hung down by his side with the palm of his hand "out" rather than "in" towards the body. And this was the natural position for him after his career was over.

 

[SF11704]

Not sure how many of you ever saw Wilbur Wood or Hoyt Wilhelm pitch. Both were known as knuckleball pitchers. I don't think it took much arm strength to throw a knucklebsll though. I do know that Wilbur Wood has pitched both games (starter) of a double header on multiple occasions. Also saw Wilhelm pitch on a few occasions for the NY Giants.Very tough to hit a good knuckle ball. Think the catcher was Wes Westrum. Seem to remember that he had to use an oversized glove to catch him.

 

[jeep99tj]

Not sure how many of you ever saw Wilbur Wood or Hoyt Wilhelm pitch. Both were known as knuckleball pitchers. I don't think it took much arm strength to throw a knucklebsll though. I do know that Wilbur Wood has pitched both games (starter) of a double header on multiple occasions. Also saw Wilhelm pitch on a few occasions for the NY Giants.Very tough to hit a good knuckle ball. Think the catcher was Wes Westrum. Seem to remember that he had to use an oversized glove to catch him.

Yea, those catchers gloves were huge. And even then you weren’t guaranteed to catch it. Bob Uecker had the best line for catching it, “best way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling then pick it up”.

 

[LHG]

Not sure how many of you ever saw Wilbur Wood or Hoyt Wilhelm pitch. Both were known as knuckleball pitchers. I don't think it took much arm strength to throw a knucklebsll though. I do know that Wilbur Wood has pitched both games (starter) of a double header on multiple occasions. Also saw Wilhelm pitch on a few occasions for the NY Giants.Very tough to hit a good knuckle ball. Think the catcher was Wes Westrum. Seem to remember that he had to use an oversized glove to catch him.

Yea, those catchers gloves were huge. And even then you weren’t guaranteed to catch it. Bob Uecker had the best line for catching it, “best way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling then pick it up”.

I remember that Doug Mirabelli, who came up with the Giants, was the personal catcher for Tim Wakefield for years in Boston, primarily because he knew how to handle Wakefield's knuckleball. That pitch sure did extend Wakefield's career.

 

[jeep99tj]

I remember that Doug Mirabelli, who came up with the Giants, was the personal catcher for Tim Wakefield for years in Boston, primarily because he knew how to handle Wakefield's knuckleball. That pitch sure did extend Wakefield's career.

R. A. Dickey’s knuckle

 

[SF11704]

IIRC I think that a knuckleball is actually thrown with little or no rotation. It sort of just 'floats' out of the pitchers hand but can move in almost any direction at all. As LHG said ... most of these pitchers had dedicated catchers ... all with special gloves.

 

[Sandisfan]

Joe Garagiola could catch knuckleball, his method..... wait till it stopped rolling!

 

[tzill]

I remember that Doug Mirabelli, who came up with the Giants, was the personal catcher for Tim Wakefield for years in Boston, primarily because he knew how to handle Wakefield's knuckleball. That pitch sure did extend Wakefield's career.

Slug Killarally! Nice pull.

the beta version of Whitesides Fault.

 

[calsnowskier]

I remember that Doug Mirabelli, who came up with the Giants, was the personal catcher for Tim Wakefield for years in Boston, primarily because he knew how to handle Wakefield's knuckleball. That pitch sure did extend Wakefield's career.

I believe he was traded to the Padres, then they realized they faux pas’d and had to almost immediately get him back from the Padres, but for a net loss. A real-life, real time “oh shit” moment in the MLB.