From 1971 (his second year in the majors but first full season in a big league rotation) through 1975, Blyleven struck out 200-plus batters each season (224, 228, 258, 249 and 233, respectively).. Then theres the guy with six straight 20-win seasons (Fergie Jenkins) and the pitcher with eight 20-win seasons (Jim Palmer). To me, that was the characteristic that made him an unquestionable HOFer. In 2007, Blyleven's total dipped to 47.7% (75% is the minimum required for admission to the Hall). shouts someone from a passing golf cart. No other prominent pitcher in his prime had such a lousy divergence from his expected W-L record based on his real-life run support as Blyleven did. Blyleven mingled easily with the other parents. Patty came out and said, 'Don't you think you should go back?' He won fewer games than he should have, right? But nobody really cared. He retired following that season with a career 287250 record with 3,701 strikeouts and a 3.31 ERA. All UZR (ultimate zone rating) calculations are provided courtesy of Mitchel Lichtman. At that time only 15 to 20 percent of the electorate supported him. Arguments for inducting Bert Blyleven into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Brian yeah, if you look at pre-1920 guys its really nuts. Now, in the previous paragraph there are three things going on: 1) Blyleven's RA/9IP, 2) his run support, and 3) well, a third factor that's hard to define. So while the Sept. 22, 1977, contest wasn't a home game for Blyleven's Texas Rangers, it felt like it for Blyleven - who celebrated by pitching a no-hitter. He pitched in eight postseason games and went 5-1 with a 2.47 ERA. "I just don't think he knew how to use me." Again last season he got embroiled in a couple of controversies. So it seems only fitting that Blyleven is something of a yakker. From the moment he came to the major leagues, as a 19-year-old with the Minnesota Twins in 1970, he has been considered a great talent. That may not mean much to you, but Ron Theobald is the only man in baseball history to go into the on-deck circle without his bat. ", Royals manager Dick Howser is also a Blyleven fan. Fine pitchers, but a definite step down from what had come before. Bert knew what had happened right away and got Monte's elbow in a bucket of ice. Many (especially in THT-land) will call it luck. He keeps a collection of baseball memorabilia in his study. Chris Bando, who loves pizza, was given an almost-empty pizza box. Do I hear $275? Phoenix, AZ 85004 After just 21 minor league starts, he found himself called up to the Majors at age 19 on June 2, 1970. How much time, in seconds, it takes a runner to get from They just started throwing me the curveball.. No takers? "I know that stuff sounds silly," says Smith. Blyleven has put on more than his share in the past, for a variety of causes, and this is his second of the current off-season. One of the nicknames for a curveball is a "yakker." In Texas, Blyleven got blamed for something he never did. His wife, Patty, has a sneaking suspicion that he wanted the panda for himself as much as for their four children, Todd, 12, Kimberly, 10, Timothy, 3, and Thomas, 17 months. Aside from that, he never led the league. Just take a look at who emerged in baseball from 1959 to 1970. Well, his curveball was good enough to strike out 27 batters in a nine-inning game at Class D Bristol and followed that up with a 24-strikeout performance. Those stats hit me in the face. If youre a fan of sabermetrics, and of internet-based populism, this weekends induction ceremony is thus a double victoryone for Blyleven and one for Lederer. I bid $250. This led to a fundraising campaign with the Parkinson's Foundation and a sponsorship with the Minnesota Lottery. "[24] Blyleven was the first Dutch-born player inducted, and his Hall of Fame plaque depicts him with a Minnesota Twins cap. For some reason it has taken Blyleven 3,422 innings, 468 games, 195 wins, 15 years and four teams to be appreciated. In those years he was 59-66 (.472) at the break and 53-38 (.582) afterwards. Francisco, come up here. He earned the moniker "Frying Dutchman" by frequently setting fire to his teammates' shoelaces, a practical joke known as a "hot foot". "I visualized the dropping motion.". This year he is 4-6, with a 2.97 ERA. the fastest reactions and most direct routes in the The house has lots of toys, some for the kids, some for Bert. So you know: later this week as induction day nears, Ill have a Bert Blyleven career highlights piece up at THT Live. This isn't a tournament along the ropes of, say, the Hope or the Crosby. 555 N. Central Ave. #416 Take his 1974 season, when he went 17-17 despite a tremendous ERA+ of 142. Yeah, over his career. Only 16 other pitchers have at least 3,000 career strikeouts. Bert Blyleven. Weve already figured out what Blylevens record should be based on pythaging his RA/9IP and league-average run support. (Also, Dean Chance? "It was an off year for ties," says Blyleven. While down with an arm injury in 1982, Blyleven coached a Little League team, and gave the kids chewing tobacco so theyd look more like real pros. In 2008, he received 336 votes, or 61.9% of the vote. Especially back in those days, a pitchers win-loss record really mattered. From a Cooperstown point of view, the debate is semantics. the ERA scale, A measurement of a player's top running speed, expressed CLEVELAND'S NETHERLANDS-BORN STAR, PITCHER BERT BLYLEVEN, PUTS HIS PEDAL TO THE METAL ON THE FIELD AND OFF, 2023 ABG-SI LLC. Given his temperamental behaviour and (more happily) reputation as a practical jokester as a player, which have carried over somewhat into an occasionally prickly demeanor as a broadcaster, I wonder if Blylevens early debut in the majors is partially to blame for his personalitys lack of leavening. He tied for second in the league in wins and was second in winning percentage (.731), third in ERA (2.87) and fourth in strikeouts (170). Ted Williams called Pascual's curveball the "most feared curveball in the American League for 18 years. The question arose: Is there any way to adjust his W-L record by his run support? 300, a la Early Wynn. People in and out the game lauded Blyleven for having the games best curveball, but he was also temperamental. Looking it up, in his 37 starts, the Twins scored 151 runs, 4.1/game. Now, in the previous paragraph there are three things going on: 1) Blylevens RA/9IP, 2) his run support, and 3) well, a third factor thats hard to define. But the injuries may have been a blessing in disguise, because they made him a better pitcher. Please note the delivery estimate is greater than 13 business days. [7] Unhappy with his salary there, Blyleven was traded (along with teammate Danny Thompson) to the Texas Rangers in a six-player deal on June 1, 1976. How hard, in miles per hour, a pitch is thrown. Blyleven went to the California Angels in 1989 and pitched a 2.73 ERA for a 175 record in his first season; he led the league for his third and final time in shutouts (5). ", In a list full of "Uncle Charlies" (a common nickname for a curveball), Doc Gooden's deuce is "Lord Charles.". "Mets Get Ken Henderson, Outfielder, From Rangers,", "From 1908 to 2018, Recorded no decision, as Starter, sorted by greatest number of games in a single season matching the selected criteria", "Indians' Blyleven The Subject Of Angel Trade Talks", "Ponson to play for Netherlands in World Classic", How a Part-Time Blogger Changed the Face of Baseball's Hall of Fame, The Official Site of Major League Baseball: News: Major League Baseball News, "Henderson, Rice elected to Hall of Fame", Alomar and Blyleven elected to Hall of Fame, Gallery Blyleven inducted into Twins Hall of Fame, Twins to immortalize Blyleven by retiring No. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1974 TOPPS BASEBALL #98 BERT BLYLEVEN MINNESOTA TWINS V.G. This past baseball season he merely cut up American League batters, finishing as the third-leading vote getter in the Cy Young Award balloting, behind relievers Willie Hernandez and Dan Quisenberry. But Blyleven debuted on a ballot near the end of a stretch of 11 consecutive years with at least one 300-game winner up for nomination. That means isolating it. 1 fairway at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif. That's why he gave up so many solo shots late in games - he was throwing his pitch with a comfortable lead and didn't care if the batter knew it was coming. window.". July 16, 1985: For the second time Blyleven pitches in an All-Star Game. One fan posted, "Pete Rose in the Phillies booth "he threw a c**k high fastball". Others will call it pitching to the score. The list of 1-0 CG SHO, required the Play Index. Nicknamed "the Barber," Sal Maglie commanded the corners of the plate as well as any pitcher in the history of baseball. Blyleven threw two different styles of curveballs, the most unique one being the drop that he held across the seams, a grip that is said to have been mastered only by him, Bob Feller and, Koufax. The difference between the two projections should be what his run support cost him. Finally we'd make like we were playing the outfield and jump over the fence in left.". On the second-to-last weekend of the season, the Indian players had a little party to adjourn their kangaroo court. The curveball of the '50s belonged to Camilio Pascual. Hmmm, I wanted the color TV. Statcast defines a 'hard-hit ball' as one hit with an However, his election was a slow curve that was thrown to Blyleven, not being elected by the Baseball Writers Association of America until his 14thseason of eligibility despite 287 victories and 3,701 strikeouts. Blyleven has reigned as the curveball champion longer than either Pascual or Koufax. "Aw bleep, that was for him [Griffith] and his family." Blyleven said the Twins then played on the road in Detroit and there was a Twins fan with a sign, asking to be circled. In his seven losses, the Indians scored only six runs. I'm thrilled to see Blyleven in the HOF. When you cant lift your arm for two days after throwing, you cant do any more.. Bert Blyleven (born Rik Aalbert Blijleven, April 6, 1951) is a Dutch-American former professional baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1970 to 1992, primarily with the Minnesota Twins. able to make a catch on an individual batted ball. Then he filled out, picked up some speed on his fastball and wowed batters in rookie and A ball. And he couldn't help it if he was injured. It was 14 years of praying and waiting, but I want to thank the baseball writers for finally getting it right, he said when his election was announced on January 5. After the game Howard said, "He's got a fine arm. Blyleven received only 17.55% of the vote for Hall of Fame admission in 1998 (his first year of eligibility), and his vote total dropped to 14.1% in 1999. This semicelebrity affair at Riviera was the second off-season charity event Bert has sponsored. We do. Like the first time, it doesn't go well, as he allows two runs in two innings and the NL wins, 6-1. Most people familiar with Blyleven's case for the HOF know that he stands fifth all-time in strikeouts. Bert Blyleven Statcast, Visuals & Advanced Metrics | MLB.com | baseballsavant.com Bert Blyleven P | B/T: R/R | 6' 3" 207LBS | Age: 71 Draft: 1969 | Rd: 3, #55, Minnesota Twins | Santiago HS (Garden Grove, CA) Stats Standard Splits Game Logs Minors Batting Pitching Fielding Visuals Standard MLB Pitching Statistics It was this way when hitters faced Blyleven, as former San Diego catcher Terry Kennedy can attest. How to separate run support from that murky third factor? If anyones curious, heres a list of the most 1-0 CG SHO for post-Walter Johnson pitchers: Nice lead for Blyleven. If you had to pick one starting pitcher to serve as in/out line for induction, Id go with Stan Coveleski. Buyer pays for return shipping. "[19] Still, it was not until his 14th year of eligibility, in 2011, that he was elected; he received 79.7% of the vote. Blyleven's commentary was occasionally risqu for a baseball broadcast but provided interesting and friendly conversation between him and play-by-play announcer Dick Bremer. When youre constantly winning 15 or more games a year, you dont need too many 20-win seasons to make this list. Enough to make your knees buckle. The Twins responded by trading him to the Texas Rangers. The First Annual Blyleven Celebrity Golf Classic, to benefit Students Against Drunk Driving and the Orange County Trauma Society, is under way. Blyleven was happy to oblige. "Brought it in from Cleveland," comes the host's reply. After I ran off the mound, I looked over at the St. Louis' dugout. But thats the problem, you had to go way back. The third pitch was a hard check swing. Actually, given that the park factor was 104, Blylevens run support was nearly league average; 96% of league average to be precise. Blyleven is the winning pitcher in Game 3 of the NLCS and Game 5 (pitching in relief) of the World Series. (Lou Sauritch/National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum) Shop In 1973, he pitched nine shutouts, the most of any AL pitcher that season. He ran cross-country and played basketball and baseball at Santiago High School, and the baseball scouts began to come around. So why did this happen to Blyleven? Fortunately for him, life wasnt going to throw him that curve, and he now has his place in history. Blyleven left 28 tickets for family and friends for that night's game, which turned out to be . His father, Joe, was a handyman who, during World War II, hid his future father-in-law from the Nazis so he wouldn't be put in a concentration camp. So how does he earn a spot on this list? If you enjoyed it, consider subscribing to Baseball Prospectus. . This was especially pronounced in his first seven full seasons, 1971-77, when he was in his prime. "Bert's always doing things for people," he says. "I saw him when he was 19 and I've seen him now," Howser says. He throws it a little differently than most pitchers, holding the ball so that every finger except his pinky is touching a seam. And now he has a little more command. If you think you just heard some big names, listen to these. The likelihood, in percent, that an outfielder will be He currently ranks 5th all-time in strikeouts, 9th all-time in shutouts, and 27th all-time in wins. Hall of Fame third baseman Mike Schmidt became something of an expert on the curveball during his career. In fact, the Blylevens feel so strongly about family living that they, and Anthony, have helped several baseball players and their wives to adopt children. In 2010, Blyleven had 74.2% of the votes, missing admission to the Hall of Fame by only 5 votes (0.8%).[22]. He made his debut on June 5, 1970 playing for the Minnesota Twins as a pitcher. At the Blyleven the biggest celebrity, literally and figuratively, is Lou Ferrigno, television's erstwhile Incredible Hulk. One of his favorite marks is Indians public relations director Bob DiBiasio. Blyleven set the record that still stands with 50 gopher balls in 1986, and then topped the league again with 46 in 1987. Blyleven pitched very well for the Indians in the strike year of 1981 (11-7, 2.89 ERA), but in the first game after play resumed, he hurt his right elbow. Blyleven's display includes his one no-hitter (win No. The tournament follows a scramble format, in which all four team members play from the same lie, as determined by the foursome's best previous shot. Blyleven married Patricia Ann Whitehead, a friend from high school, during his second season in the majors, and they have raised a happy family. Of course, that might be half-baked psychoanalysis, but it does make one wonder. A banquet in a Riviera dining room follows the golf tournament, and Blyleven, nattily dressed in a camel's hair sports coat, navy blue trousers, blue shirt and uncut tie, is the master of ceremonies. Bert Blyleven Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com Bert Blyleven Position: Pitcher Bats: Right Throws: Right 6-3 , 200lb (190cm, 90kg) Born: April 6, 1951 in Zeist, Netherlands nl More bio, uniform, draft, salary info Hall of Fame 2x All-Star 2x World Series 28 28 28 22 22 22 28 28 Brett Butler was presented with an autographed picture of his favorite soap opera star. I have to ask him, 'Bert, what would you throw if you had my stuff?' "[His curveball] was nasty, I'll tell you thatenough to make your knees buckle. Blyleven got so upset with his role in Pittsburgh that he walked out on the Pirates for 10 days early in 1980. "What other team gets to wear a picture of its general manager on its jacket?" "But I thought it was kind of nice. Neal Heaton got a Gourmet Nosepicker. For instance, in the middle of his careerthe Pirate/Indian yearshe comes out even with the murky third element. Only two of them won 30 games after their age 30 seasonJim Palmer and Bob Fellerand none did it after age 32. The youngest player to ever be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame at age 34, Sandy Koufax is the best left-handed pitcher to ever take the mound.
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