May 29, 1984 - Sandstorm

Game #596 - Chicago Cubs, 5 @ Atlanta Braves, 0

Ryne SANDberg got the game off to a positive start with a first inning, lead-off homer to give the Cubbies a quick 1-0 lead.  They added two more in the seventh when Keith Moreland also went deep with the bases empty and then Jody Davis scored on a Rick Mahler balk.

Meanwhile, the Braves couldn't get anything going against Scott SANDerson.  He went eight strong innings, only giving up four hits and a walk.  Chicago tacked on two more in the ninth and Lee Smith finished the game for the North Side.

Winning Pitcher - Scott Sanderson
Losing Pitcher - Rick Mahler
Player of the Game - Scott Sanderson
Hall of Famers in the Game - Ryne Sandberg

May 29, 1984 - Gulden Nugget

Pittsburgh Pirates, 0 @ Cincinnati Reds, 1 (11 innings)

This game featured a potential all-star catcher...and I'm not talking about Tony Pena!

In both the first and second innings the Pirates managed to get a runner to third base, but Reds starter Jay Tibbs was able to pitch out of the jams to keep the game scoreless.  In fact, with two outs in the third, Tibbs retired the next ten batters in a row.

John Tudor countered for the Pirates with an even more dominating performance.  Over a span of eight innings he only allowed two hits and two walks while striking out six.  He got lifted for a pinch-hitter in the top of the ninth.  With the score still zero all, Jim Morrison reached on an error and then Lee Mazzilli singled.  Tibbs struck out Doug Frobel but Dale Berra reached on a Nick Esasky blunder to load the bases with one out.  But Ron Wotus lined out and then Milt May, hitting for Tudor, hit a harmless fly ball to Gary Redus to end the inning.

Fast forward to the bottom of the eleventh!  Don Robinson was working in his third inning of relief, having retired the first seven Reds he faced.  That's when Brad Gulden came in to replace Dann Bilardello.  What did Gulden do?  WALK-OFF HOMER!!!!!!!!  It was only the third hit of the game for Cincy, but all they needed to notch the win!!!

Winning Pitcher - Ted Power
Losing Pitcher - Don Robinson
Player of the Game - Brad Gulden, 1-1, PH Home Run
Hall of Famers in the Game - Tony Perez

Tony Pena has been a disappointment in this Statis Pro, hitting a listless .256 with no power, while Gulden has been hitting way above his weight class and has a good chance, if he keeps this up, to be an All-Star reserve come July...

May 29, 1984 - Off To See The Wizard

Game # 594 - St. Louis Cardinals, 8 @ Houston Astros, 4

This is the first game of the series against the two first place teams in the National League.  Houston featured HOF pitcher Nolan Ryan while St. Louis countered with up and comer Kurt Kepshire.

The Cardinals got on the board first when Ozzie Smith singled home two red birds with the bases loaded in the second inning.  Ozzie led off the top of the seventh with a walk from Ryan (already his fourth of the game) and a stolen base.  He scampered home on a RBI double by Willie McGee and Ryan got chased out of the game soon after.  St. Louis would go on to score five runs in the inning to pull away for good.

Ozzie Smith, who was a .257 hitter in the real 1984, is hitting almost 100 points above that in the Statis Pro season.  For the life of me I can't figure it out!  It's fun, though, because it's the Wizard, and everyone loves the Wizard.

Winning Pitcher - Kurt Kepshire
Losing Pitcher - Nolan Ryan
Player of the Game - Ozzie Smith, 2-3, 2B, 2RBI, 2BB's, SB
Hall of Famers in the Game - Ozzie Smith, Bruce Sutter, Nolan Ryan

May 28, 1984 - Lynn for the Win

Game #593 - New York Yankees, 3 @ California Angels, 4

This was the final game on the schedule for May 28, and it featured the Yankees on their long West Coast road trip pulling into Anaheim.  Phil Niekro toed the rubber and his knuckler was bouncing.  In fact, he didn't give up a hit until the fifth inning.  Gary Pettis singled, stole second, and then trotted home on the rare Bob Boon double.  That cut the Yankees lead to 2-1.

New York got a run back when Ken Griffey Sr. scored on a Bobby Meacham double.  But Fred Lynn homered in the bottom half of the sixth to tie things up at 3-3.  In the bottom of the seventh Lynn was once again at the plate with runners in scoring position.  He doubled for his third RBI, plating Rod Carew.  From there the California handed the ball to reliever Don Aase, who retired six of the seven Yankees hitters he faced for the save.  The Angels did suffer a loss of sorts, though.  Bobby Grich got injured on a Dave Winfield line out that will cost him the next twenty games.  Enter Rob Wilfong...

Winning Pitcher - John Curtis
Losing Pitcher - Phil Niekro
Save - Don Aase
Player of the Game - Fred Lynn, 2-3, HR, 2B, 3RBI, BB, OF Asst.
Hall of Famers in the Game - Dave Winfield, Phil Niekro, Rod Carew, Reggie Jackson. 

May 28, 1984 - Hall of Fame 3-Run Homers

Game #591 - Baltimore Orioles, 12 @ Seattle Mariners, 5

This game was a hot mess, so I offer some observations:

• There are about five players in the AL who are so far outside their expected level of play it's incomprehensible.  One of those players is Oriole Mike Young.  In this game?  He got one hit...and FIVE walks.  His OBP is now over .500.  It makes no sense.
• Eddie Murray recorded 5 RBI.  A three-run homer in the first, and RBI single in the sixth, and a bases-loaded walk in the seventh.
• Noodle-armed John Shelby recorded two OF assists, giving him three for the season.

Winning Pitcher - Scott McGregor

Losing Pitcher - Ed VandeBerg

Player of the Game - Eddie Murray, 2-5, HR, 5RBI, BB

Hall of Famers in the Game - Cal Ripken, Eddie Murray

Game #592 - Detroit Tigers, 2 @ Oakland A's, 7

Juan Berenguer gave up six runs in the bottom of the second inning.  Dave Kingman and Carney Lansford hit solo homers and Rickey Henderson cleared the wall with two runners on.  It was brutal for the Tigers, who couldn't get anything started against lefty Ray Burris.

Winning Pitcher - Ray Burris

Losing Pitcher - Juan Berenguer

Player of the Game - Rickey Henderson, 2-3, HR, 4RBI, BB, SB

Hall of Famers in the Game - Rickey Henderson, Joe Morgan

May 28, 1984 - Outfielders to the Rescue

Game #589 - St. Louis Cardinals, 5  @ Atlanta Braves, 6

St. Louis had an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Gerald Perry and Claudell Washington each launched solo homers to take the lead.  But in the top of the third Ozzie Smith hit an RBI double to plate Lonnie Smith, and the Wizard of Oz later scored on a Ken Oberkfell single to give the Cardinals the lead once again.

The Cardinals chipped in another run in the top of the fourth to give them a 4-2 lead.  That's when the Atlanta offense came back to life.  In the bottom of the fifth two runners were on with two outs when slugger Dale Murphy stepped up to the plate.  He promptly made it a 5-4 game by depositing the ball over the outfield fence!  Next up?  Chris Chambliss.  Result?  Another homer!  The Atlanta bullpen pitched for four innings, only giving up a run in the eighth to save the game.

Winning Pitcher - Craig McMurtry
Losing Pitcher - Bob Forsch
Save - Gene Garber
Player of the Game - Dale Murphy, 2-4, HR, 3RBI
Hall of Famers in the Game - Ozzie Smith

Game #590 - Kansas City Royals, 4 @ Texas Rangers, 2

It was a scoreless game until the bottom of the second.  With George Wright on third and Curtis Wilkerson on second, little Wayne Tolleson smoked a double to give the anemic Rangers offense a quick 2-0 lead.  Meanwhile, starter Dave Stewart was cruising along.  He made it until the eighth inning, when he allowed two hits and was lifted for Dave Tobik.  Tobik got out of the jam, and the Royals were down to their final three outs in the ninth, still trailing 2-0.

But that's when the improbable comeback started!  U.L. Washington walked and Leon Roberts singled, but with two outs it looked bleak.  That's when Willie Wilson hit a clutch double that scored Washington and moved Roberts to third.  Onix Concepcion was up next...and he hit a single to center field!  Roberts scored easily and Wilson took off, beating the throw to home by Billy Sample.  Hal McRae then batted Concepcion home and Tobik was finally lifted after choking away Stewart's excellent start.

Winning Pitcher - Bud Black
Losing Pitcher - Dave Tobik
Save - Dan Quisenberry
Player of the Game - Willie Wilson, 2-5, 2 2b's, RBI, R

May 28, 1984 - Pitcher's Who Rake

Game #587 - Los Angeles Dodgers, 3 @ Montreal Expos, 6

The Dodgers were never really in this game.  Andre Dawson roped a double in the bottom of the first to plate Miguel Dilone, but it was the bottom of the second when the most damage occurred.  Bobby Ramos had and RBI single, Charie Lea laid down a squeeze bunt to score Derrell Thomas, and Dilone singled home Ramos.  Lea had two hits after his sacrifice bunt, too!

Winning Pitcher - Charlie Lea
Losing Pitcher - Rick Honeycutt
Player of the Game - Lea, 8IP, 2ER, 4K's, 2-2, RBI
Hall of Famers in the Game - Tim Raines, Andre Dawson, Gary Carter

Game #588 - Pittsburgh Pirates, 4  Houston Astros, 1

This was the final game in a four-game match for Houston, but the Pirates managed to split the series at two games apiece.  Rick Rhoden was filthy, and is in the early conversation for Cy Young.  He went eight innings and only allowed four hits.  He also ripped a double, scored a run, and walked.  Lee Mazzilli had a good day too, going two for two with a double and a solo homer.

Winning Pitcher - Rick Rhoden
Losing Pitcher - Vern Ruhle
Save - Kent Tekulve
Player of the Game - Rhoden

May 28, 1984 - Show and Tell

Game #586 - San Diego Padres, 4 @ New York Mets, 3

"El Sid" Fernandez and Eric Show squared up against each other in this one, and both of them would like their first innings back.

In the top of the first Tony Gwynn lined a single and stole second...only to trot home two batters later when Kevin McReynolds went yard to give the Padres a 2-0 lead.

But in the bottom of the first New York came storming back.  Eric Show's ERA has been above 6 all seasson, indicating he's had hard luck with the FAC cards.  That trend continued as Wally Backman and Hubie Brooks reached base and, with two outs, George Foster crushed a homer to give the Mets a 3-2 lead.

That score held until the top of the fifth.  With two outs Alan Wiggins walked and Tony Gwynn notched his second hit of the game.  That brought up Carmelo Martinez, who cranked a bases-clearing double to give the Padres the lead once again at 4-3.

Show cruised after the first inning, and was relieved by Dave Dravecky in the eighth.  Dravecky ran until problems in the ninth when he walked Darryl Strawberry with no outs, but Strawberry tried to steal second and was gunned down by Terry Kennedy.  San Diego won!

Winning Pitcher - Eric Show
Losing Pitcher - Sid Fernandez
Save - Dave Dravecky
Player of the Game - Show, 7IP, 3ER, 4H's, 8K's, 2BB's
Hall of Famers in the Game - Tony Gwynn

Friend Requests - Where are the stats???

A couple of months ago Ben suggested that I post the stats for the league, not just the league leaders in the right hand column of the blog.

I thought this was a great idea...but I didn't know how I wanted to do it. Ideally I could just upload them to a non-editable google doc with a hyperlink but I'm still trying to tinker with that and how I want to manage it.

In the meantime...I've created some tabs at the top of the page that has some of the data for all your favorite players, grouped by teams.  Part of my hesitancy in just using google docs is that certain columns in my spreadsheet wouldn't make much sense to you the reader - they're either tracking organizational data for me or just bad data.  (For instance, I'm tracking how many times a player reaches base on an error or a fielder's choice.  But I combined it into one column.  I don't know why I did that, but I keep entering the data and it's basically useless.)

I also track how many times a player receives "Player of the Game" honors - there's a tab for that too!

I hope all of this helps you enjoy the blog a little bit better.  It still blows my mind that any of you are stopping by to read the game recaps - I certainly appreciate it!  And as always, if you want to set a lineup, make a suggestion, etc, just let me know in the comments!

(and there's a new poll to the right...who is your favorite 1984 Seattle Mariner outfielder?)

May 27, 1984 - All the Grand Slams!

Game #585 - Chicago White Sox, 6 @ Texas Rangers, 8

I get a guilty pleasure anytime a Statis Pro slugger launches a grand slam, and that happened right away in the top of the first.  The White Sox had the bases jacked and Charlie Hough, who is perpetually unlucky with the fast action cards, was faced with floating a knuckler by Ron Kittle.

It didn't work.

Kittle went yard and Chicago was up 4-0 just one out into the game.  They picked up two more runs in the second inning on an RBI single by Greg Luzinski and a sacrifice fly by Greg Walker.

Hough actually settled down big time after that, lasting through eight innings.  Floyd Bannister, meanwhile, was cruising through the Texas lineup until sixth.  Curtis Wilkerson broke up the shutout with a RBI single and then Jeff Kunkel blasted  three-run homer to bring the Rangers to within two runs of the lead.

In the eighth inning Dan Spillner was working his second inning of relief but stumbled into a bases loaded situation.  Backup catcher Marv Foley pinch-hit for Ned Yost...and you know what happened next...

GRAND SLAM!  The second of the game!!

Dave Schmidt pitched a quiet ninth and the worst team in Statis Pro added a number to the win column.

Winning Pitcher - Charlie Hough
Losing Pitcher - Dan Spillner
Save - Dave Schmidt
Player of the Game - Marv Foley, 1-1, GS, 4RBI, R

May 27, 1984 - Doubleheader Madness

We had a twin bill between Cleveland and Toronto, and they were two highly entertaining affairs!

Game #583 - Cleveland Indians, 6 @ Toronto Blue Jays, 5

The Blue Jays jumped to a quick two-run lead in the bottom of the first when Damaso Garcia launched his first homer of the season, plating Lloyd Moseby in the process.  They scored two more in the fourth when Tony Fernandez tripled home Rance Mulliniks and Willie Aikens singled Fernandez home two batters later.

The score was 4-1 after seven, which was when Dave Stieb got lifted.  So began the Cleveland comeback!  Jimmy Key gave up three runs in the eighth, including a two-RBI double by George Vukovich.  In the top of the ninth, with the score now tied, Dennis Lamp gave up three straight singles but it was a Jorge Bell outfield error that allowed Pat Tabler and Mike Hargrove to score on the third hit.

With a two-run lead Mike Jeffcoat came in to face the lefty heavy top of the Toronto lineup.  But he too permitted three singles, the third scoring Garcia.  Ernie Camacho had to come in and induce a double play from the bat of Garth Iorg to end the game.

Winning Pitcher - Luis Aponte
Losing Pitcher - Dennis Lamp
Save - Ernie Camacho
Player of the Game - George Vukovich, 2-5, 2B, 2RBI

Game #584 - Cleveland Indians, 9 @ Toronto Blue Jays, 10 (12 innings!!!)

A Cliff Johnson solo homer in the second and two more Toronto runs in the third gave the Blue Jays a 3-0 lead to start off game two of the doubleheader.  But Cleveland literally walked back into the game when Doyle Alexander surrendered an uncharacteristic four walks in a four-run fourth.

Toronto tied the game in the seventh when Cliff Johnson drove home Damaso Garcia, who was one of two Blue Jays hitters to get plunked by Neal Heaton in the inning.  The game stayed knotted 4-4 after nine, so it was on to extra innings - free baseball!!!

After two games and extra frames, Jim Gott was the last arm left in the Toronto bullpen.  He promptly got TORCHED in the top of the tenth.  Clevenad put five runs on the board, including home runs from Andre Thornton and Carmelo Castillo.  With a five run lead, surely the Indians had secured victory, right....?

...WRONG!  Cleveland gave up five runs in the bottom of the tenth!  Everything went wrong.  Roy Smith, appearing in his first game on the season, gave up five hits, a balk, and suffered a Julio Franco error that put the Blue Jays right back into the game.  Pat Tabler had another error, allowing Rick Leach to score and tie things up.  Unbelievable!!!

Jim Gott got out of both jams he created in the top of the eleventh and twelfth to bring Toronto up in the bottom half of inning number twelve.  That's when George Frazier came in, also the last arm left for Cleveland.  With one out, Dave Collins and late-inning replacement Fred Manrique both singled to bring up Lloyd Moseby with two on.  And Moseby...DOUBLED!  WALK OFF WIN AFTER COMING BACK FROM A FIVE RUN DEFICIT IN THE TENTH!!!

Winning Pitcher - Jim Gott (!)
Losing Pitcher - George Frazier
Player of the Game - Lloyd Moseby, 2-6, SAC, 2 2Bs, 2RBI, R

May 27, 1984 - Power from the #3 Hitters

Game #581 - San Diego Padres, 7 @ Philadelphia Phillies, 5

San Diego, with a gutty outing from Mark Thurmond, were in cruise control for most of the game, especially after #3 hitter Carmelo Martinez took Steve Carlton deep for a two-run homer in the seventh.  But the Phillies wouldn't go down quietly.  Goose Gossage surrendered a two-run homer to pinch-hitter Joe Lefbvre in the bottom of the seventh, and Craig Lefferts got touched for two after a Juan Samuel double in the eighth.  Lefferts settled down after that to secure the victory.

Winning Pitcher - Mark Thurmond
Losing Pitcher - Steve Carlton
Player of the Game - Carmelo Martinez, 3-5, HR, 3RBI
Hall of Famers in the Game - Tony Gwynn, Goose Gossage, Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton

Game #582 - Detroit Tigers, 4 @ Seattle Mariners, 5

The game was tied 1-1 in the bottom of the second when Seattle broke out their boom sticks.  Backup catcher Bill Nahorodny took Milt Wilcox deep, and two batters later Alvin Davis did the same.  Detroit chipped back throughout the game, including an RBI double from Lou Whitaker in the ninth, but Edwin Nunez retired the next three Tigers to save the game.

Winning Pitcher - Mike Young
Losing Pitcher - Milt Wilcox
Save - Edwin Nunez
Player of the Game - Steve Henderson, 2-4, 2B, 3B, 2RBI (#3 hitter)