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Wednesday, September 10, 2008

ESPN: Keri: The most disastrous pennant-race injuries of all time

SPLITSVILLE: Lou Whitaker, 1988

A five-time All-Star, a four-time Silver Slugger and the 1978 AL Rookie of the Year, Lou Whitaker was an indispensable part of the Detroit Tigers’ success in the 1980s. On Saturday, Sept. 3, 1988, Whitaker—one of the top defensive second basemen in the game—was forced to do the splits to pull off a move. But when he tried the same play twice, his knee popped—torn cartilage, out for the season.

Did we mention Whitaker was dancing with his wife at a party at the time?

“‘We were doing a fast dance, and I did the splits,” he said about that fateful day 20 years ago. “The first time, nothing happened. The second time I went down, I heard it pop. When we left, very few people at the party knew I got hurt.”

Ah, but the Tigers found out, in a painful way. They led the AL East by four games on Aug. 21. They still led by one game after the team lost its third straight on Sept. 3, just before Whitaker went down with a case of Saturday Night Fever. But Detroit went on to lose seven of its next eight games, dropping out of first place as Whitaker’s replacement, Jim Walewander, struggled to hit his weight. The Tigers made a late charge the last week of that season but still fell short of first-place Boston by one game, ruining their shot at back-to-back division titles.

People have always underestimated the influence of the Soul Train Line.

Repoz Posted: September 10, 2008 at 06:41 PM | 30 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: history

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1. jwb Posted: September 10, 2008 at 07:49 PM (#2935843)

What does Ask14 think about this?

2. RJ in TO Posted: September 10, 2008 at 07:54 PM (#2935857)

I'm both pleased and depressed to see that he included the 1987 Jays on the list.

3. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: September 10, 2008 at 08:14 PM (#2935877)

The Giants held a commanding 9½-game lead in the National League West on Aug. 7, 1993, and looked poised to cruise home with the division title. But a slump and a surge by the chasing Braves pulled the two teams into a dead heat on the penultimate day of the season, with both at 103-58. Late-season injuries to Trevor Wilson and Bud Black -- two of the Giants' top four starting pitchers -- forced manager Roger Craig to get creative with his rotation down the stretch. Craig sent 21-year-old rookie Salomon Torres to the mound for the final game of the regular season, on three days' rest. Torres didn't make it out of the fourth inning, the Giants got shelled 12-1 and that was that.

Kids, you can meet Derek Jeter in person if you can name the glaring error in this paragraph. (I don't mean to pick on Keri. We all make flubs.)

EDIT: I remember praying at the time that DeShaies would get the start over Torres. Torres just seemed too green for a start that big. I wanted the veteran mediocrity!

4. Hal Chase Headley Lamarr Hoyt Wilhelm (ACE1242) Posted: September 10, 2008 at 08:19 PM (#2935881)

Right up there near the top of the page.

5. RJ in TO Posted: September 10, 2008 at 08:19 PM (#2935882)

Kids, you can meet Derek Jeter in person if you can name the glaring error in this paragraph. (I don't mean to pick on Keri. We all make flubs.)

We all do, but that season was a big part of Dusty's claim to be a top tier manager, and is trotted out all the time as proof of his brilliance.

6. Shooty: Applying to be Fearless Leader

Posted: September 10, 2008 at 08:22 PM (#2935883)

You got it Steve. Make sure Jeter treats you nice!

7. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: September 10, 2008 at 08:26 PM (#2935888)

I don't really get how Kevin Brown made the list considering the Yanks made the ALCS that year.

I was a big Tigers fan in 1988 (my dad is from Detroit) and that pennant collapse crushed me.

I remember the Angels collapse in 1995, but I never once remember thinking "man, they could sure use Gary DiSarcina about now."

8. Smyly Smile (Walewander) Posted: September 10, 2008 at 08:47 PM (#2935909)

But Detroit went on to lose seven of its next eight games, dropping out of first place as Whitaker’s replacement, Jim Walewander, struggled to hit his weight.

This aggression will not stand, man.

Jim Walewander hit fity-one points above his weight in September/October. FIFTY-ONE POINTS! You wanna talk errors?

I look froward to ESPN.com's front-page retraction and apology.

9. John M. Perkins Posted: September 10, 2008 at 08:58 PM (#2935919)

Jim Kaat in 1967.

10. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: September 10, 2008 at 09:02 PM (#2935925)

Koufax in 62

11. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: September 10, 2008 at 09:04 PM (#2935927)

I am somewhat disappointed that Jonah focussed so much on the recent past.

Once I have recovered from my shock at the Brewers actually winning a game I will post a few additional suggestions.

12. Darnell McDonald had a farm Posted: September 10, 2008 at 09:17 PM (#2935936)

David Ortiz right now

13. Dag Nabbit apealing [sic] his own check swing Posted: September 10, 2008 at 09:20 PM (#2935938)

Jim Kaat in 1967.

Good call.

14. salvomania Posted: September 10, 2008 at 09:22 PM (#2935939)

It would have been nice to see what the guy hitting .305/.483/.746 could have done to change the outcome of the 2000 postseason, but since his injury occurred in July and he was able to pinch-hit, he doesn't really count for the purposes of this discussion...

Still, between him and that incredible lefty who was 2nd in the league in K/9 and fewest H/9, that postseason sure turned anticlimactic for a certain subset of Midwestern denizens...

[edited for accuracy]

15. musial6 Posted: September 10, 2008 at 09:45 PM (#2935954)

...or the gold glove catcher who severed 2 tendons in his throwing hand while playing with a knife he received as a birthday present...

16. RMc is the loyal supporter of the MLB event Posted: September 10, 2008 at 10:05 PM (#2935966)

But Detroit went on to lose seven of its next eight games, dropping out of first place as Whitaker’s replacement, Jim Walewander, struggled to hit his weight.

This aggression will not stand, man.

Jim Walewander hit fity-one points above his weight in September/October. FIFTY-ONE POINTS! You wanna talk errors?

The '88 Tigers hit September with a 2.5 game lead and immediately died: swept at home by the Brewers, lost 2 of 3 to the Jays at home, swept in Yankee Stadium, lost 2 of 3 in Toronto: a 2-12 streak (they were outscored 80-40) that knocked them down to third, 5.5 games out. Thank you, and drive home safely.

Oh, and Walewander hit .281 (9-for-32) in those 14 games.

17. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: September 10, 2008 at 10:12 PM (#2935971)

Culp and Bennett weren't OUT but due to injury were useless the last two weeks of 1964.

Bunning and Short couldn't pick up the slack.

18. Golfing Great Mitch Cumstein Posted: September 10, 2008 at 11:02 PM (#2936003)

Butch Hobson's elbow didn't help anybody but the Yanks.

19. Smyly Smile (Walewander) Posted: September 10, 2008 at 11:09 PM (#2936014)

And to be fair, that wasn't the only injury that torpedoed the '88 Tigers. Look at this lineup for one of the Milwaukee games:

G Pettis CF 3 0 0 0 0 1 .213 .564 16 5 0
D Murphy PH-CF 1 0 0 0 0 0 .259 .738 5 0 0
L Salazar SS 3 0 0 0 0 0 .270 .686 6 2 1
B Bean PH 1 1 1 0 0 0 .667 2.000 4 0 0
F Lynn LF 4 0 1 0 0 1 .249 .774 21 3 0
C Lemon RF 2 0 0 1 1 1 .258 .733 16 0 0 SF
R Knight 1B 3 0 0 0 0 1 .220 .562 9 8 2
S Lusader PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 6 0 0
L Herndon DH 2 0 0 0 1 1 .215 .602 15 0 0
D Evans PH 1 0 0 0 0 0 .202 .696 3 0 0
M Heath C 3 0 1 0 0 1 .280 .765 12 5 1
T Brookens 3B 3 0 1 0 0 1 .253 .695 15 1 4
J Walewander 2B

20. Hello Rusty Kuntz, Goodbye Rusty Cars Posted: September 10, 2008 at 11:33 PM (#2936080)

The White Sox remind me of Charlie Sheen's plane at the end of Hot Shots.

21. vortex of dissipation Posted: September 11, 2008 at 12:01 AM (#2936156)

The White Sox remind me of Charlie Sheen's plane at the end of Hot Shots.

I thought the Twins were Gnats, not the White Sox?

22. pthomas Posted: September 11, 2008 at 12:34 AM (#2936262)

What about Wally Joyner's leg infection in 1986?

23. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: September 11, 2008 at 01:12 AM (#2936439)

And if you are going to mention 1982 Brewer injuries what of Pete Vukovich missing almost all of September after a 10-inning, 173(!) Pitch effort?

24. Jonah Keri Posted: September 11, 2008 at 02:02 AM (#2936698)

Argh. Yup, we'll fix the Baker/Craig thing.

This was a fun but tricky piece. Fair bit of research didn't reveal any kind of master list, so it was basically hunt and peck on memory, which of course can make it tough to go back more than 30-40 years. Koufax and Kaat are both great examples, though. I believe there's a George Sisler injury in there somewhere too, if we want to go way back.

25. Boots Day Posted: September 11, 2008 at 03:04 AM (#2937025)

And if you are going to mention 1982 Brewer injuries what of Pete Vukovich missing almost all of September after a 10-inning, 173(!) Pitch effort?

Hmm... In 1982 Vuckovich started games on September 4th, September 9th, September 15th, September 20th, September 25th and October 1st. He threw an 11-inning complete game on the 20th, beating the Red Sox 4-3, but came back in regular rotation on the 25th.

26. OCF Posted: September 11, 2008 at 03:48 AM (#2937291)

In both 1985 and 1987, Jack Clark went down in September. The Cardinals won the pennant both times anyway, but there are differences between the two years.

In 1985, Clark was good (OPS+ 149) but not insanely so. When he went down, the Cardinals made a short-term acquisition of Cesar Cedeno, and Cedeno promptly forgot that he was washed up and over the hill: .434/.463/.750. And Clark made it back for the playoffs, which is something Tom Neiedenfuer would remember.

In 1987, Clark was hitting at an MVP-candidate pace (OPS+ 176). That year's over-the-hill veteran stopgap, Dan Driessen, hit .233/.309/.317. And Clark didn't make it back for the playoffs.

27. Jay Z Posted: September 11, 2008 at 04:00 AM (#2937370)

And if you are going to mention 1982 Brewer injuries what of Pete Vukovich missing almost all of September after a 10-inning, 173(!) Pitch effort?

Hmm... In 1982 Vuckovich started games on September 4th, September 9th, September 15th, September 20th, September 25th and October 1st. He threw an 11-inning complete game on the 20th, beating the Red Sox 4-3, but came back in regular rotation on the 25th.

Vuckovich did miss some starts in 1982, but those were in May. He also had two 11 inning starts; July 29th was the other one. Harvey is probably thinking of the Sept. 20th game. He stayed in the rotation but didn't win any of his six starts (including the postseason) and pitched poorly in his two remaining regular season starts and not particularly well in the postseason. I suppose they needed them all and there was no Fingers, but I thought that game contributed to his ineffectiveness and ending his career.

28. AROM Posted: September 11, 2008 at 04:41 AM (#2937517)

I suppose they needed them all and there was no Fingers, but I thought that game contributed to his ineffectiveness and ending his career.

His career as a pitcher, at least. When he signed with the Yankees he led the league in all offensive categories, including most nose hair.

29. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: September 11, 2008 at 05:05 AM (#2937534)

Argh. Yup, we'll fix the Baker/Craig thing.

You're halfway there Jonah.

Late-season injuries to Trevor Wilson and Bud Black -- two of the Giants' top four starting pitchers -- forced manager Dusty Baker to get creative with his rotation down the stretch. Craig sent 21-year-old rookie Salomon Torres to the mound for the final game of the regular season, on three days' rest. Torres didn't make it out of the fourth inning, the Giants got shelled 12-1 and that was that.

30. KJOK Posted: September 11, 2008 at 05:09 AM (#2937535)

In 1987, Clark was hitting at an MVP-candidate pace (OPS+ 176). That year's over-the-hill veteran stopgap, Dan Driessen, hit .233/.309/.317. And Clark didn't make it back for the playoffs.

But on top of this Pendleton was injured, and the Cardinals had to start Tom Lawless (season OPS of NEGATIVE 19!) at 3B in the World Series against lefties. Jose Oquendo played RF. It was a mess....

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Wednesday, September 10, 2008

ESPN: Keri: The most disastrous pennant-race injuries of all time

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