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Sunday, October 23, 2011

Johnny Bench on the 2011 World Series, Weather & the Complete Catcher

TRACER ALERT! (I looked for a spell but started to get weirdass Necco candy button dots in my eyes from all the zeros)

One bat, however, that Bench believes will be silenced in this series is Albert Pujols’. Not because he expects Pujols to falter, but because he doesn’t expect to see Pujols get a pitch to hit. As a catcher who’s called a few “four-finger salutes” in his day, Bench was adamant about how to approach Pujols.

“You never pitch right at him,” he said. “I don’t care what the situation is. You know, we walked [Willie] McCovey five times in a game. We walked him four times in another game. We walked him three or four times in a game. Hey, he was the only guy we couldn’t get out. So if he gets himself out, that’s fine, but he’s not going to beat me.”

Repoz Posted: October 23, 2011 at 01:21 PM | 10 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: history, reds

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1. charityslave is thinking about baseball Posted: October 23, 2011 at 02:49 PM (#3972280)

Pffft. I bet he doesn't get 5 hits, 3 home runs or 6 rbi in a game again in this series. The worst is over.

2. robinred

Posted: October 23, 2011 at 05:06 PM (#3972359)

A Johnny Bench sighting.

3. The District Attorney Posted: October 23, 2011 at 05:41 PM (#3972373)

Johnny Bench called.

4. Walt Davis Posted: October 23, 2011 at 08:55 PM (#3972449)

April 12, 1970, the Reds did walk McCovey 4 times in 5 PAs, none officially intentional. Not necessarily a contradiction, but Bench was actually at 1B for that game.

5. Sunday silence Posted: October 23, 2011 at 10:14 PM (#3972480)

I have checked the games from 70-73 and have not found the five walk game. McCovey also walked 3 times in 2 separate games vs reds in the 70 season. I am curious about the 5 walk game.

6. AROM Posted: October 23, 2011 at 11:01 PM (#3972517)

Yeah, give Albert a 1.000 OBP with Holliday and Berkman up next. That'll work out.

7. Sunday silence Posted: October 23, 2011 at 11:02 PM (#3972519)

Nothing for 1969 either. Although there was at least one 3 walk game.

8. MM1f Posted: October 23, 2011 at 11:40 PM (#3972537)

Yeah, give Albert a 1.000 OBP with Holliday and Berkman up next. That'll work out.

Note: That isn't what Bench said at all.

9. Walt Davis Posted: October 24, 2011 at 12:28 AM (#3972616)

McCovey never walked 5 times in game so quit looking. He walked 4 times in a game three times -- the one I cited, once against the Cubs (in 4 PA) and once against the Phils (with 2 Ks). At least according to PI.

10. Walt Davis Posted: October 24, 2011 at 12:41 AM (#3972652)

98 times a batter has walked 5 times in one game, including Eric Young for the Cubs vs. the Brewers. Ott appears to hold the record with 4 times (at least as far back as the game finder goes) followed by Bonds with 3. The least likely guy to do it twice was probably Albie Pearson, a low-power guy who did walk a lot.

Never looked at Max Bishop's slash line before -- 271/423/366. He average 113 BB per year from 1926-33.

Ted Williams did it just once.

I don't know how long they've been tracking IBB, but Bonds received 3+ IBB 16 times! 9 times in 2004. 4 times with 4.

Andre Dawson received 5 IBB in a game. Maris, Manny and Garry Templeton (batting 8th I assume) are the only others I saw with 4 in one game. No Mantle was not in the lineup that day and apparently the Angels didn't fear Johnny Blanchard although they should have feared Hendricks who drove in both runs that day (Yankees win).

EDIT: this laptop has the world's most sensitive touch pad (and not one that seems to allow me to desensitize it) and the world's least sensitive keyboard.

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Sunday, October 23, 2011

Johnny Bench on the 2011 World Series, Weather & the Complete Catcher

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