http://www.hardballtimes.com/main Baseball. Insight. Daily. en bmarkusen@stny.rr.com Copyright 2012 2012-02-10T09:15:15+00:00 http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/blog_article/a-baseball-card-mystery-steve-ontiveros-and-mike-schmidt/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/blog_article/a-baseball-card-mystery-steve-ontiveros-and-mike-schmidt/ Mike Schmidt’s 1976 Topps card in mint condition, you’ll have to pay a fairly stiff price.

But if you simply want Schmidt on any card from that set, and want it at a bargain rate, just pick up Steve Ontiveros’ card. The card shows Ontiveros, wearing a cap and no helmet, cutting the third base bag and making a hard charge for home. We can clearly see Schmidt off to the right, looking toward the outfield for an impending throw that may or may not be too late to record an out at the plate.

Schmidt’s presence on the card doesn’t do much for the value of a ’76 Ontiveros, but it does provide an interesting juxtaposition between a Hall of Fame player and a player of the run-of-the-mill variety. Schmidt, one of the greatest players I’ve ever had the privilege of watching, is universally regarded as the finest third baseman in the history of the major leagues. Other than striking out with some frequency, he had no tangible weakness in his diversified game.

Ontiveros, whom I also saw play, was not anywhere near that caliber, but he was not a bad player either. Also a third baseman, he put up an .813 OPS for the Cubs in 1977, batted .274 lifetime, and totaled more walks (309) than he did strikeouts (290). On the other hand, he had very little power, hitting only 24 home runs in over 2,500 plate appearances, and was not a particularly smooth fielder at the hot corner.

So if you were looking for a third baseman to play for your team in the mid-1970s, you were far more likely to end up with a Steven Robert Ontiveros than a Michael Jack Schmidt.

When two players appear on the same card, it also provides us with an opportunity for a baseball card mystery. In this case, the question is obvious: In what game was this photograph taken? And was Ontiveros safe or out at the plate? Since it’s a 1976 card, the photo was most likely taken during the 1975 season. Schmidt is wearing his home whites, so the game must have been played at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Let’s narrow it down a little further: The Giants played a grand total of six games at The Vet in 1975.

So who will be the first to come up with the answer?

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Read more great baseball stuff at The Hardball Times.]]> ]]> Bruce Markusen 2012-02-10T08:15:48+00:00 http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/a-dynasty-ranking-follow-up/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/a-dynasty-ranking-follow-up/
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Read more great baseball stuff at The Hardball Times.]]> ]]> Josh Shepardson 2012-02-10T06:55:13+00:00 http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/forecasting-prince/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/forecasting-prince/
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Read more great baseball stuff at The Hardball Times.]]> ]]> Myron Logan 2012-02-09T13:41:18+00:00 http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-homestead-exemption-act-of-1992/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-homestead-exemption-act-of-1992/
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Read more great baseball stuff at The Hardball Times.]]> ]]> Frank Jackson 2012-02-09T09:41:07+00:00 http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/fun-with-numbers/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/fun-with-numbers/
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Read more great baseball stuff at The Hardball Times.]]> ]]> Nick Fleder 2012-02-09T09:27:54+00:00 http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/making-the-leap-2/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/fantasy/article/making-the-leap-2/
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Read more great baseball stuff at The Hardball Times.]]> ]]> Derek Ambrosino 2012-02-08T09:36:43+00:00 http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/against-replay-in-baseball/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/against-replay-in-baseball/
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Read more great baseball stuff at The Hardball Times.]]> ]]> David Wade 2012-02-08T09:26:17+00:00 http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/bob-oakland-dealt-setback-in-pursuit-to-keep-athletics/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/bob-oakland-dealt-setback-in-pursuit-to-keep-athletics/
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Read more great baseball stuff at The Hardball Times.]]> ]]> Brian Borawski 2012-02-08T09:25:34+00:00 http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-virtual-1958-68-giants-reds-and-cardinals-part-10-1966-67/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-virtual-1958-68-giants-reds-and-cardinals-part-10-1966-67/
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Read more great baseball stuff at The Hardball Times.]]> ]]> Steve Treder 2012-02-08T09:24:07+00:00 http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/blog_article/20000-days-since-herb-scores-injury/ http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/blog_article/20000-days-since-herb-scores-injury/
It was May 7, 1957, and the Cleveland Indians hosted the New York Yankees. On the mound for the home team was Herb Score, one of the brightest young stars in the game. Two years earlier, a then 21-year-old Score had a national coming out party, fanning 16 batters in a 4-1 victory.

In his 1955 rookie season, he went 16-10 with a league-leading 245 strikeouts. Only one other pitcher in the AL struck out over 160. He averaged 9.7 K/9 in a league that averaged 4.4.

The next year, Score was even better, enjoying his first 20-win season while leading the league in shutouts, ERA+ and, of course, strikeouts. His 263 punchouts that year were 71 more than runner up Billy Pierce.

He was so well thought of that before the 1957 season began, the rival Red Sox offered the Indians $1,000,000 for Score—and Cleveland turned down Boston. That’s how highly his team thought of him.

The early going in 1957 made the Cleveland front office look smart. In his first four games, Score was 2-1 with a 2.04 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 35.1 innings. In his wins, he’d allowed one run in 18 innings. Even in his other games he was impressive. He fanned 10 in 11 frames in his only loss, and in a no-decision he fanned 12 while recording 19 outs. Not bad.

That led up to the game occurring 20,000 days ago. Against the defending world champion Yankees, Score quickly dispatched leadoff hitter Hank Bauer on a groundout and then faced Gil McDougald.

It was the at-bat that nearly ended Score’s career and ruined his promise.

McDougald made solid contact with a Score offering and sent a screaming liner right back up the middle—and right into Score’s eye socket. He was bloodied and suffered several broken bones in his face.

Eventually Score recovered, but he would not pitch again that season. Early in 1958, it looked like he was on the way back as he threw a complete-game shutout with 13 strikeouts against the White Sox on April 23, 1958. Then, in his next start against Washington, Score injured his arm and had to change his delivery.

Was it the eye injury that ruined him or the less dramatic arm injury? Normally, the arm means the most, but how did missing 11 months due to an eye injury affect his arm strength? Score probably was headed for an arm injury even without his ghastly eye socket injury. He not only struck out a lot of batters, but he walked tons, as well. In his first start in 195,7 he was in double digits in walks and strikeouts, for instance. That’s a lot of mileage on an arm.

Regardless of what might’ve happened, what did happen is that a line drive shattered Score’s eye socket, and a once promising career never really lived up to its hope after that. And that shattering line drive happened exactly 20,000 days ago.

Oh – and there’s one little side note from that game. After Score left, Cleveland had to put veteran Bob Lemon in to pitch. He lasted the rest of the game and his 8.1 innings pitched proved to be the longest relief appearance of his career. He posted the win as the Indians topped the Yankees, 3-2.

Aside from that, plenty of other baseball events celebrate their “day-versary” or anniversary today. Here they are, with the better ones in bold if you’d prefer to just skim the list.


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Read more great baseball stuff at The Hardball Times.]]> ]]> Chris Jaffe 2012-02-08T08:34:40+00:00