One of my "killing time at work" activities is pouring over old box scores on baseballreference.com, which by the way, is the world's greatest website. Some might say I'm slacking, I prefer to call it show prep.
I enjoy going back in time and checking out box scores of games I attended.
This morning I was reading the box score of the Mariners-Yankees game on Friday night, April 29th, 1977. I was one of 15,284 at Yankee Stadium on that chilly night.
It was the first time the expansion Mariners ever faced the Yanks. I remember that morning checking out the pitching matchup and being disappointed that some guy named Ron Guidry was pitching. Who?
The Yankees won the game 3-0. It was Guidry's second career win. I recalled, incorrectly, that he pitched a complete game shutout. The box score told me otherwise. Guidry went 8 1/3 innings with Sparky Lyle coming in to get the final two outs.
Guidry fast became one of my favorite pitchers. He had one of the greatest seasons ever in 1978, going 25-3 with an ERA of 1.74. He added a couple of more wins in the post-season.
Gator, as Guidry was called, collected three 20-win seasons and ended his career with a 170-91 record with a 3.29 ERA.
While Guidry doesn't have Hall of Fame numbers, he was a better pitcher than a lot of the guys enshrined in Cooperstown.
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Guidry was overrated. Even in his best year he didn't win the MVP in 78. That went to Jim Rice who owned Guidry.
ReplyDeleteRice didn't own Guidry. And for you to say he was overrated shows you are a misguided soul. May peace be with you.
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