One Hit Wonders

[OldNewGuy]

I would like to submit Jerry Walker as a one year wonder. In 1959 he pitched 182 innings to an era+ of 130 with a whip of 1.16, started 22 and had 7 cg. He was an All star rep for the Os. He was only 20 years old and appeared to have a bright career ahead of him. However, on his third to last game that year he pitched a 16 inning, complete game shutout! He won 11 games on a very mediocre team (74-80). In the 16 inning game he faced 55 batters. He must have thrown close to 200 pitches. The year before in a split season between the minors and majors he threw 210 innings and had 14 CG in the minors! He never had a season as good again. I wonder why?

[royalstillman]

Anyone mention Steve Stone?

[OFFNY]

Anyone mention Steve Stone?

Ooo Yes.

Steve Stone.

One of my favorite Orioles was Johnny Oates, kinda ...

[scOtt]

I can't pass it up!

[video=youtube;DohRa9lsx0Q]

[DrungoHazewood]

I would like to submit Jerry Walker as a one year wonder. In 1959 he pitched 182 innings to an era+ of 130 with a whip of 1.16, started 22 and had 7 cg. He was an All star rep for the Os. He was only 20 years old and appeared to have a bright career ahead of him. However, on his third to last game that year he pitched a 16 inning, complete game shutout! He won 11 games on a very mediocre team (74-80). In the 16 inning game he faced 55 batters. He must have thrown close to 200 pitches. The year before in a split season between the minors and majors he threw 210 innings and had 14 CG in the minors! He never had a season as good again. I wonder why?

Not that managing pitchers is now an exact science, but in the old days they really did sort out who could throw 300 innings and 17 complete games by having everyone attempt to throw 300 innings and 17 complete games and observing who still had an intact arm after the season.

[underdog]

How about Larry Sheets 1987. Wasn't able to post anything close to that before or after.

[SteveA]

Remember a kid named Curtis Goodwin who came up from the minors one August in the mid 90s and tore it up for a few weeks, then disappeared into oblivion?

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[mdbdotcom]

Remember a kid named Curtis Goodwin who came up from the minors one August in the mid 90s and tore it up for a few weeks, then disappeared into oblivion?

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To the Reds for a couple of years, and then on to the Rockies, Cubs, and Blue Jays. Never could hit.

[Moose Milligan]

Remember a kid named Curtis Goodwin who came up from the minors one August in the mid 90s and tore it up for a few weeks, then disappeared into oblivion?

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I was there for the start of his demise. Randy Johnson came to town with the Mariners and decimated that kid. Struck out swinging 4 times. He came into that game hitting like .360 or something.

[Moose Milligan]

The first MLB game I ever saw in person, at Memorial Stadium at the age of eight, was the game where Watson hit for his AL cycle and set the record you mention. September of 1979. Was also the game Yaz got his 3001st hit, and according to my Dad's note in the program the largest regular season crowd at Memorial Stadium up to that date.

Here's the box score for that game.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BAL/BAL197909150.shtml

[Il BuonO]

The one full year we had Eric Davis. What a monster that guy was. I really think he's one of baseballs "what if" stories. If that guy stayed healthy, there's no telling what he could have done. The fact that he came back after cancer and assorted injuries at age 36 and did what he did was remarkable.

A teammate of mine in college and me had occasion to watch him work out in Los Angeles with Strawberry. Davis and Straw were friends and my buddy worked out at a gym Strawberry frequented.

They both took BP and Strawberry had prodigious power but Davis could do just about anything with a bat. It looked to me like a whip in his hands. He had incredibly fast hands that flicked balls that leaped off the bat, it was amazing to watch. And he was maybe one of the best conditioned guys I ever saw, a very lean and strong frame.

[weams]

We need the year Huff gave us in 2008 or Luke Scott in 2010 (assuming we're going to lose Crush). Where can we find it?

Jay Bruce

[weams]

A teammate of mine in college and me had occasion to watch him work out in Los Angeles with Strawberry. Davis and Straw were friends and my buddy worked out at a gym Strawberry frequented.

They both took BP and Strawberry had prodigious power but Davis could do just about anything with a bat. It looked to me like a whip in his hands. He had incredibly fast hands that flicked balls that leaped off the bat, it was amazing to watch. And he was maybe one of the best conditioned guys I ever saw, a very lean and strong frame.

Must have been fun. Eric hit a bomb to the third deck in left one time I was at Orioles Park.

[CP0861]

Must have been fun. Eric hit a bomb to the third deck in left one time I was at Orioles Park.

I was at the game when Strawberry (as a Yankee) hit the ivy wall in CF. 485 I think. *edit - 465, although i coulda SWORN i've heard 485 before, or maybe at that game* Still the longest HR hit during a game at CY.

Remember his son with the Terps? Had a cup of coffee in the NBA and is probably playing overseas somewhere now.

Leo Gomez put together a nice offensive season in 1992.

17 HR's, .265 BA, .356 OBP in 137 games.

He crushed in the minors, showed some pop in the majors, went to Japan and was a beast.

[OFFNY]

o

This is not the best example because he was never really had a "big hit" season, but Benny Ayala did hit 10 home runs in only 170 at-bats in 1980. The previous season, he had an even better ratio with 6 home runs in only 86 at-bats. Ayala was a utility man for his entire career (including those 1979 and 1980 seasons), but those are/were pretty high home run-to-at-bat ratios.

I've mentioned this before, but I saw Ayala hit a check-swing home run against the Yankees in September of 1984.

I was watching the game on WPIX-11 up here in Brewster. Ayala checked his swing, and the ball just barely found its way just over the wall down the right-field line in Memorial Stadium.

The 3-run check-swing home run won the game for us, as we were trailing by a score of 6-4 in the 8th inning when Ayala hit it.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BAL/BAL198409242.shtml

And for reference purposes, there is another poster here on the OH who was actually at that game in September of 1984 that confirmed my memory ...... Ayala's home run that night was indeed a check-swing home run that just snuck over the right-field fence (the opposite field) at Memorial Stadium.