Zach Britton, closer

[BMann]

78 & 79, comeback attempt in 82

Shuttled back and forth from the bullpen to the starting rotation with the Rangers and Expos, Stanhouse excelled in 1978 after joining the Baltimore Orioles, where Manager Earl Weaver employed him as a full-time closer. Because of his Harpo Marx hairstyle and pre-game batting practice antics ? where his primal scream would entertain early ballpark arrivals ? he was quickly labeled Stan the Man Unusual, a pun on the nickname "Stan the Man" for Hall-of-Famer Stan Musial.[1]

Stanhouse finished 3rd in the American League in both 1978 & 1979 in saves...

24 saves in 78

21 saves in 79

Plus, back in the pre-LaRussa era, managers didn't automatically go to their closer in virtually every save situation to start the 9th. In his best season (1979), Stanhouse entered the game in the 7th 3 times and the 8th 22 times - one-inning saves were hardly the rule back then. And he had 21 saves but 6 blown saves - a pretty lousy percentage nowadays... But he was called on to get 5 or 6 outs a lot more regularly than modern closers. The '79 bullpen only had 30 saves for a team that won 102 games...

[CP0861]

Frequently his tactics would lead to dangerous situations in close games with multiple base-runners, and send the chain-smoking Weaver pacing back and forth in the dugout in agony. This resulted in Weaver nicknaming Stanhouse Fullpack, referring to the number of cigarettes consumed while watching him pitch. Weaver also was quoted in saying Stanhouse was an asshole, who ruined his health.[1]

Man....the more I read about Weaver, the more I regret not being around during his legendary time with the O's. What a riot.

I read another story a week or two ago about the time Weaver was managing an old timers game at OPACY in 1993. Bob Feller expected to start the game and supposedly refused to play if he wasn't the starter. Earl said, "F him, he never won any games from me." Palmer convinced Earl to start him, Feller gave up a hit to the first batter, Earl pulled him and put Palmer in.

As for Britton.....he's another player who is a FA in 2019 (along with AJ, Manny, and Buck) who I can't imagine ever letting go.....sorta scary to think what may happen beyond 2018.

[MagicBird]

Man....the more I read about Weaver, the more I regret not being around during his legendary time with the O's. What a riot.

I read another story a week or two ago about the time Weaver was managing an old timers game at OPACY in 1993. Bob Feller expected to start the game and supposedly refused to play if he wasn't the starter. Earl said, "F him, he never won any games from me." Palmer convinced Earl to start him, Feller gave up a hit to the first batter, Earl pulled him and put Palmer in.

As for Britton.....he's another player who is a FA in 2019 (along with AJ, Manny, and Buck) who I can't imagine ever letting go.....sorta scary to think what may happen beyond 2018.

Ha Ha, I hadnt heard that Feller story.

[MagicBird]

Plus, back in the pre-LaRussa era, managers didn't automatically go to their closer in virtually every save situation to start the 9th. In his best season (1979), Stanhouse entered the game in the 7th 3 times and the 8th 22 times - one-inning saves were hardly the rule back then. And he had 21 saves but 6 blown saves - a pretty lousy percentage nowadays... But he was called on to get 5 or 6 outs a lot more regularly than modern closers. The '79 bullpen only had 30 saves for a team that won 102 games...

Different era for sure. I remember Stanhouse as a real "closer" type back then. Maybe more nostalgic thinking, at least by todays standards.

[DrungoHazewood]

I am guessing it has more to do with overall closer longevity. Wouldn't be surprised to see most team's lists look similar.

Maybe. The save list is strange since 40+ in a season was borderline impossible through the first 110 years of MLB history. And few players spend their whole careers (or even most) with one team.

The Yanks' team record is 652, so the O's are at 25% of that. That would be kind of like having a team hit record of 850, or a team HR record of 160.

I wonder what other marks the O's are in a similar situation. The team triples record is Brooks with 68, which is 22% of Wahoo Sam Crawford's record. Cal's 350 GIDP is 100% of Cal's all time MLB record. Palmer's team strikeout mark is 39% of Nolan Ryan's record.

[DrungoHazewood]

Plus, back in the pre-LaRussa era, managers didn't automatically go to their closer in virtually every save situation to start the 9th. In his best season (1979), Stanhouse entered the game in the 7th 3 times and the 8th 22 times - one-inning saves were hardly the rule back then. And he had 21 saves but 6 blown saves - a pretty lousy percentage nowadays... But he was called on to get 5 or 6 outs a lot more regularly than modern closers. The '79 bullpen only had 30 saves for a team that won 102 games...

It still astonishes me that Earl would even have Stanhouse on the roster. He walked over six batters per nine during his time with the Orioles. Literally he made Ubaldo look like a pinpoint control artist.

[OFFNY]

It still astonishes me that Earl would even have Stanhouse on the roster. He walked over six batters per nine during his time with the Orioles. Literally he made Ubaldo look like a pinpoint control artist.

Weaver did not want Stanhouse at all in the first place, and he nearly quit the team when he was acquired.

After that 1977 season in which Rudy May filled in admirably for the recently-departed Wayne Garland, he was traded in December for Don Stanhouse, Joe Kerrigan, and Gary Roenicke. When Hank Peters and Jerold Hoffberger told Weaver about the trade, Earl went absolutely ballistic, and he quit. He screamed, "You guys are ****ing crazy !!! I QUIT !!!", and ran out of the office where they were having a meeting (Jerold Hoffberger, Hank Peters, Weaver and his assistant coaches). Fortunately, Peters and a couple of Earl's coaches ran after Earl and coaxed him back.

The only reason why I know about that is because I remember reading about it up here in the Danbury News-Times newspaper, for which I was a paperboy at the time.

[SteveA]

When I was batboy in spring training in Miami in the 70's, I PERSONALLY watched Earl get ejected TWICE ..IN SPRING TRAINING GAMES!!!!

...And it was no joke to Earl. He was tossed because he argued balls and strikes in spring training games.

I remember once he got tossed from a spring training game because he made a bunch of wholesale changes in the 6th inning (as often happens in spring training) and he wanted to do a bunch of switches where guys would not be in the spot in the batting order of the guy they were replacing (something g like the C would bat where the RF had batted, the RF would bat where the previous 2B had batted, and the new 2B would bat where the previous C had batted). The ump said something like "what the hell does it matter Earl, it's just an exhibition game". Earl went ballistic and was tossed.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[ShaneDawg85]

Don Stanhouse wasn't really very good. It would be like throwing Vance Worley ( not the best example cause Vance throws strikes) and having him rack up some saves.

If any Oriole reliever had a walk rate of 6.3 per nine innings like Stanhouse did people would want him run out of town on the next bus, let alone if it were a closer. You're darn right he wasn't really very good.

[DrungoHazewood]

If any Oriole reliever had a walk rate of 6.3 per nine innings like Stanhouse did people would want him run out of town on the next bus, let alone if it were a closer. You're darn right he wasn't really very good.

As an Oriole he had the strikeout rate of Doug Johns or Freddy Garcia, combined with the walk rate of Dennis Sarfate or Radhames Liz. He was way worse than Kevin Gregg on both counts. Similar to Steve Trachsel, who was run out of town on a bus but not before several lengthy threads about how he'd reinvented modern baseball and knew how to pitch well despite walking more than he struck out and throwing 85 mph.

[Can_of_corn]

As an Oriole he had the strikeout rate of Doug Johns or Freddy Garcia, combined with the walk rate of Dennis Sarfate or Radhames Liz. He was way worse than Kevin Gregg on both counts. Similar to Steve Trachsel, who was run out of town on a bus but not before several lengthy threads about how he'd reinvented modern baseball and knew how to pitch well despite walking more than he struck out and throwing 85 mph.

For context what were the league average K and BB rates when he pitched? I'm sure his numbers would look slightly better if viewed in the proper prism.

[weams]

When I was batboy in spring training in Miami in the 70's, I PERSONALLY watched Earl get ejected TWICE ..IN SPRING TRAINING GAMES!!!!

...And it was no joke to Earl. He was tossed because he argued balls and strikes in spring training games.

Bob Feller was as surly as they get...

In his aging years, Earl became a real sweetheart.

[DrungoHazewood]

For context what were the league average K and BB rates when he pitched? I'm sure his numbers would look slightly better if viewed in the proper prism.

Looks like about 3.25 BB/9 and 5 K/9. So he was about double the league walk rate, and 85% of the league strikeout rate. He was like a 2016 closer with 6.5 K/9 and 6.0 BB/9.

The Twins' Brian Duensing was the only reliever in 2015 with a K:BB ratio of less than 1.4:1 in 48 or more innings.

[Tx Oriole]

Interesting. I would have guessed Full Pack would have saved more than 57.

I didnt realize Olson was the saves leader. I thought it was JJ.

[Number5]

Not only is Stoddard on the Orioles' all time top-ten saves list and on a NCAA National Champion basketball team, he also had a movie career:

[video=youtube;usE6bHm0QSo]