The best pitching performance ever for the Orioles

[Moose Milligan]

....and every other MLB team.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23861547/the-best-pitching-performance-ever-all-30-teams

Baltimore Orioles: Erik Bedard (July 7, 2007, versus Rangers)

Pitching line: 9 IP, 2 H 0 R, 0 BB, 15 SO (Game Score: 98)

Remember that one awesome season for Bedard? He led the AL in fewest hits per nine innings in 2007 and most K's per nine and had a day to remember in Arlington, a tough park to rack up a big game. The Orioles cashed in and traded him to the Mariners after the season for Adam Jones and Chris Tillman, and Bedard had trouble staying healthy after that.

For argument's sake: Mike Mussina matched Bedard's 98 with a one-hit, 15-strikeout game in 2000, walking two batters. The highest extra-inning score belongs to Jerry Walker, who spun a 16-inning shutout in 1959 for a 111. He was only 20 and had started the All-Star Game that year; perhaps not coincidentally he came down with arm problems in 1960. He did have a long career as an executive with the Tigers, Cardinals and Reds.

Most likely to beat it: Grayson Rodriguez is the team's top pitching prospect. He averaged less than five innings per start in Low-A, so he's a long ways away, but he is a strikeout machine.

Notable: Here's an example of how the game has changed. Jim Palmer won three Cy Young Awards, threw 211 complete games and tossed 53 shutouts, but had just 13 double-digit strikeout games in his career -- and in just one of those 13 did he allow zero runs. His best nine-inning Game Score was 90.

Palmer didn't need to strike out everyone with the defenses he typically had behind him.  I guess this is going by game score only, though.  

I would have been impressed had they mentioned Drabowsky in the '66 World Series.  I don't know if that really counts as the best pitching performance in the history of the franchise but it's in the conversation.

I do remember this game by Bedard.  I think there was a lot of consternation on here about whether or not he could go a full 9 innings, like if that was going to determine if he was a true ace or not.  He was so much fun to watch that year.  His curveball was amazing.  

[Moshagge3]

Bedard also forced two double plays in that game, so he faced the minimum 27 batters.

[Can_of_corn]

What was the game score of Bundy's one hitter?  I guess only 12 strikeouts hurt him.

[Just Regular]

16 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I would have been impressed had they mentioned Drabowsky in the '66 World Series.  I don't know if that really counts as the best pitching performance in the history of the franchise but it's in the conversation.

So much this, and I say it just as a boxscore observer born in the 1970's.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN196610050.shtml

The line even can please the 21st Century DIPS connoiseur, never mind that it was the team's 1st WS game ever as massive underdogs to the '63/'65 champs going for their 3rd championship in 4 years.

I think it is clearly Drabowsky and nothing else is too close.  

In my personal memory, Boddicker Game 2 after Hoyt beat us in the first of a 5-game ALCS stands out the most.

[Moose Milligan]

1 minute ago, OrioleDog said:

So much this, and I say it just as a boxscore observer born in the 1970's.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LAN/LAN196610050.shtml

The line even can please the 21st Century DIPS connoiseur, never mind that it was the team's 1st WS game ever as massive underdogs to the '63/'65 champs going for their 3rd championship in 4 years.

I think it is clearly Drabowsky and nothing else is too close.  

In my personal memory, Boddicker Game 2 after Hoyt beat us in the first of a 5-game ALCS stands out the most.

Drabowsky's performance is something that's kind of lost in time.  I think if anyone outside of Baltimore remembers the '66 Series it's remembered for Palmer beating Koufax in Koufax's last start ever.  

 

[murph]

1 hour ago, Moose Milligan said:

Drabowsky's performance is something that's kind of lost in time.  I think if anyone outside of Baltimore remembers the '66 Series it's remembered for Palmer beating Koufax in Koufax's last start ever.  

 

Without looking, I do remember Mussina having another monster game in the playoffs against the Indians in 96 or 97.  Don't think he struck out 15, but remember him being ridiculously dominate.    Have to cook dinner or would look it up now.   But, fun thread @Moose Milligan  Thanks.

[GuidoSarducci]

6 minutes ago, murph said:

Without looking, I do remember Mussina having another monster game in the playoffs against the Indians in 96 or 97.  Don't think he struck out 15, but remember him being ridiculously dominate.    Have to cook dinner or would look it up now.   But, fun thread @Moose Milligan  Thanks.

Had two monster games in the '97 series against cleveland

 

Gm 3 7.0 IP 3 H 2 BB 15 SO , 1 ER 

Gm 6 8.0 IP 3 1 H 2 B 10 SO, 0 ER

Now for the kick in the nuts, both those games were no decisions for Mussina and losses for the Orioles (lost 1-2 and 0-1, respectively)  

 

 

 

Edited March 28, 2020 by GuidoSarducci

[now]

And didn't Moose also have a monster game vs. Seattle in the ADLS?

[wildcard]

1966 World Series.

[foxfield]

22 hours ago, GuidoSarducci said:

Had two monster games in the '97 series against cleveland

 

Gm 3 7.0 IP 3 H 2 BB 15 SO , 1 ER 

Gm 6 8.0 IP 3 1 H 2 B 10 SO, 0 ER

Now for the kick in the nuts, both those games were no decisions for Mussina and losses for the Orioles (lost 1-2 and 0-1, respectively)  

 

 

 

I broke my toe kicking at an empty beverage can during game 6.  I couldn't see game but my radio out at the barn picked it up loud and clear.  My wife could hear me screaming from the house.  Two just monster performances for Musina and and we didn't win either one of em.  And of course this after the 96 Jeffrey Maier incident.  Those two series left a mark.

[mdbdotcom]

Palmer's complete game shutout in game 2 of the '66 World Series was the greatest and most important pitching performance in Orioles history (IMHO). Aside from the fact that he became the youngest pitcher to throw a shutout in World Series history, he was facing the best pitcher in the game, Sandy Koufax, in his home park in his farewell game. The Orioles weren't supposed to have a chance against the Dodgers. This game showed they were legit. It set the stage for shutouts by Bunker in Game 3 and McNally in Game 4. Compared to these "intangibles," the game score doesn't mean hooey.

[OsEatAlEast]

On 3/28/2020 at 6:31 PM, GuidoSarducci said:

Had two monster games in the '97 series against cleveland

 

Gm 3 7.0 IP 3 H 2 BB 15 SO , 1 ER 

Gm 6 8.0 IP 3 1 H 2 B 10 SO, 0 ER

Now for the kick in the nuts, both those games were no decisions for Mussina and losses for the Orioles (lost 1-2 and 0-1, respectively)  

 

 

 

I think Mussina set the K record for a playoff game that year. Then the same post season, Eric Gregg one of the worst umps in the known universe ever. Gave Livan Hernandez a five foot strike zone(hyperbole of course) and he tied Mussina's record. Can't have an Oriole holding a record by himself after all.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/FLO/FLO199710120.shtml

I'm being quasi facetious but that still kind of irks me.

[tntoriole]

Hard to see how this game by Bedard is better than the complete game no hitters of Tom Phoebus in 1968 against the defending AL champion Boston Red Sox of Yaz abd Petrocelli,and Scott, etc.  or the Jim Palmer no hitter later that year against the Oakland As of Sal Bando,Reggie, Bert Campaneris, etc.  

[Can_of_corn]

26 minutes ago, tntoriole said:

Hard to see how this game by Bedard is better than the complete game no hitters of Tom Phoebus in 1968 against the defending AL champion Boston Red Sox of Yaz abd Petrocelli,and Scott, etc.  or the Jim Palmer no hitter later that year against the Oakland As of Sal Bando,Reggie, Bert Campaneris, etc.  

Is it hard?  Really?

Bedard struck out 15 and walked 0.

Phoebus struck out 9 and walked 3.

Palmer walked 6! and only struck out 8.

 

[tntoriole]

2 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

Is it hard?  Really?

Bedard struck out 15 and walked 0.

Phoebus struck out 9 and walked 3.

Palmer walked 6! and only struck out 8.

 

Since Ks are  the only measure this guy used to determine “best” pitching performance.  Not the context of the game as to important or not or whether it was against a quality opponent or not. 

 When Erik Bedard pitched a complete game against the Texas Rangers in 2007 with 15 strikeouts, Palmer's broadcasting partner Gary Thorne asked rhetorically, "Have you ever seen a better pitched game than that?" To which Palmer replied, "Well, I did throw a no-hitter."