Jump to content

Don Stanhouse: Earl's Bane of Existence

BillySmith

By BillySmith
in Orioles History

 Share

Recommended Posts

BillySmith Major Leaguer Rising Star

BillySmith

Posted
Posted

Happy birthday to Don Stanhouse, who turns 58 today.

Stanhouse was a RHP who was a first round pick of the A's, and was sent to the Rangers with Jim Panther in exchange for Denny McLain prior to the 1972 season.

Stanhouse pitched poorly over three seasons for the Rangers before being shipped off following the 1974 campaign in a deal for Willie Davis.

He hung around for a few more seasons, and actually was an All Star in 1979, despite walking 51 batters and striking out just 34 while pitching 72 2/3 innings out of the bullpen for the Orioles.

In fact, his K/BB ratios throughout his career are astonishing...in a 10 year career, only three times did he strike out more batters than he walked, and he walked 455 batters against 408 Ks as a major leaguer.

I don't know of too many major leaguers in history who have walked almost 50 more batters than they've struck out.

I remember those days, and how he walked the bases loaded with virtually every save opportunity, but I had no idea the numbers were this glaringly bad.

What was Stanhouse's nickname? "Full pack" because that was what Earl would smoke while he was on the mound?

Another great part of our history.

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Boy Howdy All-Star

Boy Howdy

Posted
Posted

"Stan the Man Unusual"

Flanagan called him that, and Stanhouse liked it so much that he had t-shirts made up with the nickname and a caricature of him sticking out his tongue. There was a shop called Full Moon T-shirts that a lot of the Orioles players used back then to make custom designs. When I was a kid, I had a Stanhouse shirt & also a Ken Singleton design with his "Hit 29" Maryland license plates. Really wish I still had those shirts.

Stanhouse was a beaut, from the stuffed gorilla he kept on his locker to his black car, black furniture, black telephone & (usually) black clothes. "I think he's working to be a mortician", joked Rick Dempsey.

Happy birthday #26

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Boy Howdy All-Star

Boy Howdy

Posted
Posted
Were you following the games back then as closely as I was? Radio or TV? Great, great times.

Almost every single game!

I turned 9 in 1979, but I had the good fortune to grow up in a home where the Orioles broadcast was a constant, and we got out to Memorial Stadium about once per homestand.

Nothing that's happened the last 11 or so years could every jeopardize my Orioles fanhood or love of baseball. Ingrained way too deep from the good ol' days.

(I still have my signed Billy Smith 8x10 somewhere from a public appearance that Orioles players made on a regular basis back then. I have a picture with him somewhere. Pretty sure he was wearing a cowboy hat -- the real thing, not some Dallas football business)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BillySmith Major Leaguer Rising Star

BillySmith

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Almost every single game!

I turned 9 in 1979, but I had the good fortune to grow up in a home where the Orioles broadcast was a constant, and we got out to Memorial Stadium about once per homestand.

Nothing that's happened the last 11 or so years could every jeopardize my Orioles fanhood or love of baseball. Ingrained way too deep from the good ol' days.

(I still have my signed Billy Smith 8x10 somewhere from a public appearance that Orioles players made on a regular basis back then. I have a picture with him somewhere. Pretty sure he was wearing a cowboy hat -- the real thing, not some Dallas football business)

Dude, I will buy you and yours some tickets for a color copy of that. I'm serious. I have a picture of me in Jimmy Page's Mercedes. Billy Smith would go right next to it.

That's awesome. He had one of those really nice, smooth lefty swings. He apparently is still in Texas and owns a company, damn if I remember what the company is. Something with farming, I think.

I digress. Amazing that Stanhouse was so bad.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
sakata_catching Major Leaguer

sakata_catching

Posted
Posted (edited)

I've been watching the DVD set of the '79 series, and whenever they cut to Stanhouse — whose white-boy 'fro barely contained beneath his O's cap pales only in comparison to Oscar Gamble's — you can tell that he's a figure of immense amusement to Howard Cosell (who, incidentally, calls a great game).

In game 2, top of the 8th, with Tippy relieving Palmer in a downpour, they cut to Stanhouse (who will go on to lose the game with 2 outs in the 9th) tossing in the bullpen. Cosell: "Colorful, flaky kinda guy ... Weaver has great faith in him." Yeah, right, Howard.

I don't know if I've ever seen a pitcher take longer in between pitches than Stanhouse. At one point in the 9th, Keith Jackson points out that Stanhouse has been on the mound 4 minutes without throwing a pitch. They called Mike Hargrove "the human rain delay." I shudder to think how long an at-bat between Grover and Stanhouse would've taken.

Edited by sakata_catching
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 6 years later...
OFFNY Hangout Grand Counsel

OFFNY

Posted
Posted

Happy birthday to Don Stanhouse, who turns 58 today.

Stanhouse was a RHP who was a first round pick of the A's, and was sent to the Rangers with Jim Panther in exchange for Denny McLain prior to the 1972 season.

Stanhouse pitched poorly over three seasons for the Rangers before being shipped off following the 1974 campaign in a deal for Willie Davis.

He hung around for a few more seasons, and actually was an All Star in 1979, despite walking 51 batters and striking out just 34 while pitching 72 2/3 innings out of the bullpen for the Orioles.

In fact, his K/BB ratios throughout his career are astonishing...in a 10 year career, only three times did he strike out more batters than he walked, and he walked 455 batters against 408 Ks as a major leaguer.

I don't know of too many major leaguers in history who have walked almost 50 more batters than they've struck out.

I remember those days, and how he walked the bases loaded with virtually every save opportunity, but I had no idea the numbers were this glaringly bad.

What was Stanhouse's nickname? "Full pack" because that was what Earl would smoke while he was on the mound?

Another great part of our history.

Happy birthday to Don Stanhouse, who turns 65 today.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 3 years later...
Redskins Rick Hangout Grand Counsel

Redskins Rick

Posted
Posted
On 2/12/2009 at 8:36 PM, BillySmith said:

Dude, I will buy you and yours some tickets for a color copy of that. I'm serious. I have a picture of me in Jimmy Page's Mercedes. Billy Smith would go right next to it.

That's awesome. He had one of those really nice, smooth lefty swings. He apparently is still in Texas and owns a company, damn if I remember what the company is. Something with farming, I think.

I digress. Amazing that Stanhouse was so bad.

Wiki had this to say:

Quote

After retirement, he became a business consultant for a venture capital firm. Married for 27 years, and a father of three, he lives in Trophy Club, Texas.[1]

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Posts

    • gretzkyscores
      I think bringing in Kimbrel in the ninth was a very stupid decision.He should NOT have been in the game at all tonight.

      By gretzkyscores · Posted

      Agree 100%
    • CaptainRedbeard
      Grade the Eflin Trade

      By CaptainRedbeard · Posted

      I wonder how people would feel if Eflin’s ERA this season started with a 3 - like every single more predictive measure (3.37 xERA, 3.65 FIP, 3.77 xFIP, 3.92 SIERA) - instead of being a ghastly 4.09.  For those hoping for somebody better - who exactly do you think is better who is potentially available other than Skubal and Crochet? Fedde has been better this year, but last year he was in Korea and Eflin had a 4.7 fWAR season with a 3.50 ERA. I’d still take Eflin over him going forward, even if it’s close. More importantly, he’s also owed only $7.5M next year to Eflin’s $18M, so the trade price will be MUCH higher and every single team looking for pitching can afford him next year and is competing for him. Taking Eflin’s salary lowered the competition and the prospect capital and is EXACTLY the type of deal the Orioles should be doing with their payroll flexibility. Snell was horrible this year, then hurt, and now maybe himself again. Even if you think he’s good going forward now, he’s a rental with the anchor of a potential $31M salary next year if he gets injured or starts struggling again.  Bassitt is good, but by all predictive measures other than ERA still worse than Eflin this year, but he’s 35 and owed even more next year ($21M). And the reports are he’s not even available.  Taillon is fine, but not better than Eflin - everything in his profile is pointing to a 4+ ERA much more than Eflin. Rangers are not trading Eovaldi or Scherzer now. Luzardo maybe, but he’s hurt and MIA may not be trading him either.  Am I missing anybody? I’d love to add any of these guys too and don’t think the Orioles should stop here. But Eflin was arguably the best available, and definitely the best fit in terms of the balance of prospect capital vs. taking on salary. To boot they also added added to a rotation next year that right now only has Grayson and Kremer.  I can understand wanting a more impressive high K, ace SP type in theory, but with all of this context I don’t know how you could think anything other than loving this deal. 
    • Chromehill
      Clubhouse issues?

      By Chromehill · Posted

      Which indicates that this is currently not a good team.  Question marks everywhere. If your not playing and not happy about it, make the most of the chances when you get them.
    • Roll Tide
      Organizational Turmoil?

      By Roll Tide · Posted

      Where there smoke ….
    • drjohnnyfever1
      Organizational Turmoil?

      By drjohnnyfever1 · Posted

      i agree with what those who are saying the vets might be a little miffed with uncertain contract futures looming.  But the reality is the young guys are going to be auditioned adequately before summarily being brought up just to take their "rightful" places now filled by vets. I don't have any problem with how Elias is handling talent either in the farm or on the MLB team.  And after reflecting a while on a position I had about trading long-term O's during a Playoff/WS run - basically, that Elias would show some deference to guys that got us here - I've flopped on that.  What I think is happening is that the audition process is concluding in some ways.  Had Hays come out like an All-Star again this year, I still think he would have/ could have been traded, but for maybe a higher net.  Cowser and Kierstadt have, by now, proven themselves - so to speak, and having control of them, makes them more valuable, particularly since both were outperforming Hays.  I think Mullins could be next.  To me, it was basically a "prove it" year for anyone competing for OF positions.  My biggest question is do they amp up the "try outs" for 2nd and 3rd base now.
    • sevastras
      I think bringing in Kimbrel in the ninth was a very stupid decision.He should NOT have been in the game at all tonight.

      By sevastras · Posted

      What I was saying yesterday is without Burnes, he moved into that spot at the top of the rotation for the team as currently constructed. I’m not saying next year he will be a CY candidate, although he has great stuff and has the potential to do so if he can put it all together. 
    • Aristotelian
      Organizational Turmoil?

      By Aristotelian · Posted

      Actually it's clear to me that there is no reporting. No quotes or even "sources say".

  • Popular Contributors

  • Popular Now

×
×
  • Create New...