Anatomy of a Season

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

May 13, 1985: No game scheduled

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1911, after falling behind 10-1 thru six innings - with Ty Cobb belting the first grand slam of his career - the Red Sox come back to beat the Tigers 13-11 in 10.

[luckymann]

May 14, 1985: Seattle Mariners (16-15) @ Boston Red Sox (16-14)

The M’s come to Boston for two games with Mike Moore going for them today against Oil Can Boyd. A cool night with the wind favouring hitters in the direction of the Monster, so we might see some go out into Lansdowne Street tonight.

Some heartening news for us with Bruce Kison back among the fold after his IL spell. Hopefully he can stay healthy for the remainder as he is definitely a part of our best group.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

Another early run for us courtesy of Jim Rice, this time with an RBI single after Boggs and Dewey Evans have also got on base with a hit. We might well have left a few on the deck when Mike Easler GIDPs to end the frame and kill the rally.

They hit straight back in the next with a 2-run single by Phil Bradley giving them the advantage, but then we really get to Moore in the home half and go back ahead with a 3-spot on 5 singles, including one by yours truly to get things up and running. I get another hit in the 4th and, after swiping second, eventually score on a hit by Barrett.

Things go quiet until the 8th, when they inch closer with a run as Donnie Scott doubles and comes in on a Jack Perconte single, making it 5-3. Bob Stanley gives up another run in the 9th but we get there by that margin. Not pretty, but we’ll take it. I have a nice night, going 4-for-4 with two runs scored and a double - the only one of our 15 hits to go for extra bases. Oh, and not one ball left the park - what do I know from weather?

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• Cincy's Davey Concepcion registers his 2000th career hit in a 12-3 loss to the Phillies.

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: Ernie Riles
• Daily Notes: On this day just a couple years prior in 1983, Ben Ogilvie belts 3 HR as the Brewers come back to beat the Red Sox 8-7 in a 10-inning thriller.

[luckymann]

May 15, 1985: Seattle Mariners (16-16) @ Boston Red Sox (17-14)

I think I've said this before but, man it’d be nice to have the ability to grab the good form when it comes and keep some in a bottle for when it deserts you. Who knows why it ebbs and flows the way it does, both during a season and over a career? In the end, I reckon the guys who have the most success over a longer period aren’t just the most talented ones – although obviously that’s the foundation for it – but rather the ones who best manage this aspect of the game.

A tough assignment today against young Mark Langston, who is already renowned around the league for murder on us lefties. I’ve only managed the one hit and a couple walks off him so far in 5 ABs so this’ll be a real challenge to see if I can carry things over from yesterday. Mac seems to like my chances, as he's pushed me up to hit third. Al Nipper is on for us.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

After a slow start as the hurlers hold sway over the first couple, we get something going in the 3rd and eventually score 3, with two of them coming when I crack one out to the deepest part of the Triangle but it just stays in the park and I end up with a double. Another two-base hit by Tony Armas then brings me in.

They get on the board with one in the 5th but we match it in the home half to reinstate our 3-run lead. Things start really livening up in the next, however, as they find their range and Bob Kearney doubles in a pair to make it 4-3.

It stays that way until the bottom 7th, when Reid Nichols gives us some wiggle-room with a huge 3-run blast over the Monster—a timely power surge indeed seeing as he’s only got about a dozen homers in his career.

It gets a bit hairy to say the least in the 9th, with Mark Clear struggling to close it out. He puts all three of the guys he faces on base and all three of them eventually score before Bobby Ojeda finally nails it down with the tying and go-ahead runs stranded at the corners. Getting all 27 outs and these late innings in particular are really becoming problematic for us. Still, a win’s a win and, for now at any rate, we're back on top of the division.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• He may have just achieved the feat in-game, but Andy Van Slyke never hit for the cycle IRL.

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1951, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Red Sox' first game in the AL, Ted Williams hits his 300th career homer but Boston loses 9-7 to the White Sox after Nellie Fox goes deep for the first time in the bigs.

[luckymann]

May 16, 1985: No game scheduled

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1957, the infamous brawl involving Mickey Mantle and some of his teammates at the Copacabana Club takes place, eventually resulting in Billy Martin being traded to the Kansas City Athletics for his role in the fracas.

[luckymann]

May 17, 1985: Boston Red Sox (18-14) @ Cleveland Indians (17-16)

And away we go – ten shows in ten days, starting with three in old Cleveland town. The first of these pits our young ace Roger Clemens against their crafty old fox Bert Blyleven, who needs just two more wins for 200. Despite us both having been in the league as long as we have, Bert and I haven’t seen as much of each other as you might have thought. Our paths didn’t in fact cross until he came over to the NL for a few years with the Bucs while I was at the Cubs, and we’ve obviously had a few more matchups this past year. Overall, I’m 7-for-30 against him with two homers that, somewhat oddly, gave in consecutive games back in 1980. After that second dinger, our analytics guys tell me I grounded out seven straight times over the rest of that season, then again three more times last year wrapped round a lonely single. One might say I’m due. Let’s hope so—be nice to start this road swing off with a win.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

They open the scoring in the 1st with a run on two hits and then follow that up in the 3rd with a devastating attack that ends Rocket’s game way before we were hoping or expecting. After they’ve already added two more, the coup de grâce comes in the form of a 2-run Joe Carter double that barely stays in the field of play.

We’ve got no answers at plate as Blyleven dominates our hitters, and they put us away with 4 more in the bottom 6th as Julio Franco runs rampant.

I get a consolation solo shot in the 7th – just our third hit of the game – that counts for nothing as it finishes a disastrous 9-1.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: Rocky Childress
• Transactions of Interest: the Royals trade John Morris to the Cardinals for Lonnie Smith.
• Daily Notes: IRL, the Rangers name Bobby Valentine as their new manager to replace the fired Doug Rader, under whom they had posted an MLB-worst 9-23 record.

[luckymann]

May 18, 1985: Boston Red Sox (18-15) @ Cleveland Indians (18-16)

Two southpaws in action again this afternoon, with Bruce Hurst taking on Neal Heaton. This is just his fourth season in the bigs and he enters this game at career 25-26. We’ve only faced each other in the one game last year, in which I managed a single in three trips to the plate. Keen to put yesterday’s shocker behind us with an improved showing here. Looks like 3 is my new hitting slot v LHP.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

We fall behind early in this one as Bruce gives up a booming 2-run home run to Tony Bernazard in the 2nd and then, in almost a mirror-image of yesterday, chase our starter prematurely after he gives up another longball, this time to Butch Benton with two aboard.

Our sleepy bats finally come to life in the next as we cancel out their 3-spot, two of which runs come via a double by yours truly after Dewey Evans had doubled in our first run of the game. We exchange singles a couple frames later to make it 6-4 but we just keep bleeding runs and, despite a flurry in the 9th that sees us close the gap to one, we eventually lose by that margin with a 7-6 final. Little going right for us just at the moment.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• The O's score 6 in the 10th to get an 11-5 road win in Seattle, while four of the other twelve games result in shutout wins.

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1955, the Indians score 11 runs in the 5th inning to beat the Red Sox 19-0 at Fenway Park - the worst shutout pasting ever for Boston and the most runs ever in a shutout by the Indians.

[luckymann]

May 19, 1985: Boston Red Sox (18-16) @ Cleveland Indians (19-16)

No doubt things have gone off the rails a bit these past couple weeks, with our pitchers struggling to keep the runs off the board or at least to a reasonable level. Boyd gets the responsibility of doing so today in the final game of this Indians series, with veteran junkballer Vern Ruhle up for them. His and my battles go all the way back to 1978 when he was an Astro, and I’ve had some success against him, going 8-for-24 with 3 RBI, but only one extra-base hit—a double. He’s a tough guy to make square contact with, which I guess is how a guy with his pretty ordinary stuff manages to stay in the bigs as long as he has. It's not all the pitchers' fault, mind you, and our bats need to start generating more consistent run production as well.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

A 2-run blast by Joe Carter puts them ahead in the 2nd but we halve the deficit in the 4th when I knock one in with a single after they give us an extra out. Then in the 5th, with Ruhle replaced by Roy Smith, we get another rally going and end up leapfrogging them with a deuce as we make them pay for another defensive lapse.

But when the going’s down… we return the favour straight away and they tie the game at 3, then Carter strikes again in the 6th with a long run-scoring double to put them back in front. An Andre Thornton solo shot gives them an insurance run in the 8th and we look set to drop another one, down to our last three outs.

Two outs later, things are looking even more grim as Dewey Evans strides to the plate with Glenn Hoffman on first after he had drawn a base on balls to keep us alive. Dwight then scalds the first pitch he sees from Jeff Barkley into the left field seats and it’s tied at 5.

We keep them off the board to send it into spares, and then go ahead in the 10th when I single, swipe second and come in on yet another error. Bob Stanley gives up a single but that’s it as we get a fantastic - albeit very lucky - spirit-lifting win.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: Oddibe McDowell
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1933, brothers on opposite teams hit home runs in the same game for the first time in MLB history, as Red Sox catcher Rick Ferrell homers off his brother Wes in the 2nd inning, and then the Cleveland Indians pitcher returns the favour in the 3rd on a pitch called by his sibling - the only time the Ferrell brothers will ever homer in the same game.

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

May 20, 1985: Boston Red Sox (19-16) @ Minnesota Twins (20-16)

And so we pay our first visit for the year to my least favourite ballpark – not just now, but of all time. To me, the Metrodome doesn’t have one redeeming feature other than the fact that it is climate controlled in the later months of the season. Aside from that, it is a hellish place for me to play at. The artificial turf somehow manages to be harder on your knees because of its lack of give and harder on your ankles because of its lack of stability underfoot. Its slickness and propensity for heavy topspin shows me up on defence and costs me any chance of legging out infield hits. The white dome makes pop flies nightmarish occurrences and those rags they wave would distract a blind man at bat. Plus, I almost invariably pick up a niggle here. Last season – my first and only experience here so far – saw me wrench my knee, strain my Achilles and even somehow dislocate a finger. And the burns when you slide. Dear Lord.

Anyhow, enough with the whining Billy - time to Buck Up! We face the in-form John Butcher in this opening game of three. He’s 5-0 with a sparkling 2.08 ERA entering this game, so we’ll have our hands full. I went 3-for-8 against him in our three meetings last year… well, more precisely, I went 3-for-3 in our first meeting and ohfer the other two. I do remember he has a real heavy sinker but can leave it a little high at times. I’ll be sitting on that one tonight, for sure. Al Nipper going for us and Mack has me batting clean-up in this one. I'm not bothered, variety is the spice of life!

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

Boggsy puts us ahead in the 3rd with a run-scoring double and Tony Armas doubles our lead in the next with a solo big fly. Nips has looked strong to this point but they come alive and get to him in the home 4th, tying it on a Hrbek solo shot and a sac fly after he walks the bases full. In fact, we’re lucky to still be level as they leave a couple on the deck.

That spurs our bats into a full-on assault, as we chase Butcher with 5 runs on 6 hits in the next. We tack on 2 more in the 7th and cruise to a 9-2 win. I finish the game 2-for-5 but have little impact, with Armas' 3 hits and 3 ribbies making him the big dog tonight.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: Jack Howell
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1919, Babe Ruth wins a game pitching and batting as he hits his first career grand slam in the Boston Red Sox's 6-4 victory over the St. Louis Browns at Sportsman's Park.

[luckymann]

May 21, 1985: Boston Red Sox (20-16) @ Minnesota Twins (20-17)

Back at it again tonight, with another one at the Terrordome against the Twinkies. Bruce Kison on for us for his first appearance since that IL stint. He faces Ken Schrom, a real nibbler who rarely gives you anything to hit so you need to stay patient and work him hard. I’ve only faced him once – literally, once – flying out last year on one I remember clearly thinking I’d got enough of, only for the aircon to blow it back in and let it die in the CF’s mitt. Back into the cleanup slot tonight with Mike Easler still struggling to get it done.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

We get a very early one as Dewey Evans, our second hitter of the game, bombs out his 7th for the season and get two more in the next as Mike Easler lays solid wood on the ball for a solo shot after Tony Armas had led off the dig with a similar strike.

They keep us close with 2 on 2 hits in the home half of that one and tie it up in the next as Bruce shows understandable signs of rust from his layoff. Another one in the 5th on a leadoff jack by Mark Salas and they are in front.

We respond like good teams need to, putting 3 in the frame for the 6th on a barrage of hits to retake the lead, although I’m having a shocker and am on the collar after 4 goes at it. Still, that matters little as we tack on a deuce in the next to go up by 4.

In a seesawing affair, they cancel those two out in the bottom half on another longball by Salas and that’s Kison done for the night. Easler then gets us one more with his fifth hit and second homer of the game and Trujillo closes it out for the win.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: Frank Eufemia
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1940, Jimmie Foxx becomes just the third player after Babe Ruth (twice) and Bill Dickey to hit a grand slam on consecutive days in the American League, achieving the feat against Detroit in an 11-8 Red Sox win.

[luckymann]

May 22, 1985: Boston Red Sox (21-16) @ Minnesota Twins (20-18)

The final game of this Minnesota visit sees Frank Viola up for them against Rocket Clemens. I was speaking with Rog yesterday and he reckons he’s made a couple mechanical tweaks and feels much better for doing so, so it’ll be interesting to see how he goes today. Viola is a tough one for us lefties, although I haven’t done too badly against him in limited chances, going 2-for-6 in a couple games last year.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

Tony Armas opens the scoring here with a solo shot in the 2nd and we add two more in the next on another homer by Dewey Evans and then an RBI double by Armas to plate me after I’d been HBP.

Whatever changes Roger claims to have made might need some more work as the Twins bats tear him apart in the bottom 3rd with 6 runs on 6 hits and that’s it for him tonight. They add another one in the 5th to make it 7-3.

I get one of those back with a leadoff jack in the next but our opponents are on their game tonight and all but put us away with a pair in the home half. That in fact finishes the scoring as we head to the Lone Star State with a somewhat sour taste in our mouths.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• The A's-O's game is a beauty, with Baltimore taking a 2-run lead into the bottom 9th before Oakland manages to square it up and send it into extra innings. It takes a bunch of those before Carney Lansford wins it 4-3 for the A's in the 16th with a walkoff solo HR.

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1977, the Red Sox and Brewers tie a major-league record when they combine for 11 home runs in a game, taking to 23 the two have belted in the past three games.

[Makonnen]

Catching up on this ... ah, yes, Tom Seaver as a White Sox!

Wonder why the AI likes pinch-hitting for Dave Winfield so much. Or why he thinks Clemens should through 130+ pitches each outing.

If you're unaware of it, the SABR BioProject (which used to have a much better UI, unfortunately), is a resource you might enjoy. https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/ . Just search a name.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Makonnen

Catching up on this ... ah, yes, Tom Seaver as a White Sox!

Wonder why the AI likes pinch-hitting for Dave Winfield so much. Or why he thinks Clemens should through 130+ pitches each outing.

If you're unaware of it, the SABR BioProject (which used to have a much better UI, unfortunately), is a resource you might enjoy. https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/ . Just search a name.

Thanks bud, been a member of SABR on-and-off since the 80s and use all of their stuff regularly. Amazing resource.

[luckymann]

May 23, 1985: Boston Red Sox (21-17) @ Texas Rangers (22-16)

Here we are in good old Arlington, Texas for the first of three against the Rangers. Burt Hooton is up for our opponents and our analytics guys tell me that, aside from Knucksie Niekro, I have faced Burt more than any pitcher and to fairly good effect – 36-for-92 with a homer and 12 ribbies. He and I are close mates, and were actually teammates for the briefest time at LA during parts of the 1975 and ’76 seasons after the Cubs traded him to the Dodgers and before the Dodgers sent me in the opposite direction. In fact, I’m having dinner at his home tonight and so will be extra keen to add a few more hits to my tally and a win to our team’s. Bruce Hurst gets the call for us.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

The night starts promisingly enough as I single in a run in the 1st and we add another in the 4th on an Armas solo shot and a third in the next via a Jim Rice hit.

Hursty is looking sharp, allowing just 3 hits over the first 5 before they get on the board in the 6th with one to keep us on our toes. Bruce settles down and goes 8 before giving way to Steve Crawford. He gets into a bit of strife, letting one score and putting the tying run on base before closing it out for a tight win.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• That 6-hit performance by Iorg comes in a 14-inning 7-6 away win for the Jays.

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: IRL, The Tigers beat the Angels 4-2 in Anaheim for their 16th win in a row, tying the 1912 Senators for that mark in the AL and moving them to a remarkable 34-5.

[Makonnen]

Originally Posted by luckymann

Thanks bud, been a member of SABR on-and-off since the 80s and use all of their stuff regularly. Amazing resource.

I'm also reminded of just how good Gedman was for a little while. It's easy to lose sight of those folks.

I actually wrote the first version of the Bioproj website something like 25 years ago. Loved the vision of the original project, it's a shame it's gotten a bit buried in their current web environment.

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by Makonnen

I'm also reminded of just how good Gedman was for a little while. It's easy to lose sight of those folks.

I actually wrote the first version of the Bioproj website something like 25 years ago. Loved the vision of the original project, it's a shame it's gotten a bit buried in their current web environment.

My SABR bookmark actually points me straight to the Bio section, I rarely if ever venture anywhere else on there. If work ever settles down enough I'm going to do their online analytics course for a bit of fun.

[luckymann]

May 24, 1985: Boston Red Sox (22-17) @ Texas Rangers (22-17)

We take on another familiar old face tonight in Charlie Hough, a longtime teammate of mine at LAD when we were both just babes in the wood hoping – in my case, at least – to become Babes with the wood. Yeah, stick around, I got plenty more like that one. I’ve done OK against Charlie the rest of the time we haven’t been on the same club—8 for 20 with a dinger and 5 RBI. Oil Can Boyd on for us in front of a big Friday night crowd in a very animated mood.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

They come out swinging the lead big-time, belting Dennis all over the place in the 1st and taking a 4-0 lead on 5 hits, all singles. We get one of those straight back on a single by Geds (I’d led off the frame with a hit but was then erased on a fielder’s choice), but they tack on two more in the 4th and that is Boyd done for the night, with Mike Trujillo taking over.

With Hough keeping us to just 3 hits thru 5, they go further ahead with one in the home 5th and have racked up 13 hits already by this point. A Mike Easler trip in the next plates one for us but it is barely a scratch as they just keep at our pitchers to the end, with the final score a nasty 8-2. Gary Ward has a big game with 3 hits including a home run and 3 ribbies.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• A couple of cracking games, with the Tigers coming back late and then prevailing 7-6 in 11 at Seattle and the Dodgers putting up a crooked number in the 10th to beat the Mets 8-2.

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: IRL, despite beating Baltimore 3-2 to leave the A's at 20-24 and just 2 1/2 games off the pace in the weak AL West‚ Oakland fires manager Steve Boros and replaces him with coach Jackie Moore.

[luckymann]

May 25, 1985: Boston Red Sox (22-18) @ Texas Rangers (23-17)

It looks to be a fairly even pitching matchup today, with Al Nipper taking on southpaw Mike Mason. Neither will overwhelm you with their stuff, yet both rarely give you much to hit and I always find generating your own speed off the lumber – timing, essentially – to be one of the most challenging aspects of hitting. I’ve only faced Mason once to this point, which resulted in a harmless flyout last season in a game we won 5-4 here in Arlington. The wind’s blowing out and some rain wouldn’t surprise. Mac has me in at three for this one.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

We fall behind on a solo shot in the 1st by Toby Harrah but Jim Rice returns fire in the next to tie it up again. Nipper then gets a touch of the shakes in the 3rd and they jump on him, adding a pair to make it 3-1. Yet again, Rice goes solo deep in the next to keep us close. Yet again, they out point us in the home half with two more solo homers.

Our bats come alive properly in the 5th. I knock one in with a single and then Tony Armas fives us the lead with a 3-run monster jam. We add yet another solo homer off reliever Jeff Russell in the next, coming off Mike Easler’s bat as the ball is really popping tonight.

Nipper finally gives way in the 7th, only for Mark Clear to immediately get into strife and they tie it at 7 with a deuce on 4 hits. In a wild old game, we then post a 3-spot in the top 8th on a bunch of hits and, despite giving up one in the 8th, eventually take it 10-8. 27 hits all up and 7 taters in this one, with the home fans leaving the park entertained but disappointed.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• Atlanta's Glenn Hubbard has 5 hits in a losing cause as the Braves drop their game with the Pirates 10-7.

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: Brian Snyder, Bob Melvin
• Daily Notes: IRL one year ago today, the Red Sox traded Dennis Eckersley and Mike Brumley for Bill Buckner!