WTF?

What do the 2008 Boston Red Sox have in common with the 1964 Kansas City Athletics and the 1977 Seattle Mariners?

Well, as of yesterday, those are the only three teams in the last 52 years to win a game in which their pitchers walked at least 10 while striking out only one. Four other NL teams have done it, the last being the 1981 St. Louis Cardinals.

Clearly, that's not supposed to happen, and when it does, it's not supposed to be credited to the starter.

The Yankees' Jim Abbott was the only big-league pitcher in the last 52 years to win a game in which he went no more than five innings, walked at least eight and struck out no more than one. Abbott gave up four runs in that April 24, 1999, contest against the Angels. Somehow, Daisuke Matsuzaka managed to give up only one run yesterday against the best-slugging team in the American League despite allowing 10 baserunners in five innings.

So, as the title so eloquently states: WTF? How did that happen? I'm afraid I can't answer that one. Baseball is just like that sometimes. Pitchers who shouldn't win, win. Pitchers who should win, don't. Teams play terribly and pull one out; others play flawlessly -- until one bad play dooms the game.

One might as well ask how Jim Maloney, one of the better pitchers you've never heard of, managed to throw a 10-inning no-hitter for the Reds against the Cubs in 1965 -- while walking 10 batters. Maloney walked the bases loaded in the third and allowed two baserunners each in the eighth and ninth. Yet there he was, taking the 1-0 win after Larry Jackson's ninth hit was one too many. (The Wrigley faithful got their money's worth that day. Maloney's no-hitter was in the first game of a double-header; the Cubs rallied from a 4-0 eighth-inning deficit to win, 5-4, with two outs in the ninth of Game 2).

Or how the Cardinals' Vinegar Bend Mizell (can't make that name up) defeated  the Reds' Joe Nuxhall on Sept. 1, 1958, despite walking nine batters and striking out just one. Not only did Mizell get the win, he recorded a 1-0 shutout. In a case of good timing, his only 1-2-3 inning was the ninth, which also included his only K. Nuxhall allowed fewer than half the baserunners (four hits and two walks), but was done in on a second-inning error that led to the game's only run, unearned.

Baseball is filled with these games, these stories. It's what makes the game great. It's why I love Tim Wakefield, and the fact that he's pitching for the Red Sox. It's why you go to the games -- because you never know what may happen. So here's to the anomalies, the hiccups, the oddities of baseball. They're worth every head-shaking moment.

Comments

[dc]

"...Baseball is filled with these games, these stories. It's what makes the game great....'

"...It's why I love Tim Wakefield..."

i couldn't agree more paul...i'm intrigued by all of the wierd logic-defying twists and turns of baseball too, so thanks for this nugget...by the way, no darn pitch counts for those pitchers ;)

[SF]

Damn, you beat me to the punch! I was doing this same research last night but didn't get through it. I first looked at 10 walk games, and there simply aren't a lot of these. Amazingly, the Rangers in 1984 I think won back-to-back games in which they walked 20 batters, 10 each game. I think there were 22 games dating back to 2000 in which teams won while issuing (exactly) 10 walks. Again, I didn't look at the K total, an important component -- that's why Paul is our resident Baseball Reference God.

The Sox won last night for a couple of reasons - first, they scored more! Secondly, the Tigers showed some very suspect plate discipline, swinging at first pitches even though Dice-K rarely grooves first pitches even when struggling. They let him off the hook swinging early at a couple of nice pitches, perhaps even borderline strikes. I, no manager or tactical expert, certainly couldn't understand the eagerness, particularly not after 5 walks in three innings.

[SoxFan]

According to the Globe, Dice-K was suffering from some "cold symptoms" all day, and Francona was planning to remove him after 5 innings regardless.

So maybe that somewhat explains his wildness.

[DUFF - SF]

Clearly Dice-K was not given a green light and could have walked more batters and still got the win.

(I kid! I kid!)

[John - YF]

Last week one of my pitchers threw a no hitter (that's the good news.) The bad news is he walked 8 batters over 5 innings and allowed 4 runs. Easily one of the most frustrating wins I have been a part of. I can't imagine Francona enjoyed last night's performance and win by Daisuke all that much.

Great piece Paul, is "Vinegar Bend" a nickname or was it his given name? Does a "Vinegar Bend" have some 50's meaning? Just curious.

[SF]

It's why I love Tim Wakefield

One man's Tim Wakefield is another man's trip down a razor blade slide into a pool of rubbing alcohol.

[Atheose]

To steal a line from Dave Barry, "Vinegar Bend" would be a fantastic name for a rock band.

[Paul SF]

Vinegar Bend's real name was Wilmer David Mizell. He was given the nickname because Vinegar Bend, Ala., was his hometown.

Vinegar Bend also started for the Pirates against the Yankees in Game 3 of the 1960 World Series, managing just one out. He pitched in relief in Game 6 also and didn't fare much better, finishing with a 15.43 ERA in 4.1 innings. After retiring from baseball (his last season was as a reliever for the expansion 1962 Mets), Mizell was elected to Congress, representing North Carolina's fifth district from 1969 to 1975.

[SF]

What would have happened if Vinegar Bend had faced off against Dennis Boyd?

[krueg]

Off topic: all-star voting is open!!!

[sf rod]

Vinegar Bend is a small town in Summers Eve County just outside of the majestic Massingill Mountain range.

i knew it was bad before i hit post.

[FenSheaParkway]

well that was a douchey thing to say.

(sorry, it had to be done.)

[FenSheaParkway]

In all seriousness though (ok, more seriousness), I'm less concerned by the walks than I am by the lack of K's. In one respect, he sort of reminds me a little bit of the pitching equivalent of Mark Bellhorn (except better of course), who would either strike out or get on base, but on his own terms. Likewise, Matsuzaka seems unwilling to just pound the strikezone, at least in the starts I've watched over the last couple years, but for the most part has been successful in getting batters crossed up more often than he loses them. Even just following last night's game on a Yahoo boxscore was painful though.