Blyleven often looked back and saw players in the opposing dugout covering their face with their gloves as they laughed at a hitter who had ducked out of the way of a curve that had broken sharply across the heart of the plate, many of them ending up one of Blylevens strikeout victims. "[His curveball] was nasty, I'll tell you thatenough to make your knees buckle. All rights reserved. Others will call it pitching to the score. Because of his competitive streak, Blyleven says things he probably shouldn't, and he usually says them with a biting wit. They just started throwing me the curveball.. 1979 - Blyleven goes 12-5 on 37 starts and the Pirates win the World Series. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2011 . Communication. Blyleven went out and bought gifts for everyone. Please note the delivery estimate is greater than 13 business days.
1974 Topps Baseball #98 Bert Blyleven Minnesota Twins V.g. ++ (Free On a recent afternoon Blyleven went to see Todd play basketball for his seventh-grade team. When he beat the Twins for Texas on July 26, 1976, Blyleven didn't mince words. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1971 Topps Bert Blyleven #26 Rookie Minnesota Twins at the best online prices at eBay! He ran cross-country and played basketball and baseball at Santiago High School, and the baseball scouts began to come around. Bah! Blyleven pitched very well for the Indians in the strike year of 1981 (11-7, 2.89 ERA), but in the first game after play resumed, he hurt his right elbow. And those TWENTY no-decisions on the WORLD CHAMPION Pittsburgh Pirates are probably a record of sorts. US $3.00Standard Shipping. Many years ago, I figured this out for the careers of nearly 200 pitchers, and only three did this bad (Tim Keefe and Curt Simmons both at 18, and Dizzy Trout the champion at 22). Blyleven, who has a seven handicap, is teamed with a couple of Cadillac dealers and an attorney, a zany Mormon named Tom Anthony. However, during his time in the Mexican League, he was coached by Dolph Lugue, a curveball mastermind, which helped him rely on the pitch upon returning to the majors. After all, 17 wins in eight years is a lot. There once was a rookie hitter who didnt need to be convinced the curve was something more than an optical illusion. "I thank the baseball writers of America for, I'm going to say, finally getting it right. [18] He returned in his role for 2013 and 2017.[2]. Mike Jeffcoat.
Bert Blyleven - Wikipedia How far, in feet, a runner is ranging off the bag at the The lone hit in that game was a bunt single by slow-footed Ed Kirkpatrick in the fifth inning. Actually, Blyleven was suffering from a groin pull and eventually took himself out of the game. Sold to me for $25. In those years he was 59-66 (.472) at the break and 53-38 (.582) afterwards. In 1986, he. "He knows how to finish a game now," says Indian pitching coach Don McMahon. He struck out 109 batters in 43 innings in his first season and 172 in his 126 career innings in Class D. Much like Nolan Ryan, Satchel Paige did not use his curveball as his primary pitch, but he still had a damn good one. Heck, Manny Trillo made four. I used to say about myself that I knew the day I would have to grow up and get a real job- it was the day, in Babe Ruth League in Seattle in the summer of 1957, when a guy named Ron Waara threw me a curveball that scared the living daylights out of me. exit velocity of 95 mph or higher. Although under-appreciated during his playing career, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011his second-to-last year of eligibility. "It was nice of him to come anyway," says Blyleven. When youre constantly winning 15 or more games a year, you dont need too many 20-win seasons to make this list.
I threw him an 0-2 curve and it snapped. One fan posted, "Pete Rose in the Phillies booth "he threw a c**k high fastball". Blyleven said the Twins then played on the road in Detroit and there was a Twins fan with a sign, asking to be circled. A curveball can also be thrown with some velocity in an attempt jam a hitter.
Bert Blyleven - Baseball-Reference.com The no-hitter was his final start as a Ranger; not until Cole Hamels during the 2015 season would a pitcher be traded after pitching a no-hitter in his most recent start for the team that traded him. Blyleven got so upset with his role in Pittsburgh that he walked out on the Pirates for 10 days early in 1980. The third pitch was a hard check swing. Jerry Koosman was a two-time, all-star for the New York Mets and, like most lefties, relied heavily on his curveball for success. Well, if its not luck, youre saying in so many words that the guy choked or lacked mental toughness.
Bert Blyleven's Top 10 moments - MLB.com If it weren't for drug and injury issues late in his career, he easily could have reached the 3,000-strikeoutplateau. June 14, 1985: Bert Blyleven achieves a career milestone as he collects his 200th career win, defeating the A's, 6-1. He won his first World Series with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1979. Wait a minute. An inveterate practical joker, Blyleven likes to snip cravats. Communication. At that time only 15 to 20 percent of the electorate supported him. Before the All-Star break, he was 150-140 with a 3.47 ERA, but after it he was 137-110 with a 3.12 ERA. None had ever fallen below 30 percent. Free local pickup from Brooklyn, New York, United States. Blyleven went to the California Angels in 1989 and pitched a 2.73 ERA for a 175 record in his first season; he led the league for his third and final time in shutouts (5). Now, in the previous paragraph there are three things going on: 1) Blyleven's RA/9IP, 2) his run support, and 3) well, a third factor that's hard to define.
Blyleven, Bert | Baseball Hall of Fame See all categories.
BASEBALL'S DUTCH TREAT - Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com Bert Blyleven, who was actually born Rik Aalbert Blijleven, was a Major League Baseball player who pitched for the Minnesota Twins (1970-1976), Texas Rangers (1976-1977), Pittsburgh Pirates (1978-1980), Cleveland Indians (1981-1985), Minnesota Twins (1985-1988), and California Angels (1989-1990, 1992). No takers? That, of course, would belong to Sandy Koufax. window") of the runner is at least 30 ft/sec. Born in the Netherlands but raised in Southern California, Blyleven would spend many evenings listening to Vin Scullys radio description of what may have been the greatest curveball ever in the game. A dozen of his 1-0 complete game shutouts came from 1970-77. Heck, Matt Lawton made two All-Star games. "O.K., I've got a ball here signed by Henry Aaron. ", Blyleven wraps up the evening. All UZR (ultimate zone rating) calculations are provided courtesy of Mitchel Lichtman. Blyleven, 38, has won 271 major league games with one of baseball's best curves and a variety of offspeed pitches. It's like the fellow at the golf tournament said. Blyleven's commentary was occasionally risqu for a baseball broadcast but provided interesting and friendly conversation between him and play-by-play announcer Dick Bremer. Blyleven is well above the Coveleski line, regardless of how you slice his record. "I would like to say to my family, to my fans, to all the Puerto Rican people and . And he couldn't help it if he was injured. There's the looping 12-6 curveball, which drops off the table just as the hitter thinks he has a read on it. ", Not only does Blyleven pitch for the Indians, he actually likes being an Indian. thrown with. Paige has a unique ability to blow hitters away and come right back and make them look foolish. Blyleven wanted $85,000, which seems like a piddling sum now, and the Twins were offering $65,000. [9], Following an incident in which Blyleven blatantly gave the finger to a television camera obviously focused on him during one of the Rangers' rare nationally broadcast games,[10] he was dealt to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first four-team blockbuster deal in Major League Baseball history on December 8, 1977, that also involved the Atlanta Braves, New York Mets and a total of 11 players changing teams. Roberto Alomar, Pat Gillick and Bert Blyleven on stage during a press conference during the 2011 Hall of Fame Weekend. [23] "It's been 14 years of praying and waiting," he said on a conference call from Fort Myers, Florida. He's celebrity chairman of the 65 Roses Club for Cystic Fibrosis there.
Good Question: Why Does Bert Blyleven 'Circle' People? Says Roy Smith, a rookie pitcher who dressed next to Blyleven last season, "Because his stuff is so good, it really doesn't do me any good to ask him what he throws to certain hitters. People in and out the game lauded Blyleven for having the games best curveball, but he was also temperamental. Free shipping for many products! In 22 seasons, Blyleven had more than 3,700 career strikeouts, including more than 2,000 of those in 11 seasons with the Twins.
Bert Blyleven career highlights | The Hardball Times Those stats hit me in the face. 300. During his time with the Angels, the fire extinguisher in the team's clubhouse at Angel Stadium read: "In case of Blyleven: Pull". What we're talking about here is a humongous stuffed panda, and he's auctioning off the bear at the banquet. I bid $250. On July 16, 2011, the Minnesota Twins formally retired Blyleven's number.[26]. "Aw bleep, that was for him [Griffith] and his family." It wasn't until he got married in 1971 that he noticed on his birth certificate that he's really Rik Aalbert. One of seven children, Bert grew up in Garden Grove as American as, well, Dutch apple pie. Many (especially in THT-land) will call it luck. "We have those long, strong fingers," he says. Two words Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson used to describe Bert Blyleven's curveball: "nasty" and "knee-buckling.". "I just don't think he knew how to use me." The left-hander won over 200 games and struck out over 2,500 batters in his 18-year MLB career. July 16, 1985: For the second time Blyleven pitches in an All-Star Game.
The bullpen page for Hal Newhouser lists the 16 liveballers who won 150 games before turning 30 years old, but I feel a bit odd citing that, since Im the guy that put that info there in the first place. His 2.74 career ERA with the Rangers remains the best in team history. He throws it a little differently than most pitchers, holding the ball so that every finger except his pinky is touching a seam. Given another five years of success, Blyleven will have Hall of Fame credentials. ", Says Mike Ferraro, a K.C. So it seems only fitting that Blyleven is something of a yakker. Being close to his 100th win is. After the game Howard said, "He's got a fine arm. That was the. Theres a better factoid, though: Blyleven won 15 different 1-0 complete games, more than anyone else since Walter Johnson. Rik Aalbert (Bert) Blyleven [1951] Bert Blyleven was and still is the only native Dutchman to have made a successful career, as measured by quality of play, in American professional baseball. After Blyleven, the only 200-game winners to appear in the next five years were Rick Reuschel and Frank Tanana. At the time of his election, he was the only eligible member of the 3,000 strikeout club and the only pitcher with 50 or more shutouts not in the Hall of Fame. "Thanks everyone for coming, and good night.
With the power of the internet, Lederers persistenceand, oh yeah, Blylevens own solid casehell have a nice weekend in upstate New York this year.
1997 Fleer Star Stickers Baseball #10 - Bert Blyleven - Minnesota Twins There were players rolling around on the floor, laughing. In his seven losses, the Indians scored only six runs. If you grew up in the 1980s, you likely have a major memory of Blyleventhe guy who gave up all those homers. Dutch-American baseball player (born 1951), Cleveland Guardians Opening Day starting pitchers, Los Angeles Angels Opening Day starting pitchers, List of Major League Baseball career wins leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual shutout leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual strikeout leaders, List of Texas Rangers Opening Day starting pitchers, List of Major League Baseball career hit batsmen leaders, List of Major League Baseball career shutout leaders, List of Major League Baseball career strikeout leaders, "Twins' Bert Blyleven, a Fort Myers resident, moves from broadcast booth", "HOFers have long history with World Baseball Classic", "Wednesday's game marked Bert Blyleven's last Twins broadcast", "Bert Blyleven Society for American Baseball Research", "Sports of The Times; Blyleven And His Beard", -NY Times article Alomar and Blyleven elected to hall of fame, 1/5/11, "Blyleven traded to Texas in six-player transaction", Former Indians Blyleven, Alomar Elected to Hall of Fame, Durso, Joseph. Drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 3rd round of the 1969 amateur draft. Richie Scheinblum? "When they asked us who wanted to play in the Instructional League in the fall of '69, I was the first one to raise my hand," he says. "[19] Still, it was not until his 14th year of eligibility, in 2011, that he was elected; he received 79.7% of the vote. So you know: later this week as induction day nears, Ill have a Bert Blyleven career highlights piece up at THT Live. I was a kid listening on the radio when Blyleven was in his short stint with the Rangers, and I loved his confidence in throwing that curve when everyone in the stadium and listening on the radio knew what was coming. This list is composed based not just on the nastiness of the curveball but also on how effectively it was used along with the pitcher's other weapons. He came back in 1992 but was mostly unproductive, going 8-12 with a 4.74 ERA. Hmmm, I wanted the color TV. Bert Blyleven. See details. Stanky quit on his own. Stand behind a tree 60 feet away and Ill whomp you with an optical illusion, challenged Dizzy Dean. Again last season he got embroiled in a couple of controversies. He's being serious, although whimsy soon bubbles to the surface. "This is for a free membership to Racquetball World. In between, while a Pirate in 1980, Blyleven jumped the team in midseason, flying to his home in California and demanding a trade. How much did this cost him? Major League and Minor League Baseball data provided by Major League Baseball. Many (especially in THT-land) will call it luck. Weve already figured out what Blylevens record should be based on pythaging his RA/9IP and league-average run support. "One curve I'll always remember was when I was pitching for Pittsburgh, Blyleven once recalled. Look at his hits to innings pitched [8.10 per nine innings], his walks to strikeouts [7.02 strikeouts and 2.47 walks per nine innings] and his ERA. For $675.". In all likelihood, Bert Blyleven is the best pitcher not in the Hall of Fame. 300, a la Early Wynn. Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers 10 of 10 Ezra Shaw/Getty Images Despite retiring at age 30, Sandy Koufax recorded 2,396 strikouts, won four World Series. Naturally, he sinks all the birdie putts. Thats the question. 1 fairway at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif. Blyleven left 28 tickets for family and friends for that night's game, which turned out to be . Heres how it looks year-by-year, and again, this is based on his real run support and RA/9IP: Recording 17 fewer wins than expected is historically bad. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1973 Topps Set-Break #199 Bert Blyleven EX-EXMINT *GMCARDS* at the best online prices at eBay! How hard, in miles per hour, a fielder throws the ball. This semicelebrity affair at Riviera was the second off-season charity event Bert has sponsored. For a batter, Best Speed is an average of 50% of his hardest hit balls. The Twins responded by trading him to the Texas Rangers. Tanner is almost universally beloved, so Blyleven came out as the bad guy in Pittsburgh, especially after Tanner called him "Cryleven." I assumed Blyleven had no chance with the current BBWAA. A .264 career batter, Kennedy hit .120 in 25 at bats against Blyleven, collecting three hits while striking out five times. The Blyleven abode, one of many handsome houses on his street, should bear a plaque commemorating one of the best baseball lines of this decade. (Lou Sauritch/National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum) Shop What makes his statistics even more impressive is that he missed five starts after he broke a bone in his right foot; while shagging flies in the Milwaukee outfield in May, he stepped on a ball hiding in the grass. He responded with a flippant gesture. "With his hands and wrist, he could throw that damn thing without any seams and it would curve," says Corrales. Blyleven is the winning pitcher in Game 3 of the NLCS and Game 5 (pitching in relief) of the World Series. and play-by-play data provided by Sports Info Solutions. Blyleven became the first Dutch-born player to earn induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. So while the Sept. 22, 1977, contest wasn't a home game for Blyleven's Texas Rangers, it felt like it for Blyleven - who celebrated by pitching a no-hitter. Nolan Ryan is widely considered one of the most dominant pitchers in the history of Major League Baseball.
Bert Blyleven - Society for American Baseball Research "Golf is my life," Anthony keeps saying. None spent as many years as low on BBWAA ballots as Blyleven. But Gossage and Sutter are relievers, and the Hall is still trying to figure them out. The worst election by any of 20 guys who had gone on to election was one time Tony Perez finished exactly one vote shy of 50 percent. Gary Carter, Rich Gossage, Jim Rice, and Bruce Sutter have all gotten in, after initially finishing under 50 percent. One of his trademarks was circling fans with the telestrator on screen. Kid Nichols is the all-time champ. "He's a great guy," says Judy Kirkpatrick. From 1970-77, Blyleven went 122-113 despite an ERA+ of 134. He has had only one 20-win season, in 1973, the first year of the DH, when 12 American League pitchers won 20 or more. Or 40 percent. Blyleven left 28 tickets for family and friends for that night's game, which turned out to be . [15] Blyleven was unhappy playing for the lackluster Indians and forced a trade back to the Twins,[16] where he passed the 3,000-strikeout mark and helped the Twins to a 1987 World Series victory. Blyleven, like so many Hall of Fame players, was driven to succeed. How much time, in seconds, it takes a runner to get from "Curveballs are like snowflakesnone are the same. He can't speak Dutch, but to this day he still understands a little of it. But Blyleven is still a big kid at heart. He earned the moniker "Frying Dutchman" by frequently setting fire to his teammates' shoelaces, a practical joke known as a "hot foot". It was during this second stint with Minnesota that Blyleven became the tenth member of the 3,000-strikeout club in 1986 and won a second World Series title in 1987. background-color:#ba3434; of his glove and to the base on a stolen base or pickoff In 2007, Blyleven's total dipped to 47.7% (75% is the minimum required for admission to the Hall). [4] His family moved to Melville, Saskatchewan, when Blyleven was two years old before ultimately settling in Garden Grove, California, in 1957 when Blyleven was five years old. Thats surprising. Normally a guy entering the BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot with 287 wins is pretty impressive. The Rangers received Al Oliver and Nelson Norman from the Pirates and Jon Matlack from the Mets. He generally did better in the second half of the year. "Mets Get Ken Henderson, Outfielder, From Rangers,", "From 1908 to 2018, Recorded no decision, as Starter, sorted by greatest number of games in a single season matching the selected criteria", "Indians' Blyleven The Subject Of Angel Trade Talks", "Ponson to play for Netherlands in World Classic", How a Part-Time Blogger Changed the Face of Baseball's Hall of Fame, The Official Site of Major League Baseball: News: Major League Baseball News, "Henderson, Rice elected to Hall of Fame", Alomar and Blyleven elected to Hall of Fame, Gallery Blyleven inducted into Twins Hall of Fame, Twins to immortalize Blyleven by retiring No. in "feet per second in a player's fastest one-second Others will call it pitching to the score. (Milo Stewart Jr./National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum) "I always played for my island," Alomar said in his induction speech.