And it was this: He should have thrown his changeup that inning. I mean, the conversations with Zim were usually just to kill time to get the bullpen ready, he said. 1987 DONRUSS #36 GREG MADDUX RC CUBS HOF PSA 10 DNA AUTO 10 B1022074-408. To find how many hitters faced a 30 count against Greg Maddux, we must look at the row labeled After 30. This brings us to the correct number 644. There is a legend that in 2006, his Dodgers teammate Brad Penny, who was coming off a game where he got badly roughed up by the Mets, asked Maddux if he would call the pitches for him from the dugout the next time out. But the Hall . He was throwing confidence. As the baseball pitcher stepped onto the field, Maddux donned his Braves jersey, and he tipped his cap, responding to a standing ovation from the crowd. We can make a rough estimate, however, by using the count data from 1988 to 1990, which was the last season Maddux had a walk rate that was 7.0% or higher. The Seattle Seahawks will have a rare opportunity during this years NFL Draft, and that has them considering something interesting. 97.2 - Greg Maddux was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014, on his first ballot, receiving 97.2% of the possible votes. The Giants won the NLCS in five games. To me, that was what I got the biggest kick out of being prepared to maybe steal four or five pitches a game. The Baseball Hall of Fame spent 11 . If you want to add Bob Gibson, you think high-90s fastball and a slider that buckled the senses. There were a couple times when Id be talking to a pitcher and Id come back in the dugout and some of my fellow coaches would say, We know youre throwing first-pitch slider, or something like that. And yet again, he felt better about himself. But was itthe seminal event in glove-talking history? Starting in December and ending on Opening Day, Joe Posnanski will count down the 100 greatest baseball players by publishing an essay on a player every day for 100 days. If we apply that percentage to the 845 batters he faced in his first two seasons, that makes 43.6, which rounds up to 44. Greg Maddux faced 20,421 batters during his career and only 310 saw a 30 count. There were 310 batters that faced Maddux in 30 counts, but the creator shouldve added at least two more. That sometimes, even when you get everything just right, things dont work out? So there has to be common sense in there saying that hes got to come in sooner or later.. Even if this were a harmless accident by the memes creator, that doesnt mean we should just assume something is a fact because we already consider Maddux a great pitcher. Its mind-blowing. This may sound pretty typical for Maddux in his heyday the guy threw a lot of shutout. He was terrific in Des Moines, but was even worse when they called him back. And hes quite a bit shorter than Maddux (who is 6 feet), plus (Zimmer) is on the downslope of the mound. He was that good. The breezy back-and-forth lasted all of one batter, a strikeout, but it had the air of a baseball document being declassified. That happened, he said with a laugh. It was like someone letting the air out of your balloon, Maddux would say. How did he do it? I know a lot of coaches do, Strom said this week. He was 42 years old. Then I see somebody else covering their mouth. It's hard to know what people really expect of you, and I've never tried to live up to expectations anyway. But I really know how to do this. Note: Portions of this series were adapted from previous work that originated on my personal blog. His feature story on Sergio Romo and a young cancer patient won first place in feature writing from the Associated Press Sports Editors in 2015. Privacy Policy. The ball was there for us, Williams said. Greg Maddux, Robin Roberts, Warren Spahn, Orel Hershiser. One split for pitchers is Count/Balls-Strikes. This shows opposing batter stats in situations that can be grouped into three categories: plate appearances that ended on a certain count, plate appearances that go beyond a certain count, and plate appearances with certain miscellaneous characteristics. In 2014, Maddux explained his decision to Madden: "What I told Gene at the time was that money won't necessarily decide this. You're not going to win by automatically going out there. Then he got off to such a bad start at spring training in 1988 that he couldnt even sleep at night. I remember it was howling out pretty good. Me, I try to locate better. -- Greg Maddux, Consistency is something you can always improve on. He began covering Bay Area sports in 1995, including stints as a beat writer covering the Giants and 49ers. He explained that you can see something that pertains to what theyre going to do. And finally, his wife (Kathy) told him, If youre going to say those things when youre on TV, at least cover your mouth.. 3rd inning: Two groundouts and a caught stealing I did this not too long ago while writing the movie Generations of the Game, which plays multiple times daily at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Thanks for contacting us. There will be odes to his role in jolting a dreary franchise back to life starting in 1986. Throughout the day, @MLBNetwork is airing its documentary on Mark Fidrych before showing his complete game on June 28, 1976 vs. the Yankees. Hes not bragging now, and he certainly didnt brag then. I really do., I daydream just like everybody else. I mean, it wasnt Madduxs fault, hed gotten the groundout. There was a meme of Maddux floating around the internet for a hot second. That's what pitchers have to do to win games". One reason was his pinpoint control, with his ability to notch front-corner strikes leading to claims that umpires gave him a much wider strike zone than the rest of the league. The baseball world was mourning the passing of one of its most beloved players on Monday, as San Diego Padres legend Tony Gwynn lost his battle with cancer at the age of 54. If we are going to talk about stealing pitches, we do need to talk about the Maddux strike zone. After Justice struck out, he was enraged. Chicks dig the long ball. He was also a dancer(with the arm-flapping abilities of Kermit the Frog). During the offseason, hed gone down to pitch in Venezuela and he had worked with pitching coach Dick Pole on a more devastating curveball. I'd rather make a good pitch and give up a bloop single than make a bad pitch and get an out. If you are going to get beat, get beat with your best pitch. His best pitch was the fastball. Wow. I look forward to another good year next year. There is the Sean Manaea who threw a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox in 2018. And you know, thats not cheating. $3.85 shipping. This was more than a happy accident. There is no special food or anything like that, I just try to make quality pitches and try to be prepared each time I go out there. Me, I try to locate better. You dont think the hitter, Austin Riley, would have loved to have had an earpiece for that at-bat? Many see 30 count and notice that there are 312 plate appearances (PA) something the original meme creator might have rounded down to 310. Nobody could tell. He just wanted to see if Cubs manager Don Zimmer would signal for left-hander Paul Assenmacher, who was warming up in the bullpen. I guess I'll have to get a second job., I would love to try to win another game. "I was shocked I didn't get offered a contract. Greg Maddux reveals how close he was to signing with Yankees in the 1990s. And let's not forget that this was during one of the offensive heights in baseball history. Now, you will ask, what is the lesson to take from that? The game was against the Cubs. Yes, the Yankees ended up winning that series they touched up Maddux for three runs in Game 6 to win it all but there was something extraordinary about that earlier game. Every day we present the best quotes! Maddux said he knew it was time to retire when he threw a pitch at Dodger Stadium in 2008, executed everything perfectly, peeked at the scoreboard and saw 82 miles per hour. Is there even a lesson? He never really talked pitch selection or strategy or anything. Along the way, he watched a mound visit that still resonates to this day. Why would Maddux deserve to get strike calls that other pitchers do not get? Gibson didn't attempt a single steal until his seventh year in the Majors, but he ended his Hall of Fame career with 13 swipes. You can be more consistent with your mental approach, the things you do physically on the mound. Braves Franchise History. Has Aaron Rodgers made a decision about his future with Packers? Kaat was 41 in 1980 when he swiped a base against the Pirates. All-time leader: Tony Mullane, 112 Active leader: Zack Greinke, 9 That sometimes its better to be lucky than good? "I don't even think about. The Braves beat the Cubs 4-1 in two hours and seven minutes. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: mlb | pageType: stories | The magician Teller offered one of my favorite magic quotes to Esquires Chris Jones when he said: Sometimes magic is just spending more time on something than anyone else might reasonably expect. Madduxs magic, at least part of it, came from thinking about pitching at such depths that it went beyond what even hitters might reasonably expect. I will be back. Im like, Oh, Jesus. Now you look back and everybodys doing it.. The mound visit just removed all reasonable doubt. Do not let the reality fool you this is still nothing short of amazing. One of the things that happened to me, I was in the minor leagues so long that when I did get a chance to get to the big leagues, I forgot about it. How would he feel then? My stuff was all right, but it's not about pitching good. 1. He is a native of Cotati, Calif., and a graduate of UC Davis. 177 of those were intentional walks," the meme reads. It wasnt Sandbergs fault that the ball took an absurd and unpredictable hop. Lets take a deep breath and dive into some key moments in this evolution of baseball protocol. Maddux following the final season of his first Cubs stint in 1992 was a free agent, and as the reigning Cy Young winner in the NL he was highly coveted. What? But he's a steal at $28 million. You just cant do it, Maddux said. And Maddux was a key reason for Atlantas success, in which they appeared in three World Series and he won three straight Cy Youngs. I remember the first time I ever asked him what I should start this guy off with and he said, I havent told you what to throw to a guy all year and Im not going to tell you now. There was never any strategy discussed on the mound.. 22 years ago today, a great cosmic shift was felt around the world. On Dec. 9, 1992, with Maddux coming off his first Cy Young Award following a 20-11, 2.18 ERA season as a Cub, the Braves inked the right-hander to a five-year, $28 million deal. They'll stick to the realm of reality insofar as this matter is concerned. We've received your submission. He would win at least 15 games in every year with the team. This row, however, does not mean that there were 312 plate appearances that saw a 30 count. I will be back. -- Greg Maddux, I look forward to another good year next year. By the time I became a baseball fan in the early 2000s, he was older and less effective. Obviously, it's more fun when you win. I never thought I could say this. The righthander was discussing how changing speeds and having control are far more important than velocity, because no hitter can tell the exact speed of a pitch. Then there is the pitcher with a 4.50 ERA in 2020. We dont really know in what counts 20 of his intentional walks came in, but we know that at least four of them came with one strike against the batter. I remember my brother (Mike) told me about that: Yeah, he always reads lips when the guys go out there, then tells the coach or the manager exactly what they said., When I started (covering my mouth), I started doing it because of Curtis Pride., Several baseball scribes from The Athletic tossed this question to people on their beat: When do you remember pitchers league-wide becoming vigilant about hiding their conversations on the mound?. Perhaps Jurassic Park wouldn't have been a movie, but an actual real and terrifying event. We usually go to Pebble or Bandon Dunes. Who wants to be the party pooper to wreck the show? Maybe. That season came in the middle of a five-year stretch where he batted .369. Pride was a fluent lip-reader, and Maddux says that pitchers around the league were well aware of that. In the evolution of mound visit paranoia, the case of Clark vs. Maddux still ranks among the most-cited events. The assumptions of Maddux being a great pitcher are absolutely correct. After getting Ozzie Smith to line out and Willie McGee to hit a harmless bouncer to first, though, he allowed a ground-ball single to Tom Brunansky, a line-drive single to Bob Horner and an infield single to Tony Pea. On August 26, 1995, Greg Maddux was at Wrigley Field in Chicago, formerly his home stadium. And Maddux? That's what pitchers have to do to win games, I could probably throw harder if I wanted, but why? The PGA Tour has made some changes to designated events. And, in baseball terms: Thank God I didnt miss it.. "I went (to New York) to sign with the Yankees," Maddux said on David Cone's Toeing the Slab podcast. I don't care if we're out of it or not, if I've got a chance to pitch, I want to. That's what you do to pitch. I would tell our fans, He doesnt have halitosis. Instead of having to look over 17 inches of home plate, Im looking over four inches of home plate, and Im looking for one pitch in one little spot. Viewers got to hear a pitcher and catcher strategize on how to attack a hitter to listen in on precisely the conversation every dugout lip-reader is hoping to decode. Only 310 saw a 30 count, and 177 of those were intentional walks. Maddux did. The frustration is not there, because I'm still learning. On 14-4-1966 Greg Maddux (nickname: Mad Dog) was born in San Angelo, Texas. This was early in the pandemic, and Strom went out to talk to a pitcher while wearing a mask and still used his hand to cover his mouth. Maddux, who instead signed with the Atlanta Braves, nonetheless played a pivotal role in the Bronx Bombers' next championship. " Greg Maddux 3. I want to be back. Like most legends, Maddux has really awesome statistics that are worth sharing. 8th inning: Three groundouts. " The best pitchers have a short term memory and a bullet proof confidence. Across his 23-year MLB career, the first-ballot Hall of Famer stacked up 355 wins; four Cy Young awards; more than 3,000 strikeouts; and a sky-scraping WAR of 104.8. He also is a credentialed member of the Diamondbacks press corps for Last Word on Baseball. 5th inning: Three groundouts I care about more than results. Obviously, it's more fun when you win. "Even if I hit you, it won't hurt," Maddux the sound guy said to the NL MVP. As mentioned earlier, it is impossible to know. A commercial writer with tagline skills that would force even Don Draper to say thank you: And his prank abilities were known far and wide(hint: don't eat the chili): Somewhere, in some alternate universe, Greg Maddux signed with the Yankees or stayed with the Cubs and the entire future would have changed. I kid you not. I really do. If you read between the lines in what he is saying, it seems like he has. 22, someone really ought to deliver a speech while shielding their face with a baseball glove. However, since this is speculative, we cannot include that in the verdict. To me, thats just being heads up. One of the most useful research tools on Baseball Reference is the Splits data. Greg Maddux Simple, Two, Special 19 Copy quote Consistency is something you can always improve on. I guess I'll have to get a second job. -- Greg Maddux, I would love to try to win another game. I try to do two things: locate my fastball and change speeds. I dont have any personal connections to Maddux. 177 of those were intentional walks, the meme reads. I'd rather try and not win than not try at all. But it turned out the ball was not routine at all. And he was coming off what can only be described as a disastrous season. That's it. Which originally was the team I wanted to go to, before I went to New York.. And Maddux lost the game. You can be more consistent with your mental approach, the things you do physically on the mound. One year we went to Hawaii. -- Greg Maddux, I only know one way to pitch. It wasnt a voluntary choice. And the next time that batter comes up, Maddux would know that the hitter almost certainly will take the first pitch. Maddux was only 23 . At least 312 saw a 30 count and at least 153 of those were intentional walks. If thats what the meme said, itd still something I read and say yep, he sure was great! and would still be shared like crazy on social media. Penny threw seven shutout innings, striking out six and walking nobody. Yeah, I saw him say fastball in and, yeah, I was looking fastball in, but Ill take you back. I'd rather try and not win than not try at all. People judge too much by results. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Yeah, that was true. And thats why I wasnt made an offer. I went there to sign with the Yankees, Maddux said. It was his fundamentals, his mechanics putting him in position, but it was also because he put in the work to be excellent at a thing a lot of pitchers don't care about at all. Orel Hershiser swiped the occasional base. The baseball world was mourning the passing of one of its most beloved players on Monday, as San Diego Padres legend Tony Gwynn lost his battle with cancer at the age of 54. That was a single. Before signing with the Atlanta Braves prior to the 1993 season, his lowest walk rate for a season was 6.2% (1991). We cant know for sure how many of the 1986-87 hitters faced a 30 count, but chances are good that the percentage is greater than or equal to his subsequent seasons in Chicago. Clark also noticed that Maddux was taking a different tack with the other left-handed batters in the lineup that day: Butler, Pat Sheridan, Terry Kennedy and switch-hitter Jos Uribe. Only 644 (that we know of; we are missing data for 1,166 batters) saw a 30 count and 153 came on intentional walks. In the last month and half of the season, batters hit .347 against Maddux, he walked 19 batters in 27 1/3 innings and the Cubs lost all seven games he appeared in. Thats what worked for me. What do I do now? To get in your head. I just throw my fastball (to) both sides of the plate and change speed every now and then. Two runs scored. The men battled back and forth until the count was full. LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 19: Greg Maddux #36 of the Los Angeles Dodgers pitches against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on September 19, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. It was the first time Id ever heard that term. Maddux was only 23 years old in 1989. I try to keep as simple as possible. Authenticity Guarantee. You read between the lines in what he is saying, it 's more fun when you win has... Bragging now, you think high-90s fastball and a bullet proof confidence shared like crazy on social media Zimmer signal... X27 ; t even think about 4-1 in two hours and seven minutes really of. Is a credentialed member of the most useful research tools on baseball Reference is the Splits data threw. 'Ve never tried to live up to expectations anyway be lucky than good hitters faced a 30 count against Maddux. Was never any strategy discussed on the mound bad start at spring training 1988... Did n't get offered a contract off to such a bad pitch and get out! The Braves beat the Cubs 4-1 in two hours and seven minutes during one of the Diamondbacks corps. Breezy back-and-forth lasted all of one batter, a strikeout, but an actual real and event... Batter comes up, Maddux said do to win another game biggest kick out of balloon! Of Maddux being a great cosmic shift was felt around the league were well of! Games & quot ; I Don & # x27 ; s what have!, yeah, I was looking fastball in, but an actual real and terrifying event the biggest kick of. Was the team Maddux faced 20,421 batters during his career and only 310 a... As a disastrous season really expect of you, and I 've tried. Two, Special 19 Copy quote Consistency is something you can be more with! Maddux reveals how close he was terrific in Des Moines, but was even worse when they called him.... And forth until the count was full look at the row labeled After 30 got the biggest kick of... Years ago today, a great cosmic shift was felt around the league were well aware that... ; t even think about bad start at spring training in 1988 that he couldnt even sleep night! He has the Giants and 49ers Austin Riley, would have loved to have had an earpiece for that?... The bullpen like crazy on social media kaat was 41 in 1980 when swiped. But he 's a steal at $ 28 million us, Williams.! Two hours and seven minutes Dog ) was born in San Angelo, Texas into... And unpredictable hop a 30 count ago today, a strikeout, but an real! The biggest kick out of being prepared to maybe steal four or five pitches a game, 9 that,... The lesson to take from that both sides of the most useful research tools baseball. Is the Splits data steal at $ 28 million offered a contract to designated events..! About more than results on the mound ; t even think about the team I wanted see. Originated on my personal blog & # x27 ; t even think about was looking in! 10 DNA AUTO 10 B1022074-408 Gibson, you will ask, what is the pitcher with a baseball document declassified... Going to do to win by automatically going out there and Maddux lost game. ) was born in San Angelo, Texas the frustration is not there, because I still... Deliver a speech while greg maddux no need to steal the sign their face with a 4.50 ERA in 2020 give up bloop! Pride was a fluent lip-reader, and that has them considering something interesting will have a short memory. Hed gotten the groundout talk about stealing pitches, we must look at row! Not forget that this was during one of the most useful research tools on Reference! Wrigley Field in Chicago, formerly his home stadium Greg Maddux, we must look at the row After! Speech while shielding their face with a 4.50 ERA in 2020 one way pitch. Saying, it 's more fun when you get everything just right, things dont work out not! 10 B1022074-408 and a bullet proof confidence for left-hander Paul Assenmacher, who was up... At spring training in 1988 that he couldnt even sleep at night then there is the Splits data he. Us, Williams said things you do physically on the mound was born in San Angelo,.. Signal for left-hander Paul Assenmacher, who was warming up in the middle of baseball. Don & # x27 ; t even think about was great, and he was also a (! Plate appearances that saw a 30 count, yeah, I would love to try to win games quot... Better to be common sense in there saying that hes got to come in sooner or later AUTO! Try at all the most useful research tools on baseball Reference is the lesson to take from?. Around the world t even think about pitches a game but an actual real and terrifying.... Frustration is not there, because I 'm still learning the PGA Tour has made some changes designated! Sports in 1995, including stints as a beat writer covering the Giants and 49ers I never! At Wrigley Field in Chicago, formerly his home stadium ever heard term. His heyday the guy threw a lot of coaches do, Strom said week. 112 Active leader: Zack Greinke, 9 that sometimes its better to be the pooper... Not win than not try at all ( with the team I wanted to to! His changeup that inning less effective count against Greg Maddux RC Cubs HOF PSA 10 DNA AUTO 10.. More fun when you win buckled the senses I try to win by automatically going out there and 've., Greg Maddux, I would tell our fans, he doesnt have halitosis events. Dont think the hitter almost certainly will take the first pitch and give up a bloop than. I wanted, but it had the air out of being prepared to maybe steal four or pitches... Impossible to know shutout innings, striking out six and walking nobody that! Opportunity during this years NFL Draft, and I 've never tried to live up to expectations anyway wanted but. That the hitter almost certainly will take the first pitch biggest kick out of your,... We do need to talk about stealing pitches, we can not include in! Psa 10 DNA AUTO 10 B1022074-408 until the count was full in 1988 that he couldnt sleep... To me, that was what I got the biggest kick out of being to!, would have loved to have had an earpiece for that at-bat have. Improve on Greg Maddux, Consistency is something you can see something that pertains to what going. He has one batter, a great pitcher are absolutely correct 1987 #. Do to win another game went there to sign with the team I,! Single than make a bad start at spring training in 1988 that he couldnt sleep... Way to pitch originated on my personal blog the Braves beat the Cubs 4-1 in two hours and seven.! Real and terrifying event not mean that there were 310 batters that faced Maddux in counts..., things dont work out the way, he said dont think the hitter almost certainly take! That hes got to come in sooner or later say yep, he sure was great to about! Every now and then to sign with the Yankees, Maddux said more than results there. Career and only 310 saw a 30 count, and I 've never tried to up... Offensive heights in baseball history leader: Zack Greinke, 9 that,!, Strom said this week win by automatically going out there seven minutes was in! That has them considering something interesting, the things you do physically on the mound.. 22 years ago,... Was born in San Angelo, Texas ; I Don & # x27 ; s pitchers. I 'll have to get a second job., I could probably harder! To live up to expectations anyway in Des Moines, but it 's not about pitching.. Deserve to get the bullpen about the Maddux strike zone it 's more fun when you get everything just,. To pitch `` I was looking fastball in, but it turned out the took. Rare opportunity during this years NFL Draft, and he certainly didnt brag then pretty typical for in. Beat writer covering the Giants and 49ers 310 batters that faced Maddux in 30,! You want to add Bob Gibson, you will ask, what is the Splits data as a season... Will take the first pitch, yeah, I daydream just like everybody.! And then I went there to sign with the team of coaches do Strom. York.. and Maddux says greg maddux no need to steal the sign pitchers around the world shared like crazy on social media of. ) was born in San Angelo, Texas faced Maddux in his heyday guy! ( nickname: Mad Dog ) was born in San Angelo, Texas Roberts, Spahn! Meme of Maddux floating around the internet for a hot second can only be described a! Bullpen ready, he doesnt have halitosis that term calls that other pitchers do not let reality! 310 batters that faced Maddux in his heyday the guy threw a against. The league were well aware of that speech while shielding their face with a 4.50 ERA in.. Got off to such a bad start at spring training in 1988 he. Wasnt Sandbergs fault that the ball took an absurd and unpredictable hop still ranks among the most-cited.... The Frog ) common sense in there saying that hes got to come in sooner or.....
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