Duane Ward #696

This week, Duane Ward! Duane was the Toronto Blue Jays first and (as of 2024) last winning pitcher in the World Series. Between 1991 and 1993, Ward was one of the best relievers in baseball. First as Tom Henke's set-up man in 91/92 and then in 1993 as the Blue Jays closer. That coincided with the Blue Jays back to back World Series titles. in that run he had 80 saves and a 2.31 ERA in 280 innings. He was credited with the Blue Jays first World Series win in 1992...and won the last game of the 1993 Series. In 8 World Series appearances he had a 1.13 ERA. And then, he was out of baseball at 31 due to injuries.

Topics: DUANE! New Mexico aftershave

Post script...after we recorded this episode, Duane passed away on July 18, 2026. 

RIP Duane Ward. 

Listen: 

Links:

Card #696 on ⁠Beckett⁠ (O-Pee-Chee!)⁠

Duane Ward's SABR Bio by ⁠John Kennedy⁠

Bob Wadsworth at ⁠Pearl Harbor⁠

Duane in ⁠New Mexico News⁠

Stathead Search: ⁠600+ IP, 9+K/9 innings⁠

Stathead: ⁠Relievers 1991-1993 by WAR⁠

Duane ⁠30th Best Blue Jay⁠ All-Time

DUANE! The Dancing one:

 

Eric Show #303

Born May 19, 1956, today should have been Eric Show’s 68th birthday. We discussed Show’s troubled life and tragic death this week. A talented musician, Show remains the San Diego Padres all time winningest pitcher. He pitched in the 1984 World Series, gave up a big hit to Pete Rose and struggled with drugs. Eric Show was musical, religious, political, and controversial...he was just 37 years old when he passed away on March 16, 1994.

Topics: John Birch Society, record breaking decorum, Padres Win Again

Listen:

Card #303 on Beckett

SABR Bio by ⁠John Stahl⁠

ESPN "⁠The Tortured Life of Eric Show⁠"

NY Times "⁠Eric Show's Solitary Life and Death⁠"

"Padres Win Again" ⁠song written by Eric Show:

Eric gives up #⁠4192 to Pete Rose:

John Farrell #533

 

This week, we discussed a guy who pitched pretty well for 2.5 seasons with a torn elbow ligament…then missed 2 years and came back. John Farrell had a distinguished coaching and managing career with the Boston Red Sox, winning two rings! 

In 1987, John had a 6-12 record with 5.83 ERA at AAA, but still was called up to Cleveland. In 10 games, he went 5-1 with a 3.39 ERA. In his last start he felt a twinge in his elbow...the next 2.5 seasons he pitched 500 innings and was pretty good. That small twinge in his elbow turned out to be a torn ligament. Pitching with a torn ligament from 1988-90, he went 27-29 with a 4.00 ERA in 515 innings. After surgery he missed 2 full years and made it back to MLB, but not at the same level.

He went on to be Boston's pitching coach (winning a ring in 2007), then managed Toronto for 2 seasons. Toronto traded John back to Boston (in exchange for Mike Aviles) where he won another ring in 2013 as manager!

Listen:

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Kent Hrbek #45 and #609

This week, we discussed a Minnesotan who played his whole career for the Minnesota Twins...it’s Kent Hrbek! Herbie jumped up from A ball to the pros in 1981, was an all star in 1982, and never looked back. A power hitter with more career walks than Ks, Kent won 2 World Series rings, hit a WS grand slam, and had a famous takedown. 

Kent Hrbek was born in Minneapolis and raised in Bloomington, not far from Metropolitan Stadium. He hit the first home run in the Metrodome in an exhibition in 1982 and spent 14 seasons with his hometown team. He remains second on the Twins all time leaderboard in homers and RBIs after Harmon Killebrew. Hrbek's number 14 is retired by the team and he was one of the first inductees in the Twins Hall of Fame in 2000.

Listen: 

• Card #45 on ⁠Beckett⁠
• Card #609 on ⁠eBay⁠
• SABR Bio by ⁠Joel Rippel⁠
• Kent's 1985 ⁠Mercedes Benz⁠
• T-Rex Tag ⁠Bobblehead⁠
• Stathead Search: ⁠Best OPS+ 1982-1993, 3000+ PAs⁠
• Kent in his ⁠RV
• 1987 ⁠WS Grand Slam:

• 1991 Hrbek vs. ⁠Ron Gant:

Jim Traber #544

This week, Jim Traber! Traber was a talented singer who sang the National Anthem before his MLB debut at Memorial Stadium! He also was the starting QB for Oklahoma State University and had a .389 average as a Cowboy. He was a local kid and played great in the minors but was blocked by Eddie Murray at 1B for the Baltimore Orioles, until a Murray injury in 1986 gave Jim a shot. He hit .342 with 10 homers and 32 RBIs in his first 32 games. He fell back to earth and in 1990 went to NPB where he played well for 2 years for Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes. In retirement, Jim has been a sports radio host in Oklahoma. 

Listen:

Card 544 on ⁠Beckett⁠

SABR Bio by ⁠Malcolm Allen⁠

1987 Topps ⁠Traber⁠

Jim's Draft Day ⁠article⁠

Oklahoma State ⁠HOF⁠

Jim discusses his ⁠health scare

Charging the mound, ⁠getting kicked in the head: