Denny Martinez #76

 

This week…Montreal Expos legend Denny Martinez! A Nicaraguan national hero, a great pitcher, and a guy who overcame alcoholism to have a 23 season career. He was one of the best pitchers in baseball from 1987-95. He had some of his best seasons in his 40s. He is one of only 10 players with 100 wins in both the AL and NL. He made his first All Star Game at age 36 followed by 3 more, threw a perfect game at 37, and pitched until he was 44! In his 23 season career he won 245 games in nearly 4000 innings.

Topics: Sandanistas, El Perfecto, Baller pronunciation, recovery

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Links:

Card #76 on ⁠Beckett⁠

SABR Bio by ⁠Rory Costello⁠

88 Topps Blog ⁠post⁠

MLB Story about the ⁠perfect game⁠

Video from ⁠el perfecto:⁠

Story about his namesake ⁠stadium⁠

Hall of Fame case made by ⁠his son⁠!

Donnie Moore #471

 

This was a difficult episode. Donnie Moore was a veteran reliever and an all star closer in 1985 for the Angels. In 1986 he gave up a pivotal home run in ALCS Game 5 to Dave Henderson. By 1989 he was out of baseball. Within a month, he had mounting money problems, he shot his wife three times, and killed himself. His wife miraculously survived. Many people blamed Donnie's death on that ALCS moment, but it was a culmination of a troubled life. 

Content warning: domestic violence and suicide.

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Bo Diaz #265

This week we discussed the tragic story of catcher Bo Diaz. Bo was an all star for Cleveland and Cincinnati, he was a key part of the 1983 Wheeze Kids, and a Venezuelan league legend. He had not yet officially retired when he died in a terrible accident at age 37. RIP Bo Diaz.

Topics: Aguardiente, ultimate grand slams brought to you by Denny's 

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Shane Rawley #66/406

 

This week, we discussed a 1988 Topps All Star (who wasn’t a 1987 All Star)…it’s Shane Rawley! Shane started as a reliever for Seattle Mariners. While he wasn’t an All-Star, Shane led NL lefties with 17 wins in 1987 which got him this All Star card. He had 6 straight 10 win seasons for New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies. Now he owns a pizza joint in Florida!

Topics: The Smoking Popes, Frank Lloyd Wright, Shane (the movie), script writing

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Joel McKeon #409

 

This week, a Belgian baseball legend...Joel McKeon! Pronounced Mc-Q-In, Joel played in 2 MLB seasons, he had a decent 1986 but was sidelined with illness in July. He later went undefeated over 3 seasons and won 3 straight Belgian titles with Brasschaat Braves! He also managed the Braves and the Belgian National Team while there.

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Bobby Thigpen #613

 

This week, Matt Flesch, the director of the Last Comiskey documentary joined us to talk about a 1990 Chicago White Sox hero…Bobby Thigpen! Thiggy was a two way player on the great Mississippi State team with Will Clark and Palmiero. With the 1990 Sox he set the MLB saves record with 57! The 1990 White Sox were in the final season at the Old Comiskey Park, were picked to finish last in the AL West, and instead went out and won 94 games! 

Go watch the Last Comiskey documentary about the amazing final season at the old park. Bobby, other players, and South Side legends like Nancy Faust are interviewed. 

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Pat Tabler #230/118T

This week…Pat Tabler! Pat Tabler was a pretty good hitter overall, finishing with a .282 average, but with the bases loaded he was Mr. Clutch! Mr. Clutch was a fan of Jethro Tull and All My Children, and he hit a .489 with the bases loaded, the highest of any player with 100+ PAs. Though not a power hitter, he had a 1.198 OPS with the bases loaded! He was a 1987 all star and won a ring with the Jays in 1992. Then spent nearly 30 years in the Blue Jays booth, parting ways in Dec. 2022.

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