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***Official RIP Dead Ballplayers Thread -- Yer Out! (2 Viewers)

Mark Berman

@MarkBermanFox26

According to a MLB source former #Astros star JR Richard passed away last night in a Houston hospital at the age of 71. JR played for the Astros from 1971-1980. Led the National League in strikeouts in 1978 & 1979. Led the NL in ERA in 1979 and made the All-Star Team in 1980.

11:25 AM · Aug 5, 2021·Twitter for iPhone

I’ve used him a few times in WIS . Sad news

 
HellToupee said:
Mark Berman

@MarkBermanFox26

According to a MLB source former #Astros star JR Richard passed away last night in a Houston hospital at the age of 71. JR played for the Astros from 1971-1980. Led the National League in strikeouts in 1978 & 1979. Led the NL in ERA in 1979 and made the All-Star Team in 1980.

11:25 AM · Aug 5, 2021·Twitter for iPhone

I’ve used him a few times in WIS . Sad news
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Pretty good article about his life after bases on Deadspin today, didn’t realize he was homeless for a while.  He may have been the best pitcher in the NL in the years leading up to his stroke in 1980.  

 
He was the starting pitcher in the1980 All Star Game, and only made 2 more starts after that. He was great. Was telling a younger guy (if you call 46 young) about him 2 weeks ago and showed him some video. He never had heard of him. Way more people would know about him if he hadn't had the health oroblems.

 
Leroy Hoard said:
FairWarning said:
Longtime AS catcher Bill Freehan, he was 79.  He’s been sick for a long time.
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5 time gold glover, also had solid offensive stats for a catcher.
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Freehan was unlucky that he had his two best seasons in 1967-68 where offenses were severely suppressed.  A triple crown line of .263/25/84 doesn't look very impressive out of the context of 1968 but it's an OPS+ of 145. 

Manager Mayo Smith worked him hard in his prime which took its toll a few years later.

 
Bill Sudakis (1946-2021) played 3B in the early 70s for the Dodgers and four other clubs.  I was always amused that Sudakis played the same position for the same team as Bill Grabarkewitz. The Dodgers' farm system in that period was deep.

BR comps include some modern guys (Grabarkewitz was Sudakis' top comp through age 26)

  1. Ian Stewart (969.6)
  2. Ryan Roberts (958.8)
  3. Jurickson Profar (950.3)
  4. Ed Spiezio (946.0)
  5. Jeimer Candelario (944.9)
  6. Will Middlebrooks (943.5)
  7. Brandon Drury (943.4)
  8. Rick Schu (941.5)
  9. Conor Gillaspie (940.6)
  10. Adam Rosales (939.9)
 
Cloyd Boyer (1927-2021)

The oldest of the three Boyer boys who all played in the majors. Ken was a borderline HoFer and Clete had a long career as an elite gloveman.

Cloyd was a pitcher who appeared in 111 games between 1949 and 55.  After his playing career, he was a pitching coach for the Yankees and Braves.

His B-R comps include a couple of recent players

  1. Orville Jorgens (979.5)
  2. Vin Mazzaro (976.7)
  3. Hal McKain (976.7)
  4. Rich Yett (976.1)
  5. Jason Davis (974.7)
  6. Ray Poat (973.8)
  7. Brad Hennessey (973.6)
  8. Ray Moss (973.3)
  9. Chris Stratton (973.0)
  10. Mark Knudson (972.6)
 
Eddie Robinson (1920-2021)

First baseman Robinson debuted in the 1942 season and played for every AL team except Boston before his retirement in 1957. He lost his age 22-24 seasons to WWII.  He made four All-Star games and put up a couple of 3 WAR seasons for the White Sox.

He had been the oldest living major leaguer. That title now passes to George Elder who appeared in 21 games for the 1949 Browns.

Robinson's b-R comps include one active player

  1. Walt Dropo (958.8)
  2. Alvin Davis (936.0)
  3. Donn Clendenon (931.7)
  4. Don Mincher (926.6)
  5. Mitch Moreland (922.4)
  6. Sixto Lezcano (918.7)
  7. Brandon Belt (915.8)
  8. Jason Thompson (915.6)
  9. Adam Lind (915.2)
  10. Larry Hisle (911.4)

 
Former Mets reliever Pedro Feliciano died over the weekend at the age of 45.  He led the NL in appearances in three consecutive years from 2008-10.

His B-R comps are an honor roll of LOOGYs.

  1. Jose Alvarez (979.4)
  2. Luis Avilan (977.2)
  3. Aaron Loup (975.1)
  4. Ray King (972.2)
  5. Eric O'Flaherty (969.4)
  6. Dan Jennings (964.5)
  7. Andrew Chafin (964.2)
  8. Ricardo Rincon (962.4)
  9. Sean Burnett (959.1)
  10. Craig Breslow (958.4)
 
Current Tigers first base coach and former outfielder Kimera Bartee died suddenly at age 49. Cause of death is unknown. 

 
Zeppelin said:
Current Tigers first base coach and former outfielder Kimera Bartee died suddenly at age 49. Cause of death is unknown. 
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Incredibly nice guy.  Saw him several times in the minors.  The past couple years we have seen an inordinate amount of guys from those mid-late 90s minor league era die in what would be their mid-40s.  Including Bartee, Lugo, Mike Bell, Ron Blazier, Jarrod Patterson, Charles Peterson (PIT 1st rd pick never made MLB)

 
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Tom Matchick (1943-2022) was a light hitting utility infielder who was a member of the 1968 World Champion Tigers.  The offensive struggles of Matchick, Ray Oyler and **** Tracewski caused Tigers manager Mayo Smith to convert OF Mickey Stanley to play SS during the World Series.

His B-R comps span the deadball era to the 1990s.

  1.     Glen Stewart (984.0)
  2.     Pete O'Brien (979.7)
  3.     Chappy Charles (977.2)
  4.     Mike Brumley (976.8)
  5.     Jose Arcia (976.6)
  6.     Jake Atz (975.3)
  7.     Monty Basgall (973.6)
  8.     Rudy Meoli (972.7)
  9.     John Patterson (972.3)
  10.     Roy Grover (970.0)
 
Larry Biittner 1946-2022

He was amongst the revolving door of Cubs OF's of the mid to late 70's (along with the likes of Ken Henderson/Bobby Murcer/Jerry Martin/Greg Gross/Mike Vail)

Biittner played 14 big-league seasons, including five in Chicago from 1976-80. The Cubs acquired him and Steve Renko from the Expos in May 1976 for Andre Thornton.

Biittner's most productive season came a year after the trade. He played a career-high 138 games in 1977, slashing .298/.345/.432 with the Cubs while registering personal bests in home runs (12), RBIs (62), hits (147) and runs scored (74). 

He was among the Cubs leaders in each of those categories that season.

Biittner appeared in 490 games in the outfield, largely spent between the corner spots, and also racked up 381 games at first base. He was a reliable pinch hitter, making 426 such plate appearances in his career.

Biittner, who also played for the Senators/Rangers, Expos and Reds, finished his career in Cincinnati in 1983.
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Eddie Basinski (1922-2022) played SS for the Dodgers during WWII and went on to a long career in the Pacific Coast League.

Basinski had been the second oldest living major leaguer.  His other claims to fame were that he was a classical violinist who appeared with the Buffalo Symphony and he was the longest surviving player who was mentioned in Dave Frishberg's song "Van Lingo Mungo"

 
David Green (1960-2022)

The Nicaraguan outfielder played in 489 games in the 80s including as a member of the 1982 champion Cardinals.  He was a big time prospect for the Brewers who was a key part of the trade that returned two Hall of Famers Ted Simmons and Rollie Fingers.  He was also part of the deal that sent Jack Clark to St. Louis a few years later.

His MLB career never measured up to the potential he flashed in the minors.  He had problems with his knees and alcohol.  There were also a lot of rumors at the time that he was much older than his listed age when he came up.

His B-R comps include some familiar names

  1. Tracy Jones (976.6)
  2. Alex Presley (972.9)
  3. Lastings Milledge (971.1)
  4. Larry Bigbie (970.7)
  5. Lew Ford (964.9)
  6. **** Davis (963.2)
  7. Jeff DaVanon (960.7)
  8. Coaker Triplett (959.7)
  9. Raimel Tapia (959.5)
  10. Clint Hurdle (958.3)
 
Tommy Davis 1939-2022

Davis was a two-time NL batting champion by the age of 24 for the 60s Dodgers but his career was changed by a serious leg injury in 1965.  He hung around for another ten years but was never the same player. 

Davis also has the distinction of being a character in Ball Four.  He was Bouton's teammate in both Seattle and Houston that year.

A particularly illustrious set of comps

  1. Melky Cabrera (892.2)
  2. Carney Lansford (880.7)
  3. Felipe Alou (878.4)
  4. Bob Watson (876.5)
  5. Gee Walker (875.5)
  6. Jeff Conine (872.4)
  7. Ken Griffey (872.1)
  8. High Pockets Kelly (867.8) *
  9. Claudell Washington (865.6)
  10. Jose Cardenal (865.6)
 
**** "Ducky" Schofield (1935-2022)

He played nineteen years as a light hitting infielder mostly with Pittsburgh and St. Louis. His son (also named **** Schofield) and grandson (Jayson Werth) also had long careers in the majors.

B-R comps

  1.     Johnnie LeMaster (937.5)
  2.     Larry Brown (934.1)
  3.     George Strickland (931.9)
  4.     Bobby Wine (926.0)
  5.     Hal Lanier (925.6)
  6.     Charley O'Leary (924.9)
  7.     Rabbit Warstler (924.1)
  8.     Marty Perez (923.6)
  9.     Mike Gallego (923.4)
  10.     Brendan Ryan (922.4)
 
PIK95 said:
FishTacoTuesday said:
My only big league Facebook friend. RIP Johnny
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Who?
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Wockenfuss comps

  1. Wilson Betemit (952.0)
  2. Brett Lawrie (944.0)
  3. Yangervis Solarte (943.4)
  4. Russ Davis (943.2)
  5. Yoan Moncada (942.5)
  6. Chris Taylor (933.5)
  7. Kevin Kouzmanoff (932.0)
  8. Mike Blowers (931.4)
  9. Jim Leyritz (930.9)
  10. Morgan Ensberg (930.4)
It's unfortunate that he spent nine years with the Tigers before getting traded away right before their championship 1984 season. He went to the Phillies who were coming off a World Series year but were headed in the opposite direction from Detroit.
 
**** Ellsworth (1940-2022):

He had a 10 WAR season in 1963 (last Cubs pitcher to do so), lost the Cy Young to Koufax. He also has the distinction of striking out Stan Musial three times in a single game, the only occurrence in Musial's 22-year career.

He threw 290 innings in 1963, and followed that up with 256, 222, and 269. That was pretty much it for his career, with a mild comeback with the Red Sox. In his last year with the Cubs he got into Leo Durocher's doghouse and never climbed out.
 
A few notable ones from the last couple of weeks -

- Denny Doyle - 1970’s infielder for Phil and Boston

- Fred Valentine, a mid 60’s OF for Balt and Wash.

- Nate Colbert, still the all time Padres HR leader

- Bill Campbell, quality RP for Minn and a few other teams.
 
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FairWarning said:
Ted Savage, 60’s OF who played on a lot of teams.
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Savage was one of the few bright spots on the first Brewers team after they moved from Seattle. Eephus the kid didn't understand why he didn't hit after that until sometime later I looked him up and realized his breakout season came at age 33.
 
Joe Pepitone: https://nypost.com/2023/03/13/yanke...w&utm_medium=SocialFlow&utm_source=NYPTwitter

Joe Pepitone, a charismatic first baseman and outfielder on the Yankees in the 1960s, has died at 82.

The Yankees announced the news in a statement.

“The Yankees are deeply saddened by the passing of former Yankee Joe Pepitone, whose playful and charismatic personality and on-field contributions made him a favorite of generations of Yankees fans even beyond his years with the team in the 1960s,” the team said.
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He had a decent career that could have been a bit more productive without the off-field issues.

Leo Durocher brought him to the Cubs as a replacement for the aging Ernie Banks. It worked for awhile, but having to be at the ballpark at 10:30 AM when he didn't get in until sunrise eventually caught up to him.

He will be remembered for his hair dryer and for crowding the plate against Cosmo Kramer.
 
Sully Baseball's annual In Memoriam video. He really does a nice job with these every year.

www.youtube.com

In Memoriam 2023 MLB

Before the 2023 MLB season begins, let us pay tribute to some of those who are now gone but whose impact on the game lives on.John Adams – Cleveland Superfan...
www.youtube.com www.youtube.com
 
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