We talk about a bunch of fantasy baseball podcast related thing-a-ma-whosies in today’s fantasy baseball podcast thing-a-ma-whatsie, while I try to work in Hosmer. Hey, I’m not sweating Hosmer. In fact, he should be sweating me, because if he doesn’t start hitting we’re gonna have words. Those words going something like this: Grey, “Please hit above .250 with power. Please! In the name of all that is holy.” Hosmer, “Who are you? And why are you hiding under my bed?” We talk about other things in the podcast for s’s and g’s. Like Dee Gordon, Luke Scott’s banana chip fetish and how I’ll trade anyone Hosmer for anything. Anyway, here’s the Razzball Podcast, now with pleas for Hosmer:
Tyler Greene was the 30th overall selection in the 2005 draft. It was the Cardinals second pick that year; they took Colby Rasmus two spots earlier. At this point, both players appear to be busts, really. I suppose St. Louis fans can take solace knowing that the Cards flipped Rasmus for important pieces in their World Series run. But there’s little consolation on Greene’s side of things. He’s awful, and it’s clear that he’s not a long term option as an everyday 2B. There is hope for St. Louis, however. Kolten Wong is officially the Cardinals’ 2B of the future. He took that right after being drafted 22nd overall a year ago, and his performance in the minors has only solidified his position as such.
Out of the University of Hawaii, Wong made his pro debut at Low-A Quad Cities where he batted .355/.401/.510 over 222 PA. Most had him pegged for High-A to open 2012, but the Cardinals chose to move him along more aggressively, sending him to Double-A Springfield out of camp. The 21-year-old has responded by hitting .305/.381/.441 through his first 32 games in the Texas League. At 5-9, 190, Wong is small, but he can handle the bat and he can provide some pop too. His advanced approach to hitting has allowed for an easy transition to Double-A and it will surely shorten his path to the bigs. I expect an arrival sometime early in 2013, but if Wong continues to get on base while increasing his XBH production, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him at Busch Stadium this September. Once he’s settled in the majors, look for Wong to post a .300+ average along with 15 homers and double-digit steals. He’s my favorite 2B prospect in the minors and he’ll be valuable in all fantasy formats.
Robbie Erlin | LHP, Padres | Born: 10/8/1989
In my 2011 Padres Review, I noted that for fantasy purposes Joe Wieland and Robbie Erlin were essentially the same dude. Wieland had a bit more polish, and that earned him some starts earlier this year in the San Diego rotation, but now he’s on the DL and the Padres are starting 37-year-old Jeff Suppan. Sure, Suppan’s been serviceable through his first few starts, but it won’t last and neither will he. And if Wieland doesn’t rebound quickly from his elbow ailment, the Padres could certainly look to Erlin for help.
Procured in the Mike Adams swap last year, Erlin has been at Double-A San Antonio ever since. Through his first 34 IP in 2012, he’s struck out 45 and earned a 2.67 ERA. The only thing holding him back for now is command. His BB/9 sits at 2.7 on the year, as opposed to the 1.0 BB/9 mark he posted over 147 innings of work in 2011. He’s always been a plus command guy, which is why the slip in that regard is so perplexing. This early in the season, I like to blame the sample and assume that Erlin will sort out the issue. Once he does, he’ll have a fairly clear path to Petco. Erlin should put up nice ERA and WHIP in the bigs, and his changeup could draw plenty of K’s too. Of course, any pitcher throwing at Petco is worth fantasy consideration. Erlin will certainly be no exception.
David Robertson to the DL for three weeks with a left oblique strain. 2009 was the Year of the Oblique, then there was the Middle Infieluenza Outbreak of Twenty-Ten, and 2011 was a war between General Soreness and Major Discomfort. This year is The Closepocalypse. If you’re a closer and gonna go to the DL, at least get your make-believe plague right. (Oh no, I Can Haz Razzburger has taken over the site!!! Guys and four girl readers, picture the earth is a lolzpop, then this is The Closepocalypse. My apologies, but our advertisers asked if I could bring in more of the teenaged Asian girl demographic.) So Rafael Soriano will continue to get saves. I wouldn’t assume the Yankeensteins will just go to Robertson when he’s healthy, so it’s imperative and other serious-sounding words to grab Soriano. Bee tee dubya, it’s crazy how much Soriano sounds like Sanrio, right? Anyway, here’s what else I saw yesterday in fantasy baseball:
Brett Lawrie – Got two marginal-to-bad strike calls on him and went DRUNK HULK on the ump. DRUNK HULK WISH UMP BAD THINGS LIKE HAVE TO TEACH FIELDING TO EDWIN ENCARNACION. I hope the fact that Lawrie was right about the lousy calls gives him solace when he gets his 5-10 game suspension.
Freddie Freeman – Day-to-day with corneal abrasion. I always thought corneal abrasion was being constipated after you ate corn. Eh, what do I know?
Kevin Youkilis – On Wednesday, he will begin a minor league assignment. That assignment is to re-injure himself so Middlebrooks can keep playing. If he fails, Middlebrooks will be back in the minors in a week.
Josh Beckett – 7 IP, 0 ER, 6 baserunners, 9 Ks. Nothing kills the inspiration for country song writing like a start vs. the Mariners.
Alfonso Soriano – Ended his HR drought on his 116th AB. He’s also at 1 SB. He went from 40/40 to probably 40 in 10 years.
Bryan LaHair – 1-for-4 with his 10th homer. *phone rings* “This is Grey.” “LaHair LaHere. Sell this!” *dial tone*
Chris Heisey – Has now started three games in a row and is 6 for his last 7. In mixed leagues, it’s still wait and see right now, but he’s got a nice bat if Dusty would stop chewing on his toothpick long enough to let him play.
Johnny Cueto – 4 IP, 5 ER and his ERA is still 1.89. Ridiculous. I wouldn’t freak out just yet, ERAs aren’t meant to be that low. Lance Lynn, “Shh!”
Matt Carpenter – 1-for-4 with his third homer as Berkman sat out sore. Well, at least I didn’t have to talk about Craig’s three hits. D’oh!
Jon Jay – Onto the DL with shoulder soreness. Carlos Beltran and Lance Berkman can shift over to CF if the Cards schedule all home games in 2007. Short of that, it’s going to be a blahtoon of Skip Schumacker and Shane “Reggie Cleveland All-Star” Robinson in CF. If you don’t have the DL room, feel free to drop Jay in shallow leagues.
Jason Motte – 1 IP, 1 ER as he blew his 2nd save, but Dolis returned volley with a run, so Motte got the win. With The Closepocalypse, it’s a wonder some games ever end.
Bartolo Colon – 6 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 12 baserunners, 3 Ks. Oh, no, Bartolo needs another collagen injection! FWIWuertz, there should be a DRUNK BARTOLO Twitter account.
Cliff Lee – Pitched 8 innings of one run, 10 K ball against the Astros, but he still couldn’t earn his 1st win of the year because of a blown save by Chad Qualls. Really? Chad Qualls? Fine, Papelbon needs a breather now and then but that’s the 2nd best option in the Phillies’ pen? Ruben Amaro is tugging on something and it ain’t no McGraw.
Hunter Pence – 3-for-5 with his 8th and 9th homers, raising his RBIs to 25. You can set your watch by Pence’s stats, and right now it’s 9:25.
Vance Worley – Scratched due to a sore arm. If it’s sore, stop scratching!
Mike Moustakas – Hit his 5th homer yesterday. Go, go, go, go, go, go, go… It’s Greek Lightning!
Colby Lewis – 5 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 10 baserunners, 4 Ks. We talk a bit about Colby later today in our podcast. You can hardly wait. No, you!
Scott Van Slyke – 0-for-4 as he got the start in the Dodgers’ outfield (and in the three hole), and will continue (to start in the outfield) while Kemp’s on the DL. In Triple-A this year, he had 8 homers and a .336 average, showing solid plate discipline, but that was in the PCL. Van Slyke looks like a ‘just okay’ grab for NL-Only leagues if you’re an outfielder down. I will say this, he’s a much better fielder than Bobby Bonilla’s son.
Jake Peavy – 5 1/3 IP, 6 ER, 11 baserunners, 4 Ks. Cruised through 5 innings against the tough Tiger lineup, then got blasted for six in the 6th. Ventura should’ve pulled him before he gave up the 3rd/4th/5th runs on a homer to Ryan friggin’ Raburn. I think Ventura went to pull him out and Peavy’s southern drawl reminded him of Nolan Ryan and he wanted him to suffer.
Travis Ishikawa – 3-for-4, 5 RBIs and 2 homers. Eh, he’s nothing but a deep NL-Only flyer. Does that make sensei? See, he is Sucky-san.
Jose Valverde – Left yesterday’s game with back stiffness that isn’t supposed to be serious. Too bad, I was hoping for a reason why he’s been so terrible all year. Octavio Dotel ended up saving the game after allowing two runs to be tacked onto Valverde’s line. Thanks, friend! I grabbed Benoit then dropped him immediately for Dotel. My figuring is Dotel has a bit more closer experience. He’s cagey! It could easily be Benoit who sees saves too. If anyone knows exactly which closer will be used while Valverde is on the mend, Dotel!
Max Scherzer – 4 IP, 5 ER. You know how they’re doing that dopey MLB cave thing where they take a bunch of fans and subject them to every inning of every game like it’s Clockwork Orange? I have a spinoff for MLB. Tell one guy, while he’s been cooped up in the fan cave for the last two months, the entire west coast was wiped out due to an earthquake. Then compare that heart rate with his when he owns both Scherzer and Gallardo in fantasy.
Anthony Bass – 8 IP, 1 ER, 6 baserunners, 7 Ks. This comes two starts after he gave up 6 ER to Miami, so I’d grab Bass, but get ready to throw him back.
Josh Johnson – 7 IP, 2 ER, 7 baserunners, 6 Ks with his first win, but second quality start in a row. By Josh, I think he’s got it! Sorry, that’s terrible.
Omar Infante – 4-for-5, 1 run and 2 RBIs. Okay, I’d trade you Zack Cozart for Infante right now. Can we make that happen?
Bryce Harper – 1-for-4 with his 2nd homer in as many games. On the bright side, ESPN’s 24 hour Harper news cycle has a 2nd highlight.
Stephen Strasburg – 4 IP, 4 ER, 9 baserunners, 5 Ks. The sub-par start was due to him being bothered by the ointment, Hot Stuff, in his groin area. Now when he’s pitching well, Nats fans can yell, “It’s da bomb!” and when he’s pitching poorly, they can yell, “It’s da balm!”
Ervin Santana – 7 2/3 IP, 0 ER, 7 baserunners, 9 Ks. Pitchers like Ervin should have their own category. They’re not Hodgepadres. They’re not Marginers. They’re mixed league starters that are must-starts against weaker offenses, then you pray in other starts. Maybe you suggest a glossary term in the comments.
Albert Pujols – 3-for-4, 2 RBIs. And just like that he’s hitting .212! Yeah, that’s still not so good.
Mike Trout – 3-for-4, 3 runs and a slam (3) and legs (3). Maybe he can have a half of a blurb on the ticker right when ESPN HARPER is going to commercial.
Adam Jones – 2-for-3, 2 runs and also a slam (11) and legs (6). Let’s play a little game. Who’s higher on the Razzball Player Rater? Ryan Braun or Jones? Bruce or Jones?
Wei-Yin Chen – 7 IP, 2 ER, 6 baserunners, 4 Ks. Lowered his ERA to 2.45 but unless I lowered my standards (see what I did there?) I wouldn’t pick him up in a mixed league.
Elliot Johnson – 2-for-4, I’m not going to point out again that he’s hot but I will point out that I’m not pointing out that he’s hot.
Alex Cobb – Sounds like he could take Niemann’s spot in the rotation. He didn’t exactly shine last year in his call-up (6+ K/9, 3.90 xFIP), but in the minors he was able to push his K-rate towards 9 with decent ratios. In AL-Only leagues, I’d grab him if you need to *pinkie to mouth* Cobble together some pitching. And that was corny on the Cobb. I’m on a roll! Literally, it’s pumpernickel.
Derek Lowe – 9 IP, 0 ER, 10 baserunners, 0 Ks vs. Twins. It was throwback day at Target Field. Derek Lowe pitched like it was 2002, and the Twins hit like it was the Dead Ball Era.
Michael Brantley – 2-for-4 with a steal. Now hitting around .350 in the last week with one steal. Well, it’s better than batting .150 with nothing. Hey, Hosmer!
Shin Soo-Choo – 2-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI and his 2nd homer. He was Soo-Overdue.
A.J. Pierzynski – 5-for-5. 3 RBIs, 2 runs with 4 singles and a double. Solid year for A.J. (.288, 24 RBIs is 4 more than Konerko) although I keep thinking he’s on Arizona. That’s A.J. Pollock which is really close depending on how you pronounce it.
Yoenis Cespedes – Cleared for all baseball activities except hitting. Cool, he can spit and grab himself now.
Manny Ramirez – Billy Beane knows that the Johnny Gomes show isn’t going to do too well in summer re-runs so get ready for May 30th when Manny brings his brand of zany mediocrity to Oakland’s part-time DH slot. His show is called, “Once Too Manny” with Jerry Blevins as The Bleaver.
Every time I think about Drew Smyly, I think of Cliff Curtis from Training Day. That movie ended weird. “Don’t bleed on my floor,” he says after almost shooting Ethan Hawke in the bathtub with a shotgun. Pretty typical Saturday night if ya ask me, I dunno why Hawke got all bent out of shape and jumped on Denzel’s Monte Carlo.
But now when you say “Smyly,” it evokes feelings of waiver-wire hang-ups; where if he hasn’t been picked up in your league, you probably had him all queued up or someone else has. Buried underneath the Jacob Turner hype, Drew Smyly has progressed through the Tigers system like a nor’easter, pitching only 127.2 total innings in the minors and earning a spot in the Major League rotation just after Opening Day.
Smyly hasn’t been just good. He’s been historically good. He’s the first pitcher since earned runs have been a recorded stat to allow two or fewer in his first six career starts. Throw in a K per 9 and a 34:10 K:BB ratio and it defies all logic that Smyly was on so many waiver wires in 10-team leagues. Sure, it’s early and, sure, pitching is more than plentiful, but Smyly was making a case he should be owned in all formats.
So I decided to watch his start at U.S. Cellular Field against the White Sox and compare his outings to see if he’s improving while settling into the Majors:
First Inning: Smyly is all smiles after three early runs of support in the top of the frame, and on a 1-1 pitch, Alejandro De Aza slaps one right at Smyly, and the lefty ducks out of the way and De Aza gets a leadoff single. Gordon Beckham flies out lazily to center, but then on the first pitch to Adam Dunn, Dunn was sitting on the first pitch fastball and it’s launched for a two-run homer. You could just tell Dunn couldn’t wait for that pitch and it was exactly where he wanted it – right down the middle. There’s your two runs, Drew. Konerko flies out to right and Rios does as well, and Smyly rebounds nicely. Even though he gave up two runs, it’s still only an 11-pitch inning and Smyly still has a lead.
Second Inning: Smyly starts the second a bit rocky with two straight sliders that miss badly to fall behind 2-0 to A.J. Pierzynski. Smyly works it back to 2-1 and Pierzynski flies out to deep left, one down. 1-0 to Alexei Ramirez and Sexy Alexei flies out to short. Five outs and five fly ball outs. Smyly throws a great 92-MPH fastball right on the outside corner to get ahead in the count for the first time this inning to Dayan Viciedo. Where was that first pitch to Dunn? On 1-1, Viciedo pops out weakly to second. Six outs all via the fly ball.
Third Inning: With another two runs of support, Smyly is back out there with a 5-2 lead. Smyly starts Brent Morel with a fantastic curveball Morel takes for a strike, 0-1. On 0-2, Smyly barely misses a called strike 3 with a 93 MPH fastball… Not sure where that missed. And back with the curveball and Morel grounds out for Smyly’s first out not through the air. Smyly again dials up a curveball for strike one looking to De Aza. On 2-2, Smyly goes with a slider that breaks all the way across the zone to the dirt and De Aza can’t hold his swing, giving Smyly his first K on the evening. On 1-2, Beckham flares a 95 MPH fastball into foul territory that Brennan Boesch barely can’t catch. But 95 from Smyly! That’s some serious heat. And then he goes with a slider biting in on Beckham’s hands that s swung on and missed for Smyly’s second straight 1-2-3 inning. What a repertoire Smyly is showing.
Fourth Inning: This time, Smyly doesn’t give Dunn a first pitch strike or a fastball, throwing a slider for ball one. Smyly gets the count back to 1-2 still utilizing only off-speed. Dunn works it full then Smyly dials up a cutter that started inside and cut right into the heart of the plate that Dunn takes for Smyly’s third straight K. On 1-1 to Konerko, Smyly gets a flare popup that lands in no man’s land in right for a fluke single. Smyly had retired nine in a row until that unfortunate single. On 0-1, Rios gets jammed and pops up to Prince Fielder. And on 1-0 Pierzynski flies out weakly to center and it’s another pain free inning for Smyly.
Fifth Inning: On 0-1 to Ramirez, Alexei smokes one to left for a single. Out comes Gerald Laird for a quick talk… Other than Dunn’s blast, that was the best-hit ball for the White Sox. Smyly goes back with a curve ball taken for strike one by Viciedo. Then Smyly goes with a HORRIBLE slider, 85 MPH and it hung on a tee right down the middle. Crushed. Home run for Viciedo, 393 feet to left. Let’s hope Smyly can rebound as strongly as he did after Dunn’s blast. On 2-2, Morel chases a slider out of the zone and pops it out to second for the first out. 0-1 to De Aza, and it’s grounded weakly right to Smyly, two down. Smyly goes up 0-2 on Beckham, but a 2-2 slider barely misses inside then Smyly loses him for his first walk. The first pitch to Adam Dunn is a cutter that looked identical to the fastball Dunn crushed, but it wrinkles and cuts down and Dunn swings over it and almost out of his shoes. Great pitch. On 1-2, Smyly goes to the slider and gets Dunn to swing and miss to once again, again rebounding nicely after giving up a two-run homer. And somewhat surprisingly, after only 69 pitches, Leyland takes out Smyly.
Final Line: ND 69 Pitches (45 Strikes) 5 Hits 1 Walk 4 Earned Runs 4 Ks
Final Analysis: All post game reports indicate Smyly is completely healthy, and Leyland lifted his young southpaw so early due to concerns of the fly balls Smyly was giving up. I think it was just an anomaly as even after the game his GB/FB rate is 0.93. I think Smyly had at least another good inning in him and may have done a better job protecting the lead (reliever Luke Putkonen subsequently gave up three runs while only getting one out in the bottom of the 6th), as he had sat down 9 straight and 3 straight after giving up the two two-run homers.
This was a great start to breakdown. You look at the stat line and say to yourself, “5 innings and 4 earned… the magic must be coming to an end.” It sure as hell isn’t. Smyly made only two mistakes all night that happened to be absolutely crushed. Of course you can’t make mistakes at this level, but Smyly wasn’t exactly pounded throughout his start, allowing only the 5 hits (one of which was a fluke flare single by Konerko) and one walk.
From what I saw in his debut, Smyly has taken tremendous strides. It appears he’s given up on his changeup (I didn’t think I saw a single one) and is instead using a solid cutter for the same effect (like he utilized on Dunn in the fifth). Smyly was able to throw his curveball for strikes and his slider as an out pitch, and even hit 95 on the gun with his fastball, improving his velocity from his debut. The only real knock on Smyly is he’s going to be lifted out of games very early, as is par for the course for young pitchers these days. But with his stuff and that offense behind him, Smyly needs to be owned in all formats. If he’s still on your wire or if you missed out on him and an owner has cut him after this apparent “bad” outing, go and grab him.
In a prior article posted in Razzball, “An Audacious Account of the Evolution of the Rules of Baseball,” I touched upon the various exploits of Michael “King” Kelly. However, some of Kelly’s antics were so outrageous, so entertaining, and his impact on the evolution of the game so profound, that I thought that he was deserving of his own article.
The greatest player, as well as greatest drawing card during the aboriginal years of baseball, was “King” Kelly. He was incredibly talented, ingenious, and charismatic; an impeccable dresser and flamboyant to the point of outrageousness – a vaudeville performer, in fact – and generous as well. He was certainly a ladies man; and, indeed, the “King of Baseball.”
Kelly wore a handlebar mustache almost a century before Charlie O. Finley persuaded Rollie Fingers to sport the look. Perhaps the greatest showman and slugger of the 19th Century, Kelly was the prototype of Babe Ruth, sharing many of the same laudatory as well as self-destructive traits as the Colossus of Clout would display forty years later.
Kelly was recruited by Cap Anson, the legendary player-manager of the Chicago White Sox. Kelly first caught Cap’s eye during a game in 1879. Kelly whacked a ball out to left field and attempted to turn a routine single into a double, but although he was apparently out on the play, the umpire ruled him safe. The entire Chicago club rushed the field to argue the call with the arbiter, and while the heated debate took place, Kelly raced for third – and then to home base – scoring a run. This base-running gambit was a harbinger of things to come.
Kelly became the master at subverting the rules, and at times disregarding them entirely, to his team’s benefit. Kelly devised and implemented a number of strategies and innovations to the game, many of which we now take for granted. He and Anson were the first to play off the bag at first and third base. The infield shift, rediscovered when Ted Williams displayed his prowess at pulling guided missiles to right field , was first utilized by the White Stockings in the 1880’s. Contrary to some reports, Kelly didn’t invent the slide; that innovation belongs to William Craver of the Troy Haymakers. However, by all accounts, Kelly developed the hook slide. When Kelly played as a catcher, he was likely the first to use signals with the pitcher, as well as signaling the fielders what the pitch would be. He was also credited with being the first outfielder to back up his infielders, as well as teaching infielders and pitchers to back up bases to guard against an overthrow. He was also the first ballplayer to foul off pitches on purpose. However, some of Kelly’s other “innovative techniques” skirted with the boundaries of gamesmanship. For instance, The King was the first catcher recorded to throw his catcher’s mask in the base path in order to trip up the runner.
In addition to these innovations with in-game strategy, Kelly was also a terrific hitter; he won two batting championships during his career, and led the league in runs scored and doubles on 3 occasions. He also finished in the top ten in slugging percentage and OBP+ eight times, and finished in the top ten in RBI’s ten times. However, he was perhaps best known for his base running skills. He was timed running the bases in 15 seconds. Kelly once swiped six bases in one game and reportedly stole five on several other occasions. He was one of the first players to regularly steal third base and home, which he did in succession numerous times. He developed into one of the game’s masters of the high slide, sliding into the opposing fielders guarding the bag and taking them out with his spikes. Kelly later commented on this approach to base-running, known in those days as “kicking.”
“People go to see games because they love excitement and love to be worked up. That is one reason why I believe in “kicking” now and then on the diamond. Look at the Chicago Base Ball Club. It has been the most successful in this country. Why? One good reason because they are “chronic kickers,” and people flock to see them to witness the sport. The people who go to ball games want good playing, with just enough kicking to make things interesting thrown in.”
Another standard ploy was attempting to cut bases. At the time Kelly played the game, there was only one umpire on the field. Kelly would observe when the lone umpire’s attention was diverted, and then attempt to score from second base, veering towards home while still 20 feet short of third. Occasionally, he would get caught and receive a reproach from the umpire, but for the most part he was successful, and his cheating only endeared him more to the fanatic cranks. In fact, the first hit song played on Thomas Edison’s new invention, the phonograph, was called “Slide, Kelly, Slide”, in honor of the King’s exploits; and he was also the first ballplayer to be chased by cranks for his autograph.
Many of the 19th century baseball stories have been passed on from generation to generation. What was truth often morphed into legend, and legend into myth. Oftentimes it is difficult to tell what stories were indeed true, or are but tall-tales. That being the case, there were numerous anecdotes of Kelly’s exploits. Here are some of them:
The White Stockings were playing a donnybrook game in Boston in 1880. The score was tied at 17-17. It was getting late in the day, and dusk was setting in. The Boston squad loaded the bases with two outs in the last of the 9th inning and one run would win the game for the home team. However, if the White Stockings could record an out, the game would be suspended and the two teams would resume play the following day. The Boston batter bashes a long drive to deep right field and Kelly frantically attempts to track the ball. The next moment he is seen leaping high in the air, lets out a victorious war cry, and is observed holding what appears to be the ball while he trots off the field. The umpire shouts the batter out, and suspends the game because of darkness.
As he returns to the dugout, Anson and the rest of his teammates congratulate him on his fielding prowess. Then one member of the team asks Kelly for the ball.
“How the hell do I know where the ball is,” Kelly said. “It went a mile over my head.”
Kelly was the quintessential Irishmen playing in the Emerald Era. Unfortunately, he lived up to all of the stereotypes; he was a quick-thinking, hard playing ballplayer, with an unhealthy fondness for John Barleycorn. He missed quite a few games due to hangovers. He often took shots of whiskey from a flask during the course of a game, sneaking behind the bench in the midst of the proceedings. Once he was asked point-blank whether he consumed alcohol during the game. Kelly replied: “It all depends on how long the game is.”
Or perhaps how hot.
On a sizzling hot summer day, Kelly bought a mug of beer, taking it with him to right field. He was taking a deep, satisfying draft of the brew, when the batter launched a drive in the King’s vicinity. Mug in hand, Kelly ran like the wind, making a sensational one-handed catch. What perhaps was most satisfying was that he spilled nary a drop of the precious draft.
Although Kelly fought a lifetime battle with his demons, including alcohol, gambling, womanizing, and prolific spending, he also had a heart of gold. The following anecdote perhaps best sums up both the Ruthian character flaws, as well as the gentle soul of a man who was larger then life.
Kelly was known to be fond of playing the ponies. On one occasion, he spent a rare off-day at the Guttenberg Track. He placed his entire wad of dough, totaling $100, on a horse named “Play or Pay”. The nag, slated for the glue factory, was not well thought of, and went off at 30-1. As things would go, on that day “Play or Pay” ran liked a winged Pegasus, winning the race by a nose, and Kelly pocketed $3,100 in profits. Unfortunately, he couldn’t leave it at that, and wound up losing $2,000 betting on other steeds that were not up to snuff. Friends, relatives and sycophants managed to hit him for another $500. Kelly then stopped off at his favorite watering hole, buying drinks and expensive cigars for all the patrons.
After imbibing a generous quantity of spirits, Kelly meandered back to his hotel. He came upon a small girl, who was sitting in the gutter of the street and crying. Kelly picked the ragamuffin up, and inquired what was bothering her. The girl told Kelly that her father had died the prior week, her mother was ill, and the family could not afford medical treatment. Kelly handed over what was left in his pocket, amounting to a bit more than $100. When he finally arrived at the hotel, he asked a teammate for a small loan, so that he could buy dinner before retiring for the evening.
After years of attempting to reform the King of Baseball, White Sox skipper Cap Anson grew weary of the effort and convinced ownership to trade Kelly. He was eventually sold to the Boston Beaneaters for the exorbitant sum of $15,000. Hence, his second nickname; “The $15,000 Beauty.” After the deal was completed, Anson groused to the local journalists that he preferred his more youthful squad instead of the old veterans like Kelly whom he had sold. Mike persuaded his Boston teammates to allow his theater friends to make them up and dress them as old men the next time Boston played Chicago. The entire team except the battery played the game in costume and Boston won the match.
In 1894, “King” Kelly was traveling to Boston via steamship. Kelly, who was fighting a head cold before the trip, developed pneumonia and was admitted to a hospital upon arriving in Boston. While being transported by orderlies, they tripped, and dropped his gurney. Kelly fell, and skidded across the floor. In a ragged voice, Kelly told the Medical Staff:
“I think, me mates, this is me last slide.”
He spent the last hours of his life with teammates, reminiscing over past escapades on the diamond and good times from the past. Kelly died the following day, Nov. 8, 1894. He was 36 years old.
In 1945, Kelly achieved baseball immortality, when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, N.Y.
May 16, 2012 by: Grey Category:
Razzball Podcast
May 16, 2012 by: Scott Evans 
May 15, 2012 by: Jonathan Gilpin 
May 15, 2012 by: Paulie Allnuts 
