Strike Three! - Softcover

Thomas A. Tomsick

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0981726968 ISBN 13: 9780981726960

Publisher: Cincinnati Book Publishers, 2010

Synopsis

"Strike Three! My Years in the Pen" is a delayed celebration of the top strikeout staffs in the history of the American League. Strike Three! shifts attention from  the effects of PEDS on hitting and HR records to their effect on pitching records, such as those of the  the Cleveland Indians of 1964-68. The 1964 Indians was the first staff to strike out (SO) 1100 AL batters in a season, and they would lead the league with over 1100 SO for a record-setting 5 years, not since duplicated. They were the first to SO 7.0 batters / 9 innings. They would set a single-season record with 1189 SO in 1967, a record that would stand for 30 years, broken only in the steroid era. Of 7 AL staffs that averaged 7 SO / 9 innings for 5 consecutive years, only they led the rest of the AL by more than 1 SO / 9 innings. They would be the only staff since WW II to lead the NL in SO 5 consecutive years. All the records were remarkably accomplished while pitching in Cleveland Municipal Stadium, which had the greatest foul area of any BLB stadium.  Bill James noted the '64 staff would be the top "future wins" staff in AL history, with Tommy John, Luis Tiant, Sam McDowell, and Sonny Siebert themselves combining for over 700 future wins.  Strike Three! is also a story of the bullpen, and bullpen catchers, as the job has evolved from 1946 to 2010. Finally, it is a story of the teen-age, bullpen-catcher-author who caught the record-setting staff from 1964-66, and his Years in the 'Pen.

About this title

From the Back Cover:

"As a former minor league catcher , and in 1964 a rookie baseball writer who went on to cover the Indians for 14 years, I very much enjoyed Tom's recollection of his experiences in the clubhouse and the bull pen.  I had no idea these records were being set---I'm impressed by the analysis!"  ......Russell Schneider, former baseball columnist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, noted Indian's' historian, and author of several books about the Tribe."Why couldn't a team with this pitching staff win anything?  The anecdotal 'stuff' about individuals was fascinating-- stories were great!" ..... Leo Bradly, Ed. D., Professor, Xavier University, author of "Underrated Reds: The story of the 1939-1940 Cincinnati Reds, the Team's First Undisputed Championship

About the Author:

Thomas A. Tomsick, M.D. is a faculty member of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Director of Neuroradiology. Tomsick is a member of The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), baseball enthusiasts dedicated to researching all facets of the game.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cincinnati Book Publishers
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 0981726968
• ISBN 13: 9780981726960
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 220
• Editor: Judge Mark P. Painter