Comments on: Lowest batting average, first two seasons

By: Johnny Twisto

Johnny Twisto — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:04:09 +0000

I remember the parallels between Williams and Schmidt being often noted once Williams became a good player. I also remember his great season in '94; the strike may have hurt his legacy more than any other player's. A very good career but he'll be little remembered by our kids. I give a lot of credit to Detroit for Inge. The guy was an absolutely horrendous hitter and I couldn't understand why they stuck with him. They saw something in him and once he got out from behind the plate, he became a useful utility player and now a very good 3B. The bat is only marginal, but better than it looked it would ever be.

By: kingturtle

kingturtle — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 15:36:27 +0000

Well, it's been 15 years or so since I've read Ball Four. I can't remember *everything* now, can I? I was looking closer at Oyler's stats to see if I could find some positive things: like "come on guys, it was the American League in the late 1960s! no one was hitting that well!" but then I looked at his OPS+ which never got over 61. He was 2 for 8 on the base path; and he struck out in 25% of his plate appearances. His range factor in the field was not all that impressive compared to the league. He *did* place third in the AL in Sac Hits once. And he *did* have a sac hit in the World Series. He *did* get a World Series ring.

By: Andy

Andy — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:39:00 +0000

You read Ball Four but didn't know Oyler had died? He mentioned it in the afterword (not the original afterword, of course, but somehow I doubt you read an original printing...)

By: kingturtle

kingturtle — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:16:52 +0000

I always get a ping of sadness when I look up players and find that they are dead. Ray Oyler died in his early 40s. I didn't know he was dead. I stare and examine all these stats, and often know little or nothing about these players as people. I get the same ping when I am at an antique store and the dealer is selling old photos of people long gone. I like whenever I can to know more about these players as people. Oyler's year in Seattle was rather magical and a fun story; Oyler was also part of an interesting story in the 1968 when his manager benched him and played Stanley (who had little experience at shortstop) at shortstop. It's nice to see that his BR page is sponsored by a member of the that Ray Oyler fan club. P.S. I love "Ball Four" *and* I think Bouton was and continues to be an ambassador of the game.

By: Andy

Andy — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 12:56:26 +0000

I'm curious about something. When I see Ray Oyler, I IMMEDIATELY think of "Ball Four" by Jim Bouton. The same is true whenever I see the names Don Mincher, Steve Hovley, Mike Hegas, Fred Talbot, Gary Bell, Gene Brabender, and of course Dooley Womack. Is this true for anybody else? I can't think of another sports book that has had such a profound effect. Kids today read it and don't understand--they don't realize what media access was like then versus now, and don't realize that that book changed everything.