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Home , Alan Embree, Barry Bonds, Buddy Groom, George Sherrill, Hold (baseball), Jesse Orosco

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E14 DAILY 04-22-07 MD RE E14 CMYK

E14 Sunday, April 22, 2007 R x

Home runs by the Yankees’ in his first 15 games this season. He tied the Phillies’ (1976) for the fastest to 12 homers. He needs two more to tie (2006) for the most home runs in April. Rodriguez also has 31 RBI, MLBSunday By Dave Sheinin 12 four short of Juan Gonzalez’s April record of 35, set with the Rangers in 1998.

WHAT IT FEELS LIKE . . . What’s a LOOGY (LOO•gee) n. Acronym for “lefty one-out guy,” refers to Gotta Love a Good LOOGY LOOGY? a left-handed relief specialist whose primary job is to retire left-handed batters in high-pressure, late-inning One-out lefties have carved a niche in strategy. situations, often facing only one such batter per game. GREAT MOMENTS IN LOOGY HISTORY

. . . to get pancaked at home plate by a 6-3, 220-pound base runner going full speed On April 21, 2005, Mike Redmond, the ’ backup , was over at the plate by Mike Sweeney, a collision that forced Redmond out of the A youthful game and left him with bruised ribs. Tony LaRussa with a swing Here is his account of the collision: brought LOOGY and a miss You see the ball coming from left philosophy against his field, and you see the runner in your line to Chicago in LOOGY nemesis, of vision. It was the ninth inning, close 1979. King, in 2004. game, and I said, “I have to hang in there, hang in there,” as the ball’s BY DILIP VISHWANAT—GETTY IMAGES coming. And the ball took a hop on the 1 Aug. 2, 1979 2 May 15, 1987 3 July 31, 2000 turf and just kind of slowed down. And name loses the ’ job Ray King faces Barry Bonds for the fi rst time by then I was in no-man’s land, I couldn’t get out of the way. So I just La Russa may not have invented the LOOGY, though he Just seven months after closing out the Mets’ World In a historic meeting, King gets Bonds to tap back to had to take it. He hit me. I mean, he often gets the credit, but he certainly helped popularize Series title, Orosco lost his job to rising star Roger the mound for an out. Why is this historic? In the next crushed me. And I just went straight it, deploying such proto-LOOGYs as Kevin Hickey (White McDowell, relegating Orosco to the ranks of LOOGY- six years, King will hock a fi gurative loogie into Bonds’s backwards. Sox, 1981-83) and Rick Honeycutt (Oakland, 1988- dom. But Orosco turned the demotion into a mission, eye. Bonds has gone 1 for 16 (.063) in his career vs. Then I was on my back, kind of doing 93). After moving to St. Louis, he further standardized authoring arguably the greatest career in LOOGY King, his lowest average against any a check of my body, trying to find out the -LOOGY , using both Honeycutt and history. He pitched until he was 46 years old and still he has faced more than 15 times. The one hit, what hurt the most, so I could tell the in that role in 1996. holds the all-time record of 1,252 games pitched. however, was a walk-off homer in 2003. trainers when they got there. At first I thought I’d separated my shoulder. And I was having trouble breathing, and TOP LOOGYS OF 2006 MOST PROLIFIC “PURE” LOOGYS every time I breathed it was hurting. It (minimum 50 games pitched) Most career games pitched while averaging less than one inning. just kind of paralyzes you. Sweeney is the nicest guy in the INNINGS OPPONENTS’ INNINGS OPPONENTS’ PITCHER GAMES PITCHED BATTING AVG. PITCHER GAMES PITCHED BATTING AVG. world, and he’s saying, “Dude I’m sorry, I’m sorry. You okay?” I said, “Don’t Dennys Reyes (Twins) 66 50.2 .197 Mike Stanton (1989-2007)* 1,117 1,061.2 .253 worry about it. That’s what you’re Will Ohman (Cubs) 78 65.1 .208 (1986-1999) 884 855.2 .255 supposed to do.” George Sherrill (Mariners) 72 40.0 .213 (1995-2007)* 819 494.1 .252 . . . I didn’t go on the disabled list, but it still hurt almost all year. I can still Trever Miller (Astros) 70 50.2 .225 (1992-2005) 786 734.2 .285 feel it in there every once in a while. Matt Thornton (White Sox) 63 54.0 .229 Steve Kline (1997-2007)* 732 640.0 .250 I have a photo of [the collision] on Damaso Marte (Pirates) 75 58.1 .244 (1992-2007)* 717 627.2 .252 the wall in my office. It’s not something I think about much now, but when I’m Mike Myers (Yankees) 62 30.2 .244 (1993-2003) 568 533.0 .271 done I want to be able to remember Tony Fossas (1988-1999) 567 415.2 .269 what it felt like. Reyes, near right, held opponents under .200 last Scott Radinsky (1990-2001) 557 481.2 .253 year. Stanton, far right, is the career uber-LOOGY. Ricardo Rincon (1997-2006) 557 439.2 .233 BY JONATHAN DANIEL—GETTY IMAGES BY CHRIS TROTMAN—GETTY IMAGES * through Tuesday’s games NEWS & NOTES SOURCE: STATS LLC. THE WASHINGTON POST As a Twin, Former Nat Nice Work if You Can Get It Ortiz Excels Ramon Ortiz might have Left-handed Relief Specialists Have a Unique Job: Face Just One Batter re-signed with the this winter if the By Dave Sheinin he often pitches into his 40s. while averaging less than one inning Reyes of the Minnesota Twins, who Villone and Mike Myers) and Mike organization could have made Washington Post Staff Writer He is the reason you tie your 2- per appearance — was by the immor- last season authored one of the great- Hargrove’s Mariners (primarily two things happen: Prove they year-old son’s right hand behind his tal Bill Henry of the est LOOGY seasons of all-time (66 George Sherrill), who each did it 35 2 were ready to be a winner in And now, faithful readers of MLB back when your wife isn’t around. in 1962. That makes Fred Hutchin- appearances, 50 ⁄3 innings, 0.89 ERA, times, according to retrosheet.org. 2007, and move to the American Sunday, let us join in praise for the “I was a big fan as a son the first manager to deploy — or, .197 opponents’ batting average). “Everybody gives La Russa a hard League. The chances of either, LOOGY: the “lefty one-out guy,” also kid,” said LOOGY extraordinaire Ja- some might say, “to hock” — a LO- “He’s the one we all look up to.” knock [for over-managing],” King of course, were nil. known as the left-handed relief spe- mie Walker of the OGY. La Russa began using Kevin Hick- said, “but he’s a guy [who] put every And so Ortiz, the Nationals’ cialist. You know him. You love him (current contract: three years, $12 But it wasn’t until the 1980s that ey as a LOOGY with the White Sox pitcher in a situation to have success winningest pitcher last year, is (as long as he’s retiring his one bat- million), explaining how one typical- the LOOGY began to take as a in 1981, and La Russa’s future teams . . . A game could be 14-1, and he’s plying his trade for the ter per game). You wish you were ly becomes a LOOGY. “Hell, I didn’t standard bullpen weapon. Two sig- in Oakland and St. Louis almost uni- still going to match up.” Minnesota Twins — fulfilling him. want to be a reliever until I realized nificant things happened in that dec- formly carried one LOOGY, if not Interestingly, though King is one his wishes of playing for a He is typically goofy and often my stuff is not as good . . . It does ade: Tony La Russa (in 1980) man- two. The list reads like a Who’s Who of the greatest LOOGYs of all-time, potential winner, and not having overweight — his job description re- blow my mind, the money we make.” aged his first full season and Jesse of LOOGYs: Rick Honeycutt, Tony in his first five appearances for the to bat. Through three starts, he quires little in the way of sanity or fit- The LOOGY (freelance writer Orosco (in 1987) lost his closer’s job. Fossas, Lance Painter, Orosco (for Nationals this season he has faced is 3-0 with a 2.05 ERA, and he ness. He enters during the seventh or John Sickels is often credited with Over time, La Russa would come to six games in 2000), Steve Kline and five, two, three, four and six batters. says he could not be happier. eighth inning, faces his one batter coining the term), did not fully be known as the most prolific (or, Ray King. Nats rookie manager Manny Acta “I felt good in Washington,” (usually the best left-handed hitter evolve until recent times, but has some might say, most egregious) de- Last season, La Russa deployed has some learning to do, it seems, in said Ortiz, who was 11-16 with a on the opponents’ roster), and dis- been around longer than you might ployer of the LOOGY in history, one of his LOOGYs (Tyler Johnson the art of the LOOGY. 5.57 ERA in his only D.C. appears into the clubhouse to sip a think. The first documented LOOGY while Orosco, in the second half of or Randy Flores) to face a bat- season, “but I feel great here.” beer. For a season of this, he often season by our (admittedly) arbitrary his career, would become known as ter a total of 33 times, tops in the Na- Staff writers Barry Svrluga and Ortiz has been effusive in his earns several million dollars. Be- definition — a season in which a lefty the Godfather of the LOOGY. tional League and third in all of base- Jorge Arangure Jr. contributed to praise of Twins pitching cause of the low mileage on his arm, made at least 40 relief appearances “Oh, man Orosco,” said Dennys ball behind ’s Yankees (Ron this report. Rick Anderson. “Sometimes you pitch, and you do something wrong,” he said. “[Anderson] sees what I do wrong, and he teaches me the right way.” THE LIST: Five Likeliest to Reach 3,000 Hits Asked about the implication 3 UP & 3 DOWN that Nationals pitching coach entered the weekend needing only Randy St. Claire was not as 56 more hits to reach 3,000 — the magic number that typically gains one entry A-Rod Soriano attentive, Ortiz backed away. to Cooperstown. Of the 26 batters with 3,000 hits, only (who is in- What’s more jaw-dropping — 12 Former Nats star struggling, injured “No, St. Claire is good,” he said. eligible), and (who are not yet eligible) homers in first 15 games, or with Cubs. On pace for another “But every pitching coach is are not in the Hall of Fame. keeping his foot out of his mouth for “40-40” year — 40 hits, 40 RBI. different, and [Anderson] just But after Biggio, there are no slam-dunk future members of three straight weeks? sees everything.” the 3,000-hit club. No one under 40 has as many as Ortiz said the Nationals made 2,500 hits, and Ivan Rodriguez is the only player 35 or Virginia Tech Hats Johnsons a competitive offer to keep him, younger with as many as 2,200. For one night, all the Nats were Five of them currently on the but had no chance. He signed a Still, the 3,000-hit plateau will be reached again. Hokies, even U-Va. product Ryan disabled list (Nick, Randy, Dan, Josh one-year deal with the Twins for Here are five players with the best chance to be next: Zimmerman. and Reed). Tyler and Kelly, better $3.1 million. watch your backs. “I like to win,” Ortiz said. “I 1962 Mets Watch don’t care if I could be the , Time to start showing daily King Felix number one starter in 1 32 years old, 2,170 hits comparisons to all-time worst Mariners ace Hernandez injures Washington. I’d rather be team. Through 15 games: ’62 Mets elbow in third start. Pity the fool number five here and win.” Jeter, who turns 33 in June, should have no (3-12), ’07 Phillies (4-11). who flew all the way out to Seattle K FAMILIAR DIFFICULTIES: Why problem reaching 3,000 by around 2011 and could to see that. does the greatest closer in even make a run at the rarefied 3,500-hit club, which history, of the has only five members (Rose, , , New York Yankees, all of a and Tris Speaker). Jeter has five 200-hit sudden turn into Jorge Julio seasons on his résumé, and his career batting average of .317 ranks sixth among active players with at least THE WEEK AHEAD when he gets anywhere near the RED SOX AT YANKEES WHITE SOX AT ROYALS , as he did again 3,000 plate appearances. Friday night in blowing a at Friday through Sunday Tomorrow and Tuesday ? Yankee Stadium, New York , Kansas City The Yankees, of course, After this weekend’s showdown Poor . The would say it’s merely BARRY BONDS, GIANTS in Boston, the teams reconvene only time his name is invoked is coincidence that Rivera has 2 42 years old, 2,852 hits at Yankee Stadium, where Red when someone who has thrown converted only 66.7 percent of ALBERT PUJOLS, ST. LOUIS CARDINALS Sox rookie Daisuke Matsuzaka a no-hitter takes the mound the Don’t laugh. If he matches his 2006 produc- 4 27 years old, 1,171 hits (who is lined up to pitch the next time. Tomorrow it will be his saves (14 of 21 with an ERA tion (99 hits in 130 games), Bonds, who turns of 2.87) against the Red Sox Pujols has averaged 193 hits per season since opener) gets his first taste of the Bronx cheer. Mark Buehrle trying to join Vander Meer as the 43 in July, would reach 3,000 midway through . only to throw consecutive no-hitters. since the start of the 2004 the 2008 season. As with his chase, a his debut in 2001, and at that pace would reach season — including playoffs — 3,000 in just over decade. Like Bonds, he could lot depends on how often pitchers choose to TIGERS AT ANGELS BREWERS AT CUBS vs. a save percentage of 93 pitch to him. be hurt by pitchers’ unwillingness to pitch to percent (120 out of 129 with an him. Tomorrow and Tuesday Tomorrow through Wednesday ERA of 1.62) against the other Angel Stadium, Anaheim, Calif. Wrigley Field, Chicago 28 teams. ALEX RODRIGUEZ, NEW YORK YANKEES The injury-depleted Angels are The Cubs expect to get Alfonso 3 31 years old, 2,087 hits , However, familiarity 5 33 years old, 1,368 hits slowly getting back to full Soriano (hamstring) back early undoubtedly has something to He has more hits than Jeter had at the same strength, with ace Bartolo in the week — and they hope do with it. Rivera has pitched age, but is not advancing as quickly. A-Rod has Ichiro is at a severe disadvantage, of course, Colon and slugger Vladimir they’ll be getting the Soriano of 2 37 ⁄3 innings against Boston in not had a 200-hit season since 2001, but he has by having spent nine seasons in Japan. But he Guerrero both expected back 2006 (46 homers, 95 RBI) and that span, nearly nine innings averaged around 180 per year since then — a has caught up in a hurry, averaging 225 hits a this weekend — just in time to welcome the not the Soriano of 2007 (no homers, 1 RBI). more than he has pitched pace that would put him on the cusp of 3,000 year in the U.S.. At that rate, he could get close defending AL champs to town tomorrow. They’ll need him against the Brewers, who against any other team. by the end of the 2011 season. to 3,000 by the end of 2013, when he will be 39. surged to the top of the NL Central this week.

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