Big Red Machine

Ted is a very casual baseball fan but his keen powers of observation hold in this domain too. He made some truly prescient remarks about several members of the Big RedMachine.

Don Gullett, ace starting pitcher. With a view of Gullett, standing motionless on the mound, from the center field camera, Ted said: "There's something structurally wrong with his left neck and shoulder. " Gullett was picked up as a free agent, for a huge amount of money, after that season by the NY Yankees. He pitched 2/3 of a season for the Yankees in 1977, missing 1/3 due to a left shoulder problem. He pitched one game in the 1977 World Series, and after the game was reported to have reinjured his shoulder. He never pitched again.

Rawly Eastwick, closer: "He looks good, but you can't count on him." Eastwick later gave up a 3 run home run against the Red Sox in the 8th inning of the very famous Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. The Reds were on the verge of winning the Series in 6 games, but instead the score was now tied 6-6. The Red Sox went on to win that game 7-6 in the 13th inning on Carlton Fisk's legendary home run. The Reds won Game 7, 4-3, without using Eastwick. The following year, in Game 1 of the 1976 National League Championship Series against the Phillies, Eastwick entered in the 9th inning with a 5 run lead. He quickly allowed 3 runs and was removed from the game. The Reds held on to win that game, and did not use Eastwick again in that postseason, as they went on to sweep the Phillies in 3 games and then swept the Yankees in 4 games in the World Series.

In 1977, with free agency in effect for the first season, Eastwick announced early in the season that he wanted a multi-year contract with a lot of money. The Reds traded him to the Yankees, as George Steinbrenner was eager to plunder the Reds. But Billy Martin, the Yankees manager and a cowboy/tough guy, didn't like the preppy pretty boy Eastwick, called him "Steinbrenner's Kid" and refused to use him in meaningful situations. Eastwick fell apart mentally and quickly faded into oblivion.

Coming attractions on this post: More astutue mid-70's observations from Ted on Dave Concepcion, Pete Rose, and George Foster.