Greg Maddux, the greatest pitcher of the generation, has finally retired. The only other pitcher that was in that conversation was Roger Clemens, and...well...yea...so about Clemens...so...he is in a bit of trouble right now. Because Clemens is a freaken cheater!
So, that leaves Maddux as the best pitcher over the past 20 years.
One memory I have of Maddux comes from the late 90s in a playoff game against the Yankees.
Bernie Williams was batting in a big spot. The first 2 pitches were a fastball and a change over the outside corner (literally) and Bernie did not swing on either. To defend the square inch both pitches hit, Bernie crowded the plate... and guess was happened-
Maddux threw one of those fastballs that starts out at the batters hip and ends up over the inside corner. However, because Bernie was crowding the plate, the ball started behind him and ended up over the plate. In a very un-Bernie-like moment, he turned to the umpire and started to argue. The only explanation given by the announcers was "wow, that is just not fair!" Because it wasn't. The greatest just made a very good hitter look like a fool at the plate.
I loved to watch Maddux in his heyday. The guy was just remarkable. The HOFer has 355 wins to Clemens 354. The 1 game doesn't mean much, but Maddux certainly deserves to come out on top of that race!
Yaros
Nobody dislikes Clemens more than I do, but I have to admit - it's really a shame. Lets say he starting roiding up in 1996 when duquette said he was done. He STILL would have beeen a HOFer!!! - he had 3 Cy Youngs and was the best pitcher in the majors from about 86-92. Same of cousre is true of the pre-steroids Bonds. IDIOTS!!!
ReplyDeleteBut great post on Maddux. True legend. I remember going to a Mets Cubs game in 1990 and Maddux just turned 24 and shut down the mets and Howie Rose on Mets extra was saying that this guy is so young and already so good and we're gunna be hearing a lot from him.