RetroSimba

Forsch vs. Forsch: Bob had edge in brotherly matchup

November 26, 2011 by retrosimba

From 1974 through 1980, the Cardinals’ Bob Forsch made 17 starts against Houston and the Astros’ Ken Forsch made eight starts against St. Louis, but the brothers never started in the same game against one another.

Bob Forsch and Ken Forsch did pitch in the same game four times _ in each, Bob was a starter and Ken was a reliever _ and it was Bob who usually got the upper hand.

Ken Forsch entered the majors with Houston in 1970. Bob Forsch, four years younger than Ken, made his big-league debut with the Cardinals on July 7, 1974. Two weeks later, Bob faced Ken in a major-league game for the first time.

In his book “Tales From The Cardinals Dugout,” Bob Forsch wrote he and his brother almost faced one another as starting pitchers in Game 1 of the 1982 World Series. Ken Forsch then was with the Angels, who played the Brewers in the best-of-five American League Championship Series. The Brewers won Game 5, earning the AL pennant, but if the Angels had won, “Kenny … was scheduled to pitch the opener in the World Series,” Bob Forsch wrote. “I was scheduled to start Game 1 for the Cardinals.”

Here are the four games in which Bob Forsch and Ken Forsch pitched:

Cardinals 9, Astros 1, July 21, 1974, at St. Louis

In his fourth big-league appearance, Bob Forsch earned his second win and pitched his second complete game.

Ken Forsch pitched the seventh and eighth innings and gave up three runs.

In the eighth, Bob Forsch batted against his brother for the first time in the big leagues. With Mike Tyson on third and one out, Bob Forsch hit a grounder to shortstop Roger Metzger, who threw to the plate to retire Tyson. The next batter, Jose Cruz, hit an inside-the-park home run off the center-field wall, scoring Bob Forsch from first. Boxscore

Describing his at-bat, Bob Forsch wrote, “I hit what I thought was a sizzling ground ball to the shortstop … I didn’t want to strike out. I was just so glad I hit the ball … and that my brother didn’t hit me first.”

The game was the finale of a four-game series. Before the first game, Bob Forsch was shagging balls in the outfield during batting practice when Ken Forsch walked onto the field, greeted his brother, congratulated him on reaching the major leagues and shook hands with him. Wrote Bob Forsch:

When batting practice was over, we left the field. Bob Gibson came over and told me, “That’ll cost you $25 (for fraternizing with an opponent). Don’t talk to anyone on the other team.”

This was my own flesh and blood. And Gibby obviously knew it. I mean, Kenny had his uniform on with “FORSCH” on the back. Nobody spoke up and defended me. Hey, I was a rookie. And who’s going to go against Bob Gibson?

Astros 8, Cardinals 7, June 15, 1975, at St. Louis

Bob Forsch was lifted for pinch-hitter Ron Fairly in the eighth inning, with the Cardinals ahead, 7-4. But the Astros loaded the bases against Al Hrabosky in the ninth. After Mike Garman relieved Hrabosky, Cliff Johnson greeted Garman with a grand slam, depriving Forsch and St. Louis of a win.

Ken Forsch relieved Astros starter Doug Konieczny in the fifth and pitched three scoreless innings.

In the top of the sixth, Ken Forsch batted against his brother for the only time in their big-league careers. He struck out, ending the inning. In the bottom half, Bob Forsch faced his brother and grounded into an inning-ending forceout. Boxscore

Cardinals 8, Astros 4, May 18, 1977, at Houston

Bob Forsch started and was lifted for pinch-hitter Don Kessinger after five innings, with the score 3-3. Ken Forsch relieved in the eighth, entering with St. Louis ahead, 5-4, and gave up three unearned runs on five hits in his one inning of work. He did strike out the side, including Lou Brock and Ted Simmons. Boxscore

Cardinals 3, Astros 1, Aug. 6, 1977, at Houston

In the first game of a Saturday night doubleheader, Bob Forsch pitched eight innings and got his 14th win of the season. Butch Metzger earned the save with a perfect ninth.

Ken Forsch entered in the ninth for Astros starter Mark Lemongello and retired the Cardinals in order. Boxscore

On April 1, 1981, Ken Forsch was traded by the Astros to the Angels for infielder Dickie Thon. Ken Forsch finished his big-league playing career with the Angels in 1986.

In a fitting twist, the only big-league team Bob Forsch played for besides the Cardinals was the Astros. On Aug. 31, 1988, Bob Forsch was dealt to Houston for utilityman Denny Walling. Bob Forsch closed out his big-league career with Houston in 1989. His overall record with the Astros was 5-9 with a 5.56 ERA.

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Cardinals broke Astrodome hex with 19 RBI in one game

November 23, 2011 by retrosimba

The Astrodome opened in Houston in 1965 and was billed “the eighth wonder of the world.” To the Cardinals, there was nothing wonderful about it.

The Cardinals lost the first five games they played at the Astrodome, scoring a total of eight runs. They were swept by the Astros in a three-game series in May, losing by scores of 6-1, 3-2 and 4-3, and were swept again, in a two-game series, in July, losing by scores of 2-0 and 3-2.

When the Cardinals returned to Houston Sept. 30 to close the 1965 regular season with a four-game series against the Astros, they were in seventh place in the National League at 77-80 and the Astros were ninth at 64-94.

Based on how the Cardinals produced in their first two trips to the Astrodome _ and with regulars such as third baseman Ken Boyer, first baseman Bill White and shortstop Dick Groat out of the lineup as manager Red Schoendienst took a look at younger players _ there was no way to anticipate the breakout performance St. Louis was about to unleash.

The Cardinals produced 19 RBI in defeating Houston, 19-8, before a Sept. 30 Thursday night gathering of 7,494.

The 19 RBI are the third-highest total in Cardinals history. Others that surpassed or matched it:

_ 25 RBI for St. Louis in the Cardinals’ 28-6 victory over the Phillies on July 6, 1929. Boxscore

_ 20 RBI for St. Louis in the Cardinals’ 21-5 victory over the Giants on Aug. 2, 1948. Boxscore

_ 19 RBI for St. Louis in the Cardinals’ 20-2 victory over the Dodgers on July 24, 1937. Boxscore

Against Houston, the Cardinals started a lineup that included right fielder Mike Shannon batting cleanup, rookie George Kernek (.143 batting average) playing first base, and Jerry Buchek (.227) at shortstop, Phil Gagliano (.241) at third base and Dal Maxvill (.135) at second base.

All nine Cardinals starters produced at least one RBI in the game. Starting pitcher Nelson Briles had two. His two-run single highlighted a six-run first that chased Astros starter Jim Ray.

The Cardinals scored in every inning except the second and the third. Buchek, batting seventh, had a game-high five RBI. He had a two-run home run against Dave Giusti in the fifth, a RBI-groundout in the seventh and a two-run double in the ninth.

Gagliano and Maxvill each had three RBI. Left fielder Lou Brock and center fielder Curt Flood had four hits apiece. Brock singled twice in the first.

The Cardinals led 16-2 in the seventh. When the game finished in a relatively snappy 2:49, the Cardinals had 19 runs on 19 hits and seven walks. Boxscore

Part Three: Forsch vs. Forsch: Bob had edge in brotherly matchup

Part One: Cardinals first visit to Houston

Posted in Games, Hitters, Opponents, Pitchers, Records | 1 Comment »

From the start, Cardinals vs. Houston rivalry was special

November 21, 2011 by retrosimba

When the Houston Colt .45s began play in the National League in 1962, one of the most anticipated homestands was the one with the Cardinals.

Houston had been a Cardinals minor-league affiliate from 1921-35 and from 1946-58. Many in the region were Cardinals fans.

The 1962 Cardinals had several close connections to Houston. Cardinals manager Johnny Keane and pitching coach Howie Pollet were Houston residents. Keane had played for Houston (1934-37) and also had managed the club (1946-48). Pollet had pitched for Houston (1939-41).

Also, Cardinals coach Harry Walker had been the last Houston manager (1956-58) while it was a Cardinals affiliate. Top 1962 Cardinals players, such as third baseman Ken Boyer and pitcher Larry Jackson, had played for the Houston farm club.

St. Louis made its first visit to Houston for the second homestand in Colt .45s history (the franchise changed its name to Astros in 1965). The Cardinals and Colt .45s were scheduled for three midweek night games April 24-26.

The Cardinals won one, lost one and tied another. Two games each were decided by a run and the other ended in a tie after 17 innings.

According to Clark Nealon of the Houston Post in a story for The Sporting News, Houston “waited years for the first National League series with the St. Louis Cardinals and when it came it was tremendous.”

Houston 4, Cardinals 3, April 24, 1962

In pre-game ceremonies, The Sporting News reported, each member of the Cardinals was “introduced individually to ringing applause.”

At the end, the cheers were for Houston starter Hal Woodeshick, who pitched a six-hitter.

Houston left fielder Don Taussig, who had played for the Cardinals in 1961, hit a solo home run off Jackson in the sixth.

With one on and two outs in the ninth, Bill White ripped a sinking liner that Houston right fielder Johnny Weekly snared at his shoetops.

Attendance was 19,335 _ impressive for a weeknight at a ballpark that seated about 25,000. Boxscore

Cardinals 5, Houston 5, 17 innings, April 25, 1962

In the afternoon, Keane was honored at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon and presented with a replica of a Colt .45 gun. He told the audience, “We’re a lot better club than we showed you on April 24.”

The Cardinals’ manager again was honored in ceremonies before the game. Among his gifts was a king-sized pass to “the first World Series game in Houston.” (It would be 2005 before Houston made its first World Series appearance.)

The game began at 8:02 p.m. It was halted at 1:15 a.m. because of a local curfew in Houston that forbid starting an inning after 12:50 a.m. The game was replayed on another date but all the statistics counted.

Boyer’s RBI-single to left in the ninth off Turk Farrell scored Julian Javier from second, tying the score 5-5.

Ed Bauta pitched eight scoreless innings for the Cardinals after entering in the 10th.

The Cardinals had runners on first and second with no outs in the top of the 17th, but Doug Clemens struck out and Red Schoendienst hit into a double play.

Six Houston pitchers struck out 18 Cardinals, including Boyer three times. Houston left 16 runners on base and the Cardinals stranded 15. Boxscore

Cardinals 3, Houston 2, April 26, 1962

The Cardinals were spared embarrassment by salvaging a victory in the series. Bob Gibson pitched a two-hitter for his first win of the season and Stan Musial drove in the deciding run with a two-out single in the eighth, scoring Curt Flood from third base. Boxscore

Part Two: Cardinals broke Astrodome hex with 19 RBI in one game

Part Three: Forsch vs. Forsch: Bob had edge in brotherly matchup

Posted in Games, Hitters, Managers, Opponents, Pitchers, Records | 2 Comments »

Cardinals can thank Pat Hentgen for Mike Matheny

November 15, 2011 by retrosimba

Pat Hentgen played one season for the Cardinals, but his impact on the franchise was significant.

It was Hentgen who recommended the Cardinals sign Mike Matheny, a free agent, to a contract in December 1999. The Cardinals were looking for a backup to catcher Eli Marrero.

Matheny signed a one-year deal for $750,000, leapfrogged Marrero to become the starting catcher in 2000 and remained the Cardinals’ catcher for five seasons, helping them to four postseason appearances and their first National League pennant in 17 years.

After the 2011 season, Matheny became the Cardinals’ manager, replacing Tony La Russa, and led them to a National League pennant in 2013.

Hentgen, a right-handed starting pitcher who won the American League Cy Young Award in 1996, was acquired by the Cardinals from Toronto in November 1999 along with pitcher Paul Spoljaric in a trade for catcher Alberto Castillo and pitchers Lance Painter and Matt DeWitt.

Matheny had been Hentgen’s teammate with Toronto in 1999. Though Matheny was the backup to Blue Jays catcher Darrin Fletcher, he made a lasting impression on Hentgen because of his arm, defense, leadership and management of a pitching staff.

In an article in May 2000, the Associated Press reported the Cardinals signed Matheny “largely at the urging of Hentgen.”

“He was pretty vocal about it. He was on my side,” Matheny said. “That’s just the ultimate compliment _ when a pitcher with as much experience and success as Pat has had thinks that highly of me to put his name on the line.”

Matheny had a stellar start for St. Louis in 2000. He batted .313 in April and threw out 15 of the first 22 baserunners who attempted to steal.

When Marrero tore a ligament in his left thumb on July 1, the Cardinals had little help behind Matheny. A couple of weeks later, Matheny cracked a rib but continued to play. He wore a flak jacket and had his chest taped before every game.

Gritty determination was one element of Matheny’s leadership style. He also displayed respect and selflessness when the Cardinals acquired first baseman Will Clark from the Orioles on July 31, 2000.

For most of his 15-year big-league career, Clark had worn uniform No. 22 _ the same number worn by Matheny in his seven seasons in the major leagues. Matheny offered the number to Clark as a welcome to the Cardinals, asking for nothing in return. Clark was touched by the gesture. Matheny switched to uniform No. 44.

“It’s just a number,” Matheny told The Sporting News in September 2000. “I don’t see the big deal.”

Matheny hit .261 with 47 RBI in 128 games for the 2000 Cardinals. He sat out the postseason after he accidently severed two tendons and a nerve in his right ring finger while using a hunting knife he received as a 30th birthday gift. Matheny threw out 49 of 93 baserunners attempting to steal in 2000 and received the NL Gold Glove Award.

Hentgen had a 15-12 record and 4.72 ERA in 33 starts for the Cardinals. He became a free agent after the 2000 season and signed with the Orioles.

Posted in Managers, Pitchers | 1 Comment »

The story of how Bob Forsch converted to pitching

November 9, 2011 by retrosimba

(Updated Nov. 2, 2019)

The Cardinals planned for Bob Forsch to be a third baseman, not a pitcher.

Forsch was chosen by the Cardinals in the 26th round of the 1968 amateur draft and sent to their Gulf Coast League team in Sarasota. Forsch, 18, played third base and some outfield. His instructors included George Kissell and Joe Medwick. Forsch displayed a strong arm but batted .224 in 44 games.

In the book “Tales From The Cardinals Dugout,” Forsch described his first day as a professional ballplayer:

I had sort of thought I was going to Florida on a vacation to play baseball. And so I went to the minor-league complex and they gave me a uniform. It was wool. And it had patches in the seat from where other guys had ripped it up while they were sliding. They didn’t have enough caps, because there were too many players. So I got a batting helmet and put that on.

In 1969, Forsch continued to play third base but hit .203 in 26 games for Lewiston of the Northwest League and .235 in 33 games for Modesto of the California League.

At age 20, his playing career was in jeopardy after he opened the 1970 season by hitting .149 in 20 games for Modesto, striking out 21 times in 47 at-bats. Forsch was moved to Cedar Rapids of the Midwest League and did even worse, hitting .088 through 19 games.

Short of pitchers, manager Roy Majtyka put Forsch into a game as a reliever against Clinton. Forsch had pitched in batting practice for Cedar Rapids and had posted a 9-1 record as a pitcher during his senior year in high school at Sacramento, Calif.

The first Clinton batter Forsch faced was Bob Hansen, who would become a first baseman with the Brewers. Forsch’s first pitch sailed over Hansen’s head.

“Mick Kelleher, our shortstop, came over to me and said, ‘Come on, Bob, you can throw it by him,’ ” Forsch told The Sporting News in 1974. “Hansen hit the next pitch for the longest home run I’ve ever seen, even though I threw the ball as hard as I could.”

Forsch worked three innings and gave up six hits and four runs, but his career as a pitcher had begun. The Cardinals sent him to Lewiston and instructed manager Fred Hatfield to use Forsch as a pitcher. In seven games, five as a starter, Forsch was 2-3 with a 4.94 ERA.

When Forsch reported to spring training in 1971, he didn’t know whether the Cardinals planned to employ him as a pitcher or as a third baseman because the Cardinals had a shortage of third basemen in their farm system.

Bob Kennedy, a former big-league player and manager, was the Cardinals’ director of player development and he made the decision Forsch would be converted exclusively to pitching.

Forsch was 11-7 with a 3.13 ERA for Cedar Rapids in 1971 and 8-10, including a no-hitter, for Arkansas in 1972. After the 1972 season, he went to the Florida Instructional League and posted a 7-1 record while working with instructor Bob Milliken.

Forsch was 12-12, including another no-hitter, for Tulsa in 1973.

Playing for manager Ken Boyer at Tulsa in 1974, Forsch was 8-5 with a 3.67 ERA in 15 games when the Cardinals, on the recommendation of Kennedy, called him to the major leagues in July. “He threw hardest and had an excellent curve,” Kennedy explained.

Said Forsch: “I didn’t even know how to throw a curve until Bob Milliken showed me how at the Florida Instructional League.”

Posted in Pitchers, Prospects | 3 Comments »

Ken Boyer: Matty Alou handled bat as well as Musial

November 7, 2011 by retrosimba

Matty Alou, one of baseball’s best hitters in the 1960s and 1970s, had one of the most productive seasons of his 15-year big-league career with the Cardinals.

Alou is best remembered for his years with his first major-league team, the Giants, and his time with the Pirates, with whom he won a National League batting crown, hitting .342 in 1966.

Often overlooked is Alou’s splendid 1971 season with the Cardinals. Alou had career highs of 74 RBI and seven home runs with the 1971 Cardinals and hit .315 in 149 games.

A left-handed batter, Alou was adept at hitting the ball to all fields.

“Matty and Stan Musial handle the bat better than anyone I’ve ever seen,” Cardinals hitting coach Ken Boyer told The Sporting News in August 1971. “Like Stan, Matty has a great level swing, and, like Stan, he can handle just about any kind of pitch.

“Alou uses bats of at least 10 different weights,” Boyer said. “He studies the pitchers and the defense as well as anybody because he’s always looking for some way to beat you.”

The Cardinals acquired Alou and pitcher George Brunet from the Pirates for pitcher Nelson Briles and outfielder Vic Davalillo on Jan. 29, 1971.

In announcing the deal, Cardinals general manager Bing Devine said he and manager Red Schoendienst agreed Alou, 33, would bat leadoff and play center field. Left fielder Lou Brock would move from the leadoff spot to bat No. 3 in the order and second baseman Ted Sizemore, acquired from the Dodgers, would bat between Alou and Brock.

“Guys like Alou and Sizemore make things happen,” Devine said. “They ought to help make the Cardinals a much more exciting team.”

Alou said his goal was to hit .335 for the 1971 Cardinals. “I like to hit in St. Louis. It’s a good park for hitters. The ball comes off the AstroTurf good and the ground in front of the plate is hard.”

The Cardinals batted Alou, Sizemore and Brock in the top three spots of the order for the first 14 games of the 1971 season and went 8-6 before Schoendienst returned Brock to the leadoff spot and moved Alou to the No. 2 position.

Alou was a free swinger and Brock’s ability to steal bases was compromised when Alou would foul off or hit, rather than take, pitches. It was when Schoendienst moved Sizemore to No. 2 in the batting order and Alou to No. 3 that the Cardinals’ offense clicked. Asked to explain why he had so many more RBI with the Cardinals than he had with the Pirates, Alou said, “It makes a lot of difference hitting behind Lou Brock instead of (Pirates catcher) Jerry May and the pitcher.”

Alou hit .332 in 78 games from the No. 2 spot and .294 in 46 games from the No. 3 position.

Though he began the 1971 season as St. Louis’ center fielder, Alou moved to right field after Jose Cardenal was traded to the Brewers, and took over first base for Joe Hague when the Cardinals inserted Luis Melendez as the right fielder.

Alou hit .313 in 73 games as the center fielder, .364 in 20 games as the right fielder and .305 in 58 games as the first baseman.

In 1972, Alou played first base and right field for the Cardinals and hit .314 in 108 games, but the Cardinals wanted to move Joe Torre from third base to first base. Out of contention for a postseason spot, the Cardinals traded Alou to the Athletics on Aug. 27, 1972, for outfielder Bill Voss and a minor leaguer.

Speaking to reporters about how he enjoyed his time with the Cardinals, Alou called Schoendienst the “best man I ever played for. He kept everybody loose.”

Alou was reacquired by the Cardinals for the stretch run on Sept. 6, 1973, in a cash deal with the Yankees. He hit .273 in 11 games. After the season, the Cardinals sold his contract to the Padres.

Alou’s career statistics as a Cardinal: .314 batting average, 322 hits in 268 games, 30 stolen bases.

Matty Alou and his brothers Felipe and Jesus all were big-league outfielders. Asked in October 1971 who was the best ballplayer of the three, Felipe told The Sporting News, “I have the most ability. Matty is the best hitter. He has more guts and confidence than Jesus (Alou) and I put together. But Jesus is the most professional of all three.”

Posted in Hitters, Trades | 2 Comments »

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