Baseball Digest articles from December 2005

Baseball Digest archives from December 2005

Letters to the editor.(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2005... I recently read that Ty Cobb's lifetime hit total was adjusted by baseball researchersto 4,189 as opposed to the long-time original figure of 4,191. It would therefore stand to reason that Pete Rose actually set the lifetime hit record...

Will Hall of Fame doors open for any candidates in 2006?(Warm Up Tosses)
December 1, 2005... IN DECEMBER, MEMBERS OF THE BASEBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA will receive ballots that list candidates eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame in 2006. With statistical data furnished them and with their own perception of...

Chris Carpenter: Cardinals' pitcher conceals his emotions while putting his talent on display.
December 1, 2005... HIS FACE DOESN'T MOVE. Watching Chris Carpenter pitch involves so much more than the deep bend of his knees or the whipping of his fire-hose arm. No, the success is in the look. Concrete budges more easily than Carpenter's face. With every...

Closing out a career: players want to exit on their own terms, but often they encounter grim endings.
December 1, 2005... FOR A FORTUNATE FEW MAJOR leaguers, the adulation, admiration, and accolades seldom let up, even long after their objects have laid aside bats, gloves and spikes for the last time. Among those lucky enough to enjoy undiminished esteem have...

Slumps: a mental battle hitters: frustration of not getting on base and failure to help their teams offensively, create a psychological challenge for batters.
December 1, 2005... THEY ARE A PUNCH TO THE GUT, A blow to the psyche. They are humiliating, humbling and hurtful. A player in a slump is a sad sight to behold, equal parts wild-eyed desperation and puppy-dog bewilderment. And here's the worst part: Every...

Bill Lee--former pitcher.(Baseball Profile)(Interview)
December 1, 2005... FULL NAME: William Francis Lee III AGE, HT., WT.: 58, 6-3, 231 HOME: Craftsbury, Vermont. I own 14 acres on a hill in the middle of nowhere. STATUS/FAMILY: Married with four kids and three grandsons--all play baseball. ...

Oakland hurler Rich Harden getting A's on his development; lean right-hander filled a pitching vacancy for the Athletics with his lively stuff and his desire to get better.
December 1, 2005... DURING THE 2004 ALL-STAR break, a young right-hander went home to Canada to reenergize and find himself. Rich Harden, then 22, began his first full major league season in frustrating fashion. Harden had gone 3-5 with a 4.52 earned run...

Unusual cache of vintage baseball collectibles scarce old cards, uncut sheets, prints, and signs.(Advertisement)
December 1, 2005... 1980s All-Time Greats Baseball Greats. 50-card set full of Hall of Famers. Included are Aaron, Banks, Berra, Campanella, Clemente, Cobb, DiMaggio, Feller, Ford, Foxx, Gehrig, Greenberg, Hornsby, Mantle, Mathewson, Mays, Musial, Ott, Brooks...

The knuckleball: a lost weapon among pitchers.
December 1, 2005... IMAGINE A PITCHER WHO IS PRACTIcally tireless, capable of working often and can fill a variety of roles. And assume the pitch he relies on puts little strain on his arm, is rarely seen anymore and, at the very least, will be perplexing to...

Baseball quick quiz.
December 1, 2005... Collect ten points for each question answered correctly. Answers on page 90 (If you score 80 or better, you are a baseball expert; 70 or better, superior; between 60 to 70, good, and between 40 and 60, average. 1. Going into the final...

Former pitcher Bob Hendley recalls his date with fame; more than 40 years have passed since right-hander came close to pitching a no-hitter against LA when Sandy Koufax hurled a perfect game.(Turn Back The Clock)
December 1, 2005... BOBBY HENDLEY ISN'T RUDE WHEN THE question is asked, just genuinely puzzled. "I'm not sure why you'd want to talk to me about something that happened 40 years ago, but we can if you like," he said. Forty years ago, on September 9,...

Jhonny Peralta creating his own identity; Cleveland shortstop has been compared to some of the top players at his position, but his ability will help him to make a name for himself.
December 1, 2005... JHONNY PERALTA HAS ALWAYS HAD A tough act to follow. The Cleveland Indians shortstop spent most of his third year in the major leagues being compared to other players while trying to make a name for himself. As the Indians shortstop, he's...

Craig Counsell: veteran infielder recalls his vital roles with Florida and Arizona in their World Series championship seasons.(The Game I'll Never Forget)
December 1, 2005... I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO play on two teams that won the World Series. In 1997, I was a rookie when the Marlins beat the Indians. It was the seventh game of the Series. We were down 2-1. I was facing Jose Mesa with runners at first and...

Gene Mauch: a strategist * an innovator * a great manager: former skipper deserves more than being remembered for heart-breaking defeats and near-misses during his 26-year career.
December 1, 2005... GENE MAUCH WILL FOREVER BE linked to three of the most torturous collapses in major league baseball history. And that's unfortunate, because Mauch, who, at 79, died on August 8 after a long battle with cancer, should be remembered for more...

200-hit seasons.
December 1, 2005... 200-Hit Seasons Listed below are players who collected 200 or more hits in a season in the major leagues from 1900 through the 2005 campaign. Players are listed by club with the year and their total hits included. ANAHEIM ANGELS ...

Facts & figures on players with 200-hit seasons.
December 1, 2005... FACTS & FIGURES On Players With 200-Hit Seasons Players With Most 200-Hit Seasons Player Times Pete Rose 10 Ty Cobb ...

Baseball rules corner: dropped third strike can result in some interesting plays.
December 1, 2005... WHEN THERE IS A DROPPED third strike with runners on base, particularly with the bases loaded, it can create interesting challenges for catchers, pitchers, runners and even managers. The related rule here is 6.05 (c) which reads, "A batter is...

Manny Ramirez moving up on slam chart.
December 1, 2005... Manny Ramirez Moving Up On Slam Chart BOSTON'S MANNY RAMIREZ HIT THREE GRAND SLAMS IN THE 2005 SEASON THROUGH SEPTEMBER 26, giving him 20 career bases loaded home runs, ranking him for second on the all-time list trailing Lou Gehrig's...