Baseball Digest articles from February 2003

Baseball Digest archives from February 2003

The fans speak out. (Letters To The Editor).
February 1, 2003... In the November issue of Baseball Digest, you have Harmon Killebrew as the all-time, one-season, home run leader among third basemen with 49 in 1969. I believe Mike Schmidt with 48 home runs in 1980 should be the leader. Did Killebrew...

Effective team work helped angels wrap up world series title. (Warm Up Tosses).(Anaheim Angels)
February 1, 2003... IN WINNING A HIGHLY ENTERTAINING WORLD SERIES LAST OCTOBER, THE ANGELS proved once again how strong teamwork inevitably pays off in baseball. While third baseman Troy Glaus deserved to be chosen as the Series MVP, there were at least eight...

Troy Glaus Angels' slugger came through in the clutch; Anaheim third baseman hit .385 with ten hits, seven runs and eight RBI in World Series triumph over San Francisco.
February 1, 2003... IF THE GIANTS HAD HELD ON TO WIN Game 6 and the 2002 World Series, Barry Bonds very likely would have been named the Series Most Valuable Player. Instead, Troy Glaus, the man who paced Bonds every step of the way, earned the accolade. ...

The wide world of baseball: foreign-born players are filling major league rosters, showing the true measures of global talent in the American pastime.
February 1, 2003... PERHAPS NOBODY'S NOTICED, BUT what has been hailed since time immemorial as America's "national pastime" is far more than that, and to a certain extent has been so from its very beginnings. It might not be stretching the point to assert...

Baseball quick quiz.
February 1, 2003... 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 and 70, good, and between 40 and 60, average. 1. Since 1900, there have...

Baseball profile.(Jose Mesa--Philadelphia Phillies)(Interview)
February 1, 2003... Jose Mesa--Philadelphia Phillies FULL NAME: Jose Ramon Mesa AGE, HT., WT.: 36, 6-3, 225 Born: May 22, 1966 HOME: Azua, Dominican Republic STATUS/FAMILY: Married with six children Nickname: Table LIFE OUTSIDE...

Catching up with ... Jim Bouton former 20-game winner with the Yankees: ex-big leaguer recalls his days as a young baseball star in New York and his times after writing controversial book "Ball Four".(Interview)
February 1, 2003... THIRTY YEARS AGO JIM BOUTON had one of the best seasons of any pitcher in either league, hurling six shutouts en route to a 21-7 record that helped the Yankees reach the World Series for the fourth straight time. "Bulldog," as he was...

One on one with Rickey Henderson: future Hall of Famer.(Interview)
February 1, 2003... GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT; "Scoring the most runs in major league history. You have to score to win." HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED: "That I played hard, played to win and respected the game." RICKEY HENDERSON HAS PLAYED IN more than...

Doug Bird: looks back on his pitching days in the majors: former right-hander played 11 years in the big leagues, winning 73 games for the Royals, Phillies, Yankees, Cubs and Red Sox.(Interview)
February 1, 2003... ASK A BALLPLAYER IF THERE WAS anyone who was especially helpful in his getting to the big leagues, and he'll usually name a minor league manager, or a pitching or hitting coach. But for Doug Bird, starter and reliever on the Kansas City Royals'...

Sparky Lyle: where are they now? Former relief Ace: American League 1977 Cy Young Award winner recalls how Ted Williams gave him sound advice when breaking in with the Red Sox.
February 1, 2003... SPARKY LYLE, WHO MADE A BIG name for himself in major league baseball as a relief pitcher, obtained the best piece of advice on pitching that he ever received from one of the game's greatest hitters. Hall of Famer Ted Williams, the last...

Strange but true: baseball stories, facts, and figures.
February 1, 2003... ONLY TWO PENNANT-WINNING TEAMS since 1900 in the American or National League led their league in errors and one even won the World Series that season despite the shoddy defense. The 1925 Pittsburgh Pirates committed 224 errors but still...

Top 10 most surprising players who never won a batting title.
February 1, 2003... Despite finishing their careers with high lifetime batting averages, stars such as Eddie Collins and Joe Jackson never led the league in hitting AS MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYERS completed the 2002 season, some familiar names were perched...

2002 Fielding statistics.
February 1, 2003... GOLD GLOVE WINNERS AMERICAN LEAGUE Year Player, Team 1957 Sherm Lollar, White Sox 1958 Sherm Lollar, White Sox 1959 Sherm Lollar, White Sox 1960 Earl Battey, Senators 1961 Earl Battey, Twins 1962 Earl...

Yerrrr out! How catchers fared at throwing out attempted base stealers.
February 1, 2003... (Minimum 20 stolen base attempts) AMERICAN LEAGUE Catcher, Team SBA SB CS CS% Bengie Molina, Ana. 78 43 35 .449 Ben Davis, Sea. 41 23 18 .439 Greg Myers, Oak. ...

Baseball rules corner: division, League Championship Series featured unusual plays.
February 1, 2003... THIS 2002 POSTSEASON CREATED fan interest in a variety of ways during the division and League Championship Series. Rules buffs enjoyed a smorgasbord that should satisfy their baseball appetites throughout the winter. Game 2 NLDS: In...