Memory lane

I was reading Rob Neyer’s fine book of baseball lineups recently and came across a story about Dave Stieb. It’s a name that, sadly, seems to have been forgotten by most fans. I take that back – by most everyone. After all, Sir David only got 7 votes for the Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot, thus making him ineligible for future ballots.

Stieb was always one of my favorite pitchers, even though he hurled for the rival Blue Jays. Maybe I liked him because he kind of had a Jack Morris-type nastiness. Anyway, I was reminded that in a two-year period, 1988-89, Stieb lost three no-hitters with two outs in the ninth. Those were among five one-hitters he threw.

In fact, Stieb ended 1988 with back-to-back one-hitters and pitched another in his second start of 1989 – three one-hitters in four freakin’ starts! He finally tossed a no-no in 1990.

Stieb led all AL pitchers in the decade of the 1980s in ERA (3.32) and shutouts (27) and was second in wins (140, behind Morris’ 160).

What killed Stieb was his record. He never won 20 games, but eight times had an ERA of 3.25 or lower. His ERA was more than a full run better than the league’s ERA on six occasions.

Take 1985 as an example. Stieb posted an AL-best 2.48 ERA – well below the league’s ERA of 4.23 – and went 14-13. And Toronto won 99 games that year. It makes no sense. Making even less sense, Stieb got 2 points in the Cy Young voting and finished tied for seventh. His teammate Doyle Alexander (17-10, 3.45) was sixth. Neyer figured Stieb should have won three Cy Young Awards -- he won none -- based on Win Shares.

In 1981, Stieb was 11-10 for a Blue Jays squad that won just 37 games (strike-shortened season). I could go on, but you can see for yourself.