Archive for Phil Niekro

The news has it that John Lackey is headed to the disabled list to find what he has lost or let his elbow strain heal, whichever version you believe. Headed back into the rotation is the 45-year-old Kid ’66, Tim Wakefield. It seems like the simple, every-day transaction that a contending team has to go through in the course of a season. For the player, though, there are interesting possible ramifications for the move.

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When first baseman Lance Niekro walked off of the minor league baseball field for the last time in 2008, after unsuccessfully trying to recapture his Major League career, he could have left the game with a feeling of satisfaction.

Niekro had a respectable career as a hitter. The former second-round pick out of Florida Southern University appeared in 195 games with the San Francisco Giants during parts of four seasons in the big leagues. In 499 at-bats, he had a career Major League triple-slash line of .246/.288/.421. His nine-year Minor League line was .307/.340/.474.

But Niekro also played in a pretty big shadow. His father Joe and uncle Phil had amassed a combined 539 big-league wins and 46 seasons in the Majors. It was a shadow he could never truly escape. Every time he struggled with the bat, people would whisper that he should hang up his batting gloves for good and break out the family knuckleball.

Finally, at the age of 30, Niekro is embracing the shadow. On June 25, 2009, the right-hander took the mound for the first time as a full-time pitcher (He appeared in one game as a pitcher for triple-A Fresno in 2007 in a mop-up situation). Now with the Atlanta Braves organization – uncle Phil played for the organization for 18 seasons, father Joe played for them for two – the younger Niekro allowed two runs on six hits and two walks. He also struck out four batters and earned his first professional win. In his second game on July 3, Niekro worked three shutout innings with three hits and two walks allowed. He struck out two batters.

Niekro is a long, long way from realizing his dream of pitching in the Major Leagues. Currently throwing in the Gulf Coast League (rookie ball) against mostly 17- and 18-year-old hitters, his numbers must be taken with a grain of salt. The early reports on Niekro’s knuckleball are encouraging, but it takes a long time to truly master the pitch. If he does successfully harness the knuckler, though, it will make a great story and a fitting tribute to his father, who passed away in 2006.

After five innings of shutout work against the Dodgers on April 13th, Greg Maddux had won 349 games in his illustrious career. Since then, winning his 350th has proved to be quite difficult, as his last four starts have resulted in three losses and a no-decision. Even though one was a tough loss and his no-decision consisted of seven shutout innings, Maddux still sits on 349 wins. Seeing my idol fail to secure this milestone brought to mind what other pitchers struggled in recording wins milestones of their own.

The last pitcher to 350 was Roger Clemens, who did so with his third win last season. Prior to that 8 IP-2 H performance against the Twins, Clemens had failed in three consecutive starts to get to 350.

Nolan Ryan won 324 games in his career but #320 did not come easily. He won his 319th game in July of 1992 but then failed in TEN consecutive starts closing out the season (6 losses, 4 no-decision) to get his milestone. As fate would have it, he would get #320 in his first start of the 1993 season.

In an odd turn of events, Don Sutton lost his next start after winning his 319th game, but picked up #320 after going 4.1 IP in relief soonafter.

Phil Niekro won his 299th game in 1985 but missed out on #300 in four subsequent starts. He would win his 300th in the final start of that 1985 season.

It took Early Wynn six tries to get his 300th win and, unfortunately for him, these attempts spanned two years. After missing out in his final three 1962 starts, he could not win in his first three 1963 starts. I guess you could say his 300th win came…early…in the 1963 season. (Note – I apologize to pun-haters). He finally won his 300th in his fourth start in 1963, however it came with the ugly-in-1963 line of 5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER.

Maddux has struggled to win his 350th but, have no fear, he will reach this milestone even if it takes him a Nolan Ryan-esque ten attempts.