Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports activities Copyright (c) Denny Medley
Most former gamers bear in mind particulars about private milestones. A hitter can sometimes inform you the place, and in opposition to whom, he recorded his first hit and residential run. Ditto for particulars about an particularly significant second, maybe a pennant-clinching double, or perhaps a game-deciding grand slam in opposition to a bona fide ace. The identical goes for pitchers. Ask them about their first win, their first strikeout — even their first house run allowed — they usually can rattle off a solution with out a lot effort. What number of Ws had been they credited with over the course of their profession? Piece of cake.
Different questions aren’t really easy. With that in thoughts, I challenged former Kansas Metropolis Royals (and briefly Anaheim Angels) right-hander Gubicz’s Mark to a quiz. The now-Angels broadcaster wasn’t deterred after I warned him my questions weren’t going to be layups. Gubicza, who pitched in 384 video games from 1984-1997, agreed to present it a shot.
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The primary query I requested the previous All-Star was which batter he confronted probably the most occasions. Gubicza guessed Kirby Puckett. Nope. His second guess, Jose Cansecowas likewise incorrect. I knowledgeable him the right reply: Wade Boggs.
“I ought to have remembered that,” replied Gubicza, who squared off in opposition to the five-time batting champion 97 occasions. (Puckett was shut behind at 92, whereas Canseco was additional down the checklist at 60.) “He hit about .387 in opposition to me, or one thing like that.”
The hurler-turned-analyst acquired two of these three digits proper. Boggs batted .367 in opposition to him, going 29-for-79 whereas additionally drawing 17 walks and lofting a sacrifice fly.
How concerning the batter who acquired probably the most hits off of him?
“I might assume that Boggs is close to the highest,” Gubicza reasoned. “Don Mattingly could be fairly shut; he acquired me fairly good. He had the next batting common (.413), however I don’t know that I confronted him sufficient occasions.”
Mattingly (33) is the right reply.
“Each of these guys gave me nightmares,” Gubicza mentioned. “With Boggs, it acquired to the purpose the place I used to be virtually prepared to hit him with a pitch, as a result of I knew it was going to be an eight-, nine-, or 10-pitch at-bat, then he’d both stroll or get a base hit to left subject. Mattingly acquired big-moment knocks off of me. I by no means wished him up, particularly with guys on base. Wade, I knew, was going to be a battle. Mattingly had extra-base energy in opposition to me.”
Mattingly not solely had a .663 slugging share in opposition to Gubicza, however he was additionally one among 5 batters to take him deep 4 occasions. The others had been Canseco, Fred McGriff, Greg Vaughnand Mickey Tettleton. Gubicza was in a position to title all however the final of them with out a lot effort. That he couldn’t provide you with Tettleton stunned him.
“I didn’t quit a variety of house runs, so I bear in mind everyone who acquired me,” mentioned Gubicza, who allowed simply 155 over 2,223 2/3 innings. “However yeah, he may need gotten me for 2 three-run homers in a single sport (which Tettleton did, on Might 14, 1996). It’s humorous, as a result of I used to get him out, then swiftly I couldn’t get him out. He was in a position to get to my sinker earlier than it acquired all the best way to the surface nook. And he acquired it fairly good.
My subsequent query was much more difficult: Which hitter did he face 41 occasions and neither give up a house run to, nor strike out? He incorrectly guessed Cal Ripken Jr. (six strikeouts, no house runs). The reply is Matt Nokes.
Requested which batter he fanned probably the most occasions, Gubicza promptly and appropriately named Canseco (20 stikeouts, 60 plate appearances). The batter he confronted probably the most occasions with out giving up a success? He nailed that one, as effectively.
“I do know Joel Skinner (0-for-19) by no means acquired hit in opposition to me, however I’ll say Dick Schofield (0-for-28),” he responded, citing the previous Angels shortstop. “And consider me, each time we run into one another, he shakes his head.
“At one level, Mark McLemore was like 0-for-23,” continued Gubicza. “We each knew it. He got here as much as me as soon as and mentioned, ‘I don’t ever get a success in opposition to you.’ I’m going, ‘Oh man, there you go.’ After all, he will get an infield hit the very subsequent time. We’re good buddies, so we’ve laughed at one another about that.”
The best OPS in opposition to him, minimal 20 plate appearances, proved to be a stumper. His guesses had been Mattingly (1.106) and Kirk Gibson (1.103), however the reply is McGriff (1.833).
“Oh yeah,” mentioned Gubicza. “He used to get me so dangerous that I believe I truly began throwing sliders at his again foot, on objective. We had been buddies, so I didn’t wish to hit him hit him. However yeah, there was a 3-0 pitch the place I threw a fastball, pondering he was taking, and he took me deep, useless middle off the glass, at SkyDome. He was working the bases and I mentioned, ‘You’ll by no means get one other fastball once more.’”
The following query was one I assumed Gubicza wouldn’t get: Which hitter went 5-for-5 with one house run in opposition to him? As anticipated, he couldn’t title Max Venable.
“He hit a grand slam off me, too,” Gubicza mentioned upon studying who it was. “Once I speak to (White Sox supervisor Will Venable), I say to him, ‘Inform your dad I mentioned hello. Additionally inform him that he needs to be thanking me for the grand slam.’
“The opposite grand slams I gave up had been to Chuck garlic and Dave Kingman,” added Gubicza. “The one to Kingman was in my first yr. Jim palms jogs my memory that he by no means gave up a grand slam. I inform him that I acquired mine out of the best way early.”
I anticipated him to know the visiting ballpark during which he allowed probably the most house runs. It seems that I used to be mistaken. Gubicza made quite a few guesses earlier than naming Tiger Stadium.
“What I bear in mind is that each time I went to that yard, I knew I used to be beat,” mentioned Gubicza, who surrendered 11 gophers at Detroit’s outdated ballpark. “And it’s bizarre, as a result of I ought to have been nice there. I used to be a sinkerball man and the infield grass there was like a mile excessive. For no matter motive, I didn’t quit groundballs at Tiger Stadium. That overhang in proper subject acquired me a pair occasions, too.”
The 2 gamers who took Gubicza deep twice at Tiger Stadium? After wrongly guessing Pete carries outhe appropriately named Cecil Fielderincluding that he and the right-handed-hitting slugger had been as soon as minor league roommates within the Royals system. Gubicza then additionally appropriately named Kirk Gibson, who hit two house runs off him on April 19, 1994. As destiny would have it, a social engagement is a part of story.
“I used to be going over to his home,” Gubicza recalled. “He and his spouse, JoAnn, had been making me dinner. Gibby goes, ‘I suppose Gubie received’t be coming over after I hit two three-run homers in opposition to him.’ No. I might anticipate Gibby to deal with me to dinner after giving these up. That was six RBI.”
The participant who drove in probably the most runs in opposition to him? It was Mattingly, with 17, though that wasn’t a part of the quiz. As for the questions Gubicza did sort out, he did moderately effectively given their diploma of problem. Grade-wise, Gubicza in all probability deserves a B-minus. Truly, make {that a} B. He deserves further credit score for being a very good sport.
