Finally, a Game Stieb Can Appreciate and Enjoy : Toronto Pitcher Is a Bit of a Perfectionist, and He Looked That Way to Royals

For Dave Stieb it was all a matter of control--over himself as much as over the Kansas City Royals--and he had both well in hand Tuesday night.

In beating the Western Division champions in the first game of the American League playoffs, Stieb didn’t reach the state of perfection he often says his is goal, but he came close.

He struck out eight Royals, giving up only three hits and walking just one before being replaced for the ninth inning.

It was the first time he has beaten Kansas City this year after taking three frustratingly close loses in the regular season.

But unlike those early games, in which his teammates scored only three runs on behalf of the American League leader in earned-run average, the Blue Jays Tuesday piled up six runs on 11 hits.

This time, he said after the game, “It felt great. I felt 3, 4, 5 runs was all it would take. I was real happy they came early, and it was all that I needed.”

With a six-run lead after the fourth inning, Stieb, whose 14-13 regular-season record belied his 2.48 ERA, coasted the rest of the way with no signs of the near temper tantrums he frequently has thrown when faced with close calls by umpires, his own loss of control or successful hitting by the opposition.

For a man who once likened his angry throwing of a resin bag to someone else using a gun, it was a remarkable display.

In fact, only once, in the third inning when he twice got behind two hitters on three balls and no strike counts, did Stieb show any of his legendary temper. And then, he backed off the mound, stared at the hitter, slammed down the resin bag, but went on to get both men out.

There was no frustration even then, Stieb explained, “I was close around the plate . . . and I came right back.”

He also came back from a poor second half of the season in which he was 5-8 and won only one of his last six starts.

Stieb couldn’t give a particular reason for the Tuesday performance except to say that “it was a great feeling to play at home (and) I was really pumped up.” The fact that his fastball was over the plate all night and his teammates came up with some key plays behind him helped.

In any event, he said, “a good performance was something I needed.”

When asked if he finally had his frustration under control, Stieb said that indeed he had, adding that “I use it to my advantage.” It was a different accounting from what he said the day before the game. This year was “very frustrating . . . I could have gone off the deep end.” But he stressed that his anger and frustration were aimed at himself only, not the “batter or a teammate.

“The whole thing is I know I can’t be perfect, but I try to come as close as I can. I want to be the best. I’m obsessed by it at times.”

The only problem Stieb really had over his eight innings was Royal third baseman George Brett, who had two of the three hits off Stieb.

But he struck out Brett in the sixth and the Royal hitter’s early success proved harmless.

Even though Stieb talked about his frustrations and his penchant for anger during the season, he denied feeling any pressure or taking any special precautions to stay calm.

“I prepared (for Tuesday) like a normal game.” But he acknowledged that he hopes what happened against the Royals will carry over the rest of the series.

But even if it doesn’t work that way, Stieb said, “a game like this makes a season like this easy to take.”