Frustrations Continue for Keough : Former Oakland Star Tries to Stay in Majors With Astros

Matt Keough’s first start with the Houston Astros Wednesday began much the way his professional baseball career did--with promise.

And it ended much the way his career appears to be winding down--in frustration.

Keough, called up from Triple-A Tucson on July 30 to replace the injured Nolan Ryan, faced only three batters in the first inning. He walked Steve Sax, induced Mike Scioscia to hit into a double play, and struck out Bill Madlock.

In the second, he walked Franklin Stubbs and gave up a two-run homer to Len Matuszek. Keough walked two more batters in the third and another two in the fourth, the last on four pitches to Dodger pitcher Rick Honeycutt to load the bases.

Houston Manager Hal Lanier then replaced Keough with Larry Anderson.

Keough, the first of five Houston pitchers, was charged with the loss, as the Dodgers defeated the Astros, 7-4, in front of 43,633 in Dodger Stadium.

In 3 innings, Keough allowed two runs on three hits and walked six. The Dodgers scored five more runs and finished with 11 hits, but Keough took full blame for the loss.

“We scored enough to win and I didn’t hold them,” said Keough, the 31-year-old right-hander from Corona del Mar High School. “I was constantly pitching out of the stretch and constantly throwing balls. That’s a mechanical and mental flaw that I have to correct immediately. I can’t afford to screw around.”

Not when the Astros are trying to hold onto first place in the National League West and not when Ryan is expected to return Tuesday. Keough probably will get one more start and will need a better showing to remain with the team.

Lanier is confident that Keough, who began this season with the Chicago Cubs and spent last September with the St. Louis Cardinals, will come through.

“It’s very unfair to evaluate Matt today because he’s had 10 days off between starts,” Lanier said. “I don’t care who you are, it affects a control pitcher more. He was too strong today and didn’t have good rhythm or control.”

Keough, son of former major leaguer Marty Keough, said he hasn’t felt better physically since his 1984 operation to repair a partially torn rotator cuff. And he certainly wasn’t nervous about facing the Dodgers, who now trail the Astros by 5 1/2 games.

“I love this situation,” he said. “I’ve spent the last two years with clubs in the heat of pennant races. I thrived on doing well in pressure games, and hopefully I’ll regain that form and help this club. I want to pass this off as a one-time thing.”

Keough refuses to discuss the possibility of returning to the minor leagues, where he had been since the Astros signed him on June 30. “That would be negative thinking,” he said.

But he has been around long enough to know when a player’s days are numbered.

“I’m on a day-to-day basis,” Keough said. “I just have to do the best I can. I learned as much as I could in the minor leagues--I had a rare opportunity to experiment on the job--but I have no desire to make a career of it.”

It appeared Keough had seen the last of the minor leagues after he was called up to the Oakland A’s late in the 1977 season. He began his rookie year (1978) with a 6-4 record and was the A’s only representative in the 1978 All-Star game, where he retired the only two batters he faced.

But he managed just two wins the rest of the year and finished at 8-15.

The next season was a disaster as Keough tied a major league record by losing his first 14 games and finished 2-17.

Keough came back in 1980 with a 16-13 season, which included 11 complete games, a 2.92 earned-run average, and Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year honors. In the strike-shortened 1981 season, he was 10-6.

Those were the last good years Keough had. His arm problems during the next three years--which he thought were caused by tendinitis--weren’t diagnosed as a rotator cuff tear until after the ’84 season.

Keough went 11-18 for the A’s in 1982 and led the American League in home runs allowed with 38. He was traded to the Yankees in June, 1983, and finished with a 5-7 record. He spent most of 1984 on the disabled list or in the Yankees’ farm system and was released after the season.

“I was throwing 80 miles per hour and getting my brains kicked in,” Keough said of his three injury-marred seasons.

Signed by the Cardinals in 1985, Keough spent the season rehabilitating at the Triple-A level before being recalled by St. Louis last September. But the team didn’t offer him a contract for 1986.

He was invited to spring training this year with the Cubs and made the team, but was used mostly as a middle and long reliever before being released on June 14.

“I had never been a reliever before, and I didn’t care for it,” Keough said.

After signing with his fourth team in the past four years, Keough made six starts for the Tucson Astros and was 3-1 with a 4.19 ERA. He hopes Wednesday’s start isn’t his last.

“We have a great team here,” Keough said. “If I can contribute in a small way, I can help them.”