Baseball Notes : There Aren’t Enough Good Pitchers for One Major League

Give us this day our daily baseball:

Would someone kindly explain what’s happened to pitching on the major-league level? Four months into the season and after more than a hundred games had been played, just one of the 28 pitchers scheduled to start Tuesday’s games had won at least 10 games (Kansas City’s Bret Saberhagen). Listen to the records of some of the guys getting starts: McWilliams (2-10), Young (2-8), Rawley (4-8).

Time was when even the dregs of the leagues had a terrific pitcher or two. Ned Garver, for instance, was 20-12 with the St. Louis Browns (52-102) of 1951 and, the same season, Murray Dickson went 20-16 with the Pittsburgh Pirates (64-90).

And they’re talking about starting eight to 12 teams in a new league? Maybe they plan on letting guys hit the ball out of their hand.

Some things you might not have known or forgotten about Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzesmki: He smacked 26 consecutive hits in high school ... he was signed out of his freshman year at Notre Dame as an infielder, but 45 errors at Raleigh in the Carolina League that summer prompted the move to the outfield ... during 23 seasons, he was placed on the disabled list just once.

Forget all the business of the Pete Rose case being heard in a federal or state court. The only place for it is the front steps of the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

When the bedraggled Birds return to 33rd Street to host the Texas Rangers Friday night, fans will be greeted by a ballot soliciting their opinion concerning the greatest moment in baseball history. A panel of 20 sportswriters selected the 20 entries to be voted upon in the search, which is underwritten by MasterCard. If the Bobby Thomson “shot heard ‘round the world” in 1951 doesn’t prevail, something’s rotten in the ballparks.

The DH rule was supposed to lead to more complete games in the American League, eh? Listen to these totals after 104 games: the White Sox (4), Orioles and Mariners (6), Yankees (8) and Brewers (9). Each of the last two years Sandy Koufax pitched, he completed 27 games. Juan Marichal completed 30 of 38 games started one year. Even Jim “Save My ERA” Palmer completed 20 or so several times. We won’t even mention Iron Man McGinnity’s numbers.

While it’s true Dwight Evans has had a fine career playing for the Red Sox -- 359 home runs, seven Gold Gloves, etc. -- he says his proudest accomplishment is that he’s been driving for 18 years in the Boston area and has never been involved in even a minor fender-bender. This puts Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak to shame, no doubt.

In this day and age, when nearly every anniversary of an event in the game is celebrated, no matter how obscure, it boggles the senses to learn that the 100th anniversary of Brooklyn’s first championship, the American Association title in 1889, will pass almost unnoticed. Back then, with no American League, the AA victor used to challenge the National League champion. The New York Giants just did nip the Dodgers in a showdown.

During Hall of Fame weekend, Robin Roberts told a story about how he got word that he was going to pitch the final and deciding game against the Dodgers with the two teams tied for first place. An hour before the game, Manager Eddie Sawyer came over to Roberts and said, “Good luck today,” to the right-hander who would be making his third start in five days. A couple of years before, the Red Sox were going into a one-game playoff against the Cleveland Indians and Manager Joe McCarthy asked for a volunteer to pitch. By the simple act of raising his hand, Denny Galehouse (8-8) got the assignment and Boston got hammered.

Everybody knows what a great baseball park Wrigley Field is as it celebrates its 75th anniversary. But no less a great than quarterback Sid Luckman of the Chicago Bears says, “Wrigley was the best place in the league to play football. I wish they had stadiums like it today.”

Back in the days when the Red Sox used to abdicate the pennant race by the middle of May, one of the features of games at Fenway Park was when the infield was dragged smooth after five innings. The guys dragging the mat were easily two of the oldest men in New England and, sometimes, they took an hour to complete their appointed rounds.

The idea for dragging infields was hatched 40 years ago in the Pacific Coast League when a concessionaire for the Hollywood Stars was looking for a way to boost sales. The infield manicure job provided a 10-minute break in the action, giving fans plenty of time for a refreshment break.

Add concessions: It’s a proven fact that no matter how bad the weather or how menacing the forecast, they will not call a game in Chicago’s Comiskey Park until all the hot dogs have been sold. “Can’t rewarm ‘em and sell ‘em the next day,” Bill Veeck once explained.

Old-timers will remember Buddy Hassett. He was a first baseman who played for the Dodgers and Braves in the National League and the Yankees in the American for seven years before heading off to World War II. He hit for a pretty good average (.292), never struck out, stole some bases, was a good pinch-hitter and was a classy first baseman. Back from the war, Hassett waited and waited for someone to call offering a job. No team did. Must have had either dumb general managers or lousy phone service back then.

Believe it or not, Jesse Gonder’s name came up in a conversation the other day.