19 and counting for Mussina
In times like these, I'm glad I don't bite my nails. Mike's 19th win last night would have left me short at least one hand, and I'm only seeing the live box scores online. This season is Mike's third 19-win year, the first since the 19-9 of 1995 and 19-11 of 1996. Hat holders, it looks like we have one start to go — the last day of the season, at Boston.
Covering win 19: "Mussina, who took a liner off the right elbow in the third inning, will try to pitch Sunday at Fenway Park, and a victory there will give him his first 20-win season," the Times wrote, and later: "His last chance was on Sept. 28, 1996, when he pitched for Baltimore and Armando BenÃtez blew the save in what would have been his 20th victory. Mussina's next chance will come exactly 12 years later, as long as his elbow allows it." That explained the early departure last night (a mystery to box score watchers). "Despite a large red welt on the outside of his elbow the size of a golf ball, Mussina allowed just one more hit before being pulled after going the minimum five innings required for the win," Baseball Toaster said.
But Canada's Globe and Mail had the best piece, on Cito (background).
Want to get Gaston going, and turn a sunny day into darkness? One only needs to utter the name Mike Mussina, the veteran pitcher for the New York Yankees who's had a long-simmering feud with Gaston.
A smile will quickly turn to a frown and Gaston's eyes will start to pinch.
"Mike Mussina can kiss my ass – and you can print that," Gaston uttered last month to a reporter who had unwisely approached the Toronto Blue Jays manager seeking a quote or two for a story on Mussina.
The headline on that lead today was, "Mussina has the last laugh."
Covering win 18: "Mussina shook hands with the manager and walked off the Stadium mound to thunderous applause Thursday night after throwing six strong innings in a 9-2 Yankee victory over the listing White Sox that put him two victories from his first 20-win season," the Daily News wrote. "Most from the crowd of 53,152 stood and chanted 'Mooose, Moose,' as Mussina approached the Yankee dugout." The Times reported he wouldn't mind coming back for another year with the team. Strategic Failure looked at his chances for 3,000 strikeouts.
One paper looked to 19. "Palmer contends that Mussina would have been the franchise's greatest pitcher if he had spent his entire career with the Orioles," the Sun said. "But Mussina didn't, so Palmer retains that crown – perhaps forever. Mussina is surely OK with that. But don't think 269 is just a number for Mussina. He wouldn't say it, but passing Palmer might be as important to him as getting that elusive 20th win."
Covering the future: So, yes. On the career list, the 19th win moves Mussina to 269, ahead of Palmer and one behind Burleigh Grimes.
Strategic Failure examines the previous chances for 20, the Mussina-Palmer differences and the related Hall considerations.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:44 AM
Aww, Mikey. I remember that blown save back in '96 that cost him the 20-game season. I was obsessed with him back then–have we ever discussed that? You're the only other person I've met (besides my childhood best friend) who has been such a fan. :)
September 25th, 2008 at 1:54 AM
Anne of the Pacific Northwest! We have amazingly never discussed this before, and I'm thrilled to find another Mike fan among friends. My current plan for that last game: Wear my Mussina Stanford jersey and spread his baseball cards over the length of my coffee table. We must send some kind of mental energies his way.
September 25th, 2008 at 12:02 PM
Hahaha! That might work. Wow, I can't believe we've never discussed this. My first foray in Web-site-making was even a Mike Mussina fan site, published under the alias "Moosette." I kid you not.
September 27th, 2008 at 7:21 PM
And where can we find this site on the Internet today??