Another "Blob" update, plus the "King of the Hill" (RIP, Bruce Sutter)

 

Regular readers may have been wondering where my "If I Was King Of The Postseason" post was this year.

I decided I'm not continuing that tradition after the little bit of crankiness that arose after my post in the series last year. Normally I don't let something like that affect content, but I was tiring of the series anyway. It takes a long time to do for what's essentially the same thing every year. I don't know, if anyone misses it, I can pick it up next year.

Instead, this year I'm calling back to a post I did long ago, and also updated long ago. It was my research on which player made the final out of the World Series, something my brother and I called "The Blob" when we were kids.

I had listed every "Blob" for every series to that point and then I added to the updated post through the 2016 World Series. That's where it stopped. In looking back on those posts, I found a couple of errors. Also, the formatting is off, as happens sometimes when you change your blog template.

 

So I'm going to run the entire list here, with the World Series "Blobs" since 2016.

And just because I always feel I need to add new content when I'm regurgitating old stuff, I've also compiled a list of World Series pitchers who were on the mound when the final out was made, something I'm calling King of the Hill.

This became quite timely today when I found out the sad news that Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter had passed away. In one of those freaky moments that makes you think everything is connected, Sutter was the 1982 King of the Hill and just yesterday I was watching the first game of the 1982 World Series while formulating the idea for this post. Yikes.

Bruce Sutter was one of the first great relief pitchers that I knew, along with Sparky Lyle, Goose Gossage, Rollie Fingers and Tug McGraw. And he comes from that golden era where you could complete an entire page with just the guy's food-issue cards, and have a few left over.

Anyway, I'll list the World Series Blobs first and then the World Series King of the Hills.

 

WORLD SERIES BLOBS

1903: Honus Wagner, Pirates

1904: no series

1905: Lave Cross, A's

1906: Frank "Wild Fire" Schulte, Cubs

1907: Boss Schmidt, Tigers

1908: Boss Schmidt, Tigers

1909: Tom Jones, Tigers

1910: Johnny Cling, Cubs

1911: Art "Dutch" Wilson, Giants

1912: none

1913: Larry Doyle, Giants

1914: Stuffy McInnis, A's

1915: Bill Killefer, Phillies

1916: Mike Mowrey, Robins/Dodgers

1917: Lew McCarty, Giants

1918: Les Mann, Cubs

1919: Shoeless Joe Jackson, White Sox

1920: Ed Konetchy, Robins/Dodgers

 

1921: Home Run Baker, Yankees

1922: Aaron Ward, Yankees

1923: Jack Bentley, Giants

1924: none

1925: Goose Goslin, Senators

1926: Babe Ruth, Yankees (caught stealing)

1927: none

1928: Frankie Frisch, Cardinals

1929: none

1930: Jimmy Wilson, Cardinals

 1931: Max Bishop, A's

1932: Riggs Stephenson, Cubs

1933: Joe Kuhel, Senators

1934: Mickey Owen, Tigers

1935: none

1936: Harry Danning, Giants

1937: Jo-Jo Moore, Giants

1938: Billy Herman, Cubs

1939: Wally Berger, Reds

1940: Earl Averill, Tigers

1941: Jimmy Wasdell, Dodgers

1942: George Selkirk, Yankees

1943: Debs Garms, Cardinals

1944: Mike Chartak, Browns

1945: Don Johnson, Cubs

1946: Tom McBride, Red Sox

1947: Bruce Edwards, Dodgers

1948: Tommy Holmes, Braves

1949: Gil Hodges, Dodgers

1950: Stan Lopata, Phillies

 

1951: Sal Yvars, Giants

1952: Pee Wee Reese, Dodgers

1953: none

1954: Dale Mitchell, Indians

1955: Elston Howard, Yankees

1956: Jackie Robinson, Dodgers

1957: Moose Skowron, Yankees

1958: Red Schoendienst, Braves

1959: Luis Aparicio, White Sox

1960: none

1961: Vada Pinson, Reds

1962: Willie McCovey, Giants

1963: Hector Lopez, Yankees

1964: Bobby Richardson, Yankees

1965: Bob Allison, Twins

1966: Lou Johnson, Dodgers

1967: George Scott, Red Sox

1968: Tim McCarver, Cardinals

1969: Davey Johnson, Orioles

1970: Pat Corrales, Reds

 

1971: Merv Rettenmund, Orioles

1972: Pete Rose, Reds

1973: Wayne Garrett, Mets

1974: Von Joshua, Dodgers

1975: Carl Yastrzemski, Red Sox

1976: Roy White, Yankees

1977: Lee Lacy, Dodgers

1978: Ron Cey, Dodgers

1979: Pat Kelly, Orioles

1980: Willie Wilson, Royals

1981: Bob Watson, Yankees

1982: Gorman Thomas, Brewers

1983: Garry Maddox, Phillies

1984: Tony Gwynn, Padres

1985: Andy Van Slyke, Cardinals

1986: Marty Barrett, Red Sox

1987: Willie McGee, Cardinals

1988: Tony Phillips, A's

1989: Brett Butler, Giants

1990: Carney Lansford, A's

1991: none

1992: Otis Nixon, Braves

1993: none

1994: no series

1995: Carlos Baerga, Indians

1996: Mark Lemke, Braves

1997: none

1998: Mike Sweeney, Padres

1999: Keith Lockhart, Braves

2000: Mike Piazza, Mets

 

2001: none

2002: Kenny Lofton, Giants

2003: Jorge Posada, Yankees

2004: Edgar Renteria, Cardinals

2005: Orlando Palmeiro, Astros

2006: Brandon Inge, Tigers

2007: Seth Smith, Rockies

2008: Eric Hinske, Rays

2009: Shane Victorino, Phillies

2010:  Nelson Cruz, Rangers

2011: David Murphy, Rangers

2012: Miguel Cabrera, Tigers

2013: Matt Carpenter, Cardinals

2014: Salvador Perez, Royals

2015: Wilmer Flores, Mets

2016: Michael Martinez, Indians

2017: Corey Seager, Dodgers

2018: Manny Machado, Dodgers

2019: Michael Brantley, Astros

2020: Willy Adames, Rays

2021: Yuli Gurriel, Astros

2022: Nick Castellanos, Phillies
2023: Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks

OK, now here are the King of the Hills:

 

WORLD SERIES KING OF THE HILLS

 1903: Bill Dinneen, Americans (Red Sox)

1904: no series

1905: Christy Mathewson, Giants

1906: Doc White, White Sox

1907: Mordecai Brown, Cubs

1908: Orval Overall, Cubs

1909: Babe Adams, Pirates

1910: Jack Combs, A's

 

1911: Charles Bender, A's

1912: none

1913: Eddie Plank, A's

1914: Dick Rudolph, Braves

1915: Rube Foster, Red Sox

1916: Ernie Shore, Red Sox

1917: Red Faber, White Sox

1918: Carl Mays, Red Sox

1919: Hod Eller, Reds

1920: Stan Coveleski, Indians

 

1921: Art Nehf, Giants

1922: Art Nehf, Giants

1923: Sad Sam Jones, Yankees

1924: none

1925: Red Oldham, Pirates

1926: Pete Alexander, Cardinals

1927: none

1928: Waite Hoyt, Yankees

1929: none

1930: George Earnshaw, A's

 

1931: Bill Hallahan, Cardinals

1932: Herb Pennock, Yankees

1933: Dolf Luque, Giants

1934: Dizzy Dean, Cardinals

1935: none

1936: Johnny Murphy, Yankees

1937: Lefty Gomez, Yankees

1938: Red Ruffing, Yankees

1939: Johnny Murphy, Yankees

1940: Paul Derringer, Reds

 

1941: Tiny Bonham, Yankees

1942: Johnny Beazley, Cardinals

1943: Spud Chandler, Yankees

1944: Ted Wilks, Cardinals

1945: Hal Newhouser, Tigers

1946: Harry Brecheen, Cardinals

1947: Joe Page, Yankees

1948: Gene Bearden, Indians

1949: Joe Page, Yankees

1950: Allie Reynolds, Yankees

1951: Bob Kuzava, Yankees

1952: Bob Kuzava, Yankees

1953: none

1954: Johnny Antonelli, Giants

1955: Johnny Podres, Dodgers

1956: Johnny Kucks, Yankees

1957: Lew Burdette, Braves

1958: Bob Turley, Yankees

1959: Larry Sherry, Dodgers

1960: none

1961: Bud Daley, Yankees

1962: Ralph Terry, Yankees

1963: Sandy Koufax, Dodgers

1964: Bob Gibson, Cardinals

1965: Sandy Koufax, Dodgers

1966: Dave McNally, Orioles

1967: Bob Gibson, Cardinals

1968: Mickey Lolich, Tigers

1969: Jerry Koosman, Mets

1970: Mike Cuellar, Orioles

1971: Steve Blass, Pirates

1972: Rollie Fingers, A's

1973: Darold Knowles, A's

1974: Rollie Fingers, A's

1975: Will McEnaney, Reds

1976: Will McEnaney, Reds

1977: Mike Torrez, Yankees

1978: Rich Gossage, Yankees

1979: Kent Tekulve, Pirates

 

1980: Tug McGraw, Phillies

1981: Steve Howe, Dodgers

1982: Bruce Sutter, Cardinals

1983: Scott McGregor, Orioles

1984: Willie Hernandez, Tigers

1985: Bret Saberhagen, Royals

1986: Jesse Orosco, Mets

1987: Jeff Reardon, Twins

1988; Orel Hershiser, Dodgers

1989: Dennis Eckersley, A's

1990: Randy Myers, Reds

1991: none

1992: Mike Timlin, Blue Jays

1993: none

1994: no series

1995: Mark Wohlers, Braves

1996: John Wetteland, Yankees

1997: none

1998: Mariano Rivera, Yankees

1999: Mariano Rivera, Yankees

2000: Mariano Rivera, Yankees

2001: none

2002: Troy Percival, Angels

2003: Josh Beckett, Marlins

2004: Keith Foulke, Red Sox

2005: Bobby Jenks, White Sox

2006: Adam Wainwright, Cardinals

2007: Jonathan Papelbon, Red Sox

2008: Brad Lidge, Phillies

2009: Mariano Rivera, Yankees

2010: Brian Wilson, Giants

2011: Jason Motte, Cardinals

2012: Sergio Romo, Giants

2013: Koji Uehara, Red Sox

2014: Madison Bumgarner, Giants

2015: Wade Davis, Royals

2016: Mike Montgomery, Cubs

2017: Charlie Morton, Astros

2018: Chris Sale, Red Sox

2019: Daniel Hudson, Nationals

2020: Julio Urias, Dodgers

2021: Will Smith, Braves
2022: Ryan Pressly, Astros
2023 Josh Sborz, Rangers

Just a few observations on the King of the Hill list, as I've commented plenty on The Blob list in the past.

1. Mariano Rivera, is the King of all King of the Hills, as he's been on the mound for the final out four times. Pitchers who have been on the mound twice for the final World Series out are: Art Nehf (1922, 1923), Johnny Murphy (1936, 1939), Joe Page (1947, 1949), Bob Kuzava (1951, 1952), Sandy Koufax (1963, 1965), Bob Gibson (1964, 1967), Rollie Fingers (1972, 1974) and Will McEnaney (1975, 1976).

 

2. Many of these pitchers are in well-known photos as the pitcher celebrating after the last out is one of the first World Series photos that's broadcast across the globe.

 

3. Orel Hershiser's complete-game finish of the 1988 World Series really was the end of an era as it's the last time a starter has been allowed to complete a game all the way to the final out. That was quite an honor, looking back on it and easy to see why pitchers like that went down in baseball lore. I imagine some of the more recent King of the Hills will be forgotten by time. For example, I had to think about who the heck Mike Montgomery was for a moment (granted, I'm not a Cubs fan).

 

RIP, Bruce Sutter.