1982 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR
"Still without question the most feared pitcher in baseball; the principal reason why the Yankees will always be contenders- as long as he's sound. He's in the final year of the $2.75-million contract he signed with the Yanks as a free agent in 1977. Gossage thrives on pressure and hitters quake at facing his fastball, which is clocked regularly at 96 m.p.h.
Born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, friends and foes call him 'Goose.' Prior to coming the Yanks from the Pirates' bullpen, he had been an undistinguished starter with the White Sox. He progressed through the Chisox' minor league system with Bucky Dent and they wound up in the World Series together with the Yanks.
Goose was well on his way to eclipsing John Hiller's major league record for saves (38 in 1973) in '81 when the strike came, and still wound up with 20."
-Bill Madden, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1982 Edition
"Speaking directly with a straight-from-the-shoulder candidness, you'll get the same answer from both reporters and ballplayers alike. There's no moundsman as awesome and overwhelming as the 6'3", 215-pound Colorado Springs, Colorado right-hander named Rich 'Goose' Gossage.
Arms flapping, body swirling at speeds too quick for the eye to focus on, a batter simply has to make up his mind to get his bat around as soon as possible. The bat must come around with an unhuman-like velocity to try to connect with a 90 to 100 m.p.h. fastball. Not enough time to entertain thoughts about what to do once the Goose has started his motion. Swing the bat, walk back to the dugout, drop the bat. It's that simple: one ... two ... three! As in three strikes, you're out.
During his four previous seasons with the Yankees, the Goose has racked up 314 strikeouts. All told, he's thrown 884 K's in a career that has included stints with the Chicago White Sox (1972-76) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (1977). In 1978, his best season as a Yankee to date, he was the American League's Fireman of the Year with a 2.01 ERA, 122 strikeouts and a league leading 27 saves.
There'll be no letting up on opposing batters this season, either. Goose plans to let it go full-force with enemy hitters dancing to the tune of his fastballs. One ... Two ... Three ... back to the bench!"
-The New York Yankees Official 1982 Yearbook
"Gossage had a super first half of the 1981 season, earning his sixth All-Star Game selection. He finished the first half with a 2-1 record, 17 saves and an 0.56 ERA, and had his 17 saves in 18 possible save situations.
Goose had an injury-marred season and missed eight games in mid-May with a strained back. He was scratched from the All-Star Game (Ron Davis took his place) when he developed tightness in his right shoulder during pre-second half workouts, not appearing in a game until August 21. Then in Milwaukee on September 14 he suffered a groin pull during batting practice, missing another two weeks. Goose was healthy for the playoffs, though, appearing in eight games, saving six and pitching 14.1 innings with 15 strikeouts and no earned runs for a 0.00 ERA.
He was the Yankees' No. 1 selection in the 1977 Re-Entry Draft. The Yankees followed scout Birdie Tebbetts' recommendation that they let no contending American League club get him. Gossage has established himself as the top reliever in baseball and was on the mound to finish the Yankees' last five deciding game victories: the 1978 playoff win at Boston (his greatest thrill in baseball), the '78 ALCS clincher against Kansas City, the '78 World Series clincher at Los Angeles, the 1981 Division Series clincher against Milwaukee and the '81 ALCS clincher at Oakland.
In '78 Goose was the Sporting News Fireman of the Year and Rolaids Relief Man of the Year. On September 3 of that year he struck out the side against Seattle on 11 pitches with none out in the ninth, the tying run on third and the winning run on second. 1979 was semi-disastrous, with Goose missing 12 weeks with a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament of the metacarpal-phalangeal joint of the right thumb suffered in a clubhouse scuffle with Cliff Johnson on April 19. He didn't pitch again until July 12.
In 1980, Goose finished third in the AL MVP balloting behind George Brett and Reggie Jackson. He also finished third in the Cy Young voting behind Steve Stone and Mike Norris and was named the relief pitcher on the UPI AL All-Star team. He retired 28 consecutive batters in a seven-game stretch from August 26 to September 10 of 1980.
Goose came up in the White Sox organization with Bucky Dent and they were roommates as well as teammates. The Midwest League Player of the Year in 1971 at Appleton, Goose was AL Fireman on the Year in 1975. He struck out eight of 11 Dodgers he faced in a game on May 19, 1977.
Gossage grew up a Yankee and Mickey Mantle fan and was captain of his basketball team (and is a member of the Hall of Fame) at Wasson High (Colorado Springs, CO), where he played against Cullen Bryant of the Los Angeles Rams. He attended Colorado State College where he majored in forestry.
Goose enjoys hunting, fishing, golf and racquetball."
-1982 New York Yankees Media Guide
No comments:
Post a Comment