savage1 ( Dick Radatz )

[MemphisMafia]

1962 : 9-6 / 2.24 era / 62 games / 24 saves
1963 : 15-6 / 1.97 era / 66 games / 25 saves
1964 : 16-9 / 2.29 era / 79 games / 29 saves
1965 : 9-11 / 3.91 era / 63 games / 22 saves
1966 : 0-2 / 4.74 era / 16 games / 4 saves

All with Boston , he got traded to Clev. in 1966 , then went to the Cubs in 1967 , then back to Clev. in 1967 , skipped 1968 , and finished his stint with both Detroit & Montreal in 1969

Lifetime :

52-43 / 3/13 era / 381 games / 122 saves

G.L.

***MMM***

:cool: :cool: :cool:

[GoldVike]

Nicknamed the "Monster"

If I remember my BBALL right???

[MemphisMafia]

G.V.

How right you are , he was bigger than Herman Munster and had some high heat , but as you look at the amount of games he pitched in such a short while they burnt him up .

If I am not mistaken he had surgery in late 66 , and Boston sent him to Clev. with a bum arm ( slipped them a " mickey " ) before they told Clev. and it was a uproar in baseball about it . The ole buyer beware thing ???

G.L.

***MMM***

:cool: :cool: :cool:

[savage1]

He was aptly named the Monster;he was huge around 6'6" 260 lbs(I am guessing) and as you can see from what Memphis posted he was great for those years in early to mid 60's.
Remember back then the closer(in this case Radatz) often came in to finish game as early as 7th inning.
Believe me when I tell you that with some so-so Sox teams back then he was really lights out when he came in to toil;he is certainly in my 5-7 Sox players of all time.
Thanks Memphis for posting that;I am convinced that if he had the same role as Gagne today(9th inning) he would be just as good.

[MemphisMafia]

No doubt about it :

Its a shame he pitched in those " kick to the curb days " , they rode him hard and put him away wet !

G.L.

***MMM***

:cool: :cool: :cool:

ps. savage1 no problem at all , my pleasure for a fellow Sox fan !

[savage1]

Radatz pitched in an era well before the speciality roles of today-setup, closer, mopup, left handed specialist, right handed specialist, etc.
What was amazing about Radatz is that he had an incredibly smooth motion, and it was hard to believe he was throwing as hard as he was;it was really a delight to watch him before he burned his arm out;I recall the local sportswriter said he was throwing aspirin tablets to the batter;good analogy as that is how hard to hit he was during his heyday.