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Goes by one name like Madonna, Cher and Lucifer, so I'm placing him under "I" rather than "S."
Anyway, dinky singles hitter, imported from Japan by the Mariners. Mostly remembered for falling just short in an exciting challenge to the (then) Willie Wilson single season at bat record in 2004. (Subsequently broken by Jimmy Rollins.)
Dave Kingman, he of the awesome home run power but mediocre batting average. (I saw him hit his first homer in the majors...in 1971 at Shea Stadium. Mets 5, Giants 1, and the big news of the day was that Jerry Koosman struck out Willie Mays three times!)
Lee Lacy - Outfielder and 2nd baseman who got into three world series with the Dodgers in the 70s. Relatively speedy on the bases, but never utilized in that capacity until he went to the Pirates and stole an average of 30 bases three years straight. Not a full time player until his final years in Baltimore. .286 career hitter from 1972-1987.
I learned about Ray Narleski while researching the great 1954 Indians team that went 111-43. A rookie relief pitcher on a staff that boasted Bob Feller, Bob Lemon, Early Wynn and Mike Garcia, he had a 2.22 ERA and 13 saves in 42 appearances. In 1955 he was 9-1 while leading the league in appearances with 60 and saves with 19.
In five seasons with the Indians Narleski appeared in 224 games, 42 as a starter, and posted a 39-21, 3.22 record with 53 saves. He was traded with teammate Don Mossi to the Tigers in a deal that brought Billy Martin to the Indians. Hampered by shoulder problems in 1959, Narleski had a dismal season in Detroit and then retired.
Ray's father, Bill Narleski, was an infielder with the Red Sox in 1929 and '30.
Under the heading of "you snooze you lose" we have...
Jim Nash - righty who made his major league debut on 7/3/1966 with the Kansas City A's. As a starter, he went 12-1 with an ERA of 2.06 in just half a season. The team finished with a 74-86 record.
He was bitten by the Sophomore slump but returned to form in 1968 when the A's moved to Oakland by putting up a 2.28 ERA and 1.05 WHIP and a 13-13 record. 1970 he was traded to the Braves for Felipe Alou and finished with the Phils in 1972.
Lifetime 68-64, 3.58 ERA
I had put this one on my clipboard just before going to bed last night and I'm too lazy to change it right now.
A strong candidate whenever the worst hitters of all time are discussed. Oyler was a shortstop who played for six seasons and compiled an astonishing .175-.258-.251 mark in 542 games. In only one season did his average rise above the Mendoza line, that was 1967 when he hit a lofty .207. To make up for that offensive outburst, the following year he hit .135.
Oyler had been the regular shortstop for the pennant winning Tigers in 1968, but his bat was so anemic that in the the season's final nine games, and through all seven games of the Series, Detroit manager Mayo Smith sat Olyler and brought in centerfielder Mickey Stanley to play shortstop. It worked, Stanley made just two inconsequential errors and the Tigers won the championship.
Olyer was left off the protected roster and the following year was drafted by the expansion Seattle Pilots, thus making his way into baseball history with a few mentions in "Ball Four."Oyler hit .165 for the Pilots, and was hitting .083 the next season for Angels when he was cut loose and his career over.
Lefthander Eddie Plank won 326 games (mostly with the A's) from 1901 to '17 and had a lifetime ERA of 2.35, winning 20 or more games eight times. He had very little run support in World Series play, going 2-5 and 1.32.
To me it is almost unbelievable that if not for the Veterans Committee process Plank would not be in the HoF.
2X minor league batting champ - Mark Quinn, who homered twice in his major league debut with KC in September, 1999. Had a solid rookie year in 2000 with a .294 BA and 20 HRs while playing mainly in left field. But his career was short and he was done after 2002. He played for a few other teams in their farm systems but never made it back to the bigs.
R...
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Ray Narleski
