Hidden deep beneath the powerhouses of the CDL, obscure from the scrutiny of the press and spotlights of big cities, Cecilio Guante quietly goes about his business of saving games for the Philadelphia Phillies. It's his 1st season in the big leagues, and despite the Phillies woes, he's very happy and having the time of his life.
"It's everything I hoped it would be and more" says Guante about pitching in the majors. "Sure I'd like to win, who wouldn't, but the transition to ML level ball has been made easier by the fact there's no pressure here this year."
The Phillies are rebuilding, and young guys like Guante, Mcgee, Raines, & Ripken are the future of this club. Bringing them along slowly helps build confidence, as is evidenced by Guante's performance as a rookie closer. He's 16 of 17 in save opportunities, has an Era of 2.61 and is allowing opponents to bat just .252 with an Obp of .277. Not bad numbers at all for a 22 year old who figured he'd spend this season at AAA Scranton/Wilkes.
The Phillies may be losing now, but when you look at the young talent like Guante, the future doesn't look too dim or too far off at all.
After being a runner-up for the title of Rookie of the Month in the American League in May and June, A's third baseman Wade Boggs finally won it in July. He hit for a ,370 average, with a ,409 OBP and ,500 SLG in 100 AB. He hit one homerun and collected 15 RBIs.
The first player selected in the 1982 Amateur Draft, Boggs has an impressive ,351 average this year. He has 4 homeruns and 41 RBIs.
Angels starter Bill Laskey (4-1 2,36) and Red Sox third baseman Tim Wallach (,321-5-11) were also considered.
In the National League, the best rookie in July was Tony Gwynn, right fielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He hit for ,400/,438/,552 with 18 RBIs in 105 AB.
Gwynn, selected just after Boggs in the draft, was also selected Rookie of the Month in April.
Gwynn finished ahead of Philadelphia closer Cecilio Guante (2-0, 4 saves, 0,64) and Montreal reliever Lee Smith (no earned runs in 13,2 IP, 1 save).
Thursday 7/27/1982 BALTIMORE - Milwaukee's leftfielder Tito Landrum accomplished a difficult feat in a game against Baltimore, hitting for the cycle to improve his career batting average to .276! Number 2 in the 3rd inning accounted for a RBI double. In the 6th inning he unloaded a three-run homerun off Bob Mcclure. A single in the 7th off Bob Mcclure accounted for his 4th hit. That drive completed the cycle, causing a smile on his face! Tito did drive in 5 while scoring 3 runs on his own. He is hitting
.272 this season, with 3 HR and 30 RBI. 7 players in league history have so far hit for the cycle, including
Tito. Jorge Orta was the last player to hit for the cycle, doing it 5/31/1982.
Monday 8/1/1982 :
American League-Pitcher of the Month :
Steve Busby (MIL) !!
He had a record of 6-0 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 1.56 and 1 shutouts.
American League-Batter of the Month :
Andre Dawson (KC) !!
He batted .355 in 93 AB, with 10 homers and 25 RBI.
National League-Pitcher of the Month :
Doug Rau (PIT) !!
He had a record of 5-0 in 6 games started, with an ERA of 1.30 and 3 shutouts.
National League-Batter of the Month :
George Brett (SF) !!
He batted .473 in 91 AB, with 4 homers and 10 RBI.
Flashbulbs went off liked a crazed 70s disco, highlighting the gentle ginger locks, so well trimmed under the unassuming nose.
"6-1."
Female reporters could not contain themselves. That gourgeous 'stache: the soft, bristles; the delicious rich color; the power and animal attraction of it. Hearts were skipping beats, stomachs were a flutter.
"17 saves."
The jealousy was there... pulsing, feeding, growing. Scraggly 'stached reporters, with pimply jowls and sporadic patches of pubescent down were searching, wondering why, why more growth could not be achieved.
"1.78 era."
And let's be honest. For some it was not jealousy, but dare we say... attraction?
"Obviously, it's the Cubs/Astro plot. Remember '79."
And he was gone, the faint scent Grecian formula lingering behind. And the people, both male and female. As if coming out of a daze, waking from a year-long comna, with only one thought.
The 'stache.
TORONTO-Ken Phelps and Jerry Narron, two power hitting stars for the struggling Toronto Blue Jays must be shaking their heads tonight, as the All-Star roster was announced and neither found themselves on it.
Ken Phelps leads the AL in HR and RBI, and Jerry Narron has 19HR and 50RBI at the catcher's position, as a rookie.
"It doesn't matter to me," Phelps replied, who was also left off of last year's team. "We're not going to get any respect around here until we start winning."
"I'm just happy to be playing well and to have finally made it," Narron, a former 3rd round pick for the Blue Jays, who has done nothing but impress at every level he's played.
General manager Matt Culberson was reached for comment and had this to say, "If you give me some pitching, I'll promise to never send a player to the All-Star game ever, and I'll be happy. I just want to win. Respect will come with wins."
The Blue Jays once again find themselves in last place. After a decent start, at least for them, Nolan Ryan, their newly aquired ace went down with a season ending injury, and it's been downhill for the team ever since.
Thursday 7/6/1982 BOSTON - Boston's right-hander Chuck Rainey experienced probably the worst case scenario for a pitcher, a season ending injury. After pitching in the 2nd inning of the game against Detroit, Rainey complained about serious pain in his throwing arm. He had to leave the game. Rainey was rushed to an hospital near the ballpark, where doctors took x-rays. Those revealed the serious injury, Bone Chips Shoulder. Opposing players hit .321 against Chuck this season. While posting an ERA of 6.72 he went 3-7 in 15 starts, fanning 22 and walking 38 hitters.
Tuesday 7/11/1982 :
These players were selected for the AL OOTP-Allstar Team :
P Dennis Eckersley from Baltimore
P Steve Busby from Milwaukee
P John Fulgham from Oakland
P Blue moon Odom from California
P Ross Grimsley from Milwaukee
P Don Aase from Chicago (A)
P Charlie Leibrandt from Baltimore
P Scipio Spinks from Baltimore
P Bruce Sutter from Baltimore
P Steve Bedrosian from Kansas City
C Milt May from California
C Rich Gedman from Milwaukee
1B Gary Thomasson from Baltimore
2B Paul Molitor from Minnesota
3B Eric Soderholm from Milwaukee
SS Milt Ramirez from Milwaukee
LF George Hendrick from Milwaukee
CF Bob Coluccio from Baltimore
RF Ruppert Jones from California
1B Thad Bosley from Minnesota
RF Jorge Orta from Minnesota
RF Cesar Geronimo from Baltimore
LF Jim Dwyer from California
SS Howard Johnson from New York (A)
3B Wade Boggs from Oakland
These players were selected for the NL OOTP-Allstar Team :
P Doyle Alexander from Houston
P Ken Forsch from St. Louis
P Mike Caldwell from Chicago (N)
P Larry Dierker from Chicago (N)
P Dan Petry from New York (N)
P Gary Gentry from Cincinnati
P Jim Wright from Chicago (N)
P Will Mcenaney from Houston
P Larry Andersen from Cincinnati
P Willie Hernandez from Los Angeles
C Gary Carter from Chicago (N)
C John Stearns from San Francisco
1B Pedro Guerrero from St. Louis
2B Joe Morgan from Montreal
3B George Brett from San Francisco
SS Alan Trammell from Chicago (N)
LF Joe Lahoud from San Francisco
CF Kirk Gibson from Atlanta
RF Dale Murphy from Chicago (N)
1B Cecil Cooper from San Francisco
CF Reggie Jackson from Houston
LF Gary Roenicke from Los Angeles
LF Rich Chiles from Cincinnati
3B Mike Schmidt from Montreal
SS Robin Yount from Cincinnati
Starting pitcher Bill Laskey of the California Angels was the best rookie in June in the American League. His record was 4-2 ans his E.R.A. 2,06 in 48 innings. He gave up 12 walks and struck out 20 batters.
He was a second round pick in the last Amateur draft. For the season, the 24 years old righthander has a 9-5 record and a 3,21 E.R.A.
A's thirdbaseman Wade Boggs (,364-1-9) and Twins starter Juan Eichelberger (5-1 2,84) were also considered.
In the National League, the Rookie of the Month for June is Frank Viola, of the St-Louis Cardinals. He had a record of 2-2 and an E.R.A. of 2,50 in 36 innings pitched. He struck out 29 batters and walked 12.
Viola, only 22, struggled in April and June and overall his record is 5-12, his E.R.A. at 5,03. He was the 8th player selected in the last Amateur Draft.
Viola finished ahead of Cubs centerfielder Eddie Miller (,350-3-7), Pirates reliever Tom Niedenfuer (1-0, 2,08) and Phillies reliever Cecilio Guante (7 saves, 3,38)
Today, the Houston Astros sent SS Ozzie Smith to the California Angels for a first round pick in 1984, CL Tom Henke and SP Francisco Barrios. The Astros felt that it was time for the Wizard to head West. While a fine defensive shortstop and a solid offensive contributor, the Astros braintrust felt that adding a nasty closer in Henke, a solid pitcher in Barrios and another first round pick in 1984 was more valuable than the disappointing shortstop. With the acquisition of SS Toby Harrah, the Astros felt that it was time to move Smith elsewhere, where he may reach the lofty heights held for him when he was taken in the first round.
PS: It should be editorialized here that once again, the Astros have traded a player with great potential, who will certainly star elsewhere, as is the tradition.
Wednesday 6/28/1982 NEW YORK (N) - New York (N)'s leftfielder Fred Lynn will miss the rest of the season. He injured himself running the bases in the game between New York (N)and Houston. The injury didn't seem to be serious the moment is happened. But suddenly Lynn collapsed in pain and had to be carried off the field. After being taken to a local hospital, Lynn was examined by specialists. The diagnosis revealed the sad truth, a Broken Knee. While compiling an on base percentage of .379, Fred hit .255 and slugged .432. He has collected 42 runs batted in this year.
Saturday 7/1/1982 - The American League Batter of the Month award goes to Ruppert Jones, California's starting rightfielder. In 105 at bats he hit .343 with 7 HR and 18 RBI. Jones has hit 16 bombs this year while batting .316. He adds 20 doubles, along with 64 runs scored. He's 9th in
the American League in batting, 7th in homeruns and 5th in RBI! Chicago (N)'s catcher Gary Carter had some reason to celebrate as well, as the league named him the National League Batter of the Month. He hit .378 with 24 RBI and slugged .602 in 98 at bats. His season numbers are: .280 AVG, 82 hits, 15 doubles, no triples and 12 longballs, along with 51 RBI and 40 runs scored. He's 3rd in the National League in RBIs and 8th in homeruns!
Saturday 7/1/1982 - Blue moon Odom had a terrific June, and it earned him the He struck out 22 hitters in his 6 starts, putting together a record of 5-0 while pitching 22 innings. His ERA in June was 0.89. Blue moon pitched a shutout as well. In 17 starts this year Blue moon struck out 55 batters in 126.2 innings of work. His ERA is 2.49,
his record 8-3. Blue moon has pitched one shutout and 2 complete games. Winner of this months National League Pitcher of the Month award is Cincinnati's Joaquin Andujar. His record of 5-0 in 5 was among the leagues best this month. In 38 innings of work he allowed just 29 hits while striking out 10, compiling an ERA of just 1.18. His ERA of 2.33 helped him to a 9-3 record this year. He struck out 40 and walked 43 in 112 innings. He's 7th in the National League in ERA and 3rd in wins!