Anatomy of a Season

[luckymann]

IRL Standings on this Day

[luckymann]

August 1, 1985: Chicago White Sox (40-56) @ Boston Red Sox (53-46)

A strange old situation here, with the game yesterday called after 7 as a tie and, rather than picking it up from where it left off yesterday and simply completing it, MLB rules designate it as a tie – had one of us been in front at the time they would have been given a W for it – needing to be replayed. This will be done immediately, with a twin bill today.

The early game sees Al Nipper take on righty Gene Nelson, who I’ll be facing for the first time here. Always nice to get a win in the first game to ensure you don’t come away from what is a full-on day empty handed.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

They open the scoring with a single in the top 2nd and double their lead in the next as once again our bats look sluggish.

Little to report from the middle innings as the pitchers control the game, but we finally get our act together with a big 7th, where we post a 4-spot including two on a Billy Buck single.

Nipper, however, flags as they get square with a deuce in the next and the go-ahead run thrown out at home by a superb Steve Lyons throw.

Crawford relieves Nipper for the 9th and they do go in front this time when Luis Salazar triples and scores on a Baines sac fly. They then close it out to send us to our fourth straight loss.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

see Game 101 post

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

[luckymann]

August 1, 1985: Chicago White Sox (41-56) @ Boston Red Sox (53-47)

Another old pal of mine up for our opponents tonight in Dan Spillner, who I first faced more than a decade ago and have done fairly well against since: 11-for-27 with 3 homers. Would love to see some more along those lines tonight as we are in desperate need of turning things around and that mindset I mentioned before the first game now works against us in the late one. Tim Lollar going for us.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

They really are riding our pitching this series as Lollar gives up an early run and we are set to the chase yet again. This time, however, our response is immediate as we leapfrog them with two, one coming off a single by yours truly.

We extend that lead in the 5th as Dave Sax pops one off with one on and a third scores on a Marty Barrett single, ending Spillner’s night.

Lollar has looked sharp but gasses in the 8th as they creep closer with a pair of runs. Crawford, however, comes in for the 9th and closes it out for a much-needed 5-3 victory.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1982, Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, Travis Jackson and former commissioner Happy Chandler are inducted in the Hall of Fame.
• Transactions of Interest:The Cleveland Indians trade Bert Blyleven to the Minnesota Twins for a player to be named later (Rich Yett), Jay Bell, Curt Wardle and Jim Weaver. The Montreal Expos trade Dan Driessen to the San Francisco Giants for Bill Laskey and Scot Thompson.

[luckymann]

August 2, 1985: Boston Red Sox (54-47) @ Kansas City Royals (56-43)

We head westward once more in this never-ending hurdy-gurdy with KC our first stop for three. The Royals are looking good this year but seem headed for a serious battle with the A’s in the West Div and need every win they can get to try run them down. Bud Black and Bruce Hurst squaring off to get things underway in front of a big crowd indeed - nearly 40000 of them and very few wearing red and dark blue.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

They get at it early with a run on two in the 1st and the Wilson-Brett-McRae combo at the heart of their order already looking dangerous.

I get us back on level terms with a run-scoring double in the 3rd and then Stevie Lyons puts us ahead 2-1 in the next with an RBI single. A 2-run bomb by Jim Rice in the next extends our advantage.

With Bruce looking super sharp, we all but put them away in the 7th with a 4-spot as we bat around, and it finishes 8-1. One of our best recent performances against top-notch opposition.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1931, the Red Sox blank the Yanks 1-0 in the nightcap of a DH, the last time in 308 games New York will fail to score.
• Transactions of Interest:The last-place Pirates unload three of their veteran players, trading pitchers John Candelaria and Al Holland and OF George Hendrick to the Angels for OF Mike Brown and pitchers Pat Clements and Bob Kipper.

[luckymann]

August 3, 1985: Boston Red Sox (55-47) @ Kansas City Royals (56-44)

There looks like there might be some disruption later this week with talk of a strike being held. Until then it is business as usual as we once again take on KC, and the Rocket Roger Clemens makes his long-awaited return tonight after a lengthy stint on the DL, let’s hope he’s raring and ready to go after a tough early part of the season. He’s taking on another young fireballer in Mark Gubicza and once again they are packed into Royals Stadium. They do love their baseball here in the Midwest, no doubt about that.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

We give Rog an early lead with one in the 1st and then 3 more in the 4th, which hopefully allows him to settle into the game with a bit less pressure on him.

Or, then again, maybe not…

They tie it up in the bottom half as Roger shows his rustiness and perhaps some of his rawness as well. He can’t get out of the 4th as they score another run to move ahead.

Bruce Kison comes on in relief, but they have their eye in now and stretch their lead with two more in the next. Bruce does settle down, though, and keeps them in check thru 7.

We strike in the 8th, as Dewey Evans ties it at 7 apiece with a big 3-run jack and this one is going into spares.

A big inning in the top 11th where we score 5 puts us in the box seat and we only give one of them back in closing it out for another really good win by the boys. 17 hits in all. Evans has 4 of them while scoring 4 runs, and him and Geds each drive in 3. I also have a pretty strong night, going 4-for-6.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• On a good gameday for clan Evans, Darrell belts career HR number 300 for Detroit against the Brewers.

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: NIL
• Transactions of Interest:NIL

[luckymann]

August 4, 1985: Boston Red Sox (56-47) @ Kansas City Royals (56-45)

Word has it that we are all but guaranteed of a flash work stoppage being called by the Players’ Association perhaps as soon as tomorrow. No further details known at this point. In the meantime, the show goes on as we finish off this KC series with a game against lefty Charlie Leibrandt, who at 12-7 is putting together a fine season so far. Oil Can Boyd up for us to try slow his progress towards 20 wins. Nearly 120 thousand through the turnstiles for this three-game series. Unbelievable interest in the Royals at the moment—and with good reason; they are a quality unit playing some great baseball.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

We shoot out of the blocks with a 3-spot in the 1st as I single one in to open my account for the game. Always a nice feeling to contribute in your first AB. Can starts sharply but they do get on the board with a run in the 3rd as their bats get busy.

Ours, on the other hand, have gone quiet and the Royals tie the game at 3 in the 5th on a rare 2-run blast by Lonnie Smith – just his second for the season in fact, including his stint at the Cards earlier in the year.

We do poke our noses back in front again in the next when I lead off with a single and Geds doubles me all the way around, but they respond immediately and we are once again back on level terms.

Can has been good all game but sadly still walks away from it with the L as they walk it off with Smith back in the thick of it to single in the winner.

Never like losing but we certainly showed we can mix it with the best in this series, a most encouraging sign indeed for the remainder of the season. As long as it goes ahead, that is!

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• Another win to Mike Scott; 17-1 now.

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: In a day of milestones, Tom Seaver becomes the 17th pitcher to win 300 games and Rod Carew becomes the 16th player ever to collect 3,000 career hits.
• Transactions of Interest:NIL

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

August 5, 1985: No game scheduled

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: NIL

[luckymann]

August 8, 1985: Boston Red Sox (56-48) @ Chicago White Sox (42-60)

A fairly chaotic past few days with the snap strike and struggles to get us back on the park, then figuring out how best to reschedule the missed games. Still, it was needed, there were some fairly meaningful player grievances needing to be worked out and hopefully this was the first step in doing so, with salary arbitration being increasing from two years to three years.

The immediate flow-on effect is that we’ve got a doubleheader to play here in Chi-Town, where we stayed while the games were on pause. I got to take some of the lads to a few old haunts from my time here that are still standing, becoming fewer with every visit it seems.

The early game sees lefties Bob Ojeda and Britt Burns facing each other in a sparsely-populated Comiskey Park, presumably because of a lack of awareness about there being a day game.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

Three straight hits including back-to-back doubles to Tim Hulett and Greg Walker get them the game’s first run but Bob does well to keep it at that, then undoes his good work with a sloppy 3rd that sees them add two more.

A Tony Armas triple opens the scoring for us in the next, but Burns is keeping us quiet and they push away again with a run in the 7th.

We only manage 4 hits in a sluggish performance and take a 4-1 loss.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

see Game 106 post

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

[luckymann]

August 8, 1985: Boston Red Sox (56-49) @ Chicago White Sox (43-60)

Even fewer in for the nightcap, which pits Tim Lollar against Gene Nelson and we really need to tighten things up. We are too streaky by half and seem to float in and out of consciousness on a regular basis. That has allowed Detroit to take a bit of a lead in the division and if we’re not careful they’ll have flown the coop altogether.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

We take the lead with a deuce in the 4th as Lollar doesn’t give up his first hit until the bottom of the same frame, and a run-scoring double by Boggs in the next makes it 3-0.

An error helps us in the 7th when we add two more to our lead but a solo homer by Kittle in the bottom half gets one of those back for them.

They creep closer again with one in the 8th and, given our bullpen’s inconsistency, that always puts me on edge. So I’m glad to see Dewey Evans leadoff the 9th by putting one into the bleachers to make it 6-2 and that’s how it ends. A bit more like it.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: Bob Hegman
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1973, Boston DH Orlando Cepeda ties the major league record with four doubles in a 9-4 triumph over Kansas City, with Luis Tiant the winning pitcher.
• Transactions of Interest:The Cincinnati Reds trade a player to be named later (Freddie Toliver), Tom Foley and Alan Knicely to the Philadelphia Phillies for Greg Simpson and Bo Diaz.

[luckymann]

August 9, 1985: New York Yankees (55-51) @ Boston Red Sox (57-49)

Back home again for three against the Auld Enemy, by which I of course mean the Yanks. They are only two back of us in this crowded AL East field and would still believe they are in the mix, which means this series should be particularly ferocious in tone. I know our boys are worked up for it, and there’s a big crowd in at Fenway tonight to see Bruce Hurst face Ed Whitson in the opener.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

Mattingly quietens the crowd with a 2-run bomb in the 1st, then an RBI double in the next by Marty Barrett cuts their lead in half.

But Hurst is having real problems getting the ball by their hitters, who tag him for two more on 4 hits in the 4th to make it 4-1.

We get it back to square in the next, however, with Boggs going deep with a man on and Billy Buck then putting one in the seats as well.

The pitchers take control from there and this one goes into extra innings, by which time I have been subbed out for Dave Stapleton as is our usual strategy when he's available.

Both sides score a run in the 11th and on it goes. They go ahead again in the top 13th and we are quickly down to our last out before Marc Sullivan singles and Dewey Evans walks. Cue Wade Boggs, cape optional, who belts it out of there for the huge walkoff win. About the loudest I have ever heard Fenway since I’ve been here.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: Gene Walter
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1960, Ted Williams blasts the 511th home run of his career, tying him with Mel Ott for third on the all-time list.

[luckymann]

August 10, 1985: New York Yankees (55-52) @ Boston Red Sox (58-49)

Exactly two-thirds of the season done after this one and the noise at Fen has only just quietened after that amazing game last night. We need to quieten things down for us at least, as it’s just one win and we’ll need plenty more over the remainder. Starting with this one, as Oil Can Boyd faces man mountain Joe Cowley—an intimidating presence indeed throwing from 6-5 plus the mound height.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

They once again go ahead in the 1st, this time with just the one run, and we cancel it out in the 2nd then edge ahead with another in the 4th. Smallball very much the order of the day to this point.

It stays that way as Can only allows 4 hits over 8 and we still lead 2-1 for Bob Stanley to close it out, which he does with a 1-2-3 inning. A scrappy low-key win; the perfect antidote to the previous game’s drama.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• That show of power by Frank White outdoes anything from his IRL career, in which he hit two homers in five different games but never three.

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: Dave Shipanoff, Tom Runnells
• Daily Notes: IRL, Oakland's Dave Kingman becomes the 21st player to hit 400 career home runs, belting a two-run shot off Matt Young in the 1st inning of the A's 11-5 win at Seattle. He hits one in the corresponding in-game contest to keep him ahead of the historical by 4.

[luckymann]

August 11, 1985: New York Yankees (55-53) @ Boston Red Sox (59-49)

The third and final game in this Yankees homestand sees us looking for a series sweep ahead of the Royals’ visit for three from tomorrow. Al Nipper is charged with that responsibility and he’ll have to do it against Louisiana Lightnin’ himself, Ron Guidry, who’s having yet another solid season and will be tough to beat as always.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

I get an early ribbie on a fielder’s choice in the 1st to put us on the scoresheet but they respond immediately, tagging Nipper for 3 on 4 hits in the next and then adding another two in the 3rd.

We manage to erase those with a pair in the home half of the same frame, but with Woodward on in relief, Baylor makes it 6-3 with a solo jack in the 5th.

Our bats explode, putting us on top with a 5-spot in the bottom 5th as we bat around and end Guidry’s night in the process.
They make it a one-run game with a score in the 8th, only for old Billy Buck to make it 4 RBI for the game courtesy of a 2-run single – my first hit, mind you – and they prove key as the Yanks plate two in the 9th and have the winning run thrown out at second to end an enthralling but oh-so-ugly game with a 10-9 final. We have 19 hits for the game (4 of them from Dwight Evans) and, amazingly, all are singles.

What a series! A little bit of something for everyone. Except Yankee fans, perhaps.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: Joel Davis
• Daily Notes: NIL

[luckymann]

[luckymann]

August 12, 1985: Kansas City Royals (59-49) @ Boston Red Sox (60-49)

The Royals hit town for three and, as we saw in that recent series in KC, these are two really evenly-matched sides. The A’s are still 4½ to the good in the AL West, so we expect no quarter to be given here. It will be Al Nipper and Mark Gubicza squaring off in the opener on a chilly, tough night for pitchers with the wind blowing out to LF.

NOTE: Frustratingly, another error here - Clemens should have started yesterday but is once again on the IL. At least this time I caught it so I could reset Nipper's fatigue. It has been reported.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

They waste no time getting a run on the board in the 1st and add two more on three hits in the 3rd, then one more in the 4th with Lonnie Smith just carving us up—3-for-3 with 2 RBI for the game already.

We finally score in the home 4th, then add a second in the next on a solo shot by Mike Easler after I am caught trying to steal second.

They cancel them out in a big 6th that sees the end of Nipper’s night, with Smith adding another hit and ribbie to his tally.

They put us to the sword with another deuce in the 8th and cruise to an 8-3 final in a really disappointing performance from our boys.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: Lance McCullers
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1940, Ernest Lawrence Thayer, author of "Casey at the Bat" dies at age 77.

[luckymann]

August 13, 1985: Kansas City Royals (60-49) @ Boston Red Sox (60-50)

Another tricky one for us to negotiate tonight with young gun Bret Saberhagen on the mound for the Royals. Odd that we’re yet to face him previously in this season, having somehow missed him in each of the series so far, and in fact I’ve only faced him once in my career, striking out last year. Bob Ojeda is up for us on a cold and blustery almost mirror image of last night.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

A pair of doubles and a triple in the 2nd give them an early 2-0 lead and a solo shot by Hal McRae in the 3rd to cap off an extraordinary 14-pitch AB adds a third before we’ve even had a man on base.

Geds singles in a run for us in the 4th but they cancel it out immediately and then go 6-1 ahead in the 6th to chase Ojeda.

Two more in the next seem to have ended this, only for our bats to come alive as we post one in the 7th and then 5 more in the 8th to really bring ourselves and the crowd back into the contest at 8-7.

The comeback is complete when we tie it up in the 9th on a leadoff homer by Boggs, but it all goes to waste as they score 3 in the 12th and we can only get one of them back on a solo shot by yours truly to put the final score at 11-9.

The true definition of a heartbreaker, but once again we have only ourselves to blame.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1908, Cy Young Day is celebrated by 20,000 in Boston, with the man himself pitching briefly against an All-Star team that includes Jack Chesbro, Hal Chase, Willie Keeler, Harry Davis and George Mullin.

[luckymann]

August 14, 1985: Kansas City Royals (61-49) @ Boston Red Sox (60-51)

One final game against KC before a lay day and it features a couple of quality southpaws squaring off with Bruce Hurst going for us against Buddy Black. Still somewhat windy, but at least the temp has crept up into the 80s again.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

We basically gift them one in the 3rd with an error and a balk involved, but I get us back on level terms with an RBI double in the home half.

They push ahead again a couple frames later with a deuce on 3 hits as Lonnie Smith continues his one-man wrecking show, only for us to knot it back up at 3 on solo shots to Lyons and Boggs in the 7th.

Hurst gives up a 2-run bomb to McRae in the next, and this time we have no response as we get swept at home—or perhaps that should read swept aside.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

• Despite that win, the Royals still lose ground on the A's, who blank the Twins in both games of a twin-bill.

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: Mark Portugal, Carlos Ponce
• Daily Notes: NIL

[luckymann]

August 15, 1985: No game scheduled

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: At Fenway Park, Boston's Babe Ruth outduels Nationals ace Walter Johnson, winning 1-0 in 13 innings to put Ruth at 3-0 in his meetings with Johnson.

[luckymann]

August 16, 1985: Boston Red Sox (60-52) @ New York Yankees (58-54)

Always a buzz among the group when we head to Yankee Stadium, as we do here for a three-game stand. I doubt there is anything that would ever quell the animosity between these two clubs and their respective fans give proper hell to the other team whenever they come for a visit. That’ll set your nerves tingling no matter your disposition. The opener sees a rematch of last week’s contest between Oil Can Boyd and Joe Cowley. There’s rain in the forecast and electricity in the air, with 30-plus-thousand New Yorkers come to the Bronx to bait us.

Bill Buckner YTD stats entering the game




Game Recap

We simultaneously knock the wind out of all those lungs with a 5-spot in the top 1st, the centrepiece of which is a 3-run homer by Rich Gedman, and a pair more in the next send Cowley for an early shower as the locals roar their disapproval with deafening silence.

We exchange runs in the 4th to make it 8-1 and after 7 it is 10-2 with Geds adding a 2-run blast to his earlier job.

And that’s how it ends—a real statement win by the lads after that horror show against the Royals.

Best Performances, News & Highlights of the Day

The Real Deal

(click link for BBRef boxscore)

• MLB Debuts: NIL
• Daily Notes: On this day in 1948, Babe Ruth dies of throat cancer at age 53 in New York. He will lie in state at Yankee Stadium and be viewed by more than 100,000 mourners.

[matttb324]

I've been doing my historical simulations for some months now but just recently have really had time to look at some of the other ones in any depth. This one is fascinating to me from a personal standpoint. I grew up in West Roxbury, MA (part of Boston) and was 11 in 1985 and so these Red Sox players are the ones I grew up with and have a place in my heart for. I can remember imitating with friends the batting stances of guys like Dave Stapleton or Mike Easler or Rich Gedman or Glenn Hoffman. Not exactly household names but they were the guys on TV38 that I saw everyday. Hoffman was actually my favorite player because he was a SS like me. My Dad used to say, but the guy barely hits .200 but I didn't care. As a kid, I really loved Steve Lyons too as he was sort of an atypical Sox player of that era in that he could sorta run a little and he was a bit of a wild player as I remember. Sadly, I didn't really care for him as a broadcaster later. Rice, Evans, Boggs were like gods even if now I see some of their issues as players or as men. Anyway, I'll keep an eye on this progression, I'm curious to see if '86 was a fluke year or we should have won or what. As it was happening, I remember feeling like we had no business being there but probably because I was 12 and we had never won before. Uff but the name Calvin Schiraldi still makes my knees a little weak.