Quote:
Originally Posted by nolemmings
Then why lump Blyleven in with Kershaw--what the hell was your point? Oh yeah, there was none.
BTW, you were wrong again anyway. Please look it up, you will see that Tanner gave the ball to Blyleven in game 5, trailing 1-0 and on the brink of elimination, BECAUSE his team's season was on the line.
This from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette on 10/19/1979:
"Blyleven pitched often in the World Series. He pitched six strong innings on Thursday, October 11, when the Pirates won the second game 3-2.
Although he was scheduled to start the sixth game, Tanner used him in the fifth game, in which Blyleven pitched four strong innings to back up Jim Rooker's five good innings.
'We were in a situation where we couldn't go anywhere but home, Tanner said. So we used Blyleven'.
When the World Series ended, Tanner called that game pitched by Rooker and Blyleven the turning point of the series.
Blyleven volunteered to come back and pitch the sixth game with one day's rest. Tanner chose Candelaria instead, but Blyleven threw hard in the bullpen, hoping to get in".
So let's recap.
1) Blyleven wants the ball, is effective in game 2 and leaves tied 2-2 against Jim Palmer;
2) Blyleven set to start game 6--not relegated to the bullpen by an unhappy manager;
3) Manager calls on Blyleven in elimination game 5 because the season was on the line and there would be no game 6 unless his team rallied;
4) Blyleven throws four scoreless, Bucs rally and win;
4) Manager called the game pitched by Rooker and Blyleven the turning point of the Series:
5) Blyleven asked to pitch again on one day's rest, and is called to warm up in game 6.
Got any more horseshit you'd like to peddle about the manager having no confidence in Blyleven?
So Tanner ended up not liking him? Well, Bert went on to win another 130+ games elsewhere, and would win three post-season games including a World Series game. Tanner never won more than 84 games in a season thereafter and the Pirates have not played in the World Series since Blyleven left.
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https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/01...8494349678800/
Tanner was visibly upset in 1980 when Blyleven left the team and went home to California after complaining about his lack of use.
The Bucs manager stopped, asking, 'Did I say Cryleven?
'I never talk about a player, but I don't appreciate the lie he told,' Tanner said. 'He didn't like the way I managed. Well, I don't manage my team for one man; I manage the man for the good of the team.
'I don't think Bert fits the team concept,' said Tanner. 'He told me last season he's interested in, oh, I don't remember the exact order ... starts, complete games, shutouts, strikeouts, earned run average.
If Blyleven was such a good pitcher why was he traded for Gary Alexander, Victor Cruz, Bob Owchinko and Rafael Vasquez?