Why isn’t Vida Blue in the Hall of Fame?

Vegas likes Celtics-Lakers?

Good morning, all. I hope your week is off to a terrific start.

Vida Blue died on Sunday at the age of 73. The news shocked many, me included. Didn’t I just see him in the Reggie Jackson documentary on Amazon Prime? He looked great, as he, Dave Stewart and Jackson talked about their Oakland days.

His passing led me to examine his lifetime baseball statistics and now I am asking why isn’t he in the Hall of Fame? He electrified the baseball world in 1971, winning the AL Cy Young Award and MVP with a 24-8 mark, a 1.82 ERA, eight shutouts and a remarkable 24 complete games. (I write this, by the way, while the Yankees Nestor Cortes could not pitch out of the sixth inning against the 8-27 A’s.) Blue struck out 301 batters in 312 innings pitched, numbers that may never be witnessed again, now that starting pitchers rarely pitch beyond the sixth inning.

I remember the 1971 season like yesterday, even though it was 52 years ago. Blue was the talk of baseball, the way he dominated the game. As a Yankees fan, I could not wait for him to pitch against New York. On Aug. 15, a Sunday afternoon, he pitched against the Yankees at old Yankee Stadium. This was during the down years for New York and on this date the Yankees were 60-60, 14 games out of first in the AL East. Oakland was in first place in the AL West by 14 games.

This was the era, when if the Yankees weren’t holding Bat Day, Cap Day or Ball Day, the crowds would barely hit 20,000 on a good day. They were lucky to draw 10,000 for most night games, even with the Red Sox in town. On this Sunday afternoon, however, one day after Oakland had sold player Tony LaRussa to the Atlanta Braves, more than 45,000 people turned out to watch Blue pitch against Stan Bahnsen. The only promotion was baseball.

I remember not only listening to the game on the radio but taping the broadcast. Oakland jumped out to a 2-0 advantage, but the Yankees rallied for four runs in the seventh inning to take a 4-2 lead, and the old ballpark went into a frenzy. Blue was never lifted from the game and Oakland scored four in the eighth to beat the Yanks, 6-4. Blue hurled the distance, allowed 10 hits, four runs earned, one walk and five strike outs. Somewhere I have that cassette tape. If I find it, I will post the audio on my You Tube channel, Baseball Discourse.

Pitching for the A’s, Giants and Royals, Blue had three 20-win seasons and finished with a lifetime 209-161 record, 3.27 ERA, 143 complete games and 37 shutouts. In 3343 1/3 innings pitched he struck out 2175 batters. He also pitched in three World Series and appeared on post season clubs with the Athletics five straight years. If that is not a Hall of Fame resume, I do not know what is. Like everyone else, who heard the news on Sunday, I was saddened by Blue’s death. Here is hoping the Hall of Fame’s Veterans Committee sees fit to vote Blue in the next time it meets.

Vegas likes Celtics-Lakers

Las Vegas bettors are favoring the Boston Celtics and the LA Lakers to meet in the NBA Finals. I am sure ABC is also rooting for that matchup. The Celtics and Lakers, it seemed, always met in the finals in the 1960s. The two clubs are tied for most NBA championships with 17. The Celtics, however, have not won a title since 2008 when they beat the (Who else?) the Lakers. The Lakers last title was in 2020.

Far be it from me to disagree with the oddsmakers but I think the Philadelphia 76ers, who tied the series with the Celtics 2-2 on Sunday, will have something to say about the Celts’ future. The Lakers, meanwhile, have to get past the defending champion Golden State Warriors. If both clubs advance, they then have to deal with the conference finals, so neither team is a lock.

Celtics-Lakers in the NBA finals? Vegas thinks so. Something tells me the Oakland A’s have a better chance of moving to Vegas, before we see that Boston-LA matchup in June, but it will be fun if it happens.

Maybe it’s just me

Maybe it’s the old timer in me, but I miss managers and pitching coaches who used to wear their team’s complete uniforms. Now it’s usually hoodies or pullovers with uniform pants, sans stirrup socks, that resemble sweats rather than a uniform. Go ahead, call me old fashion, but the first manager who wears a complete baseball uniform should be considered for Manager of the Year.

That is going to do it for this week’s newsletter. As always, thank you for your support and have a terrific week.

SPORTSCASTER DAN