Welcome to our community

Be apart of something great, join today!

Would you wanna be the guy who gives up a record breaker?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

MrMet

Well-known member
Apr 6, 2010
13,556
612
The Poconos
To reference current events, would you want to be the pitcher that gives up a Hr to Judge to break McGwires record?
Now I'm not saying you'd go up there and give him a meatball so he can break it, but maybe you'd want to do that.
Or are you trying your best to K him every time so it's not you, but if his best beats your best, so be it?
Or are you not giving him anything to hit (aka unintentional intentional walk) so it's not you?
Do you want your name in the record books, even if it's not for a record you broke, no matter what? Or keep your name out of the books no matter?

You can answer my questions or answer however you feel appropriate, i just think it would be interesting to hear different people's thoughts on the matter

Edit to add: this isn't about Judge specifically, just used that as a current example, could be any record breaking Homerun, hit, whatever

Sent from my iPhone using Freedom Card Board
 

Austin

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
5,706
41
Dallas, Texas
Would Ralph Branca be a household name among collectors if he didn't give up the HR to Bobby Thompson?
Not the best example, since that wasn't a record setter and the home run was both one of the most emotionally exciting and upsetting of all-time, based on which team you were a fan of. Dodger fans were pissed. Giants fans ecstatic. There aren't those unexpected and sudden polarizing feelings for the pitcher's team when a record is broken.

A pitcher who gives up a homer that loses the pennant or world series is known as a choker or goat. Not so with a pitcher who gives up a record-setting homer.

Seriously, without looking it up, only a tiny percentage of fans know who gave up McGwire's rookie and season record homers, or Bonds' record homers, or Ichiro's single-season hits record, or most others besides maybe Eric Show for Pete Rose and Al Downing for Hank Aaron.
 

rsmath

Active member
Nov 8, 2008
6,086
1
And who will be in the record books, the royals pitcher today or the guy who gives up his last home run of the year?

It probably won't matter unless it's a notable pitcher who played in their final MLB game. I don't even know who gave up Judge's 50th today because I wasn't watching the game live and I haven't checked the box score to find out.
 

MrMet

Well-known member
Apr 6, 2010
13,556
612
The Poconos
Tracy Stallard gave up Roger Maris's 61st...but all this is besides the point....

If it were you, would you want to be the guy giving up a history maker?


Sent from my iPhone using Freedom Card Board
 

mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,187
4,087
A few of those (Stallard and Branca) presumably used that event to their benefit later for shows, autographs, etc which is probably one of the only reasons why we even know why they are attached to those moments.

I could probably name only a few pitchers who gave up milestone hits, and not many beyond the fee already named (Stallard, Downing, Branca). I happen to know Show gave up Rose's all time hit leader hit, but only because it was against the Padres and Garvey was somewhat related to the moment (and forever attached by photos of Rose and him at 1B). Beyond that, it would be a stretch. Same goes for pitching records. Lots of victims for milestone Ks, no hitters, etc that I have no clue about. I don't even recall knowing who ended some of the biggie streaks either (who snapped Di Maggio's streak, Drysdale's scoreless innings, Hershishers scoreless innings, etc?

To answer the question though, I would try to avoid being that guy.
 

gt2590

Super Moderator
Aug 17, 2008
38,655
3,239
Near Philly
I'd try my hardest against every batter, no matter the circumstances.

I wouldn't mind giving up a record HR.

Besides, just being on the mound would be a big enough deal for me anyway, no single failure would minimize that in my mind...
 

bstanwood

Well-known member
Sep 24, 2016
3,666
332
Mystic, CT
No way. To answer the question in it's purest form, if I was a major league pitcher I would never want my lasting memory to be I gave up so and so's biggest achievement fona season or career. As a pitcher of course you'll give up some hits/walks/homers etc...it's expected but I would never want to be attached to a historical memory being the guy that have one up, even if it was the only way I'd be remembered on a large scale. As a competitor that would eat me alive anytime someone talked about it, whether i was mentioned or not.
Athletes in large part remember the losses/failures more vividly than the wins/achievements, I know I wouldn't need anymore reminders about a homer I gave up.
 

smapdi

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
4,397
221
Assuming I was a ball player, I'll also assume I'm having an all-star career on my way to the Hall. So no, I wouldn't want to be the guy giving up some record homer or whatever. I'll be the guy that sticks it in his ear next at-bat.
 

chriscford

New member
Sep 2, 2017
10
0
I'd try my best to get the out but wouldn't be upset about giving up a record. I can't really remember who the pitcher was for most records.

The most famous at bat I can think of, not in terms of records but just being something most baseball fans should know, is Babe Ruth's called shot. How many people do you think both know of the called shot and could name that pitcher without googling it?



Sent from my SM-G930P using Tapatalk
 

Members online

Latest posts

Top