Player Profile: Willie Hernandez

[Therion]

Today feature at http://therion.today.com features what became known as The Perfect Season. It was performed by Willie Hernandez.

Don't remember him? Well, read on.

 

[UMich92]

First off, let me say I usually find at least one tidbit in your profiles to be interesting and informative. As a Tigers fan, I remember Willie Hernandez well and had forgotten the Cubs disastrous attempt at making him a starter. But after that nugget, you missed the mark. He was never a starter for the Phillies or the Tigers. He was mainly a setup man for the Phillies and as you said the Tigers bit, but in the hopes of making him their closer. As the Tigers closer, he made the All-Star team from 1984-1986.

Alex

 

[Therion]

::facepalm:: ::facepalm:: ::facepalm:: ::facepalm::



Fixed.

 

[ahill1]

Great read as always.

 

[jeremy]

YEAH!!! SHOW OFF YOUR WILLIE HERNANDEZ PATCH CARDS!!!

wait, thats about the only one ive ever seen

 

[Therion]

YEAH!!! SHOW OFF YOUR WILLIE HERNANDEZ PATCH CARDS!!!

wait, thats about the only one ive ever seen

That is actually pretty sweet.

 

[jbone17]

Nice find, but he wasn't that great lol. Since I am 18, it is hard for me to determine the impact that he had, but now it seems mediocre to me.

 

[gvsu96]

Viva Guillermo!

 

[Therion]

Nice find, but he wasn't that great lol. Since I am 18, it is hard for me to determine the impact that he had, but now it seems mediocre to me.

You really don't see the impact he had on the 1984 Tigers? Sure, the rest of his career was so-so but he pitched The Perfect Season. It's an incredible thing.

 

[Therion]

*bump for the evening crew*

 

[NerfXerks]

I don't know. I remember the 1984 season well (first of Davey!). I always felt the AL MVP that year should have been Alan Trammell. That was back when hitting .315 with 15 homers was crazy good for a shortstop.

 

[RandomH]

Dang I'm addicted to your blog lol!

 

[UMich92]

YEAH!!! SHOW OFF YOUR WILLIE HERNANDEZ PATCH CARDS!!!

wait, thats about the only one ive ever seen

That's really nice. I have the plain jersey version.

Alex

 

[UMich92]

A quick review of two closers winning the MVP and CY Young in the same season. Willie Hernandez and to a lesser extent Aurelio Lopez were very much responsible for the Tigers dominance of 1984.

Exhibit A - Willie Hernandez, 1984
140.1 IP (for a modern closer this is almost unheard of)
1.92 ERA
0.941 WHIP
204 ERA +

Exhibit B - Dennis Eckersley, 1992
80.1 IP (career high as a closer)
1.91 ERA
0.913 WHIP
196 ERA +

Exhibit C - ???
73 IP
0.61 ERA
0.614 WHIP
606 ERA + (this is a preposterous number)

For those who haven't figured it out, Exhibit C is Ecks year of dominance in 1990. It's crazy to think he finished behind Bobby Thigpen in both MVP and CY Young voting. Thigpen did break the saves record. But c'mon.

Alex

 

[Therion]

Last bump for the night crew.