Young Seaver

[RANDY IN INDY]

From Uni-Watch, a great picture of a very young former Red, Tom Seaver. Takes you back in time to see Seaver so young. Check out the great sleeve patch!

http://www.mearsonlineauctions.com/L...5e7846_lg.jpeg

[westofyou]

"People ask me after a shutout, 'Was that fun?' " Seaver says. "And the answer is no. No, it was not fun. Because fun is such a minuscule word for the satisfaction of what I'm doing. Fun is needling a teammate, laughing in the clubhouse. Pitching is far beyond that. I have a sense of satisfaction after a good game, not one of joy.

"But I'll tell you what great joy is: pitching well for an extended period of time, turn after turn. Oh, that's an extremely good feeling.

[RFS62]

His form and his mental game was so superior. What a joy to watch him work.

[westofyou]

From a 1981 article in SI

The point of having a 94-mph fastball just as it is with a 98-mph fastball...or an 88, for that matter is to know when to throw it at all 94 mph. On his best turns, Seaver estimates that if he throws 125 pitches, all but five will be thrown exactly where he wants them, moving as he wants at the velocity he wants. This isn't to say some batter still won't hit one of the right 120 or miss one of the wrong five, but it's to show how precise Seaver can be.
The reason Seaver has metamorphosed less than most fastball pitchers is that so much of his throwing power comes from his whole body instead of just his wing. Harry the Hat Walker, the National League batting champion in 1947, who for more than four decades has studied pitchers as hounds do coons, watched the young Seaver when he first came up and concluded, "He's the most compact pitcher I have seen"an appraisal no one would dispute today.

It was 1967, and the Reds played in Crosley Field. The phenom on the mound was a youngster named Gary Nolan. Seaver observed Nolan in growing, sad confusion. "Even when Tom was a young pitcher, he was an analyst," Nolan Ryan says. Suddenly, Seaver turned to Harvey Haddix, the Mets' pitching coach, who was sitting next to him. "Harvey," he cried out, "that kid is going to break his arm."

[Always Red]

Not only was Tom Terrific one of the best pitchers ever, but also one of the most cerebral and articulate. I have always enjoyed listening to him talk nearly as much as I did watching him pitch.

I think he's making wine in California these days, and with dirt under his fingernails, not sitting behind a desk.

[cumberlandreds]

I would love watching him pitch. He used his entire body like the one article said. He would really drive his lower body to the point that his knee touched the ground. I can remember the GOW announcers always pointing that out. He was truly one of the great pitchers of the time and is hardly ever mentioned anymore.

[traderumor]

Originally Posted by Always Red

Not only was Tom Terrific one of the best pitchers ever, but also one of the most cerebral and articulate. I have always enjoyed listening to him talk nearly as much as I did watching him pitch.

I think he's making wine in California these days, and with dirt under his fingernails, not sitting behind a desk.

Honest work can be done both ways. I come home exhausted mentally and physically, work indoors and spend a lot of time at a desk, but I don't feel less than because I'm not out in the field playing in dirt.

[Always Red]

Originally Posted by traderumor

Honest work can be done both ways. I come home exhausted mentally and physically, work indoors and spend a lot of time at a desk, but I don't feel less than because I'm not out in the field playing in dirt.

Don't be so sensitive, it really wasn't a shot against those who sit behind a desk, or work inside. Like I do. Besides, I wasn't talking about me or you, I was talking about Tom Seaver.

Maybe I wasn't clear- what I meant to say is that he is actually involved in the the entire wine making process, not just putting his name on the label.

[westofyou]

Originally Posted by Always Red

Don't be so sensitive, it really wasn't a shot against those who sit behind a desk, or work inside. Like I do. Besides, I wasn't talking about me or you, I was talking about Tom Seaver.

Maybe I wasn't clear- what I meant to say is that he is actually involved in the the entire wine making process, not just putting his name on the label.

His older brother made his living crafting furniture.

Seaver grew up in Fresno, his family was in the raisin packing business, he spent most of his summers in his youth lounging around the country club pool, or so he says.

[Spitball]

Originally Posted by cumberlandreds

I would love watching him pitch. He used his entire body like the one article said. He would really drive his lower body to the point that his knee touched the ground. I can remember the GOW announcers always pointing that out. He was truly one of the great pitchers of the time and is hardly ever mentioned anymore.

He was a drop and drive pitcher. Ouch! Mommas, don't let your babies grow up to be drop and drive pitchers...

[Benihana]

I thought this thread was going to be about Chris Gruler

[Heath]

Originally Posted by westofyou

From a 1981 article in SI

Gosh. If Gary Nolan knew that in 1967, imagine how good Nolan would have been in 1973!

[traderumor]

Originally Posted by Always Red

Don't be so sensitive, it really wasn't a shot against those who sit behind a desk, or work inside. Like I do. Besides, I wasn't talking about me or you, I was talking about Tom Seaver.

Maybe I wasn't clear- what I meant to say is that he is actually involved in the the entire wine making process, not just putting his name on the label.

Thank you for explaining, so maybe it wasn't just being overly sensitive, but that you didn't explain yourself very well.

[Always Red]

Originally Posted by traderumor

Thank you for explaining, so maybe it wasn't just being overly sensitive, but that you didn't explain yourself very well.

or maybe you just jumped to the wrong conclusion. Thanks for taking the additional shot.

[traderumor]

Originally Posted by Always Red

or maybe you just jumped to the wrong conclusion. Thanks for taking the additional shot.

I was reading what you wrote. I believe what we have here is a failure to communicate.