Longest Battery Names

[redsmetz]

While looking for a picture of Marty, I came across this picture and it got me wondering what the longest names for a pitcher and catcher with the Reds has been. This photo my get the award, Scott Klingenbeck pitching, Eddie Taubensee catching - if nothing else they get the Germania Society Oktoberfest Award:

http://reds.enquirer.com/img/photos/1998/06/060898kling_150x164.jpg

[George Anderson]

How about Dann Bilardello and Andy McGaffigan??

[ThatPitchIsDunn]

How about Dann Bilardello and Andy McGaffigan??

That's pretty good. I kept trying to think of any long named-relievers from the mid 90s who Damon Berryhill might have caught for.

Didn't we have some guy named Pennington?

Pennington + Berryhill = 19 though. Bah! Ya got me beat by one letter George. I may have to do some digging online now.

[Yachtzee]

Well, if Jarrod Saltalamacchia makes it to the bigs and catches a few games, I suspect he'll win with whoever he catches.

[gm]

Did Schoeneweis ever pitch to Pierzynski?

How about Spooneybarger?

[RollyInRaleigh]

How about Ken Raffensberger and Johnny Wyrostek.

[TOBTTReds]

(Sonny) Kim to (Dave) Ross might win for shortest.

[UKFlounder]

(Sonny) Kim to (Dave) Ross might win for shortest.

Depending on who may have pitched when Ed Ott was catcher

[westofyou]

Al Hollingsworth - Willard Hershberger

Ed Strelecki - Asby Asbjornson

Short names

Bo Diaz - Tom Hume

Ivy Wingo - Ken Ash

[RedFanAlways1966]

Al Hollingsworth - Willard Hershberger

Whenever I see Hershberger's name, I always think of this...

Willard McKee Hershberger (May 28, 1910 – August 3, 1940) was a major league baseball catcher from 1938 to 1940. Hershberger has the unfortunate distinction of being the only major league player to commit suicide during the season.

In 1938, Hershberger joined the Cincinnati Reds and was the backup catcher to Ernie Lombardi.

The Reds were again in a pennant chase in 1940. A finger injury forced Lombardi out of the starting lineup in July, and Hershberger took over the full-time catching duties. He filled in for Lombardi well, batting .309 and playing solid defense. In July, the Reds blew a big lead in a game against the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds and, perhaps in the heat of the pennant race, some Reds players whispered that they would have won the game if Lombardi was catching. On August 2, with Hershberger again catching, the Reds lost to a poor Boston Braves club. The next day, August 3, 1940, Hershberger slit his wrists and throat with a razor in a Boston hotel. Ironically, the Reds went on to win the World Series that year, their first title in 21 years.

Trivia
After Hershberger's suicide, the Reds retired his uniform number 5 but then reactivated it in 1942. It was retired again for a Reds catcher a quarter-century later — Baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Bench.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willard_Hershberger

[5DOLLAR-BLEACHERBUM]

Not a Battery or Reds but a record nonetheless.
William Joseph Van Landingham (born July 16, 1970 in Columbia, Tennessee) is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played his entire Major League career with the San Francisco Giants (1994-1997).

On May 29, 1996, Van Landingham started against Jason Isringhausen, then a starter for the New York Mets. They tied a record for the longest combined names of two starting pitchers. Per Wikipedia

[UKFlounder]

I should have thought of Van Landingham, a former UK pitcher

[Redsland]

After Hershberger's suicide, the Reds retired his uniform number 5 but then reactivated it in 1942. It was retired again for a Reds catcher a quarter-century later — Baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Bench.
Bench has said he took the number 5 because "back then, catchers wore single digits." This story seems to corroborate that.

[WVJulz]

While looking for a picture of Marty, I came across this picture and it got me wondering what the longest names for a pitcher and catcher with the Reds has been. This photo my get the award, Scott Klingenbeck pitching, Eddie Taubensee catching - if nothing else they get the Germania Society Oktoberfest Award:

http://reds.enquirer.com/img/photos/1998/06/060898kling_150x164.jpg

How about Dave Van Gorder and Charlie Leibrandt? :D (Gotta do what I can for my boy Dave!)
Julz

[RichRed]

Depending on who may have pitched when Ed Ott was catcher

Mark Lee to Ed Ott

Or for the long AND short of it:

John Candelaria to Ed Ott

[5DOLLAR-BLEACHERBUM]

Johnny Vander Meer and Willard Hershberger

[dabvu2498]

Longest double play combo is recent:

Graffanino to Grudzielanek to Mientkiewicz

That just rolls right off the tongue. Someone should write a poem.

[westofyou]

Alonzo Breitenstein - Abraham Wolstenholme - 1883 Phillies


Another Short One

Milt May - Jim Foor

[dabvu2498]

Chad Fox to Paul Bako (2002 Brewers)

[George Anderson]

In 1988 Davey Concepcion pitched an inning and Lloyd McClendon was on the roster, but I cant find if McClendon caught Concepcion.

[5DOLLAR-BLEACHERBUM]

Longest double play combo is recent:

Graffanino to Grudzielanek to Mientkiewicz

That just rolls right off the tongue. Someone should write a poem.

Ground ball to Graffanino not a sign of panic
Just scoops it right up flips it to Grudzielanek
The runner is slow from one too many sandwich
Mark steps on the bag and throws it over to Mientkiewicz

[RollyInRaleigh]

Horror of horrors for the men in the booth,
Graffanino to Grudzielanek to Mientkiewicz.

Makes them all sound like they don't have a tooth,
Graffanino, Grudzielanek, Mientkiewicz.

5-4-3 combo, so smooth that they're scary,
Makes even Vin sound like the great Harry Caray.

Leaves 'em all longing for names like Frank Frisch,
Graffanino to Grudzielanek to Mientkiewicz.

[TRF]

Not the longest, but the best batter names ever.

Bud Black and Steve Decker.

[BoydsOfSummer]

5-4-3 combo, so smooth that they're scary,
Makes even Vin sound like Harry Caray.:laugh:

[gm]

Jim Gott, pitching to Tim Tueffel

(a battle for the ages...)

[WVJulz]

In 1988 Davey Concepcion pitched an inning and Lloyd McClendon was on the roster, but I cant find if McClendon caught Concepcion.


I remember that game! It was against the Dodgers at Chavez Ravine June 3, 1988 and he even struck someone out. If memory serves me right, it was Rick Dempsey! But Bo Diaz was his battery mate. Not the longest battery names, but they were both Venezuelan! :D

Julz

[ThatPitchIsDunn]

Not the longest, but the best batter names ever.

Bud Black and Steve Decker.

I'm getting away from pitching, but this makes me think of the Mel Brooks outfield we put out there in the late 90s.

Dmitri Young, Mike Frank, Chris Stynes. Love that Young Frankenstein outfield. I think Frau Bluher (horse whinnys) coached third for that team.

[ochre]

If you are just after the brand:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/10/Energizerh_Logo.jpg

otherwise, I think "Radioisotope piezoelectric generator" has to win.

[SidneySlicker]

Energizer

[klw]

On the short side was:
Bill Lee to Carlton Fisk

[LINEDRIVER]

On the short side was:
Bill Lee to Carlton Fisk

On the shorter side was 1966 Pirates' cathcer Jerry MAY and pitcher Vernon LAW.

[LINEDRIVER]

In 1988 Davey Concepcion pitched an inning and Lloyd McClendon was on the roster, but I cant find if McClendon caught Concepcion.

June 3, 1988

Reds at Dodgers

Dodgers win 13-5

McClendon played the entire game as the rightfielder for the Reds. Bo Diaz caught the entire game for Cincy.

Reds' lefty reliever John Franco was struck on the knee by a ball hit off the bat of shortstop Dave Anderson. Franco had to leave the game. Davey Concepcion was replaced at 2B by Jeff Treadway. The almost 40-year-old Concepcion threw 1.1 innings of relief. Gave up 2 hits, no walks, 1 strikeout and no runs.

Davey whiffed first-baseman Franklin Stubbs to end the bottom of the eighth-inning. I would imagine that got a few laughs in the clubhouse after the game.

[westofyou]

On the shorter side was 1966 Pirates' cathcer Jerry MAY and pitcher Vernon LAW.
Short One

Rudy May and Jerry Fry (1978 Expos)

Long One

Irv Higginbotham and Art Hoelskoetter (1906 Cardinals)

[George Anderson]

June 3, 1988

Reds at Dodgers

Dodgers win 13-5

McClendon played the entire game as the right fielder for the Reds. Bo Diaz caught the entire game for Cincy. Davey Concepcion whiffed first-baseman Franklin Stubbs to end the bottom fo the eighth-inning.

Yea I found that later. Geez you dont think Franklin Stubbs got got just a tad bit of grief from his teammates do ya??:laugh:

[LINEDRIVER]

Yea I found that later. Geez you dont think Franklin Stubbs got got just a tad bit of grief from his teammates do ya??:laugh:

I can see his teammates giving him the business. I would have to think that the fun loving Concepcion was crowing in the clubhouse after the game. Ah, to be a fly on the wall.

[George Anderson]

I can see his teammates giving him the business. I would have to think that the fun loving Concepcion was crowing in the clubhouse after the game. Ah, to be a fly on the wall.

I remember a story of how when Davey hit the red seats for his first and only time, he was crowing around the clubhouse like he was the second coming of George Herman Ruth. Geez I can only imagine what he was like having pitched a scoreless inning.

[Yachtzee]

June 3, 1988

Reds at Dodgers

Dodgers win 13-5

McClendon played the entire game as the rightfielder for the Reds. Bo Diaz caught the entire game for Cincy.

Reds' lefty reliever John Franco was struck on the knee by a ball hit off the bat of shortstop Dave Anderson. Franco had to leave the game. Davey Concepcion was replaced at 2B by Jeff Treadway. The almost 40-year-old Concepcion threw 1.1 innings of relief. Gave up 2 hits, no walks, 1 strikeout and no runs.

Davey whiffed first-baseman Franklin Stubbs to end the bottom of the eighth-inning. I would imagine that got a few laughs in the clubhouse after the game.

How much do you think Stubbs was fined by the Kangaroo Court for that one?

[westofyou]

How much do you think Stubbs was fined by the Kangaroo Court for that one?

Copyright Orange County Register Jun 4, 1988


Friday nights in LA were made for singles parties, but the wildest one of all this week just might have taken place in full view of 45,242 eyewitnesses ... on a baseball diamond.

The Dodgers produced 22 singles, one shy of the National League record, and no extra-base hits in a 13-5 laugher over the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium.

It was such a strange night that Reds infielder Davey Concepcion pitched more effectively than Dodgers left-hander Fernando Valenzuela.

Reds manager Pete Rose, having used four relievers already, asked Concepcion, a 19-year veteran, to pitch for the final four outs, which he did without allowing a run. He even recorded a strikeout, retiring a swinging Franklin Stubbs on a change-up.

Valenzuela, who used to long for the days when the Dodgers would give him four runs and, say, eight hits, couldn't earn his fourth victory despite 13 runs and 22 hits worth of support.

He was pulled after throwing 60 pitches in 21/3 innings, allowing five hits and

four runs and leaving the bases loaded. Two starts before that, Valenzuela could not make it out of the second inning.

Tim Crews (1-0) bailed him out in the third, letting one of the three runners he inherited score, and pitched through the fifth to earn the victory.

Enough about the pitching. This night was made for hitting, and there were 33 hits in all.

Dodgers right fielder Mickey Hatcher (5 for 6) had such a good night that he had two more hits than benched right fielder Mike Davis has had in the Dodgers' past 16 games, 14 of which Davis played in.

Leadoff hitter Steve Sax also went 5 for 6.

"It's hard to win anywhere when the first two guys in the order get five hits apiece," Rose said. "I'm surprised we didn't lose by more."

Third baseman Pedro Guerrero added three hits and three RBI, including his league-high 10th game-winner, a two-run single in the first.

Catcher Mike Scioscia also drove in three runs on a pair of singles.

After Kal Daniels' sixth homer gave the Reds a 1-0 lead in the first, the Dodgers immediately responded with four runs, batting around in the first.

They sent 10 batters to the plate in the five-run, six-hit fourth.

Hatcher, whose five hits lifted his average to .408, singled in his first five at-bats, including a blooper that fell in shallow center and a chopper that went over the shortstop's head.

Concepcion was the only Reds pitcher to retire Hatcher, who is platooning in right with Danny Heep. Hatcher popped to center in the eighth, failing in his bid for a 6-for-6 night.

"I think he cheated on that pitch," Hatcher said kiddingly. "I think he scuffed the ball. Overall, I think he was throwing cutters and spitters."

Concepcion became the second position player this season to make his pitching debut against the Dodgers. Pittsburgh outfielder John Cangelosi shut out the Dodgers for two innings in a 14-6 Pirates loss at Dodger Stadium on May 3. The Dodgers, who maintained a 11/2-game lead over the Houston Astros in the NL West, had 11 runs and 16 hits through the fourth inning.

[jpurdy]

About 35 years ago in Baltimore you had John O'Donoghue pitching to Andy Etchebarren.

[RollyInRaleigh]

About 35 years ago in Baltimore you had John O'Donoghue pitching to Andy Etchebarren.

Along with Gene Brabender, aka "Lurch".:) Also, Al Severinsen.

[redsupport]

chuck hartenstein to manny sanguillen 1970 pirates

[Yachtzee]

Tim Crews (1-0) bailed him out in the third, letting one of the three runners he inherited score, and pitched through the fifth to earn the victory.


Wow, haven't seen Tim Crews brought up in a while. His career tragically ended less than 5 years later, when he was involved in a fatal boat accident with fellow Indians teammates Steve Olin and Bob Ojeda. Only Ojeda survived. I can remember the reaction up here. Everyone had some guarded optimism for the Indians going into Spring Training. After years of losing, people were beginning to sense the Indians were turning the corner. The news about Crews and Olin definitely cast a pall on what was thought to be a promising season.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/columns/stark_jayson/1527339.html

[gm]

Davey whiffed first-baseman Franklin Stubbs to end the bottom of the eighth-inning. I would imagine that got a few laughs in the clubhouse after the game.

Lenny Harris pitched an inning in relief (late 90's) and struck out someone. Don't remember all the details, just that Harris was trying hard to keep his game face on the way back to the dugout.

[Tyler Durden]

William Van Landingham to Kirt Manwaring is long.

[BCubb2003]

Van Landingham also pitched to Berryhill, which is just as long.

[BoydsOfSummer]

Reds manager Pete Rose, having used four relievers already, asked Concepcion, a 19-year veteran, to pitch for the final four outs, which he did without allowing a run. He even recorded a strikeout, retiring a swinging Franklin Stubbs on a change-up.

The crafty veteran used the turf to his advantage and skipped that changeup off of it, totally fogging Stubbs. :D

[Highlifeman21]

I'm getting away from pitching, but this makes me think of the Mel Brooks outfield we put out there in the late 90s.

Dmitri Young, Mike Frank, Chris Stynes. Love that Young Frankenstein outfield. I think Frau Bluher (horse whinnys) coached third for that team.


Scrappiness defined.

Chris Stynes, the original Ryan Freel