From the horse’s mouth: Ken you come to feel it?

We have a labor offer! I imagined (hoped?) that the new CBA would prompt a flurry of moves from teams – particularly the Phillies – as they hurried to put together for the quick approaching period. As a substitute, we have gotten crickets so considerably.

I assume that we’ll get some genuine moves up coming 7 days, but until that occurs, I’ll waste a few minutes of your time by writing about Ken Raffensberger.

Let’s recall Ken Raffensberger

In exploring Opening Day starting pitchers for the Phillies, I came across the name Ken Raffensberger, who got the Opening Working day nod for the 1945 Phils. Given that that start took place 77 years ago, there’s a excellent likelihood that many of the readers do not have vivid recollections of Ken, or his time with the Phillies.

Immediately after shelling out his early yrs with the Cardinals and Cubs, Raffensberger did not play all through the 1942 period. (I presume this was because of Earth War II, despite the fact that I just cannot verify this.) He returned to motion in 1943, and in September of that season, the Cubs traded him to the Phillies.

Raffensberger responded with an appealing year. He led the National League with the fewest walks per nine innings, and the finest strikeout-to-wander ratio. Due to the fact of this, he led the league in FIP. He was the team’s lone agent in that year’s All-Star Game and acquired the acquire for the Nationwide League.

He also led the league with 20 losses. In those people times, larger decline totals weren’t uncommon, since starting up pitchers would typically pitch full game titles. Of his 31 starts that time, Raffensberger concluded 18 of them. Combined with a weak supporting forged – the 1944 Phillies experienced a 61-92-1 record – and that would inflate a pitcher’s decline total.

Despite obtaining the Opening Day start off, Raffensberger’s 1945 time did not go so very well. Presumably owing to personal injury, he only produced five appearances that time, going -3. He did rebound to have a sturdy period in 1946 before staying traded in the center of 1947. In return, the Phillies received catcher Al Lakeman who set up an OPS of .459 over two seasons, whilst Raffensberger had three a lot more seasons in which he acquired MVP votes.

Potentially Raffensberger was traded for the reason that he was not considerably of a team player. He reportedly refused to pay attention to supervisor Ben Chapman who requested his pitchers to throw at Dodgers outfielder Jackie Robinson each time he reached a 3- rely. Nothing like actively producing your crew worse simply because one particular of your players would not participate in the racism!

Phillies Madness is coming!

The NCAA basketball match kicks off following week, and like most People, I truly feel obligated to make some kind of event-style bracket to mark the celebration. The concept that I have settled on: Phillies Opening Working day starting off pitchers!

Upcoming week, you will have a prospect to vote on matchups among the Phillies’ Opening Working day starters from 2021 to 1990. For all of you Omar Daal and Jon Lieber fanatics out there, this will be your option to make your voice listened to!

Griffey was iffy

Talking of Kens, the most renowned Ken in baseball background is likely Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey, Jr. In his 22-year occupation, he terrorized a large amount of opposing teams, but incredibly, the Phillies weren’t often one particular of them. Perhaps it truly is because his ideal yrs were used in the American League, but in 39 games played in opposition to the Phils, he experienced a humble .676 OPS and just 4 dwelling runs.

Featured baseball card

I couldn’t find a baseball card of Raffensberger on the Phillies, but here’s a 1953 Topps card of him on the Reds:

Was it normal for baseball cards to element illustrations as a substitute of photographs in the fifties? When did they make the change?

Trivia

Final week’s answer: Toby Borland was the final Phillie to be assigned the uniform number 42 right before it was universally retired across Significant League Baseball. ShaneM obtained it appropriate.

This week’s query: Who was the most recent participant with the 1st name of Kenneth to look in a match for the Phillies?

Closing considered

That was a heck of a overall performance by the Sixers last night time. Whilst the supporters were being thrilled to heap verbal abuse on their former player, the Nets gamers ended up evidently thrilled to demolish their former teammate and his new workforce.

I’d honestly be additional concerned about the Sixers if the video game experienced been closer. You may have found some true flaws exposed in that situation. As an alternative, this was a situation wherever just one team’s stars played insanely perfectly, and the other team’s stars did not, and issues just acquired out of hand quickly. I’m not absolutely sure that actually indicates just about anything in the lengthy operate.

And if you’re Ben Simmons, are you all that delighted about the end result. If the Nets are enjoying that perfectly with no you, and then issues really don’t go as well once you return, doesn’t it glimpse like you are essentially the challenge?