The 100 Greatest Angels: #28 Gene Mauch

With two ours and nobody on base in the 9th inning of Game 5 of the 1986 ALCS Rich Gedman came to the plate.  All Gedman had done in the game so far was homer, double off the fence, and single--all solid hits.  Gedman was 3-for-3 off of Mike Witt.  

Gene Mauch made the logical by the book move at that time.  He pulled Witt in favor of LOOGY Gary Lucas.  I assuredly agree that Dave Henderson was unlikely to hit a home run off of Mike Witt, but that is putting the cart before the horse.  There was a good probability that Gedman would hit Witt hard in the 9th inning.  Mauch made the right move but it did not work out.

Gene Mauch certainly got it wrong in September 1964 when he pitched Jim Bunning and Chris Short on only two days of rest seven times down the stretch.

The Phils were up by 6 1/2 with 12 games to play.  Philadelphia then lost 10 games in a row before rebounding to win the last two games of the season.  Those two wins knocked out the Cincinnati Reds.  The Phillies and Reds finished tied for second one game behind the N.L. Champion St. Louis Cardinals.

That 10 game losing streak started with a 1-0 loss to Cincinnati.  The only run scored when Chico Ruiz stole home with 2 outs in the 6th inning with Frank Robinson at the plate off of Art Mahaffey.

That off season it was Chico Ruiz this and Chico Ruiz that.  What was overlooked was this was the second time in three games that the Phillies lost because of an opposition steal of home.  The 9/19/64 Philadelphia @ Los Angeles game was tied 3-3 in the bottom of the 16th inning.  With two outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd righty Jack Baldschun was replaced by LOOGY Morrie Steevens.  Ron Fairly was the batter.  Willie Davis then stole home on the surprised Steevens.  Three Dog's steal of home probably gave Ruiz the idea that if it worked once it can work again.  The east coast newspapers missed Willie D's heroics because it was past their bedtime.  This 5 hour 13 minute game ended at 1:13 a.m. Philly time.

The Phillies lost the first two games of their September 18-19-20 series at L.A. before salvaging the finale.  Thus the Phillies lost 12 of 13 games while losing their grip on first place.  I went to the 9/18/64 Phils @ Dodgers game.  Through 6 1/2 innings Chris Short had a 3-0 lead.  A Tommy Davis double and Frank Howard 2-run home run tied the game in the bottom of the 7th.  With 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th Baldschun surrendered a game-winning single to Bart Don't Call Me Shirley.  With only 11 career rbis it was almost surely Shirley's only walk-off game-winning rbi.

Gene Mauch's troubles started NOT with Davis or Ruiz, but with Shirley.
 

yes, he should have left him in. but he would have been crucified if gedman had homered. and rightfully cheered if lucas had struck out geddy and put us in the series. damned if you do, damned if you don't. easy to understand.

fwiw, would scioscia pull lackey in that same situation in favor frankie if david ortiz was 3-3 off of big john and frankie was fresh? probably 99 times out of 100 -- (okay, not a lefty-righty match up, but we don't have a lefty worth a damn in the pen for this hypothetical).

if anything, maybe mauch could be faulted for not bringing in moore--the closer, the go to guy--to face gedman, but blame for losing that series should be pinned on about 23 guys, not just mauch.  a bad loss all around.

For years, I've had a quote by someone in my head:

"When I saw Gene Mauch on the top step of the dugout, ready to sprint on the field after the last out, I knew the Angels were going to lose".

Does this ring a bell with anyone?

Yes, 1982 was bad too.  Totally mismanaged the pitching staff in the playoffs.  Hmmmm...notice a trend?

RIP Gene Mauch, you utter piece of shite as a manager.

there you go with the stats again.  I don't give a toss if he had a .675 winning %, when it counted, he sucked eggs.  Choker, choker, choker.  

When a catcher that was against him (can't remember if it was the original pudge or Parish before he was an Angel or who) used his mask to pick up a ball and Mauch came out and argued because a catcher can't use his equipment to pick up a ball and Mauch got the call reversed.  He knew the rule book up and down, whether he was terrible in important game situations is debateable.