The Northwest Regional Chapter of SABR (NWSABR) met on Saturday, February 13, 2010, from around 1:00pm until just before 5pm at the Cedar Mill Community Library in the Portland area. Approximately fifteen (15) members and guests were in attendance.

Speakers included NWSABR members Tim Herlich, John Henshell, Mike Rice and special guest/former player and long-time pitching coach Rick Wise.

Rick Wise, at 2/13/10 NWSABR meeting

The meeting began with introductions all around; NWSABR was pleased to welcome two members (Eric and Bob) to their first chapter meetings.

The first presenter of the day was chapter president Tim Herlich, who reprised his national conference presentation ‘21*’ on long-forgotten pitcher Tom Cheney.  This presentation won the Doug Pappas Award for Best Oral Presentation at the 2009 SABR National Convention.   On 9/12/62, Cheney threw 21 strikeouts while pitching a 16-inning game (and throwing 228 pitches).  Tim’s presentation reviewed Cheney’s career, as well as noting that various respected publications (Sporting News and SABR’s own list of baseball records) devalue Cheney's achievement.  Tim’s thesis is that this is at least partially due to the fact that Cheney’s lifetime pitching career is not on par with those noted as record holders (Randy Johnson, Nolan Ryan, etc.); Tim believes this is a disservice and appeals for proper recognition for this baseball record and record holder.

Tim Herlich, with assistance of slide advancer Jeff Bower

Next up, chapter vice-president John Henshell presented part 3 of a series titled "Danny Darwinism: Reversing the Aging Process."  John had presented part 1 at the Feb 2009 chapter meeting, and part 2 at the Nov 2009 chapter meeting.  John began presentation of part 3 by clarifying some of the aims of part 2  regarding pattern recognition (which generated much discussion at the November meeting) and, as requested by peers at that meeting, providing fewer facts and more analysis for part 3.  John’s thesis is that probable PED (performance-enhancing drug) users can be identified through a combination of baseball statistics and researching "what is publicly known."  In part 3, John quoted various articles regarding PED use in which athletes, coaches, agents and others integrally involved in the game estimated overall usage, as well as studies noting what impact PEDs might have.  He documented that PEDs can turn an ordinary player into a superstar. One guest in attendance noted the sheer difficulty of undertaking such a study as there is much variance in quantities/usage throughout.

John Henshell, presenting Part 3 of Danny Darwinism

Chapter member Mike Rice was up next with his Mariners Roundtable presentation.  Mike referred to himself as a "glass half empty" guy as he used OPS+, ERA+, WHIP, RSAA, and Pythagorean projections to compare Team A and Team B (2007 and 2009 Mariners, who finished those seasons respectively with 5 and 10 more wins than projected).  Mike then attempted to convince those in attendance that the optimism for the 2010 Mariners wasn’t backed up by the career OPS+ or ERA+ figures for those on the 40 man roster currently.  At the conclusion of the presentation, members went around the room giving their predictions as to how the 2010 Mariners would do – low estimate was 76 wins (Pete) and high estimate was 88 wins (new guy Bob) with a back-of-the-envelope consensus around 82-80.  (Interestingly, the PECOTA projection has the team finishing with 83-79).

Some meeting attendees listening to Mike Rice, and his Mariners outlook.

Chapter president Tim Herlich took care of some chapter business, noting again that members should consult the new chapter Web site (this one) for member news, upcoming events and event recaps.  Additionally, Tim suggested a baseball-packed weekend in conjunction with the May chapter meeting.  Chapter members Mark Armour and Steve Steinberg both have recently published books and will be at Elliot Bay Books in Seattle for a signing on Friday 5/21; the next chapter meeting is slated for 5/22 with an optional Ms-Padres game set for that evening.  For those interested, the Tacoma Rainiers will also be playing at home that weekend, so members could organize a group outing for the Sunday 5/23 afternoon game against the New Orleans Zephyrs.  Tim also floated the idea of a potential September gathering, perhaps in conjunction with Latino baseball night (9/18) at Safeco Field, and a last-chance-to-see-the-Portland-Beavers gathering this summer.

Jeff Bower won the trivia quiz with 13 of 14 correct answers. The quiz had a women's names theme and 14 questions in honor of Valentine's Day the following day.

Featured speaker and special guest Rick Wise answered questions for an hour. Wise, a Portland-native, pitched for 5 major league teams over an 18 year career, and then served as a long-time pitching coach in the minor leagues and retired at the end of 2008 after 45 years in pro baseball. Rick was a rookie at the tender age of 18, having signed for a whopping $12K.  To supplement his income, he worked at a sporting goods store near the Lloyd Center one off-season, and did about 50 speaking gigs for $35 a piece another.  This was in addition to playing winter ball in Puerto Rico with guys like Roberto Clemente and Johnny Bench.  He recalled that in some spring training camps, there were so many players that they wore triple digits on the backs of their jerseys.  To Rick, his age as a rookie wasn’t an issue for he felt he was "in his realm" once he walked onto the field and got between the lines.  But when assessing today’s 18 year-olds, he sometimes thinks to himself "could YOU get Hammerin’ Hank Aaron or Willie Mays out?"

Rick started the second game of the doubleheader on 6/21/64, after Jim Bunning hurled a perfect game in the opener; he recalled that amidst the clubhouse madness, he just said “I need a ball.”  When Wise finally walked a guy in the 2nd inning (verified by Retrosheet), he was momentarily befuddled as the crowd stood and cheered; it was the first Mets' baserunner they’d seen all afternoon!  Wise won the nightcap, pitching a three-hitter with relief help from Johnny Klippstein.  (Editors Note:  The combined three hits given up by Bunning/Wise/Klippstein that afternoon may be a record for fewest hits allowed in a double-header.  The Dean brothers also gave up but three hits in a double-header vs. Brooklyn on 9/21/34, Dizzy pitching a three hit shutout in the first game and Daffy following with a no-hitter in the nightcap).

Rick pitched a no-hitter on 6/23/71 with the Phillies, in which he also hit 2 home runs; he’s the only pitcher to have ever done so.  He noted that he’d been close to throwing additional no-hitters another 5 or 6 times in his career, having one of them denied due to a questionable scorer’s decision. Rick enjoyed hitting, but after 6 years in the American League (with the DH rule in effect), when he went back to the National League, Rick no longer had the practiced eye-hand coordination that he needed (but pitchers still showed him respect).  He lamented that he never got a chance to hit in Fenway.

Chapter members asked Rick about teammates and managers, as well as players he had coached.  Rick recalled that he loved Dick Allen as a teammate, that Gene Mauch was a brilliant and dedicated manager that was like a father figure at times, and would do whatever it took to win that day.  Recently, Rick participated in a baseball cruise and had just returned from a Red Sox fantasy camp in Florida.  He counts Luis Tiant and Bill "Spaceman" Lee, along with Randy Jones, as among his closest friends in baseball to this day.  Once you retire, especially if you live in a city that does not have major league ball, it is difficult to keep in touch though, as ballplayers scatter to the wind.  He recalled coaching Jarrod Washburn and Shane Reynolds in the minors, and talked of how important the players’ union (and Marvin Miller, who Rick feels should be in the Hall of Fame) was to changing the way players were treated. 

Rick Wise, answering questions about a 45 year career.

The meeting adjourned shortly before 5pm, with several members heading to local watering-hole Bleachers for additional discussion and refreshments.

Special thanks due to John Henshell for making meeting arrangements, special guest Rick Wise, and Bob Russon for providing the presentation equipment (and cookies).