Monday, May 16, 2016

no. 533 - mike ryan


Who is the man: Mike Ryan endured an injury-plagued 1970 season and appeared in just 46 games. It would mark the end of his status as a sometimes starting catcher.

Can ya dig it: I suppose the lifetime .193 hitter does need two bats.

Right on: I'd love to know who the batter is at right. It appears he's wearing a double-digit uniform number that starts with 2. The players on the Phillies roster in 1970 with such a number were Jim Hutto (20), Ron Stone (21), Larry Hisle (22), Oscar Gamble (23), Byron Browne (24), Scott Reid (25), Sam Parrilla (27) and pitcher Grant Jackson (29). That's as far as I can take it.

You see that cat Ryan is a bad mother: Ryan's career fielding percentage is .991 (34 errors in 3,382 chances), which is in the top 75 among all major league catchers.

Shut your mouth: Red Sox manager Billy Herman raved over Ryan's defense, saying "there is only a hairline difference between Ryan and (Elston) Howard in defensive ability."

No one understands him but his woman: Ryan was traded for the first time in his career less than two months after getting married, going from the World Series runner-up Red Sox to the Phillies.


(A word about the back): Excluding the one game he played in 1964, Ryan batted above .199 in just three seasons of his 11-year career.

1 comment:

  1. I think we can rule out Oscar Gamble as the other player in the photo. His 'fro would be edging into the frame.

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