6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog

Ray Berres BRO b. 1907, played 1934, 1936

Tom Candiotti LAN b. 1957, played 1992-1997. I was shocked to find he wasn't even an All-Star, so familiar was his name to me, but in fact he was released by the Brewers in 1985 after six years in their minor leagues; the knuckleball saved his career, which he turned around in 1986 after Cleveland signed him. The number two man in the godawful 1992 Dodgers rotation, he steadily worked his way out of relevance with the Dodgers, and spent a couple more years in Oakland starting in 1998; he was out of baseball after 1999. Factoid: he has an IMDB page for the time he portrayed fellow knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm in 61*.

Tom Dukes CAL b. 1942, played 1972

Duke Farrell BRO b. 1866, played 1899-1902, d. 1925-02-15

Mike Hartley LAN b. 1961, played 1989-1991

Von Hayes CAL b. 1958, played 1992, All-Star: 1989. A one-time Rookie of the Year in 1982 with Cleveland with huge hype, the reedy outfielder spent most of his career with the Phillies; the power never really developed as the team had hoped it would, and for whatever reason, speedy guys who could get on base were anathema in those days. The Phils traded him to the Angels for Kyle Abbott (apparently no relation to Jim) and Ruben Amaro; the Angels released Hayes in August after it became obvious that Tim Salmon was the future of right field.

Ira Hutchinson BRO b. 1910, played 1939, d. 1973-08-21

Cleo James LAN b. 1940, played 1968

Hideo Nomo LAN b. 1968, played 1995-1998, 2002-2004, All-Star: 1995. A silver medalist in the 1988 Olympics for Japan, he turned pro with the Kintetsu Buffaloes shortly thereafter. Reaching 1,000 strikeouts in the Japanese Leagues faster than any other player (halfway through his fourth season), he asked for a trade following a salary dispute. When that failed, he found a loophole in his contract that allowed him to become a free agent.

The Dodgers had struggled in the years leading up to the 1994 strike, and with the dreadful memories of their 1992 season still smarting, the team needed a jolt, and Peter O'Malley felt Nomo was just the man to provide it. Nomo also had this advantage: untainted by the strike, he carried no baggage to the park. The Dodgers signed him for the very reasonable price of $2 million.

That sum quickly proved to be a bargain. Armed with a devastating split-finger fastball and a delivery one writer called "Haiku in motion", he shredded the league. In his inaugural season, he placed fourth in the Cy Young voting, winning the NL Rookie of the Year award while leading the league in K/9, strikeouts, fewest hits per nine, shutouts — and wild pitches. He struck out 50 batters in four straight starts, surpassing Sandy Koufax's record.

As he aged, his fastball lost some of its zip, and by 1998, the Dodgers, now owned by Fox, decided to trade him to the Mets about the same time they moved Mike Piazza. With the Mets, he was principally used in relief, but by this time, his shoulder problems had become so acute he begged out of a late-season appearance. The Mets unceremoniously released him; he signed on with the Cubs for a spring training stint, but they, too released him shortly after the season started without Nomo playing a single game. He spent the next three years with the Brewers, Devil Rays, and Red Sox, before new Dodgers GM Dan Evans decided to let Chan Ho Park walk, signing Nomo instead.

It turned out to be a brilliant move. Nomo gave the Dodgers two of his best four years in the Show. In fact, it has been argued (hullo, Steve!) that Nomo's 2003 effectively put an end to his career, taxing as it was at the age of 34. For 36.1 innings that June, he allowed a scant six earned runs. He couldn't continue that pace at his age, and he never again posted a single-month ERA under 5.00. He had shoulder surgery in the 2003/2004 offseason, but he never recovered. One year later, his 8.25 ERA with a 4-11 record in 2005 was the worst single season ERA by any pitcher with 15 or more decisions. He signed a one-year contract with the Devil Rays, but didn't survive July; after a brief stint in the Yankees' minor leagues, he left baseball for good.

Jack Perconte LAN b. 1954, played 1980-1981

Frank Robinson CAL,LAN b. 1935, played 1972-1974, All-Star: 1956-1957, 1959, 1961-1962, 1965-1967, 1969-1971, 1974, Hall of Fame: 1982 (BBWAA). Rookie of the Year in 1956, a twelve-time All-Star, twice a regular season and World Series MVP (once in both leagues), and a triple crown winner in 1996, Robinson epitomized the confrontational in baseball. He carried a gun with him when the death threats against him got to be too much, and got in trouble for pointing it at a short-order cook who refused to serve him. His trade from Cincinnati by Reds GM Bill DeWitt (who claimed he was "an old 30") eventually got DeWitt fired, and helped launch the Orioles dynasties of the late 60's and early 70's. For the Dodgers, he was a near-complete bust, as injuries limited his playing time, but traded to the Angels, he had a bounceback season that landed him in the franchise's Top 100. His managerial career has not been as distinguished as his playing career, though that can in part be attributed to the teams he had to manage.

Claudell Washington CAL b. 1954, played 1989-1990, All-Star: 1975, 1984. An All-Star with the great 1975 A's, and again with the mediocre 1984 Braves, he got called up to the majors at 19, but never really lived up to his early billing, an outfielder who failed to hit for power. With the Angels, he was a speedy guy who mainly batted leadoff. The Angels finally traded him early in 1990 to the Yankees, and he was out of baseball at the end of the season.