OT: Mike Cuellar Dies at 72

Those of old enough to remember will feel just a little bit older now with the passing of Mike Cuellar, not to mention losing yet another portion of our youth. Cuellar was an excellent left handed screwballer, back in the days when you took the ball every fourth day and finished what you started. He won 20 games in a row in a four year stretch, as well as being an All Star and a World Series and Cy Young winner. In 1971, he was part of a four man rotation that won at least 20 games each, along with Jim Palmer, DaveMcNally and Pat Dobson. RIP, Crazy Horse.

about 2 years ago BeerCub 11 comments 0 recs |

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Man, you got that right. (The part about feeling old, that is.)

Cuellar probably should have won the Cy Young again in 1970.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Apr 3, 2010 10:18 AM CDT reply actions

I cannot believe he's that old

I believe the same about me.

by San Diego Smooth Jazz Man on Apr 4, 2010 1:27 PM CDT up reply actions

It musta been a Cubs broadcaster who

called him Kwilly-Ar, istead of Cway-Ar. I thought it was said the wrong way for a long time.

by timh815 on Apr 3, 2010 10:23 AM CDT reply actions

I remember

watching him throw a 1 hitter against the Twins in 1969. Cesar Tovar with the only hit. He was part of an impressive team and impressive starting staff. Those Orioles teams should of won more than 1 WS. Caught a ridiculous hot Met team in 69, and lose to a Pirate team and Steve Blass ( who couldn’t throw a strike a year later).
Cueller was tough.

by Grockcubs on Apr 3, 2010 2:09 PM CDT reply actions

Agreed, with all that talent it is surprising that they won only one WS title

but as you said, they were a very good team that ran into two teams on a roll, the Miracle Mets and Clemente and the Pirates.

I always turn to the sports section first. The sports page records people's accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man's failures.
~Earl Warren

by lookingdeadred on Apr 3, 2010 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions

Speaking of Clemente and Cuellar...

In WSG7, Cuellar started. He pitched really well.

Clemente, a notorious bad-ball hitter/free swinger rarely swung at the first pitch. In his second AB, Clemente sat on a first pitch curve. Cuellar hung one, and Roberto took him deep to left of center.

I’m kind of a Clemente nut.

by timh815 on Apr 3, 2010 2:30 PM CDT up reply actions

that makes two of us

Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."

by ballhawk on Apr 3, 2010 2:35 PM CDT up reply actions

I would so enjoy technology to have been good enough

that I could see number 21 almost hit the Wrigley scoreboard with a homer.

He had 2 unbelievable throws from right in that series. One-hopped Hebner with a throw at third to almost gun down a runner in Game One. One-hopped Sanguillen with a throw at the plate in the last of the ninth, from the warning track, to hold a runner at third in a tie game.

by timh815 on Apr 3, 2010 2:45 PM CDT up reply actions

I read the

“Clemente Book” I forget author. Damn good read. Goes into detail of oversight by a lot of people on the ill fated airplane accident. Clemente was tremendous, that just happened to play when Mays, Mantle, and Aaron played.

by Grockcubs on Apr 3, 2010 5:52 PM CDT up reply actions

I remember that Balto 1971 year of 4 twenty game winners. Amazing.

How many of those 80+ win games were complete games? A bunch I’ll wager…

Sad to hear about Mr. Cuellar. Condolences to his family and the Orioles on their loss…

"Look, what do you want me to do?"

by Zeke on Apr 3, 2010 2:56 PM CDT reply actions

I'm not going to check

to see how many of them were in winning games, but Cuellar had 21 CG that season. Palmer had 20. Dobson had 18 and that wimp Dave McNally only had 11.

I never travel far without a little Big Star. R.I.P Alex

by Josh Timmers on Apr 3, 2010 8:10 PM CDT up reply actions