Steve Blass

by vanslyke on Apr 13, 2009 1:17 PM EDT Comment 6 comments

I wanted to dedicate a thread to Steve Blass. He is a class guy who I am proud to have as a face of Pittsburgh Pirate Alumni. He is being honored today for his 50 years of service to the organization. We are lucky to have such an ambassador for our organization. Kudos to Bob Nutting for setting this up for Steve.

On a side note, I miss Lanny as a part of the Opening Day festivities, but am glad to see Greg Brown take the reigns.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of the managing editor (Charlie) or SB Nation. FanPosts are written by Bucs Dugout readers.

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I've always liked Steve Blass as an announcer

and I’m happy to see him honored for his fifty years’ service to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the city of Pittsburgh.

by patthatt on Apr 13, 2009 4:47 PM EDT reply actions

Yep, Steve's a good egg.

We’re lucky to have him.

by Vlad on Apr 13, 2009 11:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Despite having a "disease" named after him

He was a wonderful pitcher and a lot of fun to watch. I mentioned it recently in a different thread, but that Game 7 in 1971 was pure heart and talent. With a one-run lead and facing the O’s heart of the order in the bottom of the ninth, he just put them away with ease.

For sheer brilliance, check out his 68 season, playing for a not-so-hot team. If I recall, he won something like 12 in a row at one point, and was just dominating start after start: 2.12 ERA, 7 shutouts, 1.12 WHIP.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/blassst01.shtml?redir

He was never a huge K guy, but he sure knew how to pitch – a third of his wins in 71 were ShOs – till it all fell apart on him. A very sad story, because he was so young when it happened. No telling what he might have been.

He’ll always be one of my all time faves, along with Clemente, Stargell and Maz. I was so happy to learn in Marannis’ book that he and Clemente were tight. It spoke volumes about both of them.

by mocasdad on Apr 14, 2009 1:08 PM EDT reply actions

Not to deny

Blass’ contributions to the team and the franchise, but that was pretty much an average year for a pitcher in 1968. The REAL pitchers had 1.12 ERAs.

by bucdaddy on Apr 14, 2009 11:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes, Bob Gibson did cause a lowering of the pitcher's mound the next year

Along with the fact that the top 25 NL ERAs were all under 3.00. But none of that diminishes what Blass did in 68. And perhaps your comment was tongue in cheek, but 2.12 was hardly average. It was top 5 (interestingly, Bob Veale was in 3rd place at 2.05).

If you actually saw Blass that year (as opposed to, you know, just reading statistics), you saw dominance.

As compelling as Veale’s numbers were, if you were actually there to see it, you knew he walked way too many and his games were always one double away from going to hell. That’s why you could pencil him in for 12 losses, no matter how great his stuff was. Not that I’d mind having a pitcher like him today.

by mocasdad on Apr 15, 2009 7:57 AM EDT reply actions

Steve Blass

I remember Steve Blass pitching for the Pirates for years at Dodger Stadium, but I never knew that he was one of your announcers. Back in the old days I had heard of Bob Prince. I always thought that it would be a great idea if we could hear the visiting teams’ announcers during one to the games in the series. One year on a road trip to Pittsburgh, Vin Scully and his partner at the time both caught laryngitis and your Pirate announcers filled in for the listeners out west. I’m thinking that it was during the second game of a double-header. Love the team colors. Wish they kept the vests. Paul

by USSConstCVA64Vet on Apr 17, 2009 5:52 AM EDT reply actions