Game-ending homers off Lee Smith
Posted by Andy on January 24, 2008
The other day, I noticed that Curtis Wilkerson once hit a game-winning grand slam off Lee Smith. Wilkerson was with the Pirates at the time, and Barry Bonds hit his famous game-ending shot off Smith about a month earlier.
Smith gave up 9 game-ending homers in his career. Most of them were to big names too, including Bonds, Ted Simmons, Dave Parker, Darryl Strawberry, Marko Solo, and Albert Belle. Manny Trillo, John Russell, and Wilkerson stick out.
Incidentally, those 9 career walk-off losers for Smith are not actually that many. Mariano Rivera has given up 4, Trevor Hoffman has given up 9, Bill Wagner has given up 7, and they are all still pitching (so their totals might go up.)
Goose Gossage gave up 11 game-ending bombs, and to quite a motley bunch of guys: George Scott, Adrian Garrett, John Mayberry, Jose Cruz, Richie Zisk, Amos Otis, Cecil Cooper, Tom Foley, Chris Chambliss, Hubie Brooks, and Robin Ventura. Quite a bunch!
By the way, if you like free stuff, I'm giving away a 1988 Topps Gallery of Champions set right here.
January 24th, 2008 at 9:26 am
Why does the PI summary actually list every extra-inning loss as being the 10th inning? Why not either provide all the correct innings in the overview, or use a tag "extra innings" instead of just "10"? For example, Gossage has given up 3 extra-inning walk-off bombs: in the 11th, 12th, and 16th inning. Yet, when I merely look at the summary, it seems like he has given up 3 in the 10th inning. Why does the PI list it this way?
January 24th, 2008 at 9:42 am
I am guessing that this is a small oversight on Sean's part, and that he meant for that to say 10+, not just 10 (when referring to the inning.) I believe on an earlier screen, that's what it says.
January 24th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Sorry about that. When the report is generated you see that it says 10+, but when the report is saved the + sign gets blitzed. I'll take a look at it.
January 25th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
What about Armando Benitez? As a Mets fan, I seem to recall he gave up at least 613 game ending homers, 142 to Braves' hitter alone.
January 25th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Just 5 for Benitez:
http://www.bb-ref.com/pi/shareit/QaC8
and only 2 as a Met.