How about a Topps Gibson WS bat relic?

1989FleerBillRipkencollector

That would be sad.

RookieWax

<< <i>That would be sad. >>



I'd love to own that bat....or also the bat he used to hit his HRs in the 1984 World Series game 5 with the Tigers. I was at that game 5 and I have vivid memories of it.

I also have a cool story about getting to be the Tiger bat boy for the 2nd game of a double-header vs the Orioles in 1983. I was sitting in the clubhouse during game 1, when Gibson came storming in after an AB. He picked up a piece of lumber that was about 3 times the size of a normal baseball bat and just kept swinging it viscously over and over and saying "That mother-F'er got me with a change-up!"

Very few guys I have seen had the late-inning clutch ability that Gibson possessed. Even in the twilight of his career, when he came back to play for the Tigers in his late 30s, he hit numerous game-winning 9th inning HRs. I also recall him scoring from 2nd base on a deep SF at least a few times with the Tigers - something I haven't seen anybody else do since. He was truly a football player wearing a baseball uniform...and the intensity and fire he brought to the field was unmatched. That is a big reason why he won the MVP in 1988 with the Dodgers with very modest stats of 25 HR, 76 RBI and a .290 average.

mlbfan2

<< <i>Very few guys I have seen had the late-inning clutch ability that Gibson possessed. Even in the twilight of his career, when he came back to play for the Tigers in his late 30s, he hit numerous game-winning 9th inning HRs. I also recall him scoring from 2nd base on a deep SF at least a few times with the Tigers - something I haven't seen anybody else do since. >>



Sorry, but I think your memory is a bit faulty. Gibson only had 2 walkoff HRs with the Tigers in his 30s. And, he wasn't clutch, at least not in the regular season. The late innings were actually his worst innings.
stats

BTW, scoring from 2nd base on a sac fly is done a few times per season, on average.

MeteoriteGuy

That would be a shame of Topps. Game used bats are not rare, moments like that in baseball are. Find another bat Topps.


Have a couple more GU bats on the way, a PSA/DNA certified Bobby Bonillia (who I was sure was going to do better then his B.B. partner), and a Rubien (msp?) Sierra with team letter.

Anyone else collect GU bats? (I dont really think I collect them...but I have about 20...or so.)

RookieWax

You can look again as well. His "late-and-close" HRs, RBIs, and OBP stats are all better per at bat than most other situations.

MooseDog

"My relationship with the media and fans, it's much improved," he said.

I supposed this is a good thing. When he was a player with the Tigers I once approached him for an autograph and he told me to "f*** off and spat very close to where I was standing. Easily one of the worst experiences I ever had collecting autographs in person.

Then the frickin' homer in the '88 Series.

If I were a rich man I'd buy his '88 stuff, invite the members of the '88 A's to a big party and torch that stuff "Burning Man" style letting Eckersley light the fire...

JTB

<< <i>You can look again as well. His "late-and-close" HRs, RBIs, and OBP stats are all better per at bat than most other situations. >>



All of his "late and close" rate stats are worse than his career numbers:

BA,OBP,SLG,OPS
Career Totals .268 .352 .463 .815
Late & Close .253 .348 .446 .794

He was slightly more likely to hit HRs in late and close situations.
AB/HR Career = 22.74AB/HR
AB/HR Late & Close = 22.17AB/HR = 2.6% better

But he was also much more likely to strikeout in late and close situations.
AB/Strikeout Career = 4.51
AB/Strikeout Late & Close = 4.02 = 12.2% worse

Not my definition of clutch.

MeteoriteGuy

Any late and closing while limping stats?

RookieWax

<< <i>

Not my definition of clutch. >>



Not sure what stats you are "choosing" to pick out or why you are ignoring RBI, but here are the exact stats from that website.

Close and late: 909 ABs, 41 HR, 146 RBIs for average of .045 HR per AB, .161 RBI per AB.
Career: 5798 ABs, 255 HR, 870 RBIs for average of .044 HR per AB, .150 RBI per AB.

His OBP does drop very slightly from .352 to .348.

Now, for the vast majority of players, these numbers would almost certainly drop across the board in "late and close" situations, due to facing the opponent's best middle relievers and closers....along with unfavorable lefty-lefty or righty-righty matchups that bullpen changes allow during the late innings.

In Gibson's case, they actually improved a bit.

Tabe

<< <i>or also the bat he used to hit his HRs in the 1984 World Series game 5 with the Tigers. I was at that game 5 and I have vivid memories of it. >>


"He don't wanna walk you! He don't wanna walk you!"

Ahhhh...great memories. Any true Tigers fan will tell you THAT is the HR for which we remember Gibby.

Tabe

mlbfan2

<< <i>Not sure what stats you are "choosing" to pick out or why you are ignoring RBI, but here are the exact stats from that website.
>>



Speaking of ignoring...
You said "in his late 30s, he hit numerous game-winning 9th inning HRs."

Do you really consider TWO to be numerous, or don't you just want to admit that you were wrong?

mlbfan2

<< <i>
Not sure what stats you are "choosing" to pick out or why you are ignoring RBI, but here are the exact stats from that website.

Close and late: 909 ABs, 41 HR, 146 RBIs for average of .045 HR per AB, .161 RBI per AB.
Career: 5798 ABs, 255 HR, 870 RBIs for average of .044 HR per AB, .150 RBI per AB.
>>



Whoa, stop the presses! For a couple of stats his rates went up ever so slightly (and others went down)! They're so close that they're insignificant. The difference between .045 and .044 is only 1 more HR per 1,000 ABs! You're grasping at straws.

JTB

<< <i>

<< <i>

Not my definition of clutch. >>



Not sure what stats you are "choosing" to pick out or why you are ignoring RBI, but here are the exact stats from that website.

Close and late: 909 ABs, 41 HR, 146 RBIs for average of .045 HR per AB, .161 RBI per AB.
Career: 5798 ABs, 255 HR, 870 RBIs for average of .044 HR per AB, .150 RBI per AB.

His OBP does drop very slightly from .352 to .348.

Now, for the vast majority of players, these numbers would almost certainly drop across the board in "late and close" situations, due to facing the opponent's best middle relievers and closers....along with unfavorable lefty-lefty or righty-righty matchups that bullpen changes allow during the late innings.

In Gibson's case, they actually improved a bit. >>



You're wrong again. Overall, batters hit about the same in close and late situations.

RookieWax

No, you are wrong again. Its a statistical fact that on the vast majority of teams and in the vast majority of years, a closer on a team has an ERA that is lower than the overall team ERA. And in most cases a lefty batter hits worse vs a lefty pitcher and same with righty-righty situation. Given those facts, in the majority of late close games, a manager nearly always plays the righty-righty, lefty-lefty matchups with his bullpen and nearly always uses his closer. Therefore, the statistical FACTS guarantee that in general, runs scored and thus hitting stats of a player who plays regularly would decrease overall in the late innings of close games. And the lefty-lefty facts would be especially true for a lefty hitter like Gibson and for a middle of the order hitter like Gibson. Do you think many managers would leave a right-handed starter or middle-reliever in to face Gibson in the late innings of a close game?

JTB

Fine, keep ignoring the numbers and stick with your numerous "facts".

And "numerous" = 2