Mickey Lolich may soon surrender a record that he's held for 44 years - Vintage Detroit Collection. April 23, 2003 September 25, 2013 He was a big (emphasis: BIG) bust in New York. Then they all got old and the team slid into rebuilding- different than the Mets? HmmBaseball Reference.com is usually beyond redoubt, but I would say with almost unimpeachable certainty that Mickey Lolich weighed somewhere in the vicinity of 240 by the time he was huffing and puffing his way up the pitchers mound at Shea in 1976.Another awful trade, courtesy of M. Donald Grant, who couldn't wait to run Rusty Staub (coming off a team-record setting 105 RBI season) out of town, weeks after Mrs. Payson passed away. Randy Tate May 24, 2002 Usually a bad trade doesn't reveal itself as bad until later when the player that came clearly is not working out. - Now for the trade itself. I recall one year where he had 121 RBI's. Then they all got old and the team slid into rebuilding- different than the Mets? All he represents for me was one of the many horrendous choices the Mets have made over the years, always going after washed up has-beens past their prime. He never had much to say about Lolich's donut shop though. End of Line Maybe Rusty was not in his prime when the Tigers got him, but the man could still swing the bat. So when your "inning eater" goes 220 and gets a bonus it's beyond comprehension. He had a 3/4 delivery that thrived on the weight shift. Jim Snedeker Raymond Malcuit Jr. Mr. Sparkle Bob P There were some games where the Mets did not give him support. Lolich committed to playing 2 years for the Mets, but then reneged on that promise. Ramblin' Pete Rusty played another decade. Lolich was a good pitcher in his prime - he won 3 games in the '68 Series vs. the Cardinals, including Game 7. Bob P Mickey Lolich did not pitch badly for the Mets in 1976. '', On his way to work each day, Lolich stopped for breakfast at a doughnut shop and became friends with the proprietor, who offered him a partnership. November 12, 2006 December 20, 2019 Within a year, the corpulent Lolich had retired to open a doughnut shop in suburban Detroit. August 7, 2018 Lolich played for the Tiger from 1963-75. September 29, 2007 The two 13-inning games didn't even count for complete games because they went 15 innings! Bob P August 7, 2018 You can't be serious. =Chuck= They did not let him pitch the way he wanted. LA-Mets Rusty played another decade. Mickey did a few good games with the Mets as well as a couple shutouts. He started 45 games and completed 29. He lost 39 games his last two seasons in Detroit, with an obese ERA both years. I don't know if Mickey belongs in Cooperstown but he sure deserved more than 25% of the vote which was his highest showing. Five years before he became a Met, Lolich threw for 376 innings! The point is he made a bad team worse. C'mon John, the Mets did the Tigers a huge favor by taking this washed-up pitcher off their hands and giving them a great hitter like Rusty. June 30, 2019 Poignant. We are going all the way!" Thomas: The erstwhile sphinx says what he thinks. Take a look at his stats on baseball-reference and you will shake your head. Mickey was a fantastic pitcher for the Tigers. Mike B Kooz Ken Akerman The Staub trade was ridiculous but not Lolich's fault. Bartolo Colon etc). April 24, 2003 Mickey was at the tail end of his career when he came to the Mets. As Sonny Jurgenson once said "you don't throw the ball with your stomach." Mickey had a lifetime 3.44 ERA and 2832 strikeouts. In this World Series, Lolich pitched three complete games and allowed only five runs an ERA of 1.67. The Lolich for Rusty Staub trade might be the first and only trade where two players who were well known for food establishments were traded for each other. September 29, 2007 Or even a platoon as Vail was righty, and Milner was lefty.In the days of 4-man rotation, Seaver-Koosman-Matlack had them covered 75% of the time. And of course Lolich did not want to be here, and the fans did not want him here either, so I am sure that's why he skipped town the next year. 3.50 was more of a mediocre E.R.A in those days.About his profile of 6'1" and 170 lbs., I looked him up in the Baseball Encyclopedia and that's what they have. Mickey was at the tail end of his career when he came to the Mets. Reading this brings back my memory of the trade that sent Rusty packing to Detroit. August 18, 2001 3.50 was more of a mediocre E.R.A in those days.About his profile of 6'1" and 170 lbs., I looked him up in the Baseball Encyclopedia and that's what they have. (thankfully returning in '81). The two 13-inning games didn't even count for complete games because they went 15 innings! However, this guy had some incredible numbers in Detroit, especially in the Post Season. As a kid collecting baseball cards and watching ballgames in the '70s, I remember being struck by Lolich's belly. [8] He began his professional career playing the 1959, 1960, and 1961 seasons with the Knoxville Smokies of the South Atlantic League and the Durham Bulls of the Carolina League. He easily could have won 15 or more games with any support at all. But the facts are:Lolich spent 16 years in the Majors. Stacy Lolich and John Ellenbrook, 22, of Lake Orion were charged last July with stealing the items from her parents home in Washington, Mich. The trade was a great one for the Tigers and yet another whopper in a long history of bad trades for the Mets. or Bruce Kison. Mickey Lolich did not do too bad with the Mets, He just did not get the GoMets2006 Well, I never realized that Rusty Staub was such a favorite in New York, beside the old Tigers announcer George Kell always making a fuss over Rusty Staub's New York restaurant. Jay Within a year, the corpulent Lolich had retired to open a doughnut shop in suburban Detroit. 6'1", 170???? He later resurfaced with the Padres. June 2, 2006 (thankfully returning in '81). He was overweight and kind of babyfaced but I don't remember anyone being more focused or a battler. The Bellevue Hotel on Bellevue Island was built in 1899. Five years before he became a Met, Lolich threw for 376 innings! August 11, 2015 Mickey did a few good games with the Mets as well as a couple shutouts. The fact of the matter is New York is a what have you done for me lately kind of city, and when Lolich came to the Mets he pitched like a nobody. Then they all got old and the team slid into rebuilding- different than the Mets? I look at his numbers as a Met and they're not bad. Rusty has always been a fan favorite so if you're going to trade him it better be worth it, and to most of us Mets fans Lolich wasn't. Rusty played another decade. God bless him wherever he is and good luck! August 7, 2002 Koufax would have 175 by the All-Star Break. Lolich won complete games in Games 2 & 5 and faced and beat Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 7 by the score of 4-1 as the Tigers won the World Championship. Bob P I remember as a 11 year old when the Mets traded for him thinking "Great, we have Mickey Lolich! I find it odd that he didn't play in 1977. As Sonny Jurgenson once said "you don't throw the ball with your stomach." Ken Akerman Watch. That's pretty good this day in age. November 3, 2006 I don't know if Mickey belongs in Cooperstown but he sure deserved more than 25% of the vote which was his highest showing. Mickey Lolich was a great pitcher in the American League. After one year in New York Lolich retired. August 7, 2018 In one of his best games as a Met, hefty lefty Lolich (no doubt the prototype for David Wells), tossed 8 innings, allowing 8 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4, the only run scoring on a fourth-inning groundout by a young Dave Parker.Alas, with the Mets historically typical poor run support, Lolich left, trailing 1-0, for pinch hitter Mike Phillips, who fanned for the 2nd out of the ninth, before singles by Ed Kranepool (batting for Leon Brown) and Bruce Boisclair and a walk to John Milner loaded the bases for Joe Torre. June 11, 2003 pete The Detroit Tigers traded pitcher Mickey Lolich (right) for outfielder Rusty Staub at baseball's winter meetings in 1975 in a deal that was originally vetoed by Lolich. In his first full season 1964, Mickey Lolich went 18-9 an ERA of 3.26. Ramblin' Pete Mickey Lolich so despised the Mets experience that he sat home and ate donuts for a year rather than play again in New York. When the Mets got Lolich I was happy (despite hating losing Le Grande Orange). Shari So why did you try to destroy the guy? His unbroken records are 2,679 strikeouts, 39 shutouts, 459 games started, 329 home runs allowed, and 10,000 doughnuts made! McLain got all the publicity but Lolich got the wins in post season 1968. For a fourth starter, on a four man rotation, Lolich was decent. pete Take a look at his stats on baseball-reference and you will shake your head. Like Seaver and Koosman, Mickey had pretty meager run support throughout his career. December 13, 2007 He also hit a home run in Game Two of the Series and outpitched Denny "31 Win" McClain in the Series. As a kid collecting baseball cards and watching ballgames in the '70s, I remember being struck by Lolich's belly. support. Mickey Lolich did not pitch badly for the Mets in 1976. I remember when M. Donald Grant traded Staub for Lolich he explained it to disgusted NY sports fans by saying something like "the team needs more speed. Lolich won complete games in Games 2 & 5 and faced and beat Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 7 by the score of 4-1 as the Tigers won the World Championship. But I have to say, I laughed out loud when I saw his physical statistics on this site. According to his profile above, his height and weight are listed as follows:Height: 6.01 Weight: 170170 pounds on a 6 ft. 1 in. August 18, 2001 C'mon John, the Mets did the Tigers a huge favor by taking this washed-up pitcher off their hands and giving them a great hitter like Rusty. (And of course Donald Grant) The Mets had to fill 2 corner outfield spots and first base. Raymond Malcuit Jr. March 2, 2003 What an interesting parallel, huh? Fact is Lolich was always overweight. Mickey Lolich did not want to come to the Mets. bogeyman How Mickey still had an arm when he pitched for us is amazing. 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