Rip phil niekro

[DuWayne Steurer]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/30605849/hall-fame-pitcher-phil-niekro-famous-signature-knuckleball-dies-81

 

Former milwaukee brave and longtime friend of our own Bob Uecker. What an interesting career. And guy. Rip Knucksie.

[JimH5]

44 starts, 23 CG, 342 innings as a 40 year old.

19 seasons with >200 IP.

5400 innings with a 115 ERA+. Nolan Ryan pitched fewer innings with a 112 ERA+.

 

Because the knuckler is a gimmick pitch, his accomplishments get overlooked..but Niekro was remarkable.

[JohnBriggs12]

He was no kid when he came up to the Braves in 1964 as a reliever. He was 25. He didn't become a starter until he was 28 yet still won over 300 games. Amazingly in his late 30's he had 3 consecutive seasons with 40+ starts, We'll never see that again. He was very reliable out of the pen in 65 the Braves last year in Milwaukee. That team had a nice top of the rotation with Cloninger, Blasingame and Ken Johnson who came from Astros early in the season. But Blasingame kind of ran out of gas the last 6 weeks (he was only 21). In hindsight had they moved Niekro to the rotation then, who knows what would have happened. They were only a half game back on August 26.

[reillymcshane]

Neikro was a really good player for a very long time. He wasn't the best pitcher in the world - but he was usually good. And then you add in the durability and the innings pitched - and he was incredibly valuable.

[DHonks]

remarkable career. I wish more teams would encourage pitchers to dabble with the knuckler, from HS, college, and the pros. It's an equalizer pitch.