The Tigers had some great years back in the late 60's and early 70's- much like the Mets. October 4, 2005 What a sore disapppointment it was to see Staub take over rightfield (with his gnat's piss arm) after watching Kaline out in right all of those years in Detroit. But in his final season with the Tigers, he became the all-time leader in strikeouts for left-handed pitchers. Anybody remember how Rusty looked those last few years in New York? Lolich was a good pitcher in his prime - he won 3 games in the '68 Series vs. the Cardinals, including Game 7. June 11, 2003 Too bad we waited until '76 to bring him in, although his numbers indicated a lack of run support. He made the all- star team 3 times, led the AL in wins once, shutouts once, complete games once, innings once, strikeouts once, and losses TWICE.He finished second (1971) and third (1972) in the Cy Young race, and he never finished higher than TENTH PLACE in the league in ERA (finished tenth in both 1971 and 1972).Baseball Reference lists among his top ten in similarity scores: Jerry Koosman, Jerry Reuss, Rick Reuschel, Luis Tiant, Vida Blue, and Joe Niekro.All of that tells me Lolich in his prime was a good pitcher, but nowhere near a HOFer. =Chuck= Anybody remember how Rusty looked those last few years in New York? And Rusty Staub? Its not Rustys fault the Tigers traded for hitting when they already had hitting. Mickey pitched almost 200 innings in 76, gave up less hits than innings and his era was in the low 3.00's. Ok, the height is correct but make no mistake,a consistent, determined winner, Mickey Lolich was in the spotlight throughout his career. 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. I remember Lolich pitching some good ball for the Mets with absolutely NO run support. Visit the Crane Pool Forum to discuss the Mets and just about anything else! Then Vail hurt his ankle playing Basketball and he was never the same. But the facts are:Lolich spent 16 years in the Majors. Mickey Lolich captured the sporting headlines in 1968 by upstaging Hall of Famer, Bob Gibson, in the World Series. When he was with the Mets, I gave him the name "TOO MUCH EATER" but then again the Orange and Blue has always had big boned hurlers (El Sid. October 4, 2005 Let me say that again, 376 and that's without a pitch count. Let me say that again, 376 and that's without a pitch count. John Bruce As for his love of donuts, he could have been the prototype for Homer Simpson. The plan was apparently: Vail LF/RF, Kingman LF/RF/1B, Milner, LF/RF/1B for those three spots. Too bad we waited until '76 to bring him in, although his numbers indicated a lack of run support. After one year in New York Lolich retired. Stu Baron The Staub trade was ridiculous but not Lolich's fault. Mickey did a few good games with the Mets as well as a couple shutouts. December 13, 2007 In that same year he went 13, 13, 12, 11 and 10 innings in 5 games. And complaining about how fat he was? Having this claim (in addition to his World Series MVP) is definitely worthy of the Hall of Fame. senor ortiz June 2, 2006 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. As Sonny Jurgenson once said "you don't throw the ball with your stomach." Mickey loved his Harley. Mickey loved his Harley. (And of course Donald Grant) The Mets had to fill 2 corner outfield spots and first base. He made the all- star team 3 times, led the AL in wins once, shutouts once, complete games once, innings once, strikeouts once, and losses TWICE.He finished second (1971) and third (1972) in the Cy Young race, and he never finished higher than TENTH PLACE in the league in ERA (finished tenth in both 1971 and 1972).Baseball Reference lists among his top ten in similarity scores: Jerry Koosman, Jerry Reuss, Rick Reuschel, Luis Tiant, Vida Blue, and Joe Niekro.All of that tells me Lolich in his prime was a good pitcher, but nowhere near a HOFer. In San Diego they had a fan club for him called the Mickey Lolich Gut Club. December 13, 2007 But then Vail got hurt, and Kranepool and the aging Torre got more playing time.The better plan was to keep Staub, and let Milner and Vail fight for a spot. etc. I remember Lolich pitching some good ball for the Mets with absolutely NO run support. December 20, 2019 Feat Fan Lolich pitched fairly well with the Mets, in fact I recall a 2-0 shutout at Shea he pitched against the Cardinals in about two hours. Mickey Lolich Pitcher 19631979 PITCHER LeveL Star Pitcher rank #82 ALL-TIME Player Detail September 12, 1940, in Portland, OR BORN STILL LIVING DIED 19631979 Playing Career Played from 22-38 PLAYING AGE Left-Handed THREW Power PITCHING STYLE Tigers Primary Team 1968 Tigers World Series Titles NONE Nickname 6-1 HEIGHT 170 WEIGHT May 12, 1963 May 7, 2013 Mickey did a few good games with the Mets as well as a couple shutouts. Poor Met fans! or Bruce Kison. He made the all- star team 3 times, led the AL in wins once, shutouts once, complete games once, innings once, strikeouts once, and losses TWICE. 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. As far as who got the better of the Staub for Lolich deal: Rusty went on to have several excellent seasons in a Tiger uniform. June 2, 2006 Thanks for the memories, Mick! Al Within a year, the corpulent Lolich had retired to open a doughnut shop in suburban Detroit. snook 6'1", 170???? I'll take Mickey's pitching line - except for W&L - any time. That would make him a star in today's market. News. Really? 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. 376 innings. MR. Sparkle He had a 2.59 ERA at the end of July. I don't know if Mickey belongs in Cooperstown but he sure deserved more than 25% of the vote which was his highest showing. An E.R.A of 3.22 in the mid 70's was still pretty respectable. May 25, 2001 The trade was a great one for the Tigers and yet another whopper in a long history of bad trades for the Mets. January 12, 2011 But what can you expect when the team only averaged 3.4 runs for Seaver per start and 3.3 for Lolich? support. I simply loved to see him walk onto the mound; I knew that we as a ball club would be a winner any time he pitched, but as they always say time moves on, but our memory is always around. October 19, 2011 You have to remember that any ERA of 3.00 and over back in the 1970's was not a good stat. As somebody mentioned previously, this is really all Mike Vail's fault. Usually a bad trade doesn't reveal itself as bad until later when the player that came clearly is not working out. =Chuck= bob saunders As for his love of donuts, he could have been the prototype for Homer Simpson. January 12, 2011 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. LA-Mets God bless him wherever he is and good luck! As for all the innings Lolich pitched in Detroit, in today's game 300 innings is comparable to two full seasons, what with pitch counts and constantly babying starting pitchers. He wanted to finish out his career in Detroit, where he had some great years (the photo of him jumping on Bill Freehan after the final out in the 1968 World Series is a classic). Mickey had a lifetime 3.44 ERA and 2832 strikeouts. No put-down of Mickey, but that teamed needed Staub much more than they needed another pitcher. October 19, 2011 April 6, 2012 '', 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. Raymond Malcuit Jr. NYB Buff 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. He told the New York Press, he pitched with his head and arm not his abdomen. Lolich was a fine pitcher. In his first full season 1964, Mickey Lolich went 18-9 an ERA of 3.26. I don't know if Mickey belongs in Cooperstown but he sure deserved more than 25% of the vote which was his highest showing. The two 13-inning games didn't even count for complete games because they went 15 innings! bob saunders Have to maintain "A Clean Resort for Clean People" LO reputation. October 19, 2011 John, we know the condition the team was in when Lolich got here. But this one defied all logic from the beginning. Mickey was at the tail end of his career when he came to the Mets. He had a 2.59 ERA at the end of July. Mr. Sparkle December 8, 2006 Lolich may have been a great pitcher once, but by 1976 he was a has-been. Lolich was giving one of his typical awful performances in a Mets uniform. Cut him some slack. I agree with Doughnut Shoppe patron. Raymond Malcuit Jr. His not being elected to Cooperstown is a major oversight. Usually a bad trade doesn't reveal itself as bad until later when the player that came clearly is not working out. Then Vail hurt his ankle playing Basketball and he was never the same. Koufax would have 175 by the All-Star Break. Read about Andrew Feustel LOHS Class of 1983. Within a year, the corpulent Lolich had retired to open a doughnut shop in suburban Detroit. Too bad we waited until '76 to bring him in, although his numbers indicated a lack of run support. Ramblin' Pete But I have to say, I laughed out loud when I saw his physical statistics on this site. September 24, 2005 As a 44-year-old with a beer belly, I can relate. The plan was apparently: Vail LF/RF, Kingman LF/RF/1B, Milner, LF/RF/1B for those three spots. June 30, 2019 As a 44-year-old with a beer belly, I can relate. November 3, 2006 Rusty played another decade. In San Diego they had a fan club for him called the Mickey Lolich Gut Club. August 11, 2015 He was overweight and kind of babyfaced but I don't remember anyone being more focused or a battler. pete The Mets acquiring him for Rusty Staub was another trade made by M. Donald Grant out of spite for Staub's salary request. The halved baseball, Lolich said, is from a 1978 relief victory for the Padres, which happened to be the first managing success for Roger Craig, now the Tigers' pitching coach. In my opinion, there are only three candidates for worst trade in Mets history:1) Staub for Lolich 2) the Ryan trade 3) the Seaver tradeI believe the Seaver trade was the worst, for obvious reasons. Take a look at his stats on baseball-reference and you will shake your head. He lost his first shop in a lease dispute with the landlord and reopened last fall in Lake Orion. The two 13-inning games didn't even count for complete games because they went 15 innings! Only two others, Steve Carlton and Randy Johnson, have surpassed him. 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. Lolich was a newcomer that was a big loser, and he reminded us of how stupid the Mets management was for always going after fading superstars. We felt the same way when the Mets traded away Seaver and got back mediocre players for him. 170 pounds, maybe not but here's a fact: hurled 376 innings in the early 70's. July 15, 2016 Jamey Bumbalo Usually a bad trade doesn't reveal itself as bad until later when the player that came clearly is not working out. Lolich's main purpose was to pitch and he couldn't even do that for us. Larry Burns "And I don't mean to put anybody down, but I'm a much better singer than Joe Frazier was with the Knockouts, or even Lorry Holmes. Take a look at his stats on baseball-reference and you will shake your head. Lolich - donuts Staub - steak.The food metaphor of trading a steak for a donut is accurate in this and many Mets trades.Would love to see a book written with lists and analysis of all Mets trades. 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. senor ortiz July 15, 2016 Jay He easily could have won 15 or more games with any support at all. But in his final season with the Tigers, he became the all-time leader in strikeouts for left-handed pitchers. The daughter of former Detroit Tigers pitcher Mickey Lolich has been placed on three years probation for stealing $70,000 in coins and jewelry--including her fathers 1968 World Series ring--from her parents home. Lolich was an outstanding pitcher who had just experienced an off season in Detroit. Lolich was a newcomer that was a big loser, and he reminded us of how stupid the Mets management was for always going after fading superstars. Did you boo him or make fun out of him? Mickey loved his Harley. October 2, 2005 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. He still knew how to pitch but had no run support to get him a winning record. September 25, 2013 He told the New York Press, he pitched with his head and arm not his abdomen. 170 lbs.? Mickey liked his doughnuts. snook March 22, 2005 The plan was apparently: Vail LF/RF, Kingman LF/RF/1B, Milner, LF/RF/1B for those three spots. Five years before he became a Met, Lolich threw for 376 innings! He lost 39 games his last two seasons in Detroit, with an obese ERA both years. I know the one in Lake Orion was probably open till the early 90s. He started 45 games and completed 29. Bob P Lolich may have gone 8-13 in 1976 but Koosman did even worse the next two years (1977 and 1978). 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. Joe was hit by a Bob Moose pitch to drive in the tying run, but the '76 Mets couldn't stand such success, as two singles and a double play grounder by future Mets coach Bill Robinson in the top of the 10th off Skip Lockwood gave the Bucs a 2-1 win. Baseball burnt him out. Once the Tigers won in 84 I gave up on having a 2nd favorite because their win did nothing for me. As for his love of donuts, he could have been the prototype for Homer Simpson. As for all the innings Lolich pitched in Detroit, in today's game 300 innings is comparable to two full seasons, what with pitch counts and constantly babying starting pitchers. 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. Did you boo him or make fun out of him? When he was with the Mets, I gave him the name "TOO MUCH EATER" but then again the Orange and Blue has always had big boned hurlers (El Sid. Lolich was still productive but he was never accepted in New York because of whom he was traded for. November 10, 2002 Mickey Lolich did not do too bad with the Mets, He just did not get the Reading this brings back my memory of the trade that sent Rusty packing to Detroit. Within a year, the corpulent Lolich had retired to open a doughnut shop in suburban Detroit. Stu Baron Only two others, Steve Carlton and Randy Johnson, have surpassed him. Doug S. He started 45 games and completed 29. He may have left behind a fine legacy in Detroit but when he got to New York he stunk.You weren't happy with Rusty and we weren't happy with Lolich, so let's just call the trade a wash. Case closed. October 18, 2008 Lolich was a fine pitcher. He also hit a home run in Game Two of the Series and outpitched Denny "31 Win" McClain in the Series. Mickey Lolich was the greatest left handed pitcher in the whole world to me in 1968, He was even greater than Denny. It would appear that the one party who was jobbed in the deal was Lolich himself. As far as who got the better of the Staub for Lolich deal: Rusty went on to have several excellent seasons in a Tiger uniform. April 27, 2013 The Tigers had some great years back in the late 60's and early 70's- much like the Mets. August 11, 2015 6'1", 170???? Lolich hit a home run in the World Series- and so what does that mean, that he was a great hitter? Mickey was a fantastic pitcher for the Tigers. Mickey was a great pitcher but was not happy in New York. December 8, 2006 In his first full season 1964, Mickey Lolich went 18-9 an ERA of 3.26. Ken Akerman 6'1", 170???? Mickey was a great pitcher but was not happy in New York. Reading this brings back my memory of the trade that sent Rusty packing to Detroit. Lolich for Staub---it might be the fattest trade in major league history. I agree with Doughnut Shoppe patron. He had terrific stuff. June 30, 2019 Mickey Lolich did not do too bad with the Mets, He just did not get the NO WAY he was 170 pounds. 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. Randy Tate Like Seaver and Koosman, Mickey had pretty meager run support throughout his career. 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