The Promise of Youth
False Springs are a common theme in this game, another common theme is the promise of youth and the spark it can bring a team. Springs stories are awash in fables of the found player (Pete Reiser) the hustling tough guy (Pete Rose) the energetic odd ball (Chris Sabo) Many a rookie is often perplexed when first asked to speak to the press, most of their speaking usually involves profanities or shoe gazing tenacity, most often it comes off as a sure-fire impression of Ebby Calvin ‘Nuke’ LaLoosh. However the inevitable humorous quote finds its way to the surface eventually almost every spring and weekly as evidenced by BP’s weekly frolic. A favorite of mine is an early Yogism that was uttered in the late 40’s when Yogi Berra was asked about his work with catching legend Bill Dickey.
“Bill Dickey is learning me his experience.”
Truer words were never spoken.
What team hasn’t had a player show up in the spring and turn a few heads? Most baseball guys tend to let this experience play out before anointment of future stardom and if they don’t they tend to eat their words at a later date, and no incident better exemplifies this than the infamous Sparky Anderson - Chris Pittaro fiasco of 1985.
If born that year you are now destined to legally drink this year.
In 1985 Bob Geldoff gave us Live Aid and Sparky Anderson tried his best to give us Chris Pittaro.
Fresh off a stunning run of superiority the Tigers went into training camp in 1985 with a team that Anderson felt the team could use a steady 3rd baseman as well as a DH, the first 10 games of spring a no name AA 2nd baseman named Chris Pittaro who had played college ball led the Tigers in hitting.
His performance so enamored Sparky that he forgot to check his tongue at the door when the scribes got him to utter his infamous assessment of Pittaro, “Chris Pittaro is the best young player I’ve had in 15 years.”
Sparky thought so highly of Pittaro that he tried to move Lou Whitaker to 3rd to accommodate him, rather then receiving the treatment to the move that Pete gave him in 1975 he received the treatment that Pete gave Don Hefner in 1966 when he tried the same move that Sparky was able to complete. Much grumbling ensued and slowly Sparky began to see it Lou’s way, it was soon after that lifetime middle infielder Chris Pittaro was anointed starting 3rd baseman of the world champions.
In fairy tales the hero is tested and tested until he perseveres and conquers all. In baseball some burn fast and bright and flicker under the glare of 10,000 watt halogens in the din of screaming fanatics and drunks. On opening day 1985 Chris Pittaro went 3 for 5 against the Indians, driving in the tying run in the 8th inning and later watched from 1st as the winning run was scored on a Sacrifice Fly.
After the game Chris Pittaros carriage must have turned into a pumpkin, 12 hits and 5 errors at 3rd base later Chris Pittaro found himself no longer the “Best young player I’ve had in fifteen years” but instead spring training pyrite Chris Pittaro, a man who played in the show. Eventually he could claimt that he also never got to play in the show in July, August or September. In fcat his career is a fingernail, the man who had a scant 102 trips to the plate in a brief career that ended as a Twin in 1987.
Which oddly enough was the year the Twins won the World Series. The team had voted on distributing the teams winnings to 35 ¾ seperate shares. One has to wonder if Chris Pittaro got a cut of the loot. Or if he was once again just close enough to touch it, but not close enough to grab it.
Here’s his last trip to the plate.
TWINS 8TH: Davidson singled to center; SMALLEY BATTED FOR BUSH;
Smalley grounded into a double play (first to shortstop to pitcher)
[Davidson out at second];
Pittaro singled to shortstop; Butera grounded out (pitcher to first);
0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Twins 0, Royals 10.
102 trips to the plate a final infield single on a championship team and poof he’s gone forever, well sort of. Niow he’s a footnote like Moonlight Graham, Victory Faust and Motorboat Jones, a trivia answer, a quote, a memory.
Since the spring of 1985 nineteen hundred and sixty-one Major League Players have achieved 100 at bats in MLB, with Cardinals catcher Mike Mahoney being the recent member, just below Chris Pittaro Here are the top ten player in attaining at bats since 1985, when Chris Pittaro rocked Sparky Anderson’s world.
1 Rafael Palmeiro 10472
2 Craig Biggio 9811
3 Cal Ripken 9610
4 Barry Bonds 9140
5 Roberto Alomar 9073
6 Steve Finley 8877
7 Fred McGriff 8757
8 Sammy Sosa 8401
9 Omar Vizquel 8387
10 Marquis Grissom 8275