Dick Radatz dies

[Don Wassall]

For a few years in the early to mid-'60s, Dick Radatz was as dominating a relief pitcher as baseball has ever seen. He still holds the record for strikeouts in a season by a reliever with 181 in '64.


http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2014955

 

[sport historian]

If my memory is correct, Dick Raddatz used to strike out Mickey Mantle again and again. Mantle, in his latter years, had trouble with overpowering pitchers such as Raddatz. But, so did other hitters.


Raddatz didn't come in and face one batter, he would sometimes pitch several innings of an extra inning game. On a second division team (as Boston was when he pitched for them), thiswas a pretty difficult assignment.

 

[sport historian]

I made the above post before I read the ESPN article. Raddatz struck out Mantle 44 times in 63 at bats.

 

[Bart]

Dick Raddatz was quite an intimidating pitcher in his day. I remember watching Mickey Mantle late in his career. His broken body and diminished skills made him vulnerable, would have had a hard time hitting a beach ball.


It's funny how a pitcher can have a hitter's number. Henry Aaron once said the best pitcher he everfaced was Curt Simmons, who had his moments but was certainly average at best. Aaron could never figure him out, batted only in the low .100's against him.