Comments on: Buzz Capra http://cardboardgods.net/2009/03/27/buzz-capra/ Voice of the Mathematically Eliminated Fri, 30 Jul 2010 01:11:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: catfish326 http://cardboardgods.net/2009/03/27/buzz-capra/#comment-9360 catfish326 Sun, 28 Jun 2009 02:59:12 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/?p=3498#comment-9360 I always loved his name. ERA champ 1974. That '74 Braves team was actually better than how they performed. They had a good staff and pretty decent hitting. Their numbers suggest they should have done better. I always loved his name. ERA champ 1974. That ’74 Braves team was actually better than how they performed. They had a good staff and pretty decent hitting. Their numbers suggest they should have done better.

]]> By: buzzcapra1 http://cardboardgods.net/2009/03/27/buzz-capra/#comment-9271 buzzcapra1 Sat, 06 Jun 2009 09:33:20 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/?p=3498#comment-9271 From 1973-1978, I followed Buzz Capra like no one else! He was something more than just a baseball player to me - he was my childhood hero. I know some may find that "cheesey" but to me he was bigger than life. From a small town in Montana, I followed his stats in the newspaper. One night I was even lucky enough to see him pitch on TV; a moment I'll never forget. I only got to see him pitch in person one time, against my home town team, the San Diego Padres. What a thrill! After the game, with all of my Braves gear on, I met him for the first time coming out of the tunnel. About 8 years ago I played a round of golf with him. After golf, we went to the clubhouse, had a drink and talked 1970's baseball. We talked about Rose, Schmidt, and McCovey; what a great day. To this day, I still have the poster (of himself) he signed for me. His note on the poster reads, "Best wishes and love always." Cousin Buzz. My cousin, Buzz, was dominate in 1974. In addition to winning 16 games and leading the league in ERA(without much of an offense), he also won 9 games in a row - a record that held for several years. Best of all, Buzz Capra is a great man and I'm proud to call him my cousin! J. Naples, Jr. San Diego, CA From 1973-1978, I followed Buzz Capra like no one else! He was something more than just a baseball player to me – he was my childhood hero. I know some may find that “cheesey” but to me he was bigger than life. From a small town in Montana, I followed his stats in the newspaper. One night I was even lucky enough to see him pitch on TV; a moment I’ll never forget. I only got to see him pitch in person one time, against my home town team, the San Diego Padres. What a thrill! After the game, with all of my Braves gear on, I met him for the first time coming out of the tunnel. About 8 years ago I played a round of golf with him. After golf, we went to the clubhouse, had a drink and talked 1970′s baseball. We talked about Rose, Schmidt, and McCovey; what a great day. To this day, I still have the poster (of himself) he signed for me. His note on the poster reads, “Best wishes and love always.” Cousin Buzz.

My cousin, Buzz, was dominate in 1974. In addition to winning 16 games and leading the league in ERA(without much of an offense), he also won 9 games in a row – a record that held for several years. Best of all, Buzz Capra is a great man and I’m proud to call him my cousin!

J. Naples, Jr.
San Diego, CA

]]> By: ramblinpete http://cardboardgods.net/2009/03/27/buzz-capra/#comment-9243 ramblinpete Tue, 19 May 2009 17:21:22 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/?p=3498#comment-9243 (sb1902) - Well, I don't know if "big prospect" is the proper term, but all the while, during those first key years of my "baseball-awakening," as I was discovering and following my team, the Mets, I was quite aware of this young pitcher with the cool sounding name. Capra's mug shot would perennially appear on one of those pages toward the back of the yearbook, grouped with another five-or-so guys, designated "On the Rise" or something like that. This was a step up from the similar page -even further toward the back- that was usually labeled "In the System" and featured a more motley and obscure array of characters. He was certainly imprinted on my mind - one of the Next Crop of superb young Met arms...inextricably linked with cool astronaut and James-at-15 guest star 'Buzz' Aldrin. (I mean who else had a name like that? US Hockey Olympian 'Buzz' Schneider would complete the triumverate just after the tail end of the decade.) I guess his superb '74 season seemed like Atlanta's justifiable pitching-related revenge for our previous theft of George Stone. (in the Gentry/Frisella deal) (sb1902) – Well, I don’t know if “big prospect” is the proper term, but all the while, during those first key years of my “baseball-awakening,” as I was discovering and following my team, the Mets, I was quite aware of this young pitcher with the cool sounding name.

Capra’s mug shot would perennially appear on one of those pages toward the back of the yearbook, grouped with another five-or-so guys, designated “On the Rise” or something like that.

This was a step up from the similar page -even further toward the back- that was usually labeled “In the System” and featured a more motley and obscure array of characters.

He was certainly imprinted on my mind – one of the Next Crop of superb young Met arms…inextricably linked with cool astronaut and James-at-15 guest star ‘Buzz’ Aldrin. (I mean who else had a name like that? US Hockey Olympian ‘Buzz’ Schneider would complete the triumverate just after the tail end of the decade.)

I guess his superb ’74 season seemed like Atlanta’s justifiable pitching-related revenge for our previous theft of George Stone. (in the Gentry/Frisella deal)

]]> By: livnlegend http://cardboardgods.net/2009/03/27/buzz-capra/#comment-8913 livnlegend Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:58:52 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/?p=3498#comment-8913 Capra probably deserved more support in the Cy Young voting that just one third place vote. I am guessing the writers didn't like the fact that he pitched 217 innings, not 300 like Messersmith and Neikro but that year's winner was Mike Marshall who pitched in 200. Jack Billingham got more votes than Capra and he had nearly a 4.00 ERA (89 ERA+). Capra was out of baseball by the time I collected the entire 1979 Topps set so he was unknown to me until I started picking up older 70s cards from my friends who were outgrowing the hobby. Capra probably deserved more support in the Cy Young voting that just one third place vote. I am guessing the writers didn’t like the fact that he pitched 217 innings, not 300 like Messersmith and Neikro but that year’s winner was Mike Marshall who pitched in 200. Jack Billingham got more votes than Capra and he had nearly a 4.00 ERA (89 ERA+).

Capra was out of baseball by the time I collected the entire 1979 Topps set so he was unknown to me until I started picking up older 70s cards from my friends who were outgrowing the hobby.

]]> By: Josh Wilker http://cardboardgods.net/2009/03/27/buzz-capra/#comment-8898 Josh Wilker Sun, 29 Mar 2009 12:20:47 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/?p=3498#comment-8898 "Does anybody know if he was a big prospect when the Mets sent him to Atlanta?" The <a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Buzz_Capra" rel="nofollow">page for Capra on BR bullpen</a> says he was "highly touted" when he came up with the Mets in 1971. I'm a little skeptical of that claim, given that just two years earlier he entered professional ball as a 27th-round draft pick. As for his one big year and what followed: I am not basing this on much beyond a gut feeling and the admiring way other players talked about him in the SI and Baseball Digest articles from '74 and '75 linked to above, but I am thinking that it must have been mainly injury problems, and not a regression to the mean, or whatever, that prevented Capra from ever coming close to equalling his '74 season. Also, he had a decent Ks to innings pitched rate with the Mets, which as I understand it can be a good predictor of success (i.e., suggesting that '74 wasn't so much a fluke as a talented guy finally getting his chance). “Does anybody know if he was a big prospect when the Mets sent him to Atlanta?”

The page for Capra on BR bullpen says he was “highly touted” when he came up with the Mets in 1971. I’m a little skeptical of that claim, given that just two years earlier he entered professional ball as a 27th-round draft pick.

As for his one big year and what followed: I am not basing this on much beyond a gut feeling and the admiring way other players talked about him in the SI and Baseball Digest articles from ’74 and ’75 linked to above, but I am thinking that it must have been mainly injury problems, and not a regression to the mean, or whatever, that prevented Capra from ever coming close to equalling his ’74 season.

Also, he had a decent Ks to innings pitched rate with the Mets, which as I understand it can be a good predictor of success (i.e., suggesting that ’74 wasn’t so much a fluke as a talented guy finally getting his chance).

]]> By: sansho1 http://cardboardgods.net/2009/03/27/buzz-capra/#comment-8897 sansho1 Sun, 29 Mar 2009 11:10:20 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/?p=3498#comment-8897 It's true he wasn't a kid, but he hadn't pitched much, and he was the new guy on a staff with Niekro, Morton, and Reed, who were all well-established. That, along with his name, gave him the appearance of youth. As far as luck goes -- insofar as he was unlikely to repeat '74, you could say he was lucky. But while stats like BABIP or clutch batting average are useful in predicting what a player might do next, I don't like to use them to dismiss what the player just did, if that makes sense. He did what he did -- he's Buzz Capra, ERA champ. It’s true he wasn’t a kid, but he hadn’t pitched much, and he was the new guy on a staff with Niekro, Morton, and Reed, who were all well-established. That, along with his name, gave him the appearance of youth.

As far as luck goes — insofar as he was unlikely to repeat ’74, you could say he was lucky. But while stats like BABIP or clutch batting average are useful in predicting what a player might do next, I don’t like to use them to dismiss what the player just did, if that makes sense. He did what he did — he’s Buzz Capra, ERA champ.

]]> By: sb1902 http://cardboardgods.net/2009/03/27/buzz-capra/#comment-8896 sb1902 Sun, 29 Mar 2009 03:26:03 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/?p=3498#comment-8896 Looking a bit at Capra's '74 season, I see a guy who is all ready 26 years old and on his second organization after having 100 big league innings (almost on the nose) under his belt. Then in his one big year he pitched 217 innings and walked 84 guys! One of the hardcore saber guys could probably tell you what the batting average was of balls put in play, but it's hard to conclude he was anything but very lucky that year, I think. Does anybody know if he was a big prospect when the Mets sent him to Atlanta? He might have had one very lucky year in the big leagues and then went off to oblivion, but, Hell, I'd take that. I would have LOVED that, actually. Looking a bit at Capra’s ’74 season, I see a guy who is all ready 26 years old and on his second organization after having 100 big league innings (almost on the nose) under his belt. Then in his one big year he pitched 217 innings and walked 84 guys! One of the hardcore saber guys could probably tell you what the batting average was of balls put in play, but it’s hard to conclude he was anything but very lucky that year, I think. Does anybody know if he was a big prospect when the Mets sent him to Atlanta?

He might have had one very lucky year in the big leagues and then went off to oblivion, but, Hell, I’d take that. I would have LOVED that, actually.

]]> By: Josh Wilker http://cardboardgods.net/2009/03/27/buzz-capra/#comment-8895 Josh Wilker Sat, 28 Mar 2009 23:51:58 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/?p=3498#comment-8895 sb1902: You and me both. I can't speak for you, but I think Buzz Capra eluded being imprinted on my mind because of when I became conscious of baseball--1975, a year after he hit his Fidrychian heights. Also, I really think he has gotten kind of a raw deal in history, his one hit song every bit as amazing, in statistical merit if not colorful narrative interest, as The Count's and The Bird's. sb1902:
You and me both. I can’t speak for you, but I think Buzz Capra eluded being imprinted on my mind because of when I became conscious of baseball–1975, a year after he hit his Fidrychian heights. Also, I really think he has gotten kind of a raw deal in history, his one hit song every bit as amazing, in statistical merit if not colorful narrative interest, as The Count’s and The Bird’s.

]]> By: sb1902 http://cardboardgods.net/2009/03/27/buzz-capra/#comment-8894 sb1902 Sat, 28 Mar 2009 18:09:22 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/?p=3498#comment-8894 I'm ashamed to admit, I was ignorant of Buzz Capra's one-hit-wonder status. I also didn't know there was a time when Tom House was considered a big prospect. Aside from his bullpen-snare of #715, I mostly remember him as a short-timer with the Red Sox (he was with them when I started following baseball, and you think there's something permanent about your first team roster) and for having this program of throwing footballs when he was pitching coach with Texas. I’m ashamed to admit, I was ignorant of Buzz Capra’s one-hit-wonder status. I also didn’t know there was a time when Tom House was considered a big prospect. Aside from his bullpen-snare of #715, I mostly remember him as a short-timer with the Red Sox (he was with them when I started following baseball, and you think there’s something permanent about your first team roster) and for having this program of throwing footballs when he was pitching coach with Texas.

]]> By: Josh Wilker http://cardboardgods.net/2009/03/27/buzz-capra/#comment-8893 Josh Wilker Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:01:01 +0000 http://cardboardgods.net/?p=3498#comment-8893 Thanks very much for the hometown perspective, sansho1. Tha SI article I linked to about the team in '74 focuses on Capra and another hot pitcher who I associate even more closely with Hank's '74 season: Tom House (who caught #715). Thanks very much for the hometown perspective, sansho1.

Tha SI article I linked to about the team in ’74 focuses on Capra and another hot pitcher who I associate even more closely with Hank’s ’74 season: Tom House (who caught #715).

]]>