Saturday, November 3, 2012

#24-Joe Hesketh





- While he is a legend at the University of Buffalo injuries shorted his promising career. Drafted by the Expos in the 2nd round of the 1980 draft he started the season 7-0 and after he compiled an 8-2 with a 1.92 at the Expos' A league West Palm Beach team he made an appearance with the big league team in the Pearson Cup exhibition between the Expos and the Blue Jays. "I was really kind of scared when the first guy I had to pitch to was John Mayberry" he said after theme. "He went for a pitch that was little outside and filed out to left. I felt a lot more at was after that." In the game he threw three hitless innings, struck out three and walked two plus he got the win.  After a few more appearances at A ball he was promoted to Memphis to finish out the season. He made no progress as an elbow injury knocked him out for the entire 1981 season. 1982-84 were spent moving up through the minor league system and he made his debut in 84 and on August 10th made his first start at the Olympic Stadium against the Cubs. While the Expos won he didn't get a decision. September 28 Hesketh threw a four-hit shutout of the Mets-besides being his first shutout it was also his first complete game. He finished out the season with a 2-2 record and a 1.80 ERA. 
The next season saw a 10-5 with a 2.49 and another shutout. However, his season ended in late August when in a game against the Dodgers he tried to score from first on a two-out double and collided with the Dodgers' catcher. "He beat the ball to the plate, but (Mike) Scioscia had the plate blocked. Scioscia tagged Hesketh after he landed and plate umpire Eric Gregg called him out." Hesketh was described as looking "like a bug hitting a windshield." Hesketh was carried from the field on a stretcher. After that he was 6-5 with a 5.01 and would soon start suffering more injuries and losing his effectiveness. In 1988 he had a good season coming out of the pen and picked up 9 saves. However, another bad year and in the year of this card (1990) he pitched was released twice and pitched for three teams. Released by the Expos he signed with Atlanta and after a short time there was released by the Braves and finally signed by the Red Sox. 
In 1991 he finished the season with a 12-4 3.29 and a tie, with 1985, for his beast WAR numbers when he put up a 3.1. The next three years in Boston only saw him go 19-18 with a 4.44 as he switched time between the pen and rotation. It didn't help that his manager Butch Hobson he no patience with him and would pull him out of games at the first sign of trouble.  By 1993 he was described as a 'hard-throwing lefty when he broke in with Montreal in 1985. Now he relies more on guile than power." He signed a minor league contract with the Yankees 12 days after signing he retired rather that report to the minors after being cut by the Yankees. 




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