An Auto Before A Loss

Sadly, I was at the Dodger/Phillies game on Tuesday.  The game had another Dodger bullpen meltdown and a lack of offense.  The Dodgers went down in defeat by a score of 3-2.  It was a type of loss that Dodger fans have seen much of this season.

Matt Kemp came through on Wedsdays's game with a walk off homer in the 12th inning to avoid a sweep by the Phillies.

Back to Tuesday night, the Dodgers were giving away beach chairs.  I enjoy this giveaway idea because it is unique and the chairs are a good size.  Maybe a Dodger fan can correct me on this but, I don't believe that they have given beach chairs away before.

Not only did I get a free Dodger chair but, I also had the chance to get a couple Bob Welch autograph.  The loss still hurt but, the autos are a nice bonus.

Welch was a pretty good pitcher for the Dodgers and Oakland Athletics between the years 1978-1994.  He was a 27 game winner in 1990 and won the AL Cy Young that year.  His ERA in 1990 was 2.95 with a WHIP of 1.22.

Welch had some good years as a Dodger as well.  He made the All-Star team in 1980 and finished the year with a 3.29 ERA in 213 2/3 innings.  He also pitched well in 141 innings during the Dodgers championship 1981 team.

The Dodgers traded Welch in 1987.  He was dealt to Oakland in a deal that gave the Dodgers Alfredo Griffin, Jesse Orosco, and Jay Howell.  The Dodgers played Oakland that season in the World Series in 1988.  Welch was a key piece for the A's and the duo of Howell and Orosco were nice arms in the Dodger bullpen.

Griffin was an horrendously bad offensive player for the Dodgers.  Griffin batted in the Juan Uribe Zone.  The trade worked out for both teams for the most part.  The Dodgers beat Welch and the A's in 1988 to win the championship.  Welch would go on and become a champion in Oakland during the 1989 season.

Welch had a really solid career.  He is kind of an under the radar Dodger pitcher during the 70s-80s.  Welch pitched for some postseason teams and way a main component to the pitching staff during those years.

In his 17 year career, Welch won 211 games and had a career 3.47 ERA.  I also dig the fact that he pitched in 3 different decades.  The game, media, fans and society in general changed so much during his career.  The internet was on the verge of becoming big time when he retired in the mid-90s.  When he was a rookie in 1978, almost zero people owned home computers.  The players drug of choice went from coke in the 80s to 'roids in the 90s.

Welch probably has some incredible stories by playing with some colorful personalities like Pedro Guerrero, Jose Canseco and Rickey Henderson.  That would make for an awesome tell-all book.  It would at least be awesome for baseball fans.