Friday Kaat blogging

Jim Kaat, the greatest pitcher in perhaps the greatest pennant race ever.

Like any good playoff race worth its salt, it came down to the end of the season. The schedule makers, in their infinite wisdom, had the Twins play the Red Sox in Fenway the last two games of the year. The Tigers were tied with Minnesota, with the Red Sox one game back and the White Sox finally dropped. Kaat, the world's best pitcher over the last month, had the start in the first game. Win, and he'd force out Boston and keep the pressure on Detroit.

Almost 33,000 crowded into tiny Fenway Park for the game. The Twins jumped out to the quick lead, scoring one before Kaat ever took the mound. He allowed two singles in the first, including one from (of course) Yaz, but got out of it without giving up a run. He allowed a leadoff single to George Scott in the second but seemed to work out any early-game jitters by retiring the next three, the last two by strikeout. Still staked to his slender 1-0 lead, he began the third by whiffing the first batter.

This was baseball drama at its finest. The hottest pitcher in all of baseball was facing off on the road before a partisan home crowd whose team had the best hitter after an absurdly brilliant pennant race with the entire season on the line. It was a tight one-run game and promised to stay close and tense, just like the entire year had been. The top of the order was about to come up again, and this had all the makings for one of the greatest games in baseball history. If he could hold on, Jim Kaat would be the stuff of legend.

But he was done. He had just faced his last batter of the season.

Doctors, scientists, and baseball fans may wonder what the maximum strain a pitcher can place on his arm, but for Jim Kaat 197 outs in 30 days was all his arm could take. Injured, the Twins had to take him out. The Red Sox won, 6-4. They won the pennant the next day as the Tigers lost again. Kaat's great run has been completely forgotten.