Damn Yankees by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview

Damn Yankees

Page 164

Mitchell's called third strike to end the game is one of the sport's most memorable images.

Berra was excellent at hitting pitches outside of the strike zone, covering all areas of the strike zone, as well as beyond, with great extension. In addition to this wide plate coverage, he also had great bat control. He was able both to swing the bat like a golf club to hit low pitches for deep home runs and to chop at high pitches for line drives. Whether changing speeds or location, pitcher Early Wynn soon discovered that "Berra moves right with you." Five times, Berra had more home runs than

strikeouts in a season, striking out just twelve times in 597 at bats in 1950. The combination of bat control and plate coverage made Berra a feared "clutch hitter," proclaimed by rival manager Paul Richards "the toughest man in the league in the last three innings." Contrasting him with teammate Mickey Mantle, Wynn

declared Berra "the real toughest clutch hitter," grouping him with Cleveland slugger Al Rosen as "the two best clutch hitters in the game."

As a catcher Berra was outstanding: quick, mobile, and a great handler of pitchers. Berra led all American League catchers eight times in games caught. He was also one of only four

catchers ever to field 1.000 in a season, playing 88 errorless games in 1958. He was the first catcher to leave one finger