Saturday, July 8, 2017

#316 Cardinals Rookie Card 


Jim Bibby, Jorge Roque, Santiago Guzman One eventual career Major Leaguer followed by two failed tryout at the MLB level....Bibby, after an extended minor league odyssey finds control and success with the Texas Rangers 1974....19 game winner paired Ferguson Jenkins who was similar in stature...although 4.75 ERA is incredibly high....a steal by the Texans from St Louis from the get go...pitched a no hitter just after arrival....Came from an athletic family; brother was NBA guard Henry Bibby....sometimes consistency issues insued....went 7-15 next year splitting time between Texas and Cleveland, despite a lowered ERA from the year before...two more years in Cleveland, Jim took a free agent route for the Pirates....In Pittsburgh, Jim finds himself in similar spot starting with occasional bullpen shift...worked his way back into rotation....A regular starter 1980 found a return to the 19 win plateau and his personal best campaign....pitched well in early 1981 when an injury derailed him....never was the same....sat out 1982 and at age 38 his 1983 comeback fell far short of expectations.....finished out career back in Texas with a few games....passed away in 2010.... Rouque and Guzman has similar careers....short ones....Both were permanently of out MLB uniforms in 1973 and 1972 respectively....Guzman, from the Dominican Republic...career highlight went 8 innings in start against the Mets 1971...gave up one run as teammate Stan Williams got the win...Roque from Puerto Rico looked like a comer after 3 consecutive strong minor league seasoning 69, 70, and 71...minor league output tailed off considerably 1972 and was dealt to Expos....Career highlight was hitting a grand slam for Montreal against Philadelphia....Roque feasted on Phillie pitching going 8 for 19 against them that year.   


2 comments:

  1. Jim Bibby started Game #7 of the World Series in 1979 for the Pirates. Pitched 4 innings surrendering 3 hits and 1 run, was relieved as Bucs went to their strong bullpen early.

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  2. True, the 1979 Pirates had a very balanced pitching staff with only 2 of their top 11 pitchers having a ERA above 4.00. Jim Bibby tied with Jim Rooker with 17 starts. Seemingly a 6 man starting rotation.

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