On this day in 1916, former Red Harry "The Hat" Walker was born in Pascagoula, MS. Walker hit .318 for the Reds in 1949. After his playing career, Walker developed a second life in baseball as a successful hitting coach. He later managed for a time, compiling a .511 winning percentage in more than 1,200 games.
Walker is probably best known today for hitting the World Series-winning double in game seven of the 1946 Fall Classic. The play is known by a more famous name as well -- Enos Slaughter's mad dash. Slaughter scored from first on the play when Boston's Johnny Pesky was too slow relaying the throw to home.
On this day in 1969, former Red Hector Carrasco was born in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic. Carrasco was a capable major league reliever for a dozen seasons. In his rookie season in 1994, Carrasco hurled 56 innings with an ERA of 2.24, which was good for an ERA+ of 188. He managed those numbers while recording nearly three quarters as many walks as strikeouts. Carrasco never did get his walk rate under control, but he was still effective as late as his age-36 season (2006). He posted a 3.41 ERA (133 ERA+) in 100 innings for the Angels that year. Not too surprisingly, he posted a career best walk rate in 2006, handing out 2.4 bases on ball per nine. His walk rate was never lower than 3.3 per nine in any other season of his career.
On this day in 1974, the Reds dealt lefty Pat Osburn to the Brewers in exchange for infielder John Vukovich. Osburn and Vukovich were both forgettable players.
On this day in 1995, the Reds signed lefty reliever Mike Remlinger. He had thrown all of one inning for the Reds during the 1995 season after coming over from the Mets via trade. Remlinger would go on to have three more mostly mediocre seasons with Cincinnati. The highlight came in 1997 when Remlinger tossed 124 innings with a 4.14 ERA (104 ERA+). He also led the league in wild pitches that year with twelve.
Lost and Found earned the point last Wednesday. Tony Perez hit two home runs in game five of the 1975 World Series.
Hector Carrasco finished eighth in the NL Rookie of the Year voting in 1994. Who was the unanimous NL Rookie of the Year that season?