The Canon of Cannons - OF arms past
- Thread starter Ferm Sheller
- Start date
I was just a youngster in 75, but I recall the consensus (the consensus being "Ned Martin told me so") was that Rice had the arm to play RF but Dewey's arm was even better.
Better than Evans? I don't remember much of Smith in a Sox uniform. They weren't on TV here until the early/mid seventies.Reggie's Racquet said:
IIRC Reggie had a cannon, and could throw about 400 ft, but accuracy while good was secondary, Dewey was more a sniper.
By most measures Dewey had the better gun.,
By most measures Dewey had the better gun.,
400 feet? OK, thinking on that, didn't JBJ throw a ball over one of the outfield walls from around home plate? Piersall and Willie Mays did stuff like that too, Piersall hurting himself.bankshot1 said:
Al Zarilla said:
I seem to recall Bill Lee telling an anecdote in his book about Reggie throwing balls into the CF bleachers from home plate ?
The Bill Lee anecdote was from his book, where he said he witnessed Smith throw a ball over the Monster from the top step of the dugout.
Yaz also told of Reggie throwing the ball over the CF wall from a standing position on home plate.
He may not make the canon, but here's a video of JBJ throwing the ball over the centerfield wall from home plate.
http://nesn.com/2014/07/jackie-bradley-jr-throws-ball-over-fenway-wall-from-home-plate-video/
http://nesn.com/2014/07/jackie-bradley-jr-throws-ball-over-fenway-wall-from-home-plate-video/
Reggie was just before my time but this is what I remember about Dewey. He had amazing accuracy. His arm was strong but it was the precision that set him apart. He always had great technique to get his whole body into the throw and they always seemed be on target.bankshot1 said:
I believe Dewey made a distinction between his first years in MLB and the bulk of his career. When he first came up, he said he could drill the top of the Fenway backstop on the fly from deep RF. He lost that ability a few years in, but he said his throwing arm grew much more accurate. It's probably in the Globe archives somewhere.
I was alive and following the Sox during the Reggie Smith tenure, but I was young and can't say I specifically recall the strength or accuracy of his arm. But I agree with the prior observations of Dewey's arm. It wasn't just the strength, but the accuracy. Uncanny how consistently he hit his target.
When Dewey threw one off target by even a couple of feet it was like "what happened there".
My favorite player of all time.
My favorite player of all time.
Same here.Skiponzo said:
But in terms of the strongest arm/best throw observed - for me that would be Vladimir Guerrero. That man had a laser in his prime.
The guys that I remember as Dewey's peers would be Jesse Barfield, Dave Winfield and Ellis Valentine. Larry Walker had a gun as well.gryoung said:
Dewey had a game early in his career, I'm guessing 1973 or 1974, against the Yankees where he threw out Elliot Maddox(?) twice at third base from right field. Maddox was known as a speedster, and in my mind that game really established Evans' reputation as a power arm in right. I tried a while back to locate the game box score on Baseball Reference, but was not able to track it down.
Any of the other 50+ crowd here remember that game? It solidified Evans as one of my favorite players.
Any of the other 50+ crowd here remember that game? It solidified Evans as one of my favorite players.
Its funny, that the play that Evans is probably best known for also includes one of his worst throws, but he still doubled off Griffey.Skiponzo said:
As a young boy, I was at a one of those drizzling, gray, cold April games at Fenway, probably '68 or '69. Reggie Smith came charging in on a dying blooper into CF, slipped and fell on his butt before he could get to the ball. He fielded the ball in a fully seated position facing the infield. He threw the runner out trying to advance from first to third, on the fly, by several feet.
Best outfield play I have ever seen, live, TV or otherwise.
Reggie Smith,(whose first name is actually Carl, interestingly), is the best gun in RS history, IMHO.
Best outfield play I have ever seen, live, TV or otherwise.
Reggie Smith,(whose first name is actually Carl, interestingly), is the best gun in RS history, IMHO.
BCsMightyJoeYoung said:
Let's not forget Dave Parker, who also could produce a laser beam to third or home on a regular basis.
And, of course, Clemente.
Ankiel had some great throws, though a converted pitcher is maybe a bit of a cheat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO1IILTeLvk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XO1IILTeLvk
And MLB.com had this Jose Guillen throw as the best in history:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfxE_-bViUg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfxE_-bViUg
Ellis Valentine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxty8xnRchQ
Jesse Barfield
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD_Y79ttRBg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mxty8xnRchQ
Jesse Barfield
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD_Y79ttRBg
Some great names.
I'll throw my hat in with the Reggie The Rifle crowd, though Dewey owns his own place in the Sox Hall of Hoses.
The non-Sox names are also fantastic; Clemente was one of my first baseball idols (non-Yaz division).
For a little guy, the younger version of Ichiro was strong and accurate, too.
I'll throw my hat in with the Reggie The Rifle crowd, though Dewey owns his own place in the Sox Hall of Hoses.
The non-Sox names are also fantastic; Clemente was one of my first baseball idols (non-Yaz division).
For a little guy, the younger version of Ichiro was strong and accurate, too.
I went to a Sox - Angels game in Anaheim in 2004. The Halos has Jose Guillen in left, Raul Mondesi in center, and Vlad in right. I remember thinking this might be the greatest set of outfield arms playing together in baseball history.
I took a quantitative look at one of Rich Ankiel's throws a few years ago. Looks to me as if he threw it about 112 mph.
http://spiff.rit.edu/richmond/baseball/ankiel/ankiel.html
http://spiff.rit.edu/richmond/baseball/ankiel/ankiel.html
Ichiro's iconic throw to 3rd base (color commentary by Dave Henderson)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYAxk01E404
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYAxk01E404
Yeah, it's funny. He always had a good arm, but he just totally uncorked that one.dcmissle said:
Blass commentating just adds to the effect.
StupendousMan said:
Interesting. I remember the density of air as 1.21 kg per cubic meter at sea level, the interwebs say 1.225? Might cut down a bit on that 112 mph estimate of yours, you assumed a sea level density of 1.3 kg per cubic meter? Very cool, though.
I wore number 7 and always played centerfield in little league and later in semi professional softball because of Reggie. I took up switch hitting because of Reggie. Reggie was my friend when I was in my early twenties. Besides having the best outfield arm I have ever seen he was also a good tennis player. I played tennis in high school and in college. I worked part time a Coleman's Sporting Goods in Canton. He used to come into the store once a week and I strung his tennis racquets and occasionally hit with him. He showed me how to grip and throw a baseball. From time to time he gave me tickets to Sox games. I was at a game when I saw him pick up a ball hit to the triangle and throw a strike on the fly to home plate.
And now you know the reason for my screen name...in case you care.
And now you know the reason for my screen name...in case you care.
My vote among Sox is for Reggie Smith (whose HOF qualifications are similar to Evans's and Rices's btw). He started '67 at 2B - quite an arm for that position. On other teams, Barfield and Vlad had great arms; also the converted catcher in Milwaukee (senior moment here).
Babe Ruth. Good arm. Carl Furillo.
IIRC, Ichiro took the mound in an ASG when in Japan, and hit 91 on the gun.
IIRC, Ichiro took the mound in an ASG when in Japan, and hit 91 on the gun.
Young Yaz had a pretty solid arm, and his ability to play the wall made it even better. Not in the same class as Evans or Reggie Smith, but those are two of probably the top 25 or so overall, so he suffers by comparison, but he was a strong, accurate thrower from the OF.
He was a bit before my time, but from everything I've seen, read and been told by my elders, Clemente had few (if any) peers as an outfield arm.
If his career had run its full course, we'd almost certainly be talking about Bo Jackson in this thread.
He was a bit before my time, but from everything I've seen, read and been told by my elders, Clemente had few (if any) peers as an outfield arm.
If his career had run its full course, we'd almost certainly be talking about Bo Jackson in this thread.
Dewey probably had more throws than anyone resulting in "no assist" because runners/coaches were too intimidated to test him on 1st-3rd or 2nd-home. Fans went nuts for his 'holds'.
I still remember a throw home from deep right field from Dewey in the All Star Game in which Tim Raines decided not to test his arm – the throw was one-hop perfect to the 3B-side front corner of the plate.
Edit: Sp
Edit: Sp
Fun thread!
I remember Andy Van Slyke uncorking a beauty while he was with the Orioles late in his career.
A one-hopper to third from the track in straightaway center. Maybe he's not in the canon of cannons but this throw opened my eyes.
I remember Andy Van Slyke uncorking a beauty while he was with the Orioles late in his career.
A one-hopper to third from the track in straightaway center. Maybe he's not in the canon of cannons but this throw opened my eyes.
My earliest childhood memory of Fenway Park was seeing Evans launch a cruise missile towards the plate, nabbing a runner trying to score from 2nd. (It was a Twins game in the early 80s.) To witness a great outfielder (like Evans or Parker) throw a baseball that seems to defy the natural parabolic trajectory is, for me, one of the great thrills of watching live baseball.
I did see a game at Coors Field where Rick Ankiel nailed a runner trying to go from first-to-third- also an amazing sight.
Thank you all for posting videos, keep them coming!
I did see a game at Coors Field where Rick Ankiel nailed a runner trying to go from first-to-third- also an amazing sight.
Thank you all for posting videos, keep them coming!