Elliott, Memories and such: Halladay, Johnson, Larkin, Simon, Wells
LHP David Wells in 1995 as a member of the Cincinnati Reds.
By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
A friend noticed the other day how catchers with Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros -- as well as the Milwaukee Brewers and the Los Angeles Dodgers -- were using multiple sets of signs with no one on base. My pal asked had I ever seen it before?
Well, yes and no.
In 1995, at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium on the workout day before Game 3, the National League Championship Series between the Cincinnati Reds and the Atlanta Braves. Former Blue Jay David Wells was scheduled to start the next day for the Reds.
After the workout we sought shortstop Barry Larkin’s opinion on Wells.
“You know how in Little League on up, a catcher’s signs are always the same: one finger is a fastball, two is a curve, three is a slider and four is a changeup?” Larkin asked. “David has different signs for what he is throwing.”
Larkin also explained how Wells insisted Reds catchers Benito Santiago, Ed Taubensee and Damon Berryhill use multiple signs.
We told Larkin we had seen that often ... with a runner on second.
“Have you ever seen it on the first pitch of the game?” asked Larkin, who as the Reds shortstop had a clear view of the fingers being put down from his position.
Ah, no.
Wells said he learned from ex-Jay John Cerutti to be paranoid about opposing teams stealing signs. That was 24 Octobers ago. Technology and times have changed.
Teams have decided multiple signs are needed since cameras are everywhere and teams cheat and can relay location and/or pitches from computers underneath. The Red Sox were busted last year for texting pitches from video guy in clubhouse to trainer wearing Apple Watch in dugout.
So basically Wells was ahead of his time.
Wells was doing the post-season Q and A drill at Fulton-County Stadium, saying the right things about the Braves’ lineup and talking about facing Greg Maddux.
The last time Wells stood in the Atlanta dugout, he was given news that his mom was ill and he flew home to San Diego.
The time before that he was wearing a champagne-soaked Blue Jays uniform and he pitched out of the seventh-inning jam in Game 6 of the 1992 World Series as the Jays won a world championship for the first time.
Wells took over from Todd Stottlemyre with two out in the seventh and the Jays leading 2-1, after Otis Nixon reached on an infield hit. On the 1-2 pitch, Pat Borders threw out Nixon attempting to steal, ending the inning.
After a Candy Maldonado single against Mike Stanton, a Kelly Gruber bunt and an intentional walk to Borders, Manuel Lee popped up. Manager Cito Gaston had Derek Bell pinch hit for Wells and Bell, who had Vladimir Guerrero status back then, bounced out.
So in one of the most important games in franchise history Wells threw only four pitches.
“I was on the mound underneath the pile ... trying to breathe,” said Wells, who was swamped by jubilant teammates after Mike Timlin fielded Nixon’s bunt and threw to first baseman Jumpin’ Joe Carter for the final out.
Timlin has told the story about when Nixon arrived with the Jays how “Everyone teased Nixon about bunting with two out in the bottom of the ninth of the World Series.”
Nixon would always reply: “Did you see my swing on the strike one? Bunting was the only chance I had.”
In those days, Wells had four-inch tattoo of his son his young son Brandon on his bicep, evoking closure saying: “They gave up on me, I didn’t give up on me. I know I’d never go back.”
Wells moved from the Reds to the New York Yankees as a free agent, but on Feb. 18, 1999 he did come back to the Jays, who sent Roger Clemens to the Bronx for Homer Bush, Graeme Lloyd and Wells.
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In his Reds days, Wells was described as a “230-pound California surfer dude,” by Larkin. Now a Hall of Famer, Larkin enjoyed playing behind Wells.
Wells was released in the spring of 1993. He had a clash with Jays manager Cito Gaston over pitch selection and departed throwing the ball down the left-field line. There was an incident at the minor league camp and both Wells and Derek Bell -- doubled off second on an infield pop up to Razor Shines -- were released the same week. The Gaston spat was resolved and the two are close friends.
The Detroit Tigers signed him as a free agent. I recall phoning Wells in Florida and asking what he was doing when he heard that the Tigers had reached an agreement with the free agent.
“Watching March Madness and eating Domino’s Pizza,” Wells said. Then, he caught himself. “Oh sorry ... that should be watching March Madness and eating Little Caesars Pizza.”
Domino’s owner Tom Monaghan had sold the Tigers in 1992 to pizza magnate Mike Ilitch, who owned Little Caesars Pizza.
With Detroit and the Reds in 1995, Wells ran off a 14-game winning streak. Combined -- 18 starts with the Tigers, 11 with the Reds - he was 16-8 with a 3.24 ERA, walking 53 and striking out 133 in 203 innings.
Larkin played with the Nasty Boy bullpen of Norm Charlton, Randy Myers and Rob Dibble when they won in 1990. He recalled Dibble as an intimidator.
Most Reds players grit their teeth when owner Marge Schott walks into the clubhouse with her pet St. Bernard, Schottzie 02, Wells goes into attack mode.
Before a start against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wells saw Schott and her mutt get off the elevator and head for the field. Wells hid and, as the dog entered the field, he pounced on the mutt barking and yelping. The dog nearly ripped Schott’s arm out of her socket as it leapt away.
Wells was a durable, dependable performer pitching eight years for the Jays, four for the Yankees, three each for the San Diego Padres and Tigers, two years with the Boston Red Sox and one year each with the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, Dodgers and the Reds.
In his 23-years career, Wells was 239-157 with a 4.13 ERA and 13 saves. He appeared in 660 games with 719 walks and 2201 strikeouts. The folks at Baseball-Reference say Wells’ lifetime numbers compare to Mark Buehrle, Bartolo Colon, Andy Pettitte, Kenny Rogers, CC Sabathia, Mike Mussina, Curt Schilling and Tim Hudson, plus Hall of Famers Herb Pennock and Carl Hubbell.
Wells had the nickname “Boomer” hung on him by Willie Upshaw. David Wells broke in the mid-1980s, five years after 1B Greg (Boomer) Wells spent five seasons in the Toronto system before playing 32 games in 1981.
For all my memories of David Wells No. 1 remains the day Ted Rogers brought the Blue Jays and addressed the team.
Wells, emerged from the showers to ask: “So ... does this mean we all get free cable?”
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Wisconsin bound: The first time I went to Milwaukee was in 1982 for the World Series. I had no idea Milwaukee was an hour and a half drive.
So I checked in at the counter at Mississippi Valley Air Lines, showed my passport, gave the woman my credit card and then the the woman asked a strange question.
“How much do you weigh?”
“Well, I am guessing this is a time that I should be really, really honest.”
“Sir, want me to go get the bible.”
“Why do need to know my weight?”
“To make sure that the weight on the plane is displaced evenly.”
I gave her the answer and climbed on board about a 20-seater. The in-flight movie was not very good. The flight lasted all of 40 minutes.
Randall Simon creates havoe in the Sausagee race.
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Sausage Race memory: I was not there in 2003 when the Sausage Race scandal happened. Miller Park or Brewers employees put on foam sausage costumes that measure seven feet, three inches.
The bratwurst, Polish sausage, Italian sausage, hot dog and chorizo come out of the left field corner, sprint along the warning track, behind home plate and finish near the Brewers dugout on the first base side.
On July 9, 2003, Pittsburgh Pirates’ Randall Simon, hit the head of a runner’s costume with a bat. He didn’t hit the actual head of student Mandy Block, yet the blow send her tumbling to the ground.
Simon was arrested, fined, and suspended for three games. The student was given a complimentary trip to Curaçao, Simon’s home, from the Curaçao Tourism Board.
Seated behind home plate in the scouts’ section that was Jays evaluator Wilbur (Moose) Johnson, taking time between innings to turn and talk to scout behind him.
The scout beside Johnson said “Moose, Randall Simon just swung at an Italian sausage.”
Replied Johnson: “Ah, Simon will swing at anything.”
Johnson was regarded as one of the Jays best scouts. He was the lead man on the trade which brought Robbie Alomar to Toronto, he alone suggested claiming Tom Henke in the compensation draft and he was involved in scouting No. 1 pick Roy Halladay.
COLORADO MEN ONE AND ALL FROM LEFT: BUS CAMPEBLL,Jays scout and the PITCHING COACH of the man in the middle since he was 14, FORMER CY YOUNG AWARD WINNER ROY HALLADAY AND SCOUT WILBUR (MOOSE) JOHNSON.
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Fine dining: We’d never had a brat before that trip to Milwaukee. And the late County Stadium press box custodian, Ed Wellskopf, made sure the Toronto press corps had their fill.
Once in 1985 the camera zoomed in on broadcaster Bruce Barker shoving a brat into his mouth.
Tony Kubek said, “And we’ve just informed that Bruce Barker has set a three-game series record for brats consumed.”
We’re sure Wellskopf is looking down watching his Brewers against the Los Angeles Dodgers and smiling ... and rooting for his team.