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The only deceased member of RBI was born on February 13th, 1954.  As time goes by and the pain subsides, we can now discuss the life, death, career and abilities of Donnie Moore.

http://dee-nee.com/wiki/index.php/Donnie_Moore

I personally always liked Moore in RBI, though obviously it's because I'm a straight pitch player.  He's the fastest arm on the Angels, which is paramount in str8. 

Edit, discuss, blah blah

i can't remember ever playing as the Angels

You live a poor, sheltered life Strassy.  There is an RBI world beyond Houston and St. Louis...

He's in the bottom group, if not bottom 3 then close, I believe this group includes Smith, King, Scharaldi, Moore (and maybe someone else I'm missing)

I grew up playing mostly with Detroit, however, I have the most fun playing California (against the computer and trying to rack up HR).

When playing 2-player, I almost always choose Houston, but only because I feel it gives the novice players a better chance (which it never does).

Stassy, I implore you to give Ca a try.  Explore the wonders of Wilfong and Ruppert and how they enhance Joyner and Jackson.  

I leave you with a quote -

"You do not like them, so you say.  Try them, try them, and you may!  Try them and you may I say!"

- Sam I am

I'm shocked that he's the only dead RBIer.  And even that was self inflicted.  Thats a pretty good track record for 160 players (with many in their 50's).

There should be a puhl for which RBIer will die next.  I'd have to go for Canseco or McGwire due to all the steroids they took.

the death puhl, I like it!  Time to make a thread about it.

Quote from: Racktacular on 02/13/06, 10:13:27 AM
the death puhl, I like it!  Time to make a thread about it.

I did that two and a half years ago. (http://forums.dee-nee.com/index.php?topic=801.0)

No puhl on that thread (I figured there were too many options, so I just took suggestions), although I can add one if you would like.

Quote from: Shooty Babitt on 02/13/06, 10:10:26 AM
I'm shocked that he's the only dead RBIer.  And even that was self inflicted.  Thats a pretty good track record for 160 players (with many in their 50's).

I was thinking about this the other day, and I totally agree.  I mean, if you choose 160 random people from the general population in the 20-45 age range, and then follow them for 20 years, you know a good handful is likely to kick off during that time.  The gods surely smile over RBI'ers.  Except Donnie Moore.

And hell, Moore died the very year after RBI came out, so that's like 17 straight years without a death of another one of these 159 people.  Well, probably, Rafael Santana could have died in the mid-90's and no one would have noticed/reported it...  Still though, I think this is an impressive statistic.

Also, I seem to recall a death puhl already, or at least a discussion thread.  Darryl and Sutton were among the front runners.

As for Donnie Moore's ability in the game, definitely bottom three, but he can still be used effectively in certain situations (I got pretty good getting the most out of shitty relievers with Schiraldi in the days when I played mostly with Boston).  I actually agree with Gantry's California team breakdown that Donnie can be a decent starter, as long as you don't start him against Bo, Dt, or another team with huge pop at the leadoff spots.

Do you suppose that he was driven to his suicide partially by the fact that he sucked in the only MLBPA-licensed video game?

i remember watching that tragic game 5 of the alcs as a kid.  i was devistated, of course, as a california angel fan.  years later when i watched the game on espn classic i was surprised that the whole game unfolded in an entirely different way then i had remembered.  first of all the game went into extra innings and donnie moore was left on the mound by manager gene mauch even after moore had relinquished the lead.  

my sentiments while watching the game again became increasingly favorable TOWARD donnie moore because i feel mauch should have replaced him once he gave up the lead or after the angels had regained the lead in the 10th.  

the role of a closing pitcher is constantly changing and certain managers utilize closers differently.  in this situation, it is doubtful that any manager today would have hung moore out to dry by leaving him on the mound once he had given up the lead.  

the loss can more fittingly be hung on the angels offense who failed to score in their last ups, or mauch's use of his bullpen.  not to mention, the entire series could have swung the other way if ANYTHING could have been done by the angels to simply win one more game.  

here is the play-by-play from retrosheet.org that gives the account of yet another "one-pitch-away" scenario of those 86 playoffs.

see if you agree or disagree with my opinion that moore is not entirely to blame for the loss:

RED SOX 9TH: Buckner singled to center; STAPLETON RAN FOR
BUCKNER; Rice was called out on strikes; Baylor homered
[Stapleton scored]; Evans popped to third; LUCAS REPLACED WITT
(PITCHING); Gedman was hit by a pitch; MOORE REPLACED LUCAS
(PITCHING); Henderson homered [Gedman scored]; Romero made an
out to right; 4 R, 3 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Red Sox 6, Angels 5.

ANGELS 9TH: STAPLETON STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 1B); Boone singled
to left; JONES RAN FOR BOONE; Pettis out on a sacrifice bunt
(first to second) [Jones to second]; SAMBITO REPLACED STANLEY
(PITCHING); Wilfong singled to right [Jones scored]; CRAWFORD
REPLACED SAMBITO (PITCHING); Schofield singled to right [Wilfong
to third]; Downing was walked intentionally [Schofield to
second]; DeCinces made an out to right; Grich lined to pitcher;
1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 3 LOB.  Red Sox 6, Angels 6.

RED SOX 10TH: NARRON REPLACED JONES (PLAYING C ); Boggs walked;
Barrett forced Boggs (first to shortstop); Stapleton singled to
right [Barrett to third]; Rice grounded into a double play
(shortstop to second to first) [Stapleton out at second]; 0 R, 1
H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Red Sox 6, Angels 6.

ANGELS 10TH: Jackson grounded out (second to first); White
struck out; Narron walked; Pettis made an out to left; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 1 LOB.  Red Sox 6, Angels 6.

RED SOX 11TH: Baylor was hit by a pitch; Evans singled to center
[Baylor to second]; On a bunt Gedman singled to third [Baylor to
third, Evans to second]; Henderson hit a sacrifice fly to center
[Baylor scored]; Romero made an out to left; FINLEY REPLACED
MOORE (PITCHING); Boggs grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 2
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Red Sox 7, Angels 6.

ANGELS 11TH: SCHIRALDI REPLACED CRAWFORD (PITCHING); Wilfong
struck out; Schofield struck out; Downing popped to first in
foul territory; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Red Sox 7, Angels 6.

Final Totals      R   H   E  LOB
Red Sox          7  12   0    6
Angels           6  13   0    9
 

Moore went two whole innings in that game?  Wow... I didn't realize that.  Too bad his manager didn't know that he has the least stamina of any pitcher in RBI.

Quote from: BeefMaster on 02/13/06, 10:32:05 AM
Moore went two whole innings in that game?  Wow... I didn't realize that.  Too bad his manager didn't know that he has the least stamina of any pitcher in RBI.

I think one of Minnie's pitchers takes that mantle, actually (to counter for Bertus's mad stamina).

Great post by the way, TBG.  Donnie Moore is definitely in need of some historic revisionism.

Quote from: OctogenarianFranco on 02/13/06, 10:39:06 AM

Quote from: BeefMaster on 02/13/06, 10:32:05 AM
Moore went two whole innings in that game?  Wow... I didn't realize that.  Too bad his manager didn't know that he has the least stamina of any pitcher in RBI.

I think one of Minnie's pitchers takes that mantle, actually (to counter for Bertus's mad stamina).

Great post by the way, TBG.  Donnie Moore is definitely in need of some historic revisionism.

I just checked, and you're half-right - there are a few relief pitchers with 12 stamina, one of whom is Berenguer (Dave Smith is another; I'm not sure who else).  I thought Moore was one, but he does have 15, making him slightly less crappy than I thought.

I like him because he's dead

There are as many dead RBIers as there are RBIers who have had their pants stolen by the members of Cheers.

Did a slight cleanup and added some info for Moore, including the new Dead RBI'ers category (http://dee-nee.com/wiki/index.php/Category:Dead_RBI%27ers). 

Moore didn't even expect to pitch in that game, he took a cortosoine shot the day before and wasn't ready to go, as you usually need longer than 24 hours to recover from a shot.

I like all of the analysis of the game preceding his death, but wasn't his relationship with his crazy wife a prime reason for his suicide?  Or is it believed that his performance in that game was the primary reason?

I blame Calvin Schiraldi.  He could've decided to give up some runs in the 11th, but he's just so insensitive

Lets also not forget Mauch taking out Mike Witt with one out in the 9th inning.  Brings in Gary Lucas, who throws one pitch - and hits Gedman.  Enter Moore and history... 

Quote from: Nacho on 02/13/06, 11:45:26 AM
I like all of the analysis of the game preceding his death, but wasn't his relationship with his crazy wife a prime reason for his suicide?  Or is it believed that his performance in that game was the primary reason?

The way One Pitch Away describes it, Moore was the crazy one.  He was a seriously alcoholic who used to get drunk and routinely beat his wife.  She did sound a bit kooky when being interviewed though, but then again having your husband shoot you in the neck then off himself in front of your children probably played a part in that...

Quote from: Nacho on 02/13/06, 11:45:26 AM
I like all of the analysis of the game preceding his death, but wasn't his relationship with his crazy wife a prime reason for his suicide?  Or is it believed that his performance in that game was the primary reason?

Most people close to him don't think that was directly responsible.  He was kind of a nut, over protectvie of his wife (he didn't want her leaving the house much because he thought she was cheating).  He had problems.

Quote from: Gantry on 02/13/06, 11:48:50 AM

Quote from: Nacho on 02/13/06, 11:45:26 AM
I like all of the analysis of the game preceding his death, but wasn't his relationship with his crazy wife a prime reason for his suicide?  Or is it believed that his performance in that game was the primary reason?

The way One Pitch Away describes it, Moore was the crazy one.  He was a seriously alcoholic who used to get drunk and routinely beat his wife.  She did sound a bit kooky when being interviewed though, but then again having your husband shoot you in the neck then off himself in front of your children probably played a part in that...

I guess I'm not familiar with the whole story.  I'll have to check it out sometime.

I implore everyone to pick up a copy of one pitch away, a fun an easy read.  Not the most well written book in the world, but thoroughly enjoyable:

Amazon Link (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0028608461/ref=dp_olp_2/002-1252943-6867268?%5Fencoding=UTF8)

They have a bunch of used copies for $5...

Quote from: Gantry on 02/13/06, 11:52:38 AM
I implore everyone to pick up a copy of one pitch away, a fun an easy read.  Not the most well written book in the world, but thoroughly enjoyable:

Amazon Link (http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0028608461/ref=dp_olp_2/002-1252943-6867268?%5Fencoding=UTF8)

They have a bunch of used copies for $5...

Understatement of the century.  It reads like a 5th grade project.  But yes, pretty good.

Quote from: Teddyballgame on 02/13/06, 10:27:58 AM
RED SOX 11TH: Baylor was hit by a pitch; Evans singled to center
[Baylor to second]; On a bunt Gedman singled to third [Baylor to
third, Evans to second]; Henderson hit a sacrifice fly to center
[Baylor scored]; Romero made an out to left; FINLEY REPLACED
MOORE (PITCHING); Boggs grounded out (second to first); 1 R, 2
H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Red Sox 7, Angels 6.

look to the 11th.
in the 9th Moore did inherit a guy on and gave up a 2 run shot to give up the lead.  that happens. :(

TBG would have to chime in cause he watched the game, but it looks like things really went to shit when Gedman was able to reach 1st on a bunt(? if i read that right) and advanced both men, with none out.  probably a sacrafice to move guys over that went bad for california????  or was that just not something gedman/redsox did and the angels werent ready for it?

had they gotten Baylor at 3rd and the rest of the ining plays out the same, the score is still tied.  Most likely though baylor gets 3rd and gedman gets out at 1st on the bunt.  The sacrafice fly then gives them the lead anyways.

woulda, coulda, shoulda..............

oh...not sure where to vote yet.  moore, has some gas, and also a good drop ball IIRC.  I'll have to chew it over but with the choices, he may fall into the bottom 2-3 category.

Quote from: ultimate7 on 02/13/06, 11:38:41 AM
Moore didn't even expect to pitch in that game, he took a cortosoine shot the day before and wasn't ready to go, as you usually need longer than 24 hours to recover from a shot.

Don Larson didn't expect to pitch game 7 of the '56 series either, but pitchers pitch.

Scapegoat is a pretty good book that details Donnie Moore's story, it reads like an actual book too. It also has a lot of info on Buckner's play, such as the fact that he shouldn't have been in the game that late in the first place considering he could barely touch his knees, let alone bend down to get a grounder.

One Pitch Away is no literary masterpiece, but it covers (in pretty fair detail) Buckner's woes as well as Donnie Moore's fucked-upedness.


Ebay did have One Pitch Away for a buck.   Well worth the money.

i may have asked this before, but does anyone know of the police report or any historical document we could link to for the shooting/suicide?  also, i believe they were living somewhere in orange county at the time, so i may be able to go the house and get a pics? of the outside of the house, just for fun.

ps.  this makes me sound sick like tbt.  but it's purely for historical reasons.

Donnie Moore is like pancakes...good at first but by the end, you're fuckin' sick of him.

--Mitch Hedberg (sorta)

Quote from: Teddyballgame on 02/13/06, 03:18:54 PM
ps.  this makes me sound sick like tbt.  but it's purely for historical reasons.

what did i do?   ;D