Books and articles about Rod Beck

Like many relievers, Rod Beck is a high-wire act. With his Al Hrabosky-ish Fu Man Chu mustache, Mickey Lolich waistline, and long stringy hair sticking out the back of his cap, the rubber-armed Beck compiled 260 saves in the 1990s and is the Giants all-time leader in that category.

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Beck grew up in Southern California and made many trips to Dodger Stadium as a youth. But he'd never visited Anaheim Stadium until he pitched there. "If there's an American League game on TV, I'll turn it on mute and play pool," he told the Chicago Sun-Times in 1999. "I didn't like the American League going to the designated hitter. I always wanted to be a pitcher, but I wanted to hit, too."

Indeed, Beck's first major-league appearance was auspicious -- not for his arm, but for his bat. His first hit came in his first at-bat, a single off John Smoltz in 1991. The following year, he replaced Dave Righetti and Jeff Brantley as the Giants' closer. He did not allow a run in 17 innings over eight outings during April, yielded just one earned run in just one of his first 17 appearances, and was successful in his first eight save opportunities through July 8. He then finished the year by allowing just one earned run in 28.1 innings pitched over his last 22 appearances.

Beck had his best season in 1993 when he recorded 48 saves, including a record 24 straight. The total established a new Giants club single-season record, and ranked second in the majors to the Cubs' Randy Myers, who recorded a National League-record 53. In 1994, he broke his own consecutive-saves record by converting all 28 of his opportunties (stopped only by the strike) and won the Rolaids Relief award. In 1995, he converted his first 13 for a total of 41, a multiple-season streak that hadn't even been kept as a record previously.

In 1996, Beck's appearances started to get hairier in more ways than one. Despite his 35 saves, he blew seven and went 0-9. But even though Beck was no longer automatic, he was still reliable, saving another 37 games for the Giants in 1997.

Beck moved to the Chicago Cubs as a free agent in 1998. His first save with the Cubs was the 200th of his career, and he endeared himself to Wrigley Field fans with 50 more. Only four other closers in history had recorded fifty-save seasons -- including the Padres' Trevor Hoffman, who topped Beck with 53 that same year.

In 1999, Beck's fastball lost its bite. After an ineffective start, he was finally diagnosed with bone chips in his shoulder and spent two months on the DL after undergoing surgery in May. "Got a new arm," he said to reporters, adding, "I'd love a new body."

Beck returned to the Cubs on July 21, earlier than expected, and would eventually admit that he'd come back too soon. Beck had lost his job to the newly-acquired Rick Aguilera, and never regained the form he'd shown in 1998. On August 31, he was sent to Boston in exchange for lefty reliever Mark Guthrie and third baseman Cole Liniak -- arriving at Fenway Park in the third inning of a game in which he would eventually register his first American League save.

He saved another two games for the Red Sox over the final month of the season, but gave up a game-winning, tenth-inning homer to Bernie Williams in the first game of the ALCS and another to Ricky Ledee in the ninth inning of Game Four. (SW/JGR)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » July 30, 1994: The Giants defeat the Rockies by a score of 6-4, as Giants pitcher Rod Beck sets a major league record by converting his 25th save in 25 opportunities. Beck held the previous record of 24 which he set last season. » April 27, 1996: Barry Bonds hits two homers, the 300th and 301st of his career, then with the Giants leading 6–1, he is tossed out of the game for disputing a 6th-inning, 3rd-strike call. Bonds is only the 4th major leaguer to hit 300 homers and steal 300 bases, joining his father Bobby Bonds, his godfather Willie Mays, and Andre Dawson. Bonds Sr. is the first base coach today, filling in for Jim Davenport, while Dawson, playing left field for the Marlins, has the best view of the two homers. Mark Leiter (2–3) allows six hits for the 6–3 win, with Rod Beck getting the final out. » June 12, 1997: In the first-ever regular-season interleague game, the visiting SF Giants defeat the Texas Rangers, 4-3, behind the pitching of Mark Gardner. SF OF Darryl Hamilton gets the 1st interleague hit, OF Stan Javier the 1st home run, and Rod Beck the 1st save. Glenallen Hill has the distinction of being the first National League DH in a regular season game. » July 4, 1997: Giants' P Shawn Estes holds the Rockies to one hit in eight 2/3 innings as SF shuts out Colorado, 4-0. Quinton McCracken's single is Colorado's only hit as Estes fans 11 and walks only 2. Rod Beck comes in to record the last out. » September 15, 1997: The Braves beat the Giants, 5–4 on Fred McGriff's 2-out, 2-run homer off Rod Beck in the 9th inning. The homer caps a 4-run rally for the 1st place Braves. » September 18, 1997: At San Francisco, Brian Johnson homers in the 12th inning to give the Giants a 6–5 win over the Dodgers and a tie for the lead in the National League West. Rod Beck gives up three singles in the 10th, but K's Todd Zeile and gets Eddie Murray on a DP. » January 15, 1998: The Cubs sign burly free agent P Rod Beck to a 1-year contract. » September 23, 1998: Sosa breaks an 0–for–21 slump, hitting his 64th and 65th home runs as the Cubs build a 7–0 lead over the Brewers. Milwaukee fights back, however, and scores three in the last of the 9th when Chicago OF Brant Brown drops a routine fly ball with the bases loaded and two out in the 9th to allow three Brewers to score. Rod Beck is on the mound when the Merkle–like error occurs (Fred Merkle's boner occurred exactly 90 years ago). Milwaukee wins, 8–7, and the Cubs remain tied for the wild card spot with the Mets, who lose to Montreal, 3–0. With his eight total bases, Sammy has now topped the 400 mark. » September 24, 1998: Red Sox P Tom Gordon records his 42nd consecutive save of the year for a new major league mark as Boston defeats Baltimore, 9–6 (41 by Rod Beck and Trevor Hoffman). Boston clinches a wild card spot behind a pair of homers and four runs scored by Nomar Garciaparra. » October 3, 1998: Atlanta sweeps the Cubs, winning Game Three by a score of 6–2. The Braves score five in the 8th, with Eddie Perez's grand slam off Rod Beck being the big blow. » May 21, 1999: In a long rumored move, the Twins finally trade Rick Aguilera, along with minor league P Scott Downs, to the Cubs for minor league pitchers Jason Ryan and Kyle Lohse. Tomorrow, Cubs reliever Rod Beck undergoes arthroscopic surgery on his elbow. » August 31, 1999: The Red Sox obtain beefy closer Rod Beck from the Cubs for P Mark Guthrie and a player to be named. » October 13, 1999: The Yankees defeat the Red Sox in the opener of the ALCS, 4-3, in 10 innings. Boston blows a 3-0 lead, as Bernie Williams' home run off Rod Beck leading off the bottom of the 10th is the game-winner.