When the Milwaukee Brewers held Bob Wickman All-Star Poster Day on July 29, 2000, Wickman himself was in Cleveland, pitching for the Indians. He had been traded, along with Steve Woodard and Jason Bere, in a cost-cutting move by the Brewers the night before, so he sent his mother and grandmother in his place.
In his first appearance with the Indians Wickman became the 30th of 32 pitchers the Tribe had used that year, setting a new major-league record. Thrown into a pennant race for the first time, the hard throwing sinkerballer became the Indians' closer, sometimes pitching three or four nights in a row. The fatigue took its toll, and he lost eight times, the second year in a row he led the American League in relief losses. But he also managed 14 saves in 26 appearances, providing the Indians the bullpen help they needed to win the wild card.
Halfway through the 2001 season Wickman appeared to have lost his closer job when the Tribe brought controversial fireballer John Rocker over from the Atlanta Braves. Relegated to a setup role, Wickman bided his time, continuing to pitch effectively. When control problems rendered Rocker ineffective, Wickman reprised his role as the Indians' stopper.
Wickman credited the impressive sinking action of his pitches to a childhood accident. He caught his finger in a fan and sliced off its tip.
(EPW)
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FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»June 4, 1990:
The Braves wisely select Florida high school SS Chipper Jones with the first pick in the annual free-agent draft. The Tigers follow with Tony Clark and the Phils use the 3rd pick on Mike Lieberthal. The A's use their 14th choice to take the much sought after Todd Van Poppel, passed over because of his stated intention to pitch at the University of Texas. The A's change his mind and he signs on July 16th for $1.2 million. Picking 20th, the Orioles take Stanford's Mike Mussina. Late in the 6th round, the independent Class A Miami Miracle drafts Mike Lansing under a never-before-used rule. The rule will be abolished, but Lansing will play two years with the Miracle and make the majors with the Expos. Troy Percival (Angels) and Mike Hampton (Mariners) go in the 6th round, Rusty Greer (Rangers) in the 10th, and on the 12th round, the Twins take SS Pat Meares. The White Sox end up with the best draft, taking Alex Fernandez (1st round), Bob Wickman (2nd), Robert Ellis (3rd), James Baldwin (4th), Ray Durham (5th), Brandon Wilson (18th), and Jason Bere (36th). After selecting Carl Everett with the 10th overall pick, the Yanks pull two winners out of the low rounds: Andy Pettitte in the 20th round and Jorge Posada in the 24th.
»April 27, 1996:
New York's David Cone misses his first start in nine years when he experiences a numbing in the fingers off his pitching hand. His replacement, Dwight Gooden, fashions a decent outing, allowing one run in six innings against the Twins. He has seven strikeouts using a shorter stride off the mound. But the Yankee bullpen can't match the Doc and the Twins score four runs on six hits off Bob Wickman in the 10th to win, 8–6.
»August 23, 1996: The Yankees obtain P Graeme Lloyd and former Rookie of the Year Pat Listach from the Brewers in exchange for OF Gerald Williams and knuckler Bob Wickman. Lloyd is put to work and provides late inning relief as the first-place Yankees beat the A's, 5–3. The Yanks will officially complain to the American League that the Brewers sent damaged goods in the two players, but the complaint is ignored. However, the Brewers will take back Listach and send Ricky Bones to the Yanks on the 29th. The Yanks will file a grievance over Lloyd's injury next month.
»March 31, 1998:
At Turner Field, the Milwaukee Brewers, the first team to switch leagues since 1901, lose their first game in the NL, 2–1, to the Braves. Bob Wickman takes the historic loss in relief, as the Braves plate the winning marker with two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning.
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