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Intimidating
might not be a strong enough word for the
6-foot-5, 265-pound Lee Smith. At his best,
the towering stopper wielded a blazing
fastball that hovered just under 100 mph,
helping him compile a major-league record
478 career saves. Duke Snider said it
best in 1986: "[Smith is] still not
a pitcher -- he's a thrower all the way.
But he sure has something to throw. He
just stands out there, fires the ball and
dares anyone to hit it."
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Despite
his diminutive size and stocky build,
Brooklyn native John Franco has had a
knack for getting the job done. Franco
closed games on a full-time
basis from 1986 until 1999, outlasting a host of
shooting stars to become baseball's
all-time left-handed saves leader.
Boasting four effective pitches in his
arsenal, Franco's craftiness has proven
to be as effective a weapon as Smith's
intimidation.
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STUFF |
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STUFF |
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Smith's
fastball was his bread-and-butter pitch.
At times, his heater was so good he could
rely on one pitch to close out games.
Later on in his career, Smith tried to
keep hitters off-balance by adding an
above-average slider to his repertoire.
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Since
Franco's out pitch is his slider, he
needs to keep his pitches down in order
to be effective. He has always been
extremely tough on left-handed batters
and has an uncanny ability to induce
groundouts and double plays. Recently,
Franco has toyed with new grips for his
slider, hoping to keep hitters even more
off-balance.
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CONTROL |
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CONTROL |
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When
his fastball was working, Smith didn't
need to paint corners. In 1983 Smith led
the NL with 29 saves, but walked 41 men
in 103 1/3 innings. Later in his career,
Smith was able to adapt to a more
controlled pitching style to compensate
for his lower velocity.
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Pinpoint
control is perhaps Franco's most
important weapon. He's vulnerable when
behind in the count, but often gets the
benefit of the doubt on the corners. When
he manages to keep the ball low John is
very difficult to beat.
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MOUND PRESENCE |
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MOUND PRESENCE |
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Aside
from his fastball and his size, Smith's
greatest weapon was his take-no-prisoners
attitude. But it wasn't always enough to
get the job done. In Game Four of the
1984 NLCS, Smith surrendered a crucial
game-winning homer to San Diego's Steve
Garvey, evening the series at two games
apiece.
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Loved
by his teammates for his clubhouse
leadership and quirky personality, Franco
doesn't always strike fear into the
hearts of opposing batters. But
frustrating overeager opponents is
Franco's forte; he's among the best in
the game at getting batters to swing at
bad pitches.
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DURABILITY |
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DURABILITY |
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For
a fireballer, Smith stayed remarkably
injury-free throughout his career. He
pitched in over 60 games every year from
1982 to 1993. In 1982, his first season
as a big-league closer, Lee topped the
100-inning mark, a feat he would
accomplish twice more in his career.
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After
struggling with injuries earlier in his
career, Franco managed to keep
himself off the disabled list from 1993 to 1999.
Thanks in part to mediocre Mets teams, he
hasn't appeared in more than 60 games a
season since 1989.
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LEADERSHIP/CHARACTER |
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LEADERSHIP/CHARACTER |
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Not
overly vocal on or off the field, Smith
tended to blend into the background when
he wasn't on the mound. In a stint with
the Angels late in his career, Smith was
often mistaken for the shorter and
lighter Chili Davis.
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Considered
"Mr. Met" by the New York
media, Franco is perhaps the most visible
leader on a relatively quiet Mets squad.
His warm welcome for Mike Piazza sparked
a close friendship between the two and
was a key factor in the All-Star
catcher's decision to stay in New York
after the 1998 season.
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