We may have to rethink 'Oil Can's' nickname

I think it was in Mike Sowell's "One Pitch Away" that I read this, but after Game 7 got postponed a day by rain McNamara went to Boyd and told him he was going to start Bruce Hurst (who had worked Game 5) on 3 days' rest in Game 7 even though it was Boyd's turn to pitch. Boyd got pissed off and went out and got so shit-faced drunk/coked out of his mind he was in no condition to pitch the next night.

If Boyd had been in any shape to pitch, he would have come in in relief once Hurst (who had a 3-0 lead going into the 6th) ran out of gas. The Mets tied it 3-3 in the 6th, then Schiraldi gave up three in the 7th, and that was all she wrote for Boston.

I dealt with Boyd a bit post-career when I was working in Meridian, Miss., which is his hometown. Yeah, his drug use was fairly typical of his era, but the guy was also a bit of misanthrope.

 

The big question is, did Oil Can ever sprinkle the coke on his pancakes?

 

That would ruin the coke and the pancakes.

 

I remember watching him as as 10-year-old, stomping around and yelling at nothing in particular, thinking "He either has emotional problems or he's on something. Or both."

I'm taking both.

 

He was one of those guys who was never under suspicion. You <i>knew</i> he was seriously fucked up on something.

 

I always felt that McNamara fucked Boyd. He had much better stuff than Hurst and more importantly, wasn't afraid. You knew he was fucked up but hey, with it all on the line, you give the ball to the man who is going to give you the best chance to win. I never thought that man was Bruce Hurst.
I also feel that it was a turning point in Boyd's career. He was never the same pitcher after that incident.

 

Hurst had allowed 2 runs in 17 innings in his two previous World Series starts (including 8 shutout innings in Game 1). Even on short rest, he didn't pitch badly in Game 7.

Boyd had given up 6 runs in 7 innings in his one start (including 4 runs in the first).

Three of the Mets best hitters were left-handed (Strawberry, Dykstra, Hernandez), and another was a switch-hitter who was much better against right-handers (Backman).

McNamara made a lot of mistakes in that World Series, but bringing back Hurst over Boyd wasn't one of them.

But I'm sure Boyd's pluck and grit would have gotten the job done. :

 

I understand the logic behind the move. I felt then, as I do now, that the can could've won it.

 

Could have? Sure

Would have? Maybe

But to say "McNamara fucked Boyd" is ridiculous.

Based on how both had pitched to that point — both in the regular season and the postseason — the smart play, the right play, was Hurst in Game 7.

 

Outside of Bo Belinksy, is there a more mediocre pitcher better remembered than Oil Can? His career record is 78-77 with a 104 ERA+, no all star experiences, no appearances on MVP or Cy Young votes, never led the league in any positive pitching category. Yet, a lot of people have memories of him still.

 

Like I mentioned, his numbers most definitely belied his raw talent. Sort of like Ben McDonald in that way.

 

Bill Lee begs to differ, although he used pot on his pancakes.