Show Baseball i By PETE FRITCHIE The suspicion grows on the strength of his World Series Series Ser Ser- ies performance that Denny McLain was a very lucky young man during the 1968 season He was the beneficiary of a lot of runs in many of his wins and though any pitcher who wins 31 games has hasto hasto hasto to be good he had the advantage advantage advantage tage of pitching for the highest scoring team and pennant winner in his league FEW COULD imagine him games ganes pitching for forthe forthe for forthe the White Sox Soo Sox for instance and he might not have won 20 As for his talk about demanding demanding demanding de de- de- de manding or more for next season he may get it because he has become a sports celebrity but he probably probably probably ably wont won't be worth it on a strictly baseball analysis NOR WILL liE HE be able to point to the World Series to show that he had it but came through for the club in two out of three tries In the clutch he failed in m big starts that put the Detroit club in an almost impossible hole The behavior and performance perform perform- ance of Bob Gibson was quite I a a c contrast He was more sporting sporting sport sport- ing and less cocky about winning winning winning win win- ning and won two out of or three games In McLains McLain's first start he was wild In his chance to equal the Series at two-two two he had little and began began began be be- gan with bush stuff in the first inning throwing a gopher ball to the first batter and committing committing committing com com- an error the first time he handled the ball at first GIBSON IA i MAY Y not have won 31 games but there is probably probably probably ably not a manager in the Majors Majors Majors Ma Ma- jors who would choose McLain McLain Mc Mc- Lain over the Cardinal right right- hander if offered a choice Gibson is considered far and away the better pitcher One can see why McLain 1 has not been popular with fans fansin in the past In 1966 he was going fine in Detroit until he starred in the Star All-Star game after which he helped the club little IN 1967 he was out of action the last crucial month of the campaign when he could have j won a pennant for his club And in the first and fourth games he failed to pitch even reasonably good in the World Series If Detroit pays him for 1969 it will be a major gamble and he could win ten games or 20 but one suspects suspects suspects sus sus- he will never again enjoy enjoy enjoy en en- joy the circumstances which enabled him to win so big this year |