Who could have struck out Eddie Gaedel?

Published by: mike 2009-01-07

You know the story -- in 1951, St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck signed Eddie Gaedel, standing 3'7", for a promotional stunt appearance. Wearing #1/8, Gaedel was sent up to pinch-hit, under strict orders NOT to swing no matter what. Eventually the pitcher walked Gaedel on four pitches, he trotted to first base, and was removed for a pinch-runner. And that was all of Gaedel's major league career. He's still on the books (as he should be).

Here's a picture of the famous plate appearance: http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/ph...

Gaedel's strike zone was, what?, about the size of a loaf of bread? Even smaller? Clearly he was too challenging for Tigers hurler Bob Swift, who didn't even try to throw strikes.

But could someone, over the long reach of baseball history, have beaten the little guy? Someone with such immaculate control that he could nail that microscopic strike zone?

Houston Astros recap - 03/16/07 - One vs. 3,562::
Eddie Gaedel at the plate and that Gaedel could not be listed in the PINCH HITTERS – Leroy Reams Phils 1969 struck out, Tom Yewcic Tigers 1957 after
http://www.astrosdaily.com/pastfront/107031602game.htmlHOME

Who do you think could have whiffed Gaedel (looking, of course)?

I'd go with Greg Maddux, who has always put the ball where he wanted it.

Wikipedia on the Gaedel's appearance: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Gaede...

Gaedel's stats (stat?): http://www.baseball-reference.com/g/gaed...

This is precisely the kind of question that we need to have in the off season. I'll go with Jim "Catfish" Hunter. His control was such that former umpire Ron Luciano had said that he would in sequence move his pitches about a quarter inch farther and farther out across the black edge of the plate until Luciano wouldn't call the pitch a strike any longer. Then he'd move it back toward the edge that last quarter inch. That sure sounds like enough control to me.

The Winning Season - March 2007 - Alumni Bulletin - Harvard Business School::
27, Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright struck out Tigers third baseman Brandon by borrowing DeWitts uniform for Eddie Gaedel, a 3-foot, 7-inch circus
http://www.alumni.hbs.edu/bulletin/2007/march/dewitts.htmlHOME

In America : Cubs Face a Summer Without Santa - International Herald ::
for whom he famously enlisted a midget, Eddie Gaedel, to pinch-hit in 1951. He was not nearly as critical of the Cubs as he could have been.
http://iht.com/articles/1998/03/28/caray.t.phpHOME

Only a midget could have struck out Eddie Gaedel.

Ahhhh..........you must have seen my answer to someone else's question. Steve Carlton. He had that nasty low slider.

I'm going to have to go with Tommy Glavine. He has pinpoint accuracy.

Click and Scroll: Saccomannos moment joins historical marks::
Click and Scroll: Check out online the story about Baylor-ex Mark Saccomanno, who hit a home run for the Houston ghosts of Bill Veeck and Eddie Gaedel.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/Baylor-ex_joins_select_f_big_league_players.htmlHOME

Steve Carlton was good but how about Jammie Moyer or the current MVP Cole Hamels.

i go with randy big unit johnson

It takes a midget to strike out a midget so Freddie "the flea" Patek was only 5-4 so he could have struck him out.
Other midget position players that come to mind are Marvin Benard & Mike Gallego.

lol, I started reading your question and the first person who came to mind was Maddux!

Now, imagine Randy Johnson pitching to Gaedel. The image of Johnson exploding that pidgeon comes to mind.

You stole my answer! I was going to say Maddux. I had the great luck of sitting right next to Bill Veeck in the center field bleachers at Wrigley in I want to say '81 or '82 and only knowing him from sight but not knowing much about him. It was one of the greatest games I have ever been to even though I don't remember if the Cubs won. Veeck had so many stories the game was over before I knew it. Though he didn't mention the Gaedel game my dad told me about it when I told him who I sat next to. Veeck did tell me he planted the Ivy at Wrigley.

Getting back to the answer. I'll take Maddux and his year of 1997, 232.67 Innings and only 14 walks if you take away the 6 IBB he had that year. That's 1 every 16.6 innings.

That is an interesting question. I would think Maddux would have the best chance. However, Veeck instructed Gaedel to bend into a crouch, so that the strike zone essentially disappeared. I don't think anyone could have hit the target three times. Once ... maybe.