Not that long ago, a disgruntled Bauxite wondered if Frank Francisco was about to set a new team record for Blown Saves in a season.
He's not. Francisco has 4 Blown Saves this season, and it would take a remarkable, and remarkably horrifying, performance for him to even approach the two most awesome performances in that dubious category.
The record - long may it stand - was set by Duane Ward, in 1989. Ward had 12 Blown Saves that memorable year, to go with his 15 Saves and 5 Holds. (In those 12 games, the team went 4-8, and Ward himself went 1-7.)
But I've always intended - someday - to write at length about the 1989 team, so we won't tell that story now. Instead, we'll recap the other most memorable tale of Bullpen Frustration. The one, the only - Joey McLaughlin in 1983.
His misadventures began right away, in the fourth game of the season. On April 14, Jim Gott had pitched well in his first start of the season. With the Jays ahead 3-0, Gott was pulled after issuing a leadoff walk in the seventh. Over the next two innings, Roy Lee Jackson and Dave Geisel would give up that lead, but McLaughlin got a double play to get the Jays into the ninth, tied at 4-4. Alas, in the ninth Joey gave up a two-out HR to Jim Gantner and took his first L of the season.
Two weeks later (April 27), McLaughlin took over from Jim Clancy after Diamond Jim had gone seven strong, with the Jays clinging to a 2-1 lead. The second man he faced, Larry Parrish, homered to tie the game and give Joey Blown Save # 1. McLaughlin then issued a walk and a single before leaving in favour of Randy Moffit, who escaped the inning and got the W when Rance Mulliniks doubled to score Garth Iorg (pinch-running for Whitt) in the top of the ninth.
One month later (May 30), Dave Stieb took a two-hit shutout and a 4-0 lead to the ninth against Detroit. But he issued a walk and two singles to load the bases, and Randy Moffit came in. Moffit instantly gave up a three run double to Lance Parrish to make the score 4-3 and put the tying run (pinch-runner Enos Cabell) in scoring position. Moffit then struck out Glenn Wilson for the first out of the inning. At this juncture, Cox called for McLaughlin. Joey got Johnny Grubb on a groundout for the second out of the inning, but Rick Leach singled in the tying run, giving Joey Blown Save #2. It would soon turn into Joey's first W of the season, however - in the tenth, Alfredo Griffin led off with a double, scored on Garcia's single (and Damaso himself would eventually score on a Martinez single.)
A few days later (June 3), McLaughlin relieved Moffit in the eighth inning. The Jays were ahead 2-1 after a fine start by Gott, but there were runners on first and second, just one out, and Eddie Murray at the plate. Murray singled in the tying run, for Blown Save #3. In the ninth, McLaughlin gave up one out singles to Dempsey and Rodriguez, putting runners on first and third. Cox called for the intentional walk to Bumbry, loading the bases and bringing Sakata to the plate. Shelby pinch hit - and McLaughlin issued a walk-off walk and took L #2 on the season. Yuck.
Nine days later (June 12), a wild (six walks) Dave Stieb managed to hold off the Angels for eight innings, and left with a 3-2 lead. McLaughlin took over for the ninth. He gave up a leadoff single to Wilfong, who moved to third on a Boone sac bunt and a DeCinces flyout, and scored on a Carew single. Blown Save #4. The Jays would eventually win in fourteen innings.
Coming out of the All-Star Break (July 16), Roy Lee Jackson, in relief of Jim Gott, took a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth. A walk to Law and a single to Cruz put runners at the corners with no one out, and in came McLaughlin. Walker was given a second chance when Buck Martinez dropped his foul pop for an error. He duly singled to make the score 4-3. McLaughlin got the next two men on flyouts, but the tying run came around to score in the process for Blown save #5. The Jays would score three times in the ninth, and get Joey the W.
In his next appearance (July 20), McLaughlin relieved a somewhat shaky Dave Stieb, who had allowed 8 H and 4 W in 6 innings and was barely holding on to a 4-3 lead. With runners on first and second, McLaughlin got McRae on a flyball to right for the first out of the inning. But he then walked Aikens and gave up a two run single to Sheridan to cash both of Stieb's runners and put the Royals ahead 5-4. Alas, Joey wasn't done - he gave another RBI single to Simpson. tossed a wild pitch, and then allowed a two-run double to Slaught. A memorable, Ligtenberg-like implosion for Blown Save #6, pinning the L on Stieb. (The eventual score was 14-8 for the Royals.)
Two days later (July 22), with the Jays ahead 5-4, McLaughlin worked a quiet enough eighth inning - he allowed a one-out walk to Buddy Bell but got a DP to get out of the inning. He wouldn't get away with that twice - in the ninth, he walked Hostetler with one out. Mickey Rivers came in to pinch run, and he scored from first on Sample's double for Blown Save #7 (three in as many appearances.) The Jays would eventually win this one for Randy Moffit.
Almost two weeks later, the Jays hooked up with the Yankees in a wild one at the old Ex. The Yankees stormed out to an early 6-2 lead against Luis Leal. The Jays chipped away and went ahead 7-6 after six. Leal came out for the seventh: he gave up a single to Mumphrey and retired Robertson before giving way to Geisel, who allowed a single to the first LH batter he saw (Mattingly) but retired the next one (Nettles.) At this point, on came Joey with a one-run lead, two out, and runners on first and second. He gave up RBI singles to Winfield and Wynegar, putting the Jays behind 8-7 and recording Blown Save #8. The Jays would rally to tie the game against Gossage, and win it against Dale Murray in the tenth.
Two weeks later (August 17), Luis Leal took a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the ninth against Cleveland. But he gave up a single to Bannister and a walk to Tabler to put the tying run on base. Moffit came in and got Thornton on a fly ball for the first out. Geisel came in to get Hargrove on a fly ball for the second out. McLaughlin came in and gave up an infield single to Thomas to load the bases, and a two-run single to Franco to tie the game, for Blown Save #9. The Jays would quickly win it for McLaughlin in the tenth inning, with a Collins single, a Moseby triple, and an Upshaw single.
One week later (August 24), McLaughlin took the loss in one of the most notorious Blue Jays defeats of all time. This was the game when the Jays went ahead 4-3 in the top of the tenth, and then put three men on first base against Tippy Martinez, who picked each of them off first, one after the other. (Backup infielder Lenn Sakata had been forced into the game as the catcher for the Orioles, and Bonnell, Collins, and Upshaw probably wanted to take advantage.) In the bottom of the tenth, McLaughlin instantly gave up a game tying homer to Ripken and a walk to Murray. But he retired Lowenstein and Roenicke, sandwiched around an intentional walk to Shelby - before giving up a three-run walkoff homer to... yes, Lenn Sakata. No Blown Save, just L # 3 for Joey - and arguably the most crushing defeat in team history. You had to be there. Worse than the Felix Escalona Game...
Four days later, Leal and a flock of relievers had out-dueled Jack Morris for eight innings, and led 2-1 going into the ninth. Geisel got the first out. but issued a walk to Parrish. Moffit came on and retired Wilson. McLaughlin came in to face Leach, and gave up a single to put runners on the corners with two outs. Chet Lemon then tagged him for a three-run walkoff homer, L# 4 and Blown Save #10. What a week that was...
McLaughlin missed about ten days at the beginning of September, but returned in mid-month. On the 19th, the Jays had a 6-4 lead against Seattle after six. Jackson walked Owen and Bradley before retiring Ron Roenicke. Geisel came in to face Putnam - Cowens pinch hit and delivered an RBI single, making the score 6-5. McLaughlin came in to face Dave Henderson - he delivered a two run single for Blown Save #11. McLaughlin would give up two more hits and two more walks (one intentional) before the inning was over, and he would then be shut down for the rest of the season after this outing.
Those of us who were there still tend to shudder at Joey's name - that's if we don't still have actual shrieking nightmares about the 1983 bullpen. But did you notice that in those 11 games where McLaughlin blew the save, the team actually went 7-4?
I had no idea...
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20110727213209657