#23 Todd Stottlemyre

About the Front: This post-release shot of Todd Stottlemyre is a bit terrifying, and not just because of the Joker-esque rictus on his shadowy face. There is some unnatural muscle definition and contortion in that forearm. The more I think about professional pitchers, the more I wonder how most of them are able to live without constant pain after they retire.

About the Back: That near-no-hitter on August 26, 1992 was spoiled by a Dan Pasqua double to right-center field. That was the only one-hit shutout of Todd's career.

Triple Play:

1. You may know Todd as the son of Mel Stottlemyre, a five-time All-Star pitcher for the Yankees (1964-1974) and a longtime pitching coach. If you're a weirdo, you know him as the younger brother of Mel Junior, who pitched 13 games for the Royals in 1990.

2. In 2000, Stottlemyre was given the Lou Gehrig Award and the Branch Rickey Award, each of which is awarded annually for exemplary community service outreach. Todd is active with the Leukemia Society.

3. Todd's 15 wins in 1991 would remain a career high; however, he did notch 200-strikeout seasons in 1995 with the Athletics and 1998 with the Cardinals and Rangers.

11-Year-Old Kevin Says: On October 20, 1993, I watched Stottlemyre start a wild Game Four of the World Series. He had a 3-0 lead before he took the mound, and quickly gave it back. The Phillies reached him for four runs in the first inning and two more in the second, and was yanked from the game for a pinch hitter in the midst of a four-run Jays rally in the top of the third. Philadelphia scored in each of the following four innings to retake the lead, 14-9. Then Larry Andersen and Mitch Williams happened, and Toronto won 15-14. What I missed was the series of events that led to Todd publicly declaring that Philly mayor Ed Rendell could kiss his ass.

Bill James Said: "The league hit .292 against him, his strikeout-to-walk ratio is bad and gets worse every year, his career ERA is 4.41 and he misses a month every summer with an injury." Quit sugarcoating it, Bill!

On This Date in 1993: June 18. Iraq refuses to let United Nations weapons inspectors install remote-controlled monitoring cameras at two missile engine test stands. I'm sure it's much ado about nothing.