RIP Steve Dalkowski

[HOF Auto Rookies]

The best to have never played

[Mike D.]

[packs]

RIP to the ultimate enigma:

[Mark17]

When I read about Koufax working with those Dodger coaches to master control of his lively fastball, I often wonder what might've been if Dalkowski had landed in the Dodgers organization

[mattsey9]

Originally Posted by Mark17

When I read about Koufax working with those Dodger coaches to master control of his lively fastball, I often wonder what might've been if Dalkowski had landed in the Dodgers organization

I once read an account from Earl Weaver that said the Orioles felt he had improved his control issues and were bringing him to Baltimore. Right as that happened, his arm was injured.

[lumberjack]

If I remember right, Norm Sherry, the catcher, was more help to Koufax than anyone....Got him to back off a little bit, although I'm sure there was more to it than that.

Dalkowski... boy, Paul Richards, who had been in baseball since the 1920s and was one of the smartest guys in baseball, was in Baltimore when they signed all those talented, young pitchers, Estrada, Jerry Walker, Steve Barber, Fisher and Pappas. The newspapers called them the Kiddie Korps. With the exception of Pappas, every one of them burned out fast.

It never made any sense why Richards, an ex catcher, and Harry Brecheen, who was no fool, worked those guys like rented mules. Somebody, somebody should have taken more time with Dalkowski and the rest of them.
lumberjack

[Tyruscobb]

I doubt a different pitching coach would’ve mattered. He was also a pretty bad alcoholic. Would have never succeeded until he got his problem under control, which didn’t happen until the 1990s.