Short Hops: The Stigman stigma

The unreported angle on Shawn Chacon’s record-setting nine consecutive no-decisions to start is the season is this: The man whose mark he broke is Dick Stigman, who muddled through eight for the 1965 Twins — the only starts he made all year. The lefty swingman then booked a pair of NDs to open ’66, thus becoming the first starter ever to be saddled with 10 in a row. (John D’Acquisto and Barry Lerch — both in 1977 — later matched him.) Stiggy finally broke his 13-month stretch of sister-kissing by losing a start that May. The unfortunate native of the unfortunately-named Nimrod, Minnesota, then posted no-decisions in his next four starts before finally ending what was by then a three-season, 21-start winless spell by shutting out the White Sox. Barely. Nursing a 1-0 lead into the ninth, Stigman survived a couple of hits to end his epic frustration.

THE SIX (OR MORE) DEGREES OF JIM BOWDEN

Oct., 1992: Jim Bowden becomes the Reds GM. Barry Larkin is his shortstop; Pokey Reese has just completed his first year in the system; Bret Boone is a rookie in Seattle.

Nov., 1993: Bowden trades for Boone.

June, 1994: Bowden drafts Aaron Boone, Bret’s brother.

Nov., 1998: Bowden, four months after making Aaron a starter, trades Bret Boone to the Braves.

Nov., 2000: Bowden names Bob Boone, father of Bret and Aaron, the Reds manager.

June 2001: When Larkin’s season ends with an injury, Reese replaces him at short.

Dec., 2001: Bowden trades Reese to the Rockies.

July, 2003: Three days after Bowden and Bob Boone are fired by the Reds, the club trades Aaron Boone to the Yankees.

Nov., 2004: Bowden is named GM of the Nationals.

Dec., 2004: Bowden hires Bob Boone as his special assistant.

Feb., 2005: Bowden names Larkin as another special assistant.

Dec., 2007: Bowden signs Aaron Boone, now 34.

Feb., 2008: Bowden signs Bret Boone, now 38, out of a two-year retirement.

April, 2008: Bret Boone, playing with Triple-A Columbus, announces his second retirement.

May, 2008: Bowden signs Reese, now 34, out of a three-year retirement to replace Bret Boone at Columbus.

HIT AND RUN

Short Hops’ recurring installment of slapdash observation and imprudent opinion:

The Elias Sports Bureau reports that Mike Cameron is the first batter since 1920 to endure two strings of 20 or more games with at least one strikeout.

It was May 24 until the Nationals got a homer from their outfielders in back-to-back games.

Johnny Damon stole the first base surrendered by Seattle’s Jarrod Washburn in 121 innings, dating back to last July.

So Mariano Rivera just issued his first walk. Only 12 of the 76 batters Mariano Rivera has faced have reached base — two doubles, nine singles and the solitary pass. He’s recorded more strikeouts (19) than balls hit to the outfield (18).

The two most-heralded young hitters in the game had quite different nights on Tuesday. While Jay Bruce was making his Reds debut by going 3-for-3 with two walks and a steals, the Diamondbacks’ Justin Upton was fanning three times to extend his slump to 0-for-26 with 17 strikeouts.

For the first time in almost five years, Ichiro was called out on strikes twice in a game by the same pitcher (Andy Pettitte).

And in other Ichiro news....he became who we believe to be the first ballplayer ever to use the words “Papua New Guinea” in a postgame interview. (Ich was enumerating the origins of beers he might be drinking if he were “objectively” watching the woeful Mariners on a daily basis.)

QUOTABLES

“They want me to run on and off the mound; I smoke three packs a day.” — Jim Leyland on one of MLB’s new suggestions (shorter conferences with pitchers) to speed up games, which now average 18 minutes longer than in 1981.