And for all of Carpenters sneering about Jim Lemon's '68 team that had three shutouts early:
1. 4/19: Joe Coleman beat the A's 3 - 0. Home runs by Mike Epstein and Frank Howard. This team could use power-hitters like Epstein and Hondo. Coleman was traded for Denny McClain and became a star with the Tigers (and was already a fine pitcher)
2. 4/21: Camilo Pascual plus Darold Knowles beats the A's 2 - 0. Losing pitcher was a guy named catfish Hunter. Ken McMullen 2 for 4, Hondo 1 for 4 with an RBI. Pascual has lost his fastball, but still had a curve that buckled right-handed hitters.
3. 4/28: Phil Ortega beat the Indians 1 - 0 on a 2-hitter. Ortega was one of the puzzling pitchers...either good or lousy.
Not a great staff in '68...Dick Bosman made a big difference in '69, Coleman matured, Knowles became one of the first real closers in MLB. Still, the '68 team had Hondo, Keny Mac, Epstein, and Del Unser...all pretty good players.