1972: The Steve Carlton-John Bateman Connection.

In 1972, lefty Steve Carlton had one of the finest seasons for a pitcher in major league baseball history. He posted a 27-10 won-loss record for a Philadelphia Phillies team that won only 59 games. Carlton was responsible for nearly 46% of his team's victories, His ERA was a microscopic 1.97. He won his first Cy Young Award that year. All of this is well documented, of course. What is less well documented is the role played in this record setting year by a journeyman catcher named John Bateman. Pitching to Bateman that year, Carlton went 20-4, 1.60. Pitching to all other catchers he was 7-6, 2.83. Carlton vastly preferred throwing to Bateman and he made his preference known.

Carlton, 27, famously came to the Phillies in February 1972 in a trade for Phillies ace, Rick Wise. Bateman, 31, who had spent most of his career with the Houston Astros, before being traded to the Montreal Expos, came to the Phillies on June 14, 1972, in a straight up trade of catchers, Tim McCarver going to the Expos. The Phillies were looking for a better defensive catcher than McCarver. The Expos were looking for some offense and planned to play McCarver at first base a lot. Bateman had lost his starting catcher position to John Boccabella and had appeared in just 18 games for the Expos, mostly as a pinch-hitter. Bill Conlin of the Philadelphia Daily News said of the trade, "The people who have been saying the Phillies could get nothing in a trade for Tim McCarver were right. Last night the Phillies got nothing in a trade for Tim McCarver." Manager Frank Lucchesi declared Bateman "the Phillies No. 1 catcher."

Bateman's first game behind the plate with Carlton on the mound saw Lefty pitch 10 shutout innings and record 12 strikeouts in a 1-0 extra inning loss to Houston in the Astrodome. Reliever Dick Selma gave up a walk-off home run to Jimmy Wynn leading off the eleventh. Bateman and Carlton really bonded, however, in their third game together in Montreal on June 26. In the fourth inning of a scoreless game, Expos pitcher Ernie McAnally plunked Phillies first baseman Joe Lis on the arm. In the bottom of the inning, Carlton retaliated by beaning the Expos Tim Foli. Foli started to go toward the mound but was restrained by Bateman. Meanwhile, Montreal manager Gene Mauch raced out of the dugout and threw a punch at Carlton. In the ensuing melee, Bateman, Roger Freed, and Jim Nash all got shots in at Mauch, who emerged bloodied and limping. Bateman got into a shoving match with Expos' coach Larry Doby, after Doby yanked Bateman off of Mauch by twisting his left arm. Mauch was ejected, both benches were warned, and Carlton and Bateman returned to work.

Bateman, nursing what would be diagnosed as a hyper-extended elbow, came to bat in the top of the fifth inning and launched a one-handed, wind-aided home run just out of the reach of Expos left-fielder, Ken Singleton. Carlton was up next and McAnally whizzed the first pitch behind his head. Carlton started for the mound but thought better of it. "Winning the game was more important. I didn't want to get thrown out." McAnally was ejected. Bateman, unable to lift his left arm, was replaced by Mike Ryan. Carlton then endured a 46-minute rain delay and still returned to the mound to complete a four-hit shutout. Manager Lucchesi said, "That was amazing. A long delay like that and he comes back with better stuff than when he started." Phillies pitcher Bucky Brandon said, "That's what being a superstar is all about. I was warming up next to Steve when it stopped raining, but I had to stop because he was embarrassing me."

Carlton said, "I'm sorry about Foli. I didn't mean to hit him in the head. And I'm sorry about Mauch. I meant to hit him all over."

Bateman kept catching Carlton and Carlton kept winning. On July 23, Carlton and Dodger lefty Tommy John engaged in a classic duel that Carlton won, 2-0, when he tripled home two runners in the seventh inning. Five days later at Veterans Stadium, Carlton again won 2-0 over the Cubs and Milt Pappas, when Willie Montanez launched a two-run walk-off home run in the ninth. In fact, in five consecutive starts with Bateman behind the plate from July 23 to August 9, Carlton did not give up an earned run. The one unearned run he did allow was, ironically, set up by a Bateman passed ball. On August 9, Carlton pitched a three hitter and hit a solo home run as the Phillies beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 2-0.

For his part, Carlton was effusive in his praise for Bateman. He liked the way Bateman called a game. He liked Bateman's "mechanics" behind the plate. He considered him the finest catcher he threw to in his career. From the time Bateman arrived on June 16 until the end of the year, Bateman caught every game that Carlton pitched. That was 27 games. Carlton won 20 of those games, with just 4 losses, and three no-decisions. 

At the end of the season, the Phillies called up Bob Boone from the minors to see if he was ready to catch at the major league level. He started most of the games in September and October, but he was never in the lineup when Carlton pitched. Carlton made it clear he preferred to throw to Bateman. On September 28, Carlton won his 26th game of the year over the Pittsburgh Pirates and Bob Moose, 2-1. The next day the Phillies travelled to Montreal for a three-game series. Bateman did not accompany the team. It seems that Bateman, as fine a defensive catcher as he was, was a little loose when it came to observing the law.  According to Bill Conlin, he had left a trail of unpaid debts, traffic tickets, and even an abandoned loaner car in Montreal, and feared the authorities would arrest him when he crossed the border.

Satisfied that Boone was ready for the major leagues, the Phillies shopped Bateman to other teams. Finding no takers, they released him in January 1973. Carlton protested vehemently and tried to get the Phillies' brass to reverse the decision, but to no avail. Bateman retired and went on to play fast pitch softball and then catch for famed softball pitcher Eddie Feigner of The King and His Court fame. Bateman claimed to have made more money playing for Feigner than he did as a major leaguer.

In 1973, Carlton struggled. He led the league in losses, falling to 13-20. His ERA ballooned to 3.90. The rookie Boone shouldered much of the blame. It took many years before Carlton was truly comfortable with Boone behind the plate. In 1975, the Phillies brought McCarver back and he became Carlton's personal catcher for several years. Finally, in 1980, Boone and Carlton combined as the battery that led the Phillies to a World Championship.