Why Have You Gone, Carl Morton?

Originally signed by the Braves

Tom House, the pitching guru, made an admission that he took steroids in the 70's while playing for the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, and Seattle Mariners. What struck me from the 2005 article is he said that he and other "pitchers" were doing it to keep up with the competition. Not only roids but HGH. This was in the 70's! When Frank Thomas accused pitchers of taking roids about 2002, everyone thought it was sour grapes or just impossible because pitchers are throwing the ball while hitters are hitting. House's teammates joked that they weren't beaten but "out-milligrammed." Okay, it could be one guy and he could be not telling the truth. But I have always had this Arsenio Hall thing of "hmm" of certain players when I started reading this book called Baseball 1977 in 1982 which featured players from 1976 with bios of All-stars, rookies, and managers then basic stats of top players to mediocre ones in hitting and pitching.

Cincinnati Reds pitchers from the 1976 championship team just disappeared from sight. Gary Nolan, Rawly Eastwick, Will McEnaney, Jack Billingham, Pat Zachry and Don Gullett, gone. Yeah, some went to other teams but only one pitched after 1981. The 1979 Reds had two pitchers remaining from the '76 team, Fred Norman and Pedro Bourbon. Fred was the oldest player during that championship. While his teammates became mediocore (Billingham the exception), Norman maintained his consistency of 10 or more wins from 1973 to 1979. He finished his career with Montreal in 1980 at 38, going 4-4. Also in 1976, Mike Cuellar, who pitched so well with the Orioles in years past, went 4-13, traded to the Angels in 1977, and released by the Angels in '77 after going 0-1 with an era of 18.90. Earl Weaver said he gave him more chances than his wife when he went 4-13. John Montefusco, Ron Bryant, Randy Jones (Brent Strom), Bill Campbell (he pitched some more years but wasn't the same), Wayne Garland, Ken Holtzman, and Mark Fidrych. Done or mediocore after '76. But the one guy that really gets me is Carl Morton. MLB Network needs to do a show like Bill Kurtis' Cold Case, A&E stuff, and VH1 behind the music. When they do, his should be the first feature.

Rookie year. 

I came across him when I bought this book called NL Rookies of the Year. What struck me was that I heard about Ted Sizemore '69, Bake McBride '74, Earl Williams '71, John Matlack '72, and so on before I even read the book. Yet, no mention of him. That was true of co-winner with Zachry, Butch Metzger '76. Carl won it in 1970. He was 26 years old and was in the Braves organization until the expansion draft of 1968 where the Montreal Expos picked him. After that great season of '70 where he won 18 and lost 10, he had two subpar years and was traded to the Braves in 1973. With the Braves, he won 15, 16, and 17 games for the next three seasons. After a 4-9 record in '76, he was done despite signing a 100,000 contract from Ted Turner. I figured he started old and age caught up him. I found out later that he got traded to the Rangers in 1977 and was cut in spring training. Wow! I mean, you would think somebody would give him a chance to redeem themselves but apparently he couldn't because he tried to play in the Rangers' minor league system and was cut by the Pirates in spring training of 1978 .

What really struck me was his early death at the age of 39 in 1983. I mean baseball players don't die that young unless of some tragedy like drug overdose, accidents, or violence. He died while jogging near his parents house. Now, football players, yes, but baseball? Pitchers? Now, Tom House article opens up a can of worms because he mentions that not only he took steroids that horses wouldn't take but amphetamines and anything he can pop. In his confession, he doesn't mention cocaine or marijuana. However, he does mention that steroids was the additional cause of his knee surgeries (5 on the right and 2 on the left) because he gained so much weight from it. Studies show that it causes strain on your heart.

House says he came clean when he went back to school during the off-season and read the dangers about drugs. Today, he is a spokesperson about playing clean. But I have to wonder, how much is he telling the truth about who used and who didn't? But when he says 6 or 7 on each baseball staff either used steroids and HGH, it doesn't sound like sour grapes. I wonder how many hitters and position players were doing them? I guess it was impossible for hitters because they have to hit the ball while pitchers can throw the ball back in '76? I'm hoping Carl was clean on that staff and that Mr. House wasn't including him. Likewise, that heart attack was just that. But like then, I'm scratching my head a bit.