a pitcher's best friend

i once wrote a haiku for a local publication that was soliciting baseball themed writings:

a pitcher's best friend
is not dog or diamond
it's a double play

claude osteen knows what i'm talking about, as evidenced by this 1968 topps game card

this set, inserted into 1968 packs much like the modern day attax cards, was a modernization of sorts of the 1951 red and blue back sets.  still, i am kinda partial to the 'play ball' boxes on the backs of 1978 cards.  anyway, gomer induced a total of 394 double plays in his career.  he was, according to baseball reference, above average at this.
that's not all gomer was good at - his 17 wins in 1967 tied for 3rd most in the national league

of course, he also lost 17 games that year despite a 3.22 era.  he would lose 18 in 1968 despite dropping his era to near 3.00, but after that he posted his first 20 win season in 1969.  he averaged 17 wins for the dodgers from 1969 through 1973 when he was traded to houston for jimmy wynn.

i recently received a 'twin killing' of my own from osteen, as he returned two cards that i had sent off to be signed (for the second time).

1969 topps

 and 1972 topps

golllllllllllllly, sargeant.  those are swell.

by the way, that haiku didn't get published.  but this one did:

the suicide squeeze
is not as bad as it sounds
if executed

thanks claude!