Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Anthony Young is leaving The Streak behind

Anthony Young knew the question coming even before it was asked.

Three years after making baseball headlines in 1993 when he lost his first 13 decisions with the New York Mets and extended his personal major-league losing streak to a National League-record 27 games, Young is hesitant to talk about the past.

"This is 1996, I don't even talk about that no more. That's in the past," Young said firmly but politely after his brief two-inning stint for the Tucson Toros in their 3-2 loss to the Las Vegas Stars Tuesday night at Cashman Field.

When prodded, Young reluctantly talks about The Streak, which started in April 1992 and continued until July 28, 1993 -- a string of 81 appearances.

"All you've got to do is you look at the record, then you look at my ERA and look at the teams I've been with," the 30-year-old right-hander said. "I had a good ERA ... I was losing one and then I'd get cheated one and stuff like that. It wasn't like I was just getting beat around the field."

Young makes a valid point. He began the 1992 season in the Mets' starting rotation and won his first start with a complete-game six-hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals. Young picked up another win in relief on April 19 at Montreal, his last win before The Streak.

Although he lost his next 14 decisions that season, Young managed to convert on his first 12 save opportunities after taking over the role as the Mets' closer in June. Despite a 2-14 record, Young posted a 4.17 ERA with 15 saves.

The following season, Young was 1-16 but compiled a respectable 3.77 ERA in 39 games, including 10 starts. In those two seasons with the Mets, Young was saddled with 30 unearned runs in 91 games.

"You go out there and you can't determine what goes on behind you," Young said. "You know guys are going to make errors and stuff, but you've just got to pick them up. But when you give up 20 unearned runs in a year, that doesn't help, either."

In retrospect, Young said, going through The Streak has helped him when he takes the mound.

"It makes you better as a pitcher," Young said. "It helped me be stronger because you hear fans talk about it, but half of them don't know baseball. It helped me learn than you can't control what goes on (around you)."

Young was traded to the Chicago Cubs prior to the 1994 season and was 4-6 with a 3.92 ERA in 20 games (19 starts) before his season was shortened due to surgery on his pitching elbow. Young underwent the "Tommy John" operation, in which a tendon graft was taken from his forearm and weaved into his right elbow to reinforce the damaged ligament.

Young made a successful return from the surgery last season, posting a 3-4 record with a 3.70 ERA in 32 games. He worked out of the bullpen in all but one game, and his ERA in relief was an impressive 2.97. In 102 major-league relief appearances, Young had a 1.89 ERA going into this season.

He was signed as a minor-league free agent by the Astros in January and realized a lifelong dream of playing in his hometown of Houston when he began the season in the major leagues. After going 3-3 with a 3.73 in 27 games (all in relief) with the Astros, he was sent to Tucson to work on his control.

Young has appeared in only four games with the Toros since being sent to Tucson in June. He spent a month on the disabled list with inflammation in his right elbow that Young said is not related to his 1994 surgery.

"This has nothing to do with the 'Tommy John' surgery," Young said. "I hyperextended my elbow and the inflammation is coming from that. The doctor said it has nothing to do with the surgery."

Young started Tuesday's game for the Toros, but was on a pitch limit and worked only two innings. He gave up two runs (fittingly, only one was earned) and struck out two Stars batters.

"I felt good the first two innings and warming up, but I'm just trying to get the strength back in my arm," he said. "At the beginning of the game, I felt like I'm 90 percent (healthy) but the more I pitch, the more it starts aching.

"Coming to Houston, I've got a chance to play in my hometown again after 10 years so it's exciting," Young said. "It's something I've always wanted to do and I hope they sign me again next year so I can try to prove myself with no arm problem."

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