Once it became common place to pelt the car with junk, from the stands, they did away with it and had guys running in from the pen, instead.

More on the cars:

http://waswatching.com/2007/10/18/driving-mr-relief-pitcher/

When did they do away with those? I seem to remember a “Yankee Supra” sometime in the mid-late 80′s

That pinstriped Datsun sure took a beating, though. There were days when it seemed nearly every other fan from the centerfield bleachers to the third base boxes took a shot at it.

I always wanted that car as a kid. Heck, I still want it.

I remember that pinstripe Datsun, Steve!

~~The point of that story seemed to be you have a higher quality pizza at the first place, but there are reasons to switch.~~

Actually, the point of the story was meant to be that you had a relationship with one pizza place (Lyle) and it was the first and existing relationship – which worked fine, since the pizza was good and you liked it a lot. But, despite all that, you then started to also use another pizza place (Gossage) because it also had good pizza, it was available, and it also met some of your other needs better (because it was close by, manned by many, bigger bang for the buck, etc.).

And, to me, that’s the Lyle-Gossage thing. The Yankees added Gossage because he was available, and good, and met some needs – but they didn’t add him because there was something wrong with Lyle…

I don’t think you’re pizza place analogy works.

The point of that story seemed to be you have a higher quality pizza at the first place, but there are reasons to switch.

Let’s look at the tale of 2 pitchers–

In 1977, pitcher A had 35 RSAA.
In 1977, pitcher B had 27 RSAA.

Over the most recent 3 year span, 1975-77, pitcher A had 59 RSAA. Pitcher B had 46 RSAA.

So, following the 1977 season, pitcher A was coming off a better year and had been a better pitcher over the 3 most recent seasons.

Who was that better pitcher?

It was Gossage.

I suppose you could say that Gossage wasn’t “as top notch” as Lyle in both 1977 and from 1975-77. You could say that, as long as you said he was “topper notcher” than him.

Oh, and Gossage was also 7 years younger.

It wasn’t merely just the right move in retrospect (as Gossage went on to have a 133 to 0 RSAA edge in future years), it was the clear correct choice at the time.

Then you’ll like this snip from…
http://tinyurl.com/6cvz4n

~~~It invariably happens late in the ball game. The starting pitcher is tired, the home team’s lead is threatened, and help is needed. The gate in Yankee Stadium’s right-centerfield fence swings open and a Datsun painted in pinstripes taxis a relief pitcher toward the diamond. Eyes strain to see who is inside the car, voices murmur, hopes rise. The car stops, the stadium organist sweeps into the regal strains of Pomp and Circumstance, and the crowd exults. Out steps Albert Walter (“Sparky”) Lyle. He sheds his warmup jacket with measured nonchalance and strides toward the pitcher’s mound, one cheek distended by chewing tobacco. A few practice throws, a couple of spits, and Sparky is once again ready to try to quell a crisis.~~~