Page 87 - 1975 BoSox

80 ’75—THE RED SOX TEAM THAT SAVED BASEBALL
1-2-3. Cincinnati had a 6-3 lead. With two Red Sox on base in the bottom of the eighth, Bernie Carbo pinch-hit for Moret. He hit a game-tying home run into the center- eld bleachers. Carlton Fisk’s home run won the game in the 12th.
In the decisive Game Seven of the Series, Moret relieved Bill Lee in the seventh inning with one out and a man on rst. He faced four batters, getting one, walking one and giving up a run-scoring single to Pete Rose that tied the game. After Moret walked Joe Morgan, Red Sox manager Darrell Johnson called on Jim Willoughby to retire Johnny Bench. e Reds scored a run a couple of innings later, winning the game and the Series in the ninth.
His season and the Series over, Roger Moret would not appear in a Red Sox uniform again.
Years later, in an interview with author Doug Hornig, Moret lamented that he didn’t do well in the World Series. However, he said he was upset that he was passed over for a starting assignment in Game ree. Moret still considered it his game to start: “I was ready. I could’ve beaten that team.”4
During the o season, on December 12, the Red Sox traded Moret to the Atlanta Braves for Tom House. Moret’s record far surpassed House’s and from all measurable appearances it seemed like, and probably was, an uneven trade for the Red Sox. No single reason is known for the trade; it could be that he just fell out of favor with the team
His one season with the Braves began Moret’s slow slide from the major leagues. He pitched just 771⁄3 innings and his ERA ballooned to 5.00. Appearing in 27 games, only 12 of them starts, he posted a 3-5 record. It was the rst season in the majors in which Moret gave up more hits than innings pitched.
In another December o season transaction, the Texas Rangers acquired Moret from the Braves on December 9. e Rangers got Moret and four others, plus $250,000, in exchange for power-hitting out elder Je Burroughs. Moret appeared to be a throw-in as the Braves attempted to beef up their o ensive attack.
e 1977 season proved to be a telling one for the slender left-hander. He was 28, in his prime, but his development did not show improvement. With the Rangers Moret logged a 3-3 record with another decent ERA of 3.73 (the league average was 4.06) in 18 games, only eight of them starts. Surgery to repair a circulation problem in his pitching arm limited his contribution to the Rangers that year.5
Moret’s 1978 season was a disaster. He did little for the Rangers, though he earned his only save that year with another successful outing against the Yankees: four innings of relief in a 5-2 victory, as he gave up four hits and one earned run. But for the year he appeared in only seven games, pitching 142⁄3 innings and surrendering 23 hits, for an 0-1 record.
However, the real story for Moret in 1978 was his hospitalization at a psychiatric facility after his bizarre behavior on April 12 at the Rangers’ Arlington Stadium. After some odd pregame behavior, Moret went into what was described as a catatonic state in front of his locker that reportedly lasted 90 minutes.6 His team- mates rst kidded with him but as time went on the gravity of his condition brought in the team’s medical sta . Attempts to awaken him failed. e Rangers sta sedated him and dispatched him to the Arlington Neuropsychiatric Center. By April 25 Moret’s condi- tion had improved and he was scheduled for release within a week.
His condition got better and he returned to the Rangers for several appearances in late May and the rst half of June. His last appearance in the majors was a futile start against the Toronto Blue Jays at Arlington Stadium on June 16, 1978. He lasted 12⁄3 innings, giving up six hits and four earned runs, and was the losing pitcher.
Moret made a couple of comeback attempts. He was invited to spring training in 1979 with the Rangers and in 1980 with Cleveland but never again pitched in the majors.7 In 1981-82 Moret played in the Mexican League. In 1981 he pitched for Torreon, posting a 9-4 (2.42 ERA) record. In 1982 he split the season between