Billy Martin was convinced that small Ron Guidry could never consistently win in the majors. He convinced the Yankees to shop Guidry around for all of 1977, and in SPRING OF 1978 offer him to St. Louis for Pete Vukovich, and to Toronto for Bill Singer. They both turned down the deals (!).
That year Guidry went 25-3, with a 1.74 ERA,. On June 17, Guidry struck out 18 Angels batters and the custom of the crowd standing when a home team pitcher has two strikes on a batter was born.
The Yankees, 14 1/2 games behind Boston in July went on to catch the Red Sox and beat them in a one-game playoff at Fenway Park. The biggest of many chokes by the Red Sox that have so warmed NY winters over the years.
But it all might have gone differently...