“Momentum is only as good as the next day’s starter” (baseball adage)

“Momentum is only as good as the next day’s starter” is a baseball adage credited to manager Earl Weaver (1930-2013), although it’s not certain when he said it. “What was it that Earl (Weaver) said? Momentum is the next day’s pitcher?” was cited in print in 1985. Baseball manager Jim Leyland has frequently used the adage.
 
The saying means that a baseball team might be improving in most areas, but if the next day’s pitcher is bad and gives up many runs, then the team’s momentum is stopped.
 
   
Wikipedia: Earl Weaver
Earl Sidney Weaver (August 14, 1930 – January 19, 2013) was an American professional baseball player and manager. After playing in minor league baseball, he retired without playing in Major League Baseball (MLB). He became a minor league manager, and then managed in MLB for 17 years with the Baltimore Orioles (1968–1982; 1985–1986). Weaver’s style of managing was summed up in the quote: “pitching, defense, and the three-run homer.” He did not believe in stolen bases, hit and run plays, or sacrifice bunts. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996.
 
28 October 1985, Rockford (IL) Register Star, pg. 3C, col. 2:
And after the Royals had lost a painful game against the Blue Jays to go down 3-1 in games, Howser responded to the question about Blue Jay momentum with a question: “What was it that Earl (Weaver) said? Momentum is the next day’s pitcher?”
 
17 May 1989, Sacramento (CA) Bee, “A’s lose a game, but help Yanks find a pitcher,” pg. E1:
“Earl Weaver was right,’’ A’s manager Tony La Russa said. “He said he didn’t believe in momentum because the next day’s starting pitcher could take it away from you.”
   
Sports Illustrated
September 18, 1989
A Series To Shout About
When the Cubs clashed with the Cardinals, one of the game’s great rivalries was for once played out with a title at stake. And the fans on both sides had a noisy old time
Peter Gammons
(...)
“Tomorrow you’ll see what we’re made of,” said Zimmer in the Cubs’ clubhouse. “Momentum? Earl Weaver was right: Momentum is tomorrow’s starting pitcher.”
 
14 October 1992, Philadelphia (PA) Inquirer, “Pirates blast the Braves into a seventh game,” pg. C1:
“Momentum is your next day’s starting pitcher.”
 
Google News Archive
3 July 1996, Pittsburgh (PA) Post-Gazette, “Losing Ugly: Wagner struggles in his first appearance after returning from disabled list” by Paul Meyer, pg. B-1, col. 2:
Jim Leyland doesn’t believe in momentum in baseball.
 
“You’re only as good as your next day’s starter,” the Pirates manager has said time after time.
 
30 September 1998, Chicago (IL) Sun-Times, “Cubs confident their journey has just begun” by Toni Ginnetti and Joe Goddard, pg. 136:
“We’re on an upswing, but some manager once said momentum is about as good as your next day’s starter.”
   
Google Groups: cle.sports
Newsgroups: cle.sports
From: “Dale J. Mahoney”

Date: 1998/10/13
Subject: [csml] tribe: Do or Die
(...)
He, correctly, brought up the Weaver saw, “Momentum is your next day’s starting pitcher.”
 
24 June 1999, Denver (CO) Post “ROCKIES 10, CUBS 1: Astacio slams door on Cubs” by Mike Klis, pg. D1:
Astacio reminded everyone of manager Jim Leyland’s favorite adage that in baseball, momentum is only as good as the next day’s starting pitcher.
   
Boston (MA) Globe
Plenty of highlights on this trip
Action is nonstop at bustling ESPN
By Bill Griffith, Globe Staff |  September 3, 2004
(...)
And Reynolds notes, “You’re only as good as the next day’s starter, El Duque [Orlando Hernandez].”
     
NYYFans
noneckwilliams
04-24-05 03:58 PM
Re: Great Win Today!
Old baseball adage - You’re only as good as the next day’s starter.
     
Cook Train Eat Race
Momentum: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
August 15, 2011 By CTER
(...)
There is a saying in baseball that momentum is only as good as the next day’s starter (yes, I am a huge baseball geek fan.)  Essentially what the cliche means is that even if you have won 8 games in a row it doesn’t matter because your next day’s starting pitcher could give up 5 runs in the first inning and start a spiral toward an 8 game losing streak.  So you can see that momentum is only as good as your next day’s starter.
 
Twitter
WatchingBraves
‏@WatchingBraves
“Momentum is only as good as the next day’s starter” — Good enough for me!  #28andathird #MedDog
8:15 PM - 2 Sep 12
 
Twitter
Detroit Tigers
‏@tigers
“Momentum is your next day’s pitcher.” -Jim Leyland. Doug Fister goes for the #Tigers tomorrow in Game 2.
8:48 PM - 24 Oct 12