John McGraw called the erratic, talented, and tragic Arthur “Bugs” Raymond, one of the best pitchers he ever managed. Raymond might be the best pitcher to finish his career with a record 12 games under .500 (45-56); he drank himself out of organized ball by age 29, and he was dead the following year.
Bugs
When Raymond was traded to the New York Giants after the 1908 season, Hugh Fullerton of The Chicago Herald told a story about how St. Louis Cardinals infielder Billy Gilbert helped cure Raymond of a bout with wildness the previous year.
“Bugs sometimes lacks control, and during one period early last season in St. Louis, he got so wild that (Manager John) McCloskey was in despair. ‘Bugs’ couldn’t get one over the plate, let alone cutting the corners, and McCloskey began to believe he never would. One afternoon just before a game, Mack, who is a born worrier, was sitting on the bench and turning to Gilbert, said: ‘Gil, what’s the matter with the Bug? Isn’t there any way he can get control?’
‘Let me catch him for awhile and I’ll fix him,’ said Gilbert.
‘All right. Take him back of the stand and work with him.’”
Billy Gilbert
Fullerton said before taking Raymond “back of the stand,’ Gilbert went in search of something.
“(S)ecuring a big beer mug (he) placed it on the ground and standing behind it, ordered Raymond to proceed.
“’Here’s where you get control, Bugs,’ said Gil. ‘You can hit this every time.’”
Said Fullerton:
“And whether faith, confidence, or luck did it, he got perfect control pitching over the stein, and it was a week before Gilbert dared tell McCloskey how he did it.”
Baseball History Daily 
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