"Over the last three seasons, Ed Figueroa has won 51 games, an average of 17 a year. Not bad for a man who began the 1975 season in the minor leagues.
Although it took Ed eight long seasons with time off for Marine duty in Vietnam to reach the majors, it didn't take him long to earn his niche. After being recalled by the last-place Angels early in '75, he won 16 games. But he really entered the limelight after the trade which brought him and Mickey Rivers to the Yanks for Bobby Bonds. Figgy became the biggest winner (19) on a league-leading staff. And he led them into the World Series.
1977 saw Figgy continue his development as one of the league's top hurlers. Ed won seven of his first ten decisions, carrying the Yankee staff through April and May. He also finished strong, winning four of his final six.
A mutual admiration society has grown up between Ed and the New York fans. After all, two years in Yankee pinstripes have netted him two American League pennants and a World Championship.
Encore! Encore!"
-The New York Yankees Official 1978 Yearbook
MAY, 1977 YANKEE OF THE MONTH
"Figueroa, the crafty right-hander who barely missed a 20-win season in 1976, finished May with a 6-3 record - tops on the Yankee staff. Figueroa was 4-1 in May at a time when the Yankee pitching staff still hadn't begun to round into pennant race form, and all his decisions were complete games. Thanks to Figueroa's streak of seven complete games (two in April included), the Yanks were still in second place and in a comfortable striking position despite a roller coaster start."
-The New York Yankees Official 1978 Yearbook
"Ed was the Yankees' hottest pitcher during the early part of last season. After dropping his first two starts of the year, he then won five in a row and seven of eight decisions and carried the Yankee staff in April and May. Ed pitched seven straight complete games in his early stretch. He also finished fast, winning four of his last six decisions.
Figgy was among the team leaders in wins, starts, innings and complete games in 1977. His best '77 efforts were a 3-hit shutout over the Angels on May 13, and a 7-hit, 2-0 blanking of the Red Sox in an important game on September 14 that opened up a three-and-a-half game Yankee lead over the Sox.
He has now won at least 16 games for three straight years. Ed won 19 games in 1976 in his first year as a Yankee after coming over from the Angels, leading the team in victories and tying for fourth in the league. He had a hot streak that year, winning 12 of 15 at one point, as the Yankees pulled away in the Eastern Division. Figgy had the fifth best ERA in the A.L. in '75 while winning 16 for California. He's looking to become the first Puerto Rican to win 20 games.
Originally signed by the Mets in 1966, but soon released and signed by the Giants, Ed served in Vietnam with the Marines in 1969. He started the 1975 season in the minors, was brought back, and proved to be the Angels' stopper that year - 15 of his 16 wins followed Angel defeats.
As a member of Puerto Rico's amateur champs in the early '60s, Ed and his teammates won a trip to New York to see a game at Yankee Stadium.
Ed was bothered by injuries in '77, preventing him from having an even better year. He was troubled by inflammation in his right shoulder, a muscle strain on his left side and a sore right index finger at various times."
-New York Yankees 1978 Media Guide
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