"He led the league in saves with 27. He throws bullets.
'Seventy-five percent of relief pitching is mental.' Nicknamed 'The Goose,' he found his golden egg worth $3.6 million when he signed as a free agent with the Yanks. Goose's arrival shoved Cy Young Award winner Sparky Lyle aside when he joined the Yankee bullpen.
Born in Colorado Springs, Goose was the American League Fireman of the Year in 1975 while with the White Sox. He was a starting pitcher for the Sox in '76 but returned to the bullpen with the Pirates the following year."
-Phil Pepe and Jim Hawkins, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1979 Edition
"September 3, 1978, Yankee Stadium. Seattle runners on second and third, none out. The Yanks hold a slim 4-3 lead. Three batters later it was over. Rich Gossage had struck out the side on just 11 pitches!
That was one of the high points in a season of highs for the fireballing right-hander, signed by the Yankees as a free agent during the winter of 1977. Goose had a sensational first year out of the Yankee bullpen, leading the league in saves, and winning the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year and Sporting News Fireman of the Year awards. He also posted a sparkling 2.01 ERA.
But that's really nothing new for this native of Colorado Springs. In the three years that he has been used exclusively in relief, Goose has recorded 26, 26 and 27 saves, and ERAs of 1.84, 1.62 and 2.01.
Whenever the Yankee starters were in trouble, Bob Lemon consistently looked for his main man in the pen, and time and again Goose bailed the Yankees out of trouble. In fact, he was on the mound at the conclusion of the three most important wins of the season: the playoff win at Boston, the pennant clincher against Kansas City, and the final game of the World Series at Dodger Stadium. You just know that in 1979 whenever Lem needs a fire extinguished, the Goose will be the man he calls on."
-The New York Yankees Official 1979 Yearbook
"Gossage was the Yankees' number one pick in the 1977 Free Agent Draft, and he rewarded them with a super season. He led the American League in saves with 27 and won the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year award.
Goose started off slow for the Yanks, dropping his first three decisions, then got hot with seven saves and three wins in 12 appearances. He was the American League's Player of the Week, August 28-September 3, appearing in four games, with three saves and a win, allowing no runs on one hit. Goose had his most impressive outing of the year on September 3, when he entered a game against Seattle with runners on second and third, no outs, and the Yanks' holding onto a 4-3 lead. He proceeded to strike out the side (Paciorek, Robertson and Cruz) on just 11 pitches.
He finished off very strong for the Yanks, with 10 saves and two wins in his last 15 appearances, allowing just five earned runs in those appearances. Goose did not yield a home run over his last 30 regular-season appearances, covering 60.2 innings, a streak he carried into postseason play, not giving one up in five postseason appearances (10 innings).
Goose continued into postseason play, picking up a win and a save in the ALCS and a win in the World Series. He allowed no runs and just one hit in his three World Series appearances (six innings). Goose was on the mound for the finish of the Yanks' three clinching games last year: the playoff with Boston, the ALCS title over the Royals, and the World Series clinching win over the Dodgers.
In addition to the Rolaids award, Goose was named the Sporting News Fireman of the Year and was named to the U.P.I All-Star team.
Goose signed a six-year contract with the Yankees when he joined them as a free agent in November of 1977 and has now had two straight excellent years. In his last year with the Pirates, he appeared in a Pittsburgh record 72 games with an 11-9 record, 26 saves and a 1.62 ERA. Over the last two years Goose's ERA is 1.82.
A teammate of Bucky Dent in the White Sox organization, they both came up with Sarasota in 1970. In 1971 Goose moved to Appleton and had a phenomenal season as a starter, compiling an 18-2 record and being named the Midwest League's Player of the Year. He made the jump from A ball to the White Sox in 1972, making his major league debut at the age of 19. Goose won his first seven big league decisions, all in relief; his only loss that year was his only starting assignment, at the end of the season.
The American League Fireman of the Year in 1975, Goose compiled a league leading 26 saves with a 9-8 record. In 62 games he had a 1.84 ERA, allowing only three homers and 99 hits in 142 innings pitched. He was made a starter for the Sox in 1976 but went back to the bullpen with the Pirates in 1977. He struck out eight of 11 Dodgers he faced in a game on May 19, 1977.
Goose was the primary acquisition the Yankees wanted to make in the 1977 Free Agent Draft. Yankee scout Birdie Tebbetts said he was the most valuable man on his list, and suggested the Yanks let no contending club in the league get him.
Goose has an excellent fastball. He was the captain of his high school basketball team at Wasson High in Colorado Springs.
He enjoys hunting and fishing in the winter."
-New York Yankees 1979 Media Guide
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