Tuesday, March 29, 2016

1987 Profile: Lenn Sakata

"When both Mike Pagliarulo and Willie Randolph were out with injuries last year, and the shortstop job was still a question, a team weakness was exposed- a lack of depth in the infield. The addition of Lenn Sakata, signed as a free agent during the off-season, will greatly enhance the club in 1987.
A native Hawaiian, Sakata spent most of last season playing Triple-A ball in the Oakland organization. He then hit .353 in 17 games with the A's after being called up in August.
What Sakata brings to the Yankees is 10-plus years of major league service, six with the Orioles. During his stay in Baltimore, the veteran was part of three second place finishers in the A.L. East, and a member of the 1983 World Champions. Sakata will bring a steady glove and a winning attitude to the Yankees infield."

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook

"In 1986 Sakata went to spring training with the Oakland A's, but was assigned to Tacoma (AAA Pacific Coast League) at the beginning of the season. He hit .313 in 110 games in the minors with two home runs, 48 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.
Sakata was brought up to the parent A's on August 15. He saw limited action, hitting .353 in 17 games through the season's end. He appeared in 16 games at second base. Lenn's only three-hit game came on September 1 against the Yankees, going 3-for-4.
His only multiple-hit game of 1985 came on May 24 at California, going 3-for-3 with two doubles. Lenn was assigned to Rochester on August 8, but as a player with five years of major league service, he could have refused, thus becoming a free agent with the Orioles responsible for the remainder of his contract. He decided to go to Rochester, appearing in the minors for the first time since 1980.
His contract was purchased by Baltimore on September 3. Of his three major league home runs in 1985, two came against Detroit, with his last coming on September 14 at Tiger Stadium off Frank Tanana. He was not offered a contract for the 1986 season.
Lenn was [originally] signed for the Brewers by Dick Bogard in 1975. He had been drafted previously by the Giants and Padres, but did not sign. Lenn was an all-star second baseman (as voted by the managers) in the Eastern League in 1975 and in the Pacific Coast League in 1979.
He was called up to the majors in July of 1977 when injuries hit the Milwaukee infield, and started 46 games in a 50-game stretch. Lenn made his major league debut playing both ends of a doubleheader against the Yankees in New York on July 21, and went 2-for-3 on July 23 off Ron Guidry, recording his first major league hit. He hit his first big league home run off Dennis Martinez on July 25.
In 1978 Lenn was the regular second baseman for the Brewers against left-handed pitchers at the start of the season, but was optioned to Spokane in July. In 1979, he hit .300 in 118 games for Vancouver, Milwaukee's AAA club in the PCL, and was 7-for-14 in four games with the parent Brewers. Lenn trained with Baltimore in 1980 after his off-season trade from Milwaukee, but was assigned to Rochester to start the season. He was leading the International League in hitting when recalled on May 23.
Lenn was on the disabled list in 1981 from May 9-28 with a sprained right ankle. He had appeared in 31 games through September 2, hitting .189, then played in the final 30 games, starting 28 (27 at shortstop), batting .247. Lenn hit all five of his 1981 home runs in that span, including his first career grand slam (September 6 off Oakland's Dave Beard) and a pair of two-homer games (September 20 against Milwaukee and October 1 at Detroit). In 1982, he started 50 of the Orioles' first 72 games at shortstop, but played only at second base after Cal Ripken moved from third to short on July 1. Lenn set career highs in most offensive categories that year, including average (.259), homers (6) and RBIs (31). He hit in a career high eight straight games from April 21-May 4 (10-for-23, .435 batting average).
He stole a career eight bases in 12 attempts in 1983. Lenn started 36 games at second base, and played there exclusively except for one occasion: he made his major league catching debut on August 24 against Toronto in the 10th inning after Rick Dempsey and Joe Nolan were removed for pinch hitters.
Except for his one-inning debut in the outfield, he played exclusively at second base in 1984, appearing in 76 games and starting 38. Sakata hit for his lowest average as an Oriole, yet his .988 fielding percentage was the highest among American League second basemen with 30 games played. He was 1-for-5 as a pinch hitter, and his outfield appearance came on August 5 against Toronto.
Sakata lettered in baseball, basketball and golf at Kalani High (he graduated in 1971) and was an all-state shortstop in his senior year. He played Babe Ruth and American Legion baseball, with his Legion team winning the Hawaii state championship in 1970 and 1971.
He played one season at Treasure Valley College (Ontario, Oregon) before transferring to Gonzaga University (Spokane) for two years. He earned all-district and second team junior college All-American honors at second base for Treasure Valley in 1972, and was all-district and All-Big Sky Conference at Gonzaga in 1973 and 1974. Lenn was a third team All-America pick in '74.
Lenn is of Japanese descent and is a fourth-generation American. His hobbies include golf and tennis."

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide

Friday, March 25, 2016

1987 Profile: Rick Rhoden

"Became a Yankee last November and promised to win 20 games. If he fulfills, he'll be on his way to justifying a two-year contract worth close to $2 million with incentive clauses. Rhoden was the key to a six-player swap in which he and Cecilio Guante and Pat Clements were exchanged for Doug Drabek, Brian Fisher and minor leaguer Logan Easley.
Although a hard thrower, he has a good fastball that some protest he scuffs. Giant catcher Bob Brenley suggested umpires allow him to take a work bench to the mound.
This eight-year Pirate was NL Pitcher of the Month for June with a 5-1 record and a 1.99 ERA. Rhoden made the All-Star team and followed with a 5-1, 2.73 August en route to 15-12, 2.84 for the year.
Born in Boynton Beach, Florida, he wore a leg brace as a youngster. Rhoden was a first round draft pick of the Dodgers in June 1971 and was traded to the Bucs in 1979 for Jerry Reuss."

-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1987 Edition

"'He'll help us immensely,' said manager Lou Piniella in welcoming veteran right-hander Rick Rhoden to Pinstripes. To obtain his services, the Yankees traded three young pitchers to Pittsburgh, an inevitable move when you consider pitching proved to be the Yankees' most glaring weakness in each of the past two seasons. 'You hate to give up good, young arms,' says general manager Woody Woodward, 'but we got a proven veteran, one who can stabilize our staff.'
In light of the 33-year-old's 1986 record of 15-12 with the struggling Pirates, there are high hopes for what the righty can accomplish with New York this season. And with his .278 batting average last year- .318 with men in scoring position- don't be surprised to see Rhoden break the A.L.'s DH barrier in 1987.
'I feel very fortunate to be with the Yankees,' Rhoden says. 'I plan to pitch well and work hard.'"

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook

"Rick was acquired by the Yankees along with pitchers Cecilio Guante and Pat Clements from the Pittsburgh Pirates in November 1986 in exchange for pitchers Doug Drabek, Brian Fisher and Logan Easley. He had one of his best seasons in the major leagues in '86 and finished in a tie for fifth place in the National League Cy Young Award balloting. He was voted Pirates MVP in a poll of the Pittsburgh media.
He tied for second in the NL in complete games (12), was fourth in innings pitched (253.2), fourth in ERA (2.84), tied for eighth in wins (15) and 11th in strikeouts (159). He led the Pirates in wins, ERA, complete games, innings pitched and strikeouts and tied for the team lead in starts (34). Rhoden established career highs in complete games, innings pitched and strikeouts, and his 15 victories were the second highest single season total of his career, surpassed only by his 16 wins with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1977. His 12 complete games were the most by a Pirate since Jerry Reuss had 15 in 1975.
Rhoden has struck out 852 batters as a Pirate, 10th on that club's all-time list. He's one of two pitchers to start 30 National League games in each of the last five seasons (Fernando Valenzuela is the other), and in 1986 put together his fifth straight double-figure win season and the eighth of his career. He also surpassed 200 innings pitched for the fifth straight year and sixth time in his career, and went over 2,000 innings pitched for his career on July 17 against San Diego. Rick is one of four NL pitchers to win 10 or more NL games in each of the last five seasons (the others are Valenzuela, Bill Gullickson and Nolan Ryan).
He completed seven of his last 13 starts and won six of his last 12 decisions, but was 0-5 in his last six starts. The Pirates scored a total of 23 runs in his 12 losses. His ERA did not go over 3.00 at any point during the season. Rick had a batting average-against of .228 (211 hits/926 at-bats) while giving up 45 doubles, seven triples and seven home runs. He had six pickoffs, and opposing base stealers were caught 16 times against him in 36 attempts.
Rick fanned 10 in a 3-hitter at Montreal on June 21 and struck out a career high 11 batters on June 27 against Montreal. He was National League Pitcher of the Month in June, going 5-1 with a 1.99 ERA in six starts, and was selected to the All-Star team for the second time, but did not appear in the game. He had a scoreless inning streak of 19.1 innings, the longest by a Pirate in '86, from July 22 through August 6 and recorded his 16th career shutout on August 1 against St. Louis, giving up five hits. Rhoden posted a 5-1 record in August with a 2.73 ERA, completing four of his seven starts.
A good hitter, Rhoden has a lifetime .240 average (175-for-730), third best among pitchers active in 1986 behind Don Robinson (.267) and Dan Schatzeder (.253), with nine home runs and 74 RBIs. He led major league pitchers with a .278 batting average (25-for-90) in '86, based on a minimum of 50 plate appearances, and batted .318 (7-for-22) with runners in scoring position. Rick batted .325 (13-for-40) against left-handers with four doubles and five RBIs, and hit .240 (12-for-50) against right-handers with five doubles, a home run and five RBIs. He has batted over .300 three times (1976, 1980, 1984) and has collected 20 or more hits three times (1976, 1982, 1984).
His one homer in '86 came in his last game as a Pirate, on September 30 at St. Louis, a solo shot off Danny Cox; he also had a double in that game along with two RBIs. Rick was the recipient of the NL Silver Slugger Award for the third straight year, which goes to the top offensive player at each position as voted by managers and coaches. Among active pitchers through 1986, his nine career home runs ranked second in the NL behind Bob Forsch (10) and was fourth in the majors behind Forsch,  Tom Seaver (12) and Steve Carlton (13).
Rick has made just five errors in his career for a lifetime fielding percentage of .989 (136 putouts, 320 assists, five errors). He had 32 putouts and 34 assists in '86 without an error to lead NL pitchers in fielding; his 32 putouts were a career high, surpassing his previous high of 21 in 1982. Rick currently has a 79-game errorless streak and has handled 122 chances since his last error on August 4, 1984 against the Mets. He has not made an error in seven of his 11 full seasons.
Four of his 16 shutouts have come against the Reds, including a 2-hitter and a pair of 3-hitters. He has blanked eight NL teams (all but Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Montreal) and has a lifetime mark of 77-47 in his home park (29-10 at Dodger Stadium, 48-37 at Three Rivers Stadium).
Rhoden was the Dodgers' first round pick in the June 1971 draft (20th player selected overall), and in his first pro game fanned 13 for Daytona Beach (A) in a shutout against Tampa. He began 1972 at El Paso (AA) but was promoted to Albuquerque (AAA) in just his second pro season. Rick went 4-9 at Albuquerque in 1973; he was on the disabled list from July 20-August 15.
In 1974 he was recalled from Albuquerque on July 5 and made his major league debut on the same night, working 0.2 scoreless innings in relief at Montreal. He was optioned back to Albuquerque and was recalled again in September, and worked six innings in relief on September 22 against San Diego to earn his first major league win. Rick made his first major league start in 1975 on April 20 in Los Angeles against San Francisco (no decision, 7.0 IP, 9 hits, 3 runs). In 1976, he won his first nine games, was selected to the NL All-Star team and pitched a scoreless inning in the All-Star Game. Rick finished 11th in the NL in ERA that year and batted .308 (20-for-65).
Rick won his first five decisions of 1977 and 10 of his first 13, and set a personal career high with 16 victories that season. He hit three homers and drove in 12 runs. His double against against the Yankees off Ron Guidry in Los Angeles in Game Four of the '77 World Series is the last extra base hit by a pitcher in World Series play. Rick won his first four games of 1978 (three complete games) but developed arm trouble and was sent to the bullpen in August. He was acquired by the Pirates four days into the 1979 season, but made only one appearance (May 8 at Atlanta) before being placed on the disabled list on May 12. Rick underwent surgery by Dr. Frank Jobe for the removal of bone chips in his right shoulder on June 28.
He rebounded from his 1979 shoulder surgery in 1980. He opened the year at Portland (Pirates' AAA affiliate) and tossed a no-hitter on April 23 to defeat Phoenix 1-0. Rick was recalled by Pittsburgh on June 10. He lost his first three starts with the Bucs, but rebounded to a 7-5 record and batted .375 (15-for-40). Rick went 6-0 in his first 10 starts in 1981 and led the Pirates in wins, starts, complete games, shutouts (10th in the NL), innings pitched and strikeouts. In 1982, he led the Pirate staff in starts, innings pitched and losses, and tied for the team lead in complete games. Rick hit three homers, the most by a Pirate pitcher since Johnny Lindell hit four in 1953, and drove in 12 runs. He came into the '82 season with a 13-0 lifetime April record but lost three April outings. He reached the 1,000 innings pitched mark on May 30 against San Francisco.
Rick recorded his first major league save on April 17, 1983, working three scoreless innings against Chicago. He went to a shorter windup in late August with excellent results. He ranked ninth in the NL in ERA, sixth in innings pitched and eighth in strikeouts. He led the Pirates in ERA and innings pitched and tied for the team lead in starts.
In 1984 Rick went 8-2 with a 2.22 ERA in 15 starts after the All-Star break, dropping his ERA from 3.21 to 2.72 (fourth best in the NL). He was fourth in the league in innings pitched, tied for ninth in wins and tied for fourth in shutouts. Rick walked one or fewer in 15 of his 33 starts and two or fewer in 24; his walks per nine innings pitched ratio of 2.34 was the league's seventh best. He pitched an average of 7.22 innings per start, sixth best in the NL (minimum 10 starts). He led the NL with a 1.88 ERA in home games (and was 8-3 at Three Rivers) and batted .333 (28-for-84) to win his first NL Silver Slugger Award.
Rick tossed his third career 2-hitter on August 9 at New York to blank the Mets while fanning 10 hitters, his career high until '86. He had a stretch of 104 innings pitched without yielding a homer between July 14 and September 22. He had a 10-game hitting streak between July 25 and September 11, hitting .500 (14-for-28) in that span.
He struggled to a 10-15 mark in 1985, only the second time in his career he finished under .500 for a full season. Rick walked two or fewer batters in 24 of his career high 35 starts. He went seven or more innings in 16 of his 35 starts, going 6-4 with a 2.34 ERA in those games. He had five pickoffs, and opposing runners were 19-for-31 in steal attempts.
Career win No. 100 came on May 25 at Atlanta, with Rick pitching a complete game to defeat the Braves 8-2. His other complete game came on August 16 when he beat the Mets 7-1, giving up nine hits and one earned run. Rick fanned a season high nine batters in seven innings at San Francisco on July 25, and the reached 1,000 mark in career strikeouts on September 6 at Houston, striking out Glenn Davis. He posted a 3-1 record in August with a 3.53 ERA in five starts.
He won his second NL Silver Slugger Award in '85, batting .189 (14-for-74) with six RBIs. He struck out just seven times in 78 plate appearances, and three of his six RBIs were game winners.
Rick was a victim of Osteomyeletis as a youngster. At the age of eight, he was hurt while playing on a 40-foot strip of plastic, hosed down with water, upon which youngsters slide for distance. His right knee was severely cut by a pair of rusty scissors wedged in the grass under the water slide. Two months later he was struck with the original fever of Osteomyeletis. Rick underwent surgery to remove part of his left knee so that his left leg would not outgrow his affected right leg. He was forced to wear a brace until he was 12 and later had to walk with the aid of a cane.
Rick graduated from Atlantic High School in Boynton, Florida, where he was an outstanding baseball and basketball player. He was a big Bob Gibson fan as a youngster. He played winter ball in the Dominican Republic early in his career.
Rick is a scratch golfer and enjoys fishing, and is an avid pro wrestling fan- his favorite wrestler is Hulk Hogan. He was the established table tennis champ of Dodgertown and was L.A.'s bubble gum blowing champion. Rick was a member of the major league all-star squad that toured Japan last November, and he won two games in that series (the U.S. won six of the seven games)."

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide

Sunday, March 20, 2016

1987 Profile: Dave Righetti

1987 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR
"He dispelled lingering doubts about his conversion into a reliever by posting a major league record of 46 saves- Dan Quisenberry (1983) and Bruce Sutter (1984) had shared the mark with 45. Righetti reached 46 by preserving wins in both games of a doubleheader against Boston at Fenway Park on the next-to-last day of the season. An extremely confident pitcher who challenges hitters, he was named to the All-Star staff for the first time [in 1986].
Third on the all-time Yankee list with 107 saves, Righetti made the switch to the bullpen in 1984. He was reluctant to do so with the memory of his July 4, 1983 no-hitter against Boston at Yankee Stadium still fresh. Righetti's no-hitter represented the first by a Yankee pitcher since Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series.
Born in San Jose, California, his father, Leo, was a Yankee minor league shortstop. The first time he saw his son pitch was when the Yanks clinched the 1981 American League Championship Series.
Selected by Texas in the first round (ninth pick) of the January 1977 draft, Dave was acquired from Texas in November 1978 as the key man in a 10-player deal. He was named AL Rookie of the Year in 1981."

-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1987 Edition

"Dave 'Rags' Righetti rewrote the record book in 1986. His 46 saves set these single season marks:
-most saves in baseball history, edging the previous high of 45, held jointly by Dan Quisenberry and Bruce Sutter
-most saves by a left-handed pitcher since John Hiller's 38 for Detroit in 1973
-most saves by a Yankee reliever, shattering the club record Sparky Lyle set in 1972 with 35.
Additionally, Righetti, who posted an 8-8 record to go along with his 46 saves, won the American League Rolaids Relief Man Award with 100 points, the highest total ever. (Two points are given for each relief win or save, and one point is subtracted for each relief loss). Dave's nearest challenger, Baltimore's Don Aase, was 27 points behind; it was the largest margin of victory in the award's 11-year history.
The 1986 campaign was a great one for Righetti, and his second half performance was especially grand; Rags converted 29 of his last 30 save opportunities. For the season, he had a hand (either a win or a save) in FIFTY-FOUR PERCENT of the Yankees' victories, and he won or saved 22 of the club's final 28 triumphs. He also tied his own club record for games pitched with 74, a mark he established the previous season when he broke Lyle's club record of 72, set in 1977.
It may seen a little crazy, but one of the loudest and most lingering controversies in New York sports turns on this question: should Dave Righetti be a starting pitcher or a relief specialist? Rags, for one, is tired of hearing about it. He now sees himself as a relief pitcher, and the record shows that he is, absolutely, without doubt, the best reliever in baseball.
Since he went to the bullpen in 1984, Righetti has accumulated 241 points under the Rolaids Relief Man system, by far the most among his peers. Closest to him in the count is Chicago Cubs reliever Lee Smith, who posted 224 points from 1984 through 1986. And it is interesting to note that Goose Gossage, the man Rags replaced as the Yanks' bullpen stopper, ranks seventh with 168 points over the same three-year period.
Gossage, nonetheless, was a tough act for Dave Righetti to follow. In his six Yankee seasons (1978-83), Goose probably did his job as well as any player in the history of the Yankees; few were his slumps and virtually constant was his excellence. Righetti, too, seldom slumps, but when he does it is a slump heard 'around the world' for it triggers sometimes heated charges that Rags ought to moved back into the starting rotation.
An occasional bad game is embedded in the nature of relief pitching. It stands to reason that a pitcher counted on to save so many games a year is going to get rocked once in a while. You can't be perfect 74 times a season, and you might even go a week or so without doing the job. 'As a reliever you have to learn to take more setbacks,' says Righetti. 'I've gotten better, but I'm still a lousy loser.'
Which is one reason why Dave is so suited to relief pitching. His competitive fire and his heart are his greatest assets. He battles. He loves to pitch with the game on the line. Only a special kind of hurler can fill the stopper role out of the bullpen. That pitcher must have a killer instinct, and Rags has it.
The 1984 decision by the Yankees to move Righetti to the bullpen was not hastily made. It was a well-thought-out plan that nobody forced on Righetti. He had the qualities to become a consistent relief pitcher, someone who would blossom with patience. As a starter he was one of the league's better pitchers, but Dave would sometimes push too hard and find himself with a tired arm late in the season. He was not his usual self late in 1982 and 1983 when he was losing more than winning. He wanted to capitalize on his bullpen opportunity.
'Actually, I wanted to do it,' Righetti insists. 'I looked at it as a challenge. It was a big hole, trying to fill Goose's shoes, but I didn't go out there thinking I was filling his shoes. Then it would have been tougher. I went out there with the idea of helping the club, whatever it takes, and responding to the new challenge of relieving. All athletes look for a challenge.'
Righetti, in his relief role, may be the most valuable player on the team. At least many close to the club feel that way.
In terms of relief pitchers, Righetti is unique in that he doesn't rely on a specialty pitch. Gossage throws heat. Quisenberry relies on his submarine delivery, Sutter hurls the split-fingered fastball. But Righetti uses a full assortment of pitches: the fastball- and at 6'3" and 195 pounds, he can throw hard- and several breaking pitches, including a dynamite curve ball.
Righetti in 1986 climbed over Joe 'Fireman' Page and Johnny 'Grandma' Murphy to move into third place on the Yankees' all-time saves list. Page had 76 saves, Murphy 104 and Righetti now stands at 107. (Only Gossage with 150 saves, and Lyle, with 141, are ahead of him.) Ironically, Murphy, Page and Righetti all began their careers as starting pitchers. Switching to the bullpen worked just fine for Murphy and Page; in fact, it saved their careers.
Murphy was unimpressive in the Yankees' farm system until Newark manager Al Mamaux put him in the bullpen in 1933- and Johnny blossomed. Still, after reaching the Yankees in 1934, he started 20 of the 40 games he pitched that season.
When manager Joe McCarthy asked him to be his relief specialist in 1935, Johnny was less than exuberant. In those days the bullpen was a graveyard for over-the-hill starters and kids too green to be trusted with the responsibility of a starting assignment, and the pay reflected both of the above. But McCarthy assured Murphy that he would draw a first-rate salary- a starter's salary- if he did the job asked of him. And Murphy came through. He led the league in relief wins six times and in saves four times.
Murphy possessed only an average fastball. But with his rocking chair motion- that's why they called him 'Grandma'- he threw a honey of a curve ball, which he kept low, and McCarthy liked to bring him into tight situations when he needed a double play grounder.
Years later Murphy said he enjoyed relief pitching, but only because he did it for McCarthy and the Yankees, and man and a club that were ahead of the times in recognizing the value of the bullpen stopper.
Page joined the Yankees in 1944. In his first three seasons he made 42 starts in 70 appearances. The results were mixed and his career seemed to be going nowhere.
The turning point for Page came in a May 26, 1947 game against Boston. With New York down 3-1, Page took over in relief, and- after Ted Williams reached on an error to load the bases- proceeded to fan Rudy York and Bobby Doerr, but only after running the count to 3-and-0 on both batters. Page then got the final out, leaving the field at Yankee Stadium to a great ovation, and the Yankees rallied to win 9-3. Afterwards, Yankee manager Bucky Harris said, 'If Page had walked York, he was through as a Yankee.'
Instead, Page found his niche as the most awesome fireman of his day- a position he held for four splendid seasons until beset by arm troubles. Like Righetti, Page was a southpaw, and he was similarly built, at 6'3" and 200 pounds. Besides being the same kind of tough competitor that Righetti is, Joe threw a blazing, rising fastball, which allowed him the distinction of being he first reliever to use the strikeout as his prime weapon.
If Murphy gave relief pitching respectability, Page gave it status.
The 1950s saw three other starters-turned-relievers on the Yankees- Allie Reynolds, Johnny Sain and Bob Grim. Reynolds, the 'Big Chief' out of Oklahoma, was known as a great 'two-way pitcher,' meaning he was equally effective starting or coming out of the bullpen. But most of the burly fireballer's 86 Yankee relief appearances came late in his fabulous career.
Same thing with Sain, a four-time 20-game winner as a starter with the Boston Braves. In his next-to-last season, with the Yankees in 1954, he was used exclusively in relief and led the league with 22 saves.
Grim won 20 games and Rookie of the Year honors in 1954, with most of his victories recorded in a starting role. Arm troubles later forced him to bullpen duty- he couldn't go the full nine innings any longer- and in 1957 he led the American League in saves (19) and relief wins (12).
But great relief pitching is a Yankees tradition. Remember Luis Arroyo's dream season in 1961?
Arroyo was just a so-so National League pitcher when, in the summer of 1960, the Yankees bought his contract from Cincinnati. Manager Casey Stengel desperately needed a southpaw reliever for the stretch drive, and Arroyo filled the bill. By season's end, the Yankees were pennant winners.
But the next year was Arroyo's sterling masterpiece. The affable, cigar-smoking screwball artist led the American League in relief wins (15), saves (29) and games pitched (65), much to the delight of Whitey Ford who, with Arroyo's late-inning assistance, won a career high 25 games.
The Ford-Arroyo team reminded sage Yankee fans of the Lefty Gomez-Johnny Murphy duo. Gomez, as great a pitcher in his prime as ever there was, began to fade late in his career and would need Murphy to bail him out. After taking a defense job in the war-torn forties, Lefty was asked about his working conditions. 'It's all very strange,' he replied. 'I work eight hours a day- and no Murphy to relieve me.'
Before Arroyo, who was prevented from repeating his 1961 performance by arm troubles, the Yankees had the intimidating Ryne Duren, and in the years that followed, Yankee relief specialists like Steve Hamilton, Pedro Ramos, Lindy McDaniel and Sparky Lyle garnered widespread attention for their ability to put out the fire.
The heart of the 1980-81 Yankees championship clubs was the bullpen combination of Ron Davis and Goose Gossage. Both had stints as starters. Headed nowhere as a starter in the Cubs organization in the seventies, Davis was traded to the Yankees, got switched to relief pitching and enjoyed several productive seasons. Chicago's other team, the White Sox, foolishly took Gossage out of their bullpen and made him a starter in 1976- and Goose went 9-17.
Righetti is different from those that have gone before him. He was reaching his peak as a starter when he was transferred to the bullpen in 1984. This is a guy who in 1981 was the American League's Rookie of the Year, posting a 2.06 earned run average in 105 innings pitched, who that year won the pennant-clinching game of the playoffs against Oakland, and who pitched a no-hitter against Boston on July 4, 1983, the first no-hitter by a Yankee pitcher since Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series.
In other words, Righetti had earned his stripes as a starter. He had all the pitches, he wasn't too old and he wasn't crippled. He was, in fact, one of the game's most talented starting pitchers. Righetti is unique in that he'd be a success whether starting or relieving. Thus, the continuing, maddening debate.
Righetti (whose father, Leo, was a minor league shortstop in the Yankees' farm system) grew up in San Jose, California, where he was All-League in baseball at Pioneer High School. In 1977, at the age of 19, he was drafted by the Texas Rangers, signed, and in 1978 drew attention to himself when he struck out 21 batters in a Texas League game. Righetti became a hot property.
He was certainly the key player, as far as the Yankees were concerned, in a 10-player trade made with Texas in November 1978; ironically, the key to the deal in the eyes of the Rangers was Sparky Lyle, probably the greatest left-handed fireman in Yankees history until the emergence of Righetti as a reliever.
Rags made his major league debut with the Yankees in 1979 and finally stuck with the big club in 1981. He posted a 14-8 record in 1983, then moved to the bullpen the following season.
Relief pitching was so new to Dave that at first he didn't even know how to warm up. He had to learn how to be prepared to throw every day, and adjust to the fact that he might occasionally be called upon to pitch four, maybe even five, days in a row. A far cry from a starter, who pitches every fourth or fifth day.
Things began slowly for Rags in 1984. The Yankees got off to a slow start, playing so badly that Righetti, as the stopper, wasn't needed to protect non-existent Yankee leads. Then he cut his left index finger and was on the disabled list from June 17 to July 2. Yet, when the dust cleared, Righetti finished the season with 31 saves (in 40 save situations). It was an admirable effort for what in effect was his rookie season.
Righetti started out strong in 1985, but a broken toe contributed to a slump running from late May through late June. Then he got into gear, going 8-1 with 18 saves and finishing the campaign with totals of 12 wins and 29 saves. And he was the American League Pitcher of the Month for August.
Next came his unbelievable 1986 season. Things weren't going so well for Dave in June, but he was given a shot of confidence by Yankees manager Lou Piniella, who quickly and steadfastly put to rest any talk of Rags moving out of the bullpen. Dave appreciated Lou's faith; it not only defined his role in no uncertain terms, it also helped clear his head, and Rags went on to the riches of 46 saves.
And so after only three years in the Yankees bullpen, Dave Righetti has set new standards of excellence. Look at it this way: Dave owns the No. 1 season for saves in Yankees history (46 saves), the No. 4 season (31 saves) and the No. 6 season (29 saves).
Relief pitching has revolutionized baseball. Now every club, like the Yankees of McCarthy's day, realizes the importance of having that stopper in the bullpen. A championship can't be won without one.
Hoyt Wilhelm is the only pure relief artist in Baseball's Hall of Fame, but relievers like Rollie Fingers, Goose Gossage, Dan Quisenberry and Bruce Sutter might well join him there. And though he has a long way to go yet, Dave Righetti is already beginning to forge his own path to Coopperstown."

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook

"In 1986, just his third season out of the bullpen, Dave established a new major league single season save record of 46, breaking the record of 45, previously set by Dan Quisenberry in 1983 and later matched by Bruce Sutter in 1984. In addition to Righetti, Quisenberry (who also had 44 in '84) and Sutter, the only other reliever to record 40+ saves is Jeff Reardon (41 in 1985).
His 36th save, notched on September 9 at Toronto, broke the Yankee save record of 35 set in 1972 by Sparky Lyle. His 39th save, recorded on September 14 against Boston, broke John Hiller's major league record of 38 saves by a left-hander, set in 1973. He saved both ends of a doubleheader in Boston on October 4, notching saves 45 & 46 and setting the new all-time mark. Dave matched his own Yankee record for games in a single season, appearing in 74 for the second consecutive year. He failed to finish just six of those 74 appearances.
Dave was successful in 46 of 56 save opportunities. Eight of his 'blown saves' came in his first 32 outings (24 save opportunities), and nine came in his first 36 games (26 save opportunities). He failed in three of five save situations from April 19 through April 27 (five games), then failed in four of six save situations from May 24 through June 9 (seven games). After a June 20 appearances at Toronto (0.2 IP, three hits, four earned runs including a George Bell ninth inning grand slam), he did not allow more than one run in any of his remaining 43 games (67.0 IP, 10 ER, 1.34 ERA with New York 37-6). Beginning on July 3, Dave was successful in 29 of his final 30 save opportunities, spanning his final 38 games.
In nine games from May 2 through May 22 he was 1-0 with five saves, allowing just four hits and no runs in 11.2 innings, with the five saves coming in consecutive outings, May 5-13. He recorded saves in four consecutive appearances, June 10-14, with just two hits and no runs in 4.2 innings pitched. In 15 games from June 21 through August 1, he was 3-0 with eight saves (22.1 IP, 2 ER, 0.81 ERA).
Dave lost back-to-back games (neither a save situation) on August 2 at Cleveland and August 8 against Milwaukee, allowing one run in each contest, then notched saves in six consecutive outings, August 8-22, allowing no runs in 10.2 innings pitched. He was also awarded saves in 10 straight appearances, August 28-September 15, allowing just one earned run in 15.1 innings pitched (0.59 ERA). Dave closed out '86 with saves in his final four games, September 30-October 4, allowing no runs in 4.2 innings pitched.
Between July 1, the date of his ninth blown save, and September 23, the date of his tenth and final blown save, he recorded saves in 24 consecutive save opportunities. He saved 21 and won one of New York's final 28 wins. Rags had a .226 batting average-against in '86.
His 46 saves were a major factor in the Yankees tying the American League record of 58 team saves, first set by the Minnesota Twins in 1970. With 46 saves he secured 51 percent of the Yankees' 90 wins; add to the 46 saves his eight wins and he directly contributed to 54 of those 90 wins, or 60 percent. Overall, the Yankees were 60-14 in games Righetti pitched, an .811 winning percentage.
He has now allowed 90 home runs in his career, but only four in 1986: Rob Deer on April 19 at Milwaukee, Wally Joyner on May 26 against California, George Bell on June 20 at Toronto, and Cal Ripken on September 23 at Baltimore. He has allowed just eight homers to left-handed batters in his career, just one in '86 (Joyner).
Righetti finished fourth in the BBWAA voting for the Cy Young Award, finishing behind Roger Clemens, Ted Higuera and Mike Witt, with Righetti receiving five second place and five third place votes. He finished 10th in the BBWAA voting for AL MVP, tallying 71 votes, and won the AL Rolaids Relief Man Award. Rags was named to the AP All-Star team and selected AL Fireman of the Year by the Sporting News.
He has recorded 107 saves and is currently in third place on the all-time Yankee list, trailing only Rich Gossage (150) and Sparky Lyle (141). His total of 294 games ranks 14th on the all-time Yankee list, while his total of 699 strikeouts ranks 15th.
Righetti struck out 21 batters for Tulsa on July 16, 1978 at Midland, striking out the side four times and having a stretch of seven straight strikeouts. Named to the Topps National Association Class AAA All-Star team in 1979, he made his major league debut on September 16, 1979 against Detroit at Yankee Stadium on Catfish Hunter Day, with no decision.
He had a disappointing season at Columbus in 1980, hampered by control problems, but did strike out 139 in 142 innings pitched. He was 3-0, 1.80 in the instructional league.
Dave was named American League Rookie of the Year in 1981 and narrowly missed winning the AL ERA crown with a 2.06 ERA- he fell just 1.2 innings short [of qualifying]. In the '81 postseason he started and won Game 2 of the Division Series against Milwaukee and relieved in Game 5, earning the deciding win. Rags also won the clinching game 3 of the ALCS at Oakland, but started and and got a no-decision in Game 3 of the World Series.
In 1982 Dave suffered a slight sophomore jinx but still led the Yankee staff with 163 strikeouts, third in the AL. In 1983, he beat Boston at Yankee Stadium, 4-0, on July 4th with a no-hitter (nine innings pitched, no runs, no hits, four walks, nine strikeouts, Righetti throwing 132 pitches). It was sunny and hot, with the temperature in the 90s. Only four Red Sox reached base, all via walks, including one caught stealing off first by Righetti. It was the first no-hitter by a Yankee since Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series, the first regular season no-hitter by a Yankee since Allie Reynolds no-hit Boston in September of 1951 at Yankee Stadium, and the first no-hitter by a Yankee southpaw since George Mogridge no-hit Boston at Fenway Park in April of 1917.
Dave was 10-3 in the first half of the '83 season and ended the year 7-3 against the American League East. He pitched career highs in starts, complete games, innings pitched, wins and strikeouts. He hurled back-to-back shutouts, June 29 against Baltimore (his first major league shutout) followed by the no-hitter. Dave struck out 11 White Sox on August 15, and struck out seven or more on 12 occasions.
 He moved to the bullpen in 1984 and registered saves in 31 of 40 save situations. He got his 500th career strikeout against the Angels' Brian Downing on September 1 at California. His 74 appearances in 1985 set a new Yankee record, breaking Sparky Lyle's mark of 72, set in 1977.
Dave began the '85 season impressively, not allowing any runs in his first seven outings, going 1-0 with four saves in 8.1 innings. He struck out a season high four batters three times: May 30 against California, June 30 against Milwaukee and September 5 against Oakland. Dave had a rough stint from May 25 though June 20, going 1-4 with just two saves (17.1 IP, 14 ER, 7.27 ERA). Beginning with his next appearance, he went 8-1 with 18 saves through the season's end (60.1 IP, 14 ER, 2.09 ERA), lowering his ERA from 3.66 to 2.78. From July 29 through September 29, he went 5-0 with 10 saves. He was named AL Player of the Month in August (4-0 with five saves and a 1.17 ERA, 23 IP, 14 H, 3 ER and 22 K's). He recorded saves in each of his last four games of the season.
He allowed just five home runs in 107 innings pitched in 1985. Dave finished 60 of his 74 appearances (81%) and was 9-1 with a 2.24 ERA at Yankee Stadium. Opposing batters combined for a .231 average against him.
Dave grew up in San Jose where he was All-League in baseball at Pioneer High School, and also played basketball. An A's and Giants fan growing up with Willie McCovey his favorite player, he played against A's third baseman Carney Lansford in American Legion ball. He attended San Jose City College where he was a teammate of Blue Jays pitcher Dave Stieb, and won JC Player of the Year honors in 1977. His brother, Steve, played in the Texas organization from 1977-79. His father, Leo, is a former Yankee minor league shortstop, and first saw Dave pitch professionally in the clinching game of the ALCS at Oakland in 1981.
During the '86-'87 off-season, Dave posed with Magic Johnson for the anti-drug poster 'Anyone can be a pro. It takes a special person to say no.'"

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

1987 Profile: Bobby Meacham

"Perhaps the biggest victim of the Yankees' early season fielding slump last year was Bobby Meacham. Once considered to be the club's shortstop of the future, the youngster started the year with a series of errors, and ended up working in Columbus. 'I felt Bobby could've done the job, but it seemed we couldn't afford to give him the time,' says veteran second baseman Willie Randolph.
In 1985, Meacham seemed to have won the position when he played 155 games at short, the most since Bucky Dent's 157 in 1977. Then came the errors and the eventual demotion. But the story is far from over. The Yankees saw six players try their hand as the team's starting shortstop in 1986. The job was still unsettled going into this season.
Unsettled, that is, for everybody but Meacham. Working dilligently to win back his job, Meacham vowed, 'I'll be back.'"

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook

"1986 was a disappointing year for Meacham. He began the season as the club's starting shortstop and hit .133 (2-for-15) in the season's first six games. He followed that with a five-game hitting streak from April 15-20, his longest of the season, batting .368 (7-for-19) in that span. Meacham had three RBIs (including his only game winning RBI of the season) on April 25 against Cleveland, tying his single game career high in RBIs. He finished April hitting .286 (18-for-63) with just three errors in 20 games.
Bobby went 20 games (from April 20 through May 12) without committing an error and matched his season high with another five-game hitting streak from May 14-18, hitting .412 (7-for-17) in those games. He batted .193 (16-for-83) for the month of May and was 2-for-22 (.091) over 10 games from May 28 through June 11 with five errors.
He was optioned to Columbus on June 14. At the time of his option he was hitting .222 (35-for-158) with 10 RBIs and 12 errors in 53 games. Bobby had started 49 of the team's 60 games before being optioned. He played 46 games at Columbus and hit .140 (21-for-150) with 11 RBIs and 12 errors.
Bobby was recalled by New York on September 1 and made three appearances after that, including a start at shortstop in the season finale on October 5 at Boston. He finished the season hitting .224 (36-for-161) and a .948 fielding percentage (12 errors in 231 total chances).
He had eight multiple hit games, including two three-hit games- April 19 at Milwaukee and May 18 at Seattle- and had a triple on May 25 at home off California's Kirk McCaskill. He batted .160 (8-for-50) with runners in scoring position. He batted .250 (29-for-116) against righties and .156 (7-for-45) against lefties, and batted .247 (21-for-85) with seven RBIs at home and .197 (15-for-76) with three RBIs on the road.
Bobby played 155 games at shortstop in 1985, most by a Yankee since Bucky Dent played 157 in 1977. His .963 fielding percentage was seventh best among AL shortstops with at least 100 games, and he was fourth among shortstops in games and double plays (103). Bobby set new career highs for hits (105) and RBIs (47) and stolen bases (25).
He had two career high three-RBI games, May 26 at Oakland and August 21 at California, and went 4-for-4 on April 13 at Cleveland and on May 26 at Oakland, also matching his career high. He was hitting .273 through May 29 when he suffered a slight hamstring pull, missed the next three games and went 2-for-44 from June 2-16, dropping his average to .222. He suffered a dislocated tendon in his left hand on July 28 at Texas, a condition corrected with postseason surgery. The injury hampered his left-handed swing, forcing him to bat right-handed against righty pitchers on occasion.
Meacham's only home run came on August 23- a solo shot off California's Ron Romanick. He hit a would-be homer on April 29 at Texas off Frank Tanana, but passed Willie Randolph near first base and was called out, yet both Randolph and Butch Wynegar scored.
In 1984 he appeared in 96 games at shortstop after being called up from Columbus on June 15 and hit .253 with two home runs and 25 RBIs. Bobby began the season with the Yankees but was optioned to Nashville on April 7, and on April 17 was moved up to Columbus before his subsequent promotion to the Yankees. He began playing shortstop regularly on June 16 and had a four-hit game on July 7 at Minnesota. His batting average peaked at .288 on August 4, coinciding with the completion of a seven-game hitting streak, his career high.
Bobby began the 1983 season at Columbus and was brought up to the Yankees on June 29 when Willie Randolph was disabled. He played shortstop as a defensive replacement on June 30 at Yankee Stadium against Baltimore in his major league debut. He was sent back to Columbus on July 12 and recalled to the Yankees on July 16, but returned to Columbus later the same day when the Yankees purchased Larry Milbourne from Philadelphia. Bobby was recalled from Columbus on August 19 when Andre Robertson was disabled and returned to Columbus on August 20 when Bert Campaneris was activated off the disabled list. He was recalled to the Yankees on September 2, had his first major league at-bat on September 3 at Seattle and had his first major league hit and RBI at Cleveland on September 18.
He was the top draft pick of St. Louis in 1981, playing two seasons at Class A before his trade to the Yankees. Meacham was named South Atlantic League All-Star shortstop in 1981 and Florida State League All-Star shortstop in 1982.
Meacham graduated from Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, CA in 1978. He was All-Orange County and All-State in baseball and All-League in basketball and football. Bobby attended San Diego State for three years, majoring in business finance, and was named an All-American in baseball. He was signed to his first pro contract by Marty Keough (Cardinals).
His hobbies include reading the Bible, music, golf and his family, and his favorite spectator sport is basketball. His favorite team growing up was the Los Angeles Dodgers, his player was Maury Wills and his favorite ballpark is Comiskey Park. His favorite entertainer is Stevie Wonder."

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide

Sunday, March 13, 2016

1987 Profile: Ron Kittle

"Power hitters live by the long ball, while they die by the strikeout. Ron Kittle is living proof.
A series of strikeouts put a downer on the six-player trade with the ChiSox which brought the slugger to the Yankees in July of 1986. Instead of helping to boost the team's threat against lefty pitching, the 6'4" 220-pound Kittle found himself sitting on the bench. Then, as is usually the case with big swingers, the homers started to come. After adjusting to his new team and new role as a platoon player, Ron clouted a homer in each game of a September doubleheader.
While it was too late for 1986, Kittle showed he can be the right-handed power hitter the team needs to win in 1987."

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook

"Kittle began 1986 with the Chicago White Sox, but was acquired by the Yankees along with Wayne Tolleson and Joel Skinner on July 29 in exchange for Ron Hassey, Carlos Martinez and a player to be named later. At the time of the trade he was hitting .213 (63-for-296) with 17 home runs, 48 RBIs and 87 strikeouts in 86 games for Chicago. In 30 games for the Yankees he hit .238 (19-for-80) with four homers, 12 RBIs and 23 strikeouts. His 1986 totals with both teams in 116 games was an average of .218 (82-for-376) with 21 home runs and 60 RBIs along with 110 strikeouts. With Chicago Kittle made 81 starts, 61 as a designated hitter and 20 in left field, and after joining the Yankees made 20 starts as a DH and one start (September 7 at California) in left field.
He had four two-home run games with the White Sox, including July 20 against New York at Yankee Stadium, hitting solo homers off Bob Shirley and Tim Stoddard. His other two-home run games came on April 26 at Detroit (off Terrell and Hernandez), June 18 at Minnesota (both off Bert Blyleven) and June 23 against Minnesota (both again off Blyleven). Ron has 12 career two-home run games.
In four games from April 26-30, all four of his hits were home runs, including his 100th career home run on April 30. Following that he went 33 games without hitting a homer before his next one on June 13. Ron had 15 multiple-hit games with the White Sox, including four three-hit games, and had four RBIs on April 16 against Detroit. He stole home on a double steal on June 18 at Minnesota. He was 1-for-4 with two RBIs as a pinch hitter for Chicago.
Ron struck out 12 times in his first 22 at-bats as a Yankee, but had only 11 strikeouts in his last 58 at-bats. He started out slowly, hitting .067 (1-for-15) with no homers and one RBI in his first eight games with the club, but hit .277 (18-for-65) with four homers and 10 RBIs over his next 22 games.
He hit his first homer as a Yankee on September 11 in the first game of a doubleheader at Toronto, a two-run shot off Jimmy Key which also gave him his first game winning RBI since joining the club. He then hit a solo homer off John Cerutti in the second game of that twin bill. His other two homers with the Yankees came on September 20 at Detroit (a three-run blast off Frank Tanana) and on September 29, a solo homer off Cerutti in New York, his only circuit clout as a Yankee in Yankee Stadium.
He had a five-game hitting streak, his longest of the season, from September 7 through September 16. In 24 games as a Yankee designated hitter, he hit .222 (16-for-72) with four homers, 12 RBI and 24 strikeouts, and hit .125 (1-for-8) with four strikeouts as a Yankee pinch hitter.
Kittle's professional baseball history is a rags-to-riches story. He signed his first professional contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers organization in 1977. He hit poorly and complained of numbness in his right arm. The problem was diagnosed as a pinched nerve in his neck stemming from a pair of crushed vertebrae. The unknown injury prompted spinal fusion surgery in 1978 and Kittle wore a neck brace for four months. The Dodgers, feeling his baseball career was over, released him. In September of 1978, while working as an iron construction worker, he was offered a special tryout with the White Sox at Comiskey Park through former Sox pitcher Billy Pierce.
In 1980 at Appleton (A), he hit .316 in 61 games and was named to the Midwest League All-Star team before being promoted to Glens Falls (AA) where he hit .308 in 17 games. Ron was named the Eastern League Most Valuable Player in 1981 at Glens Falls, with 40 home runs and 102 RBIs, which led the league, but missed the Triple Crown with a .324 batting average.
Ron was named 1982 Minor League Player of the Year at AAA Edmonton in the Pacific Coast League with league leading totals of 50 home runs and 144 RBIs, but didn't win the Triple Crown despite a .345 batting average. The PCL Most Valuable Player that year, he became one of only five professional players to hit 50 or more home runs in one season over the past 23 years.
His 35 home runs and 100 RBIs led the American League West Division title-bound White Sox and earned him the AL Rookie of the Year award. He was the only White Sox named to the AL All-Star team, going 1-for-2 in the All-Star Game. He also led the AL with 150 strikeouts.
Ron's home run total wiped out the Sox rookie record of 27, set by Zeke Bonura in 1934, and he finished just two homers short of Al Rosen's AL rookie record. He joined Greg Luzinski (32 homers) as the most productive home run tandem in White Sox history, and along with Carlton Fisk (26 homers) was part of the most prolific home run trio in the club's history.
His 100 RBIs were the second best rookie total in Sox history, behind Bonura's 110 in '34. It was the most RBIs by an American League rookie since Fred Lynn (105) and Jim Rice (102) in 1975.
His ALCS action ended in Game Three against Baltimore when Oriole pitcher Mike Flanagan hit him in the left knee. He had to leave the game and was unable to play in the decisive fourth game. Ron did hit .286 in the three ALCS games he played in.
With 32 home runs in 1984, he led the Sox in that category for the second straight season and finished third on the club in runs (67), RBIs (74) and walks (49). He also led the team in strikeouts (136) for the second year in a row.
Ron became the first player in history to hit three home runs onto the Comiskey Park roof in one season. He was AL Player of the Week for April 23-29 for a .435 (10-for-23) average with four home runs and nine RBIs. Ron had two pinch-hit homers and three two-home run games.
He was hampered most of the 1985 season by a shoulder injury suffered in a collision with the Comiskey Park left field wall on April 20, and hit just .191 with eight homers and 17 RBIs through August 5. He was placed on the disabled list on July 4th when the shoulder injury would not respond to rest. Ron spent one week at AAA Buffalo on rehabilitative assignment in mid-July and returned to the Sox on July 25.
After his return he had four two-home run games to go with a two-homer game earlier in the year. He batted .265 (52-for-196) with 18 homers and 41 RBIs after August 5 to raise his final average from .191 to .230. Ron equalled his career high with an 11-game hitting streak September 1-17, batting .366 (15-for-41), and was named AL Player of the Week September 9-15 with three homers and a .429 average (9-for-21) in six games.
He appeared in 58 games as a designated hitter in '85 and hit .251 with 16 home runs and 35 RBIs. He was hitless in nine pinch-hitting appearances with seven strikeouts.
Ron graduated from Wirt High School in Gary Indiana, where he was a three-sport letterman. He was an all-Indiana selection in basketball. He married his high school acquaintance Laura Cooke during the 1984 off-season and makes his permanent home in Crown Point, Indiana, near his native Gary.
His hobbies are hunting and fishing, and his favorite spectator sport is pie-eating contests. His favorite team growing up was the Chicago Cubs, his favorite player was Brooks Robinson and his favorite ballpark is Fenway Park."

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide

Thursday, March 10, 2016

1987 Profile: Dan Pasqua

"Continued to progress as he seeks to establish himself as an every day player. Pasqua lost his spot on the club with a .104 average in spring training. He was recalled from Columbus on May 18 after batting .291 with six homers and 20 RBI. He showed more patience at the plate, leading to a jump in his average.
An above average outfielder with a powerful arm, Pasqua must improve his concentration, especially on the basepaths. The Yanks are concerned about his tendency to gain weight quickly.
Pasqua was born in Yonkers, New York and was the Yankees' third round pick in the June 1982 draft. His outstanding minor league career was highlighted by his 1985 campaign, when he was named International League Rookie of the Year and MVP. He batted .321 with 18 homers and 69 RBI with Columbus. Pasqua was also the Appalachian League Player of the Year in 1982."

-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1987 Edition

"It seems hard to believe. Dan Pasqua came into last season fully expecting to be the Yankees' regular left fielder, a position he earned with a strong finish in 1985. But a poor spring found the lefty slugger in Columbus, while his teammates headed to New York. So after biding his time on the farm he returned in fine fashion, blasting a homer and a double and collecting four RBI as the cleanup hitter in his first start after his May 18 recall.
'He's a pull hitter who can hit the ball out of this park,' says manager Lou Piniella. 'His swing is ideal for Yankee Stadium, he belongs in the heart of our lineup.'
And how! After his very successful return to the big leagues, Pasqua proved he's here to stay by hitting .293 with 16 homers and 45 RBI, and he's still getting better.
'I learned a lot about myself last year,' Pasqua says, 'and now I'm confident every time I get up to the plate.'"

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook

"Dan showed great improvement last year after a disappointing start. After hitting .102 in spring training, he was optioned to Columbus on April 2 and began the season there. He played in 32 games with the Clippers and hit .291 (32-for-110) with 25 runs, three doubles, three triples, six home runs and 20 RBIs. Dan was recalled by the Yankees on May 18.
In his first at-bat with the Yankees on May 20 against Oakland at Yankee Stadium, he grounded out to end the game as a pinch hitter in New York's 2-1 loss. Dan made his first start the following night, May 21 against Oakland, and hit a two-run homer off Eric Plunk. He also had a two-run double in that game, and his four RBIs in that contest matched his single game career high. The following night, May 22 against Oakland, he hit two home runs in the same game for the second time in his career, connecting on solo shots off Joaquin Andjuar and Steve Ontiveros; his homer off Onviteros came while leading off the bottom of the ninth inning and tied the score at 3-3 in a game the Yankees eventually won 4-3 in 11 innings. Dan matched his career high with three hits on May 28 at Seattle, and finished May hitting .300 (9-for-30).
Dan had a three-hit game on June 4 at California and recorded his first stolen base on June 15 at Baltimore. He hit home runs in back-to-back games on July 11 and 12 at Minnesota. His homer on July 11 was a pinch-hit, two-run blast off Keith Atherton in the ninth inning of the Yankees' 9-3 win, his first ever pinch-hit homer; on July 12 he collected three hits, including his first career inside-the-park home run, a solo shot to left field off the Twins' Allan Anderson in the seventh inning of the Yanks' 8-0 win.
He hit a leadoff home run in the bottom of the ninth inning on August 9 at Yankee Stadium off Kansas City's Bud Black, breaking a 2-2 tie and giving the Yankees a 3-2 win. That contest began a 12-game hitting streak, the longest of his career, that extended through August 23. He batted .364 (16-for-44) with four doubles, two home runs and six RBIs, including two game-winners, during that streak.
Dan hit home runs in consecutive games at Seattle on August 28 and August 29. He also homered in consecutive games against Boston on September 13 (off Tom Seaver) and September 14 (off Sammy Stewart). He scored three times in each of those two games as well, his single game high last year. His homer off Seaver was one of three hits he had in that contest.
His average hovered around .300 for most of the season and he finished with a career high .293 mark. He also set career bests in almost every major offensive category, including runs (45), hits (82), home runs (16) and RBIs (45). Dan averaged one homer for every 17.5 at-bats, the best ratio on the Yankees, and had 19 multiple hit games, including five games of three hits. His slugging average of .525 was second best among Yankee regulars, behind only Don Mattingly's .573.
Dan batted .333 (3-for-9) as a designated hitter with a homer and two RBIs, and .318 as a pinch hitter (7-for-22) with a homer and nine RBIs. Against righties he hit .310 (71-for-229) with 13 homers and 35 RBIs; against lefties he hit .216 (11-for-51) with three homers and 10 RBIs. Dan made 56 starts in left field, 10 in right field, two at first base and two as the designated hitter.
Playing only 78 games at Columbus in 1985, he was named International League Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player, hitting .321 with 18 home runs and 69 RBIs. After starting the season with the Clippers, he was recalled to the Yankees on May 30 when Henry Cotto was placed on the 21-day DL. His first major league hit was a home run in his second at-bat of his first major league game, May 30 at California, off Ron Romanick. Dan remained with New York until optioned to Columbus on June 17. He was again recalled on July 11 and hit two homers in his second game after his recall, July 12 against Texas, both upper deck blasts to right field at Yankee Stadium off Dave Stewart and Dave Rozema.
Demoted to Columbus for the final time on August 5, only to be recalled after the minimum 10 days on August 16, Dan went 3-for-4 with a double and a three-run homer for four RBIs on August 25 at Seattle. He hit four home runs in six games, September 3-10, with 10 RBIs. Dan averaged one home run every 16.4 at-bats in 1985.
He played the entire 1984 season at Nashville, performing at the AA level for the first time. He led the Sounds in home runs (33), total bases (231), RBIs (91) and slugging percentage (.502). In 1983 Dan led the Ft. Lauderdale Yankees in games, at-bats, runs, doubles, triples, home runs and RBIs, was second in walks and third in batting (among players with 100 or more games) and hits. In 1982, Dan was named to the Appalachian League All-Star team, was winner of the league MVP award and led the league in home runs with 16.
Dan attended Old Tappan (NJ) High School where he played football and baseball and was All-County in baseball in 1979. He was an All-American in baseball at William Patterson College (NJ) in 1981 and 1982. He played Little League in Congers, New York and in Harrington Park, New Jersey. Originally a center fielder, he was changed to right field at Ft. Lauderdale in 1983.
Dan enjoys playing racquetball and his favorite spectator sport is football. His favorite team growing up was the Yankees, his favorite player was Reggie Jackson and his favorite ballpark is Yankee Stadium. Dan's most memorable moment was his August 9 two-run ninth inning homer last year at Yankee Stadium against Kansas City to give the Yankees a 3-2 win."

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

1987 Profile: Willie Randolph

1987 AMERICAN LEAGUE ALL-STAR
"Co-captain with Ron Guidry. Randolph became the club's all-time leader at games played at second base with 1,447. With 232 stolen bases, he needs one to tie Roy White for second on the all-time Yankee list.
He finished strong after an unusually shaky first half. Guilty of a team high 15 errors in the first 81 games, the four-time All-Star still turns the double play better than anyone.
Willie netted nine game-winning RBI, including one in each of his last two starts, and his 50 RBI represented his best total since he had 61 in 1979. He enjoyed 33 multiple-hit games.
Born in Holly Hill, South Carolina, Randolph grew up in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, New York. A seventh round draft choice of Pittsburgh in 1972, the Yankees acquired him from Pittsburgh with pitchers Ken Brett and Dock Ellis for pitcher Doc Medich in December 1975.
Willie received the James P. Dawson Award as the top rookie in Yankee camp in 1976."

-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1987 Edition

"In their long, rich history, the Yankees have had their share of outstanding second basemen: Tony Lazzeri, Joe Gordon, Snuffy Stirnweiss, Billy Martin, Bobby Richardson- and currently, eleven-year veteran Willie Randolph.
In 1986, Randolph became the Yankees' all-time leader in games played at second base, surpassing former leader Tony Lazzeri. On his way to surpassing that record, however, Randolph has battled nagging injuries. Since joining the Yankees in 1976, Willie has sustained speed-sapping injuries to both knees, several pulled muscles in his legs, and injuries to his right shoulder and left hip. Nevertheless, he has carried on courageously, attending to the keystone in spite of physical adversity. Now Randolph not only ranks first in games played among Bomber second sackers, but 14th on the Yankees' all-time list in games played with 1,464.
Actually, Randolph is steadily moving higher on several all-time Yankee lists. He has 232 stolen bases, owing largely to four 30-plus seasons, putting him just behind Hal Chase (248) and Roy White (233). And while teammate Rickey Henderson is also closing in quickly on Chase's mark, Randolph might, at least for a time, become the club record holder during the 1987 campaign.
Randolph in 1986 passed Wally Pipp- the guy who got beaned and took the aspirin, thus losing his job to Lou Gehrig- and Phil Rizzuto, the inimitable Scooter, in runs scored with 888, moving into 13th place on the all-time club list. Willie also moved into 14th place in at-bats (5,450), 15th in hits (1,501) and 17th in doubles (215). His triples (55) broke a 20th place tie with Roger Peckinpaugh. Along the way, Randolph also passed such former Yankee greats as Gil McDougald, Hank Bauer, Bobby Richardson, Thurman Munson, Earle Combs, Red Rolfe, Graig Nettles and Elston Howard.
Longevity has helped, but it has been consistency, primarily, that has allowed Randolph to climb over these stars. So consistent he has been that his contributions have gone virtually unnoticed, taken for granted. While the Yankees have undergone wholesale changes over the past decade, Willie Randolph, who avoids controversy like the plague, has been the one constant among Pinstriped variables.
Randolph, born in the sleepy town of Holly Hill, South Carolina and reared in the rough-and-tumble Brownsville section of Brooklyn, where he played ball at Tilden High School, broke into professional baseball in the Pittsburgh organization in 1972. In 1975, after hitting .339 for Charleston to lead the International League, he was called up to the Pirates for the final weeks of the season.
Then on December 11, 1975, a glorious day in Yankees history, Randolph and pitchers Dock Ellis and Ken Brett were traded to New York for pitcher Doc Medich. Deal of deals! Ellis won 17 games in 1976 and Randolph filled a hole on the right side of the Yankee infield that had been unpatched since the heyday of Bobby Richardson.
The Yankees who gathered for spring training in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 1976 were under pressure. Things had finally brightened for the club that hadn't won an American League championship since 1964 and the appetite for top dog status had been whetted. The pressure was perhaps hottest for twenty-one-year-old Willie Randolph. Sure the scouts had raved about his superior speed and slick fielding, but could he cut the mustard on the most scrutinized team in America?
Randolph won the James P. Dawson Award as the most promising rookie in camp and beat out veteran Sandy Alomar to earn the starting job at second base. He won the job; it wasn't given to him.
'I've always had a strong mental capacity,' Willie says, 'so I just learned to deal with the pressure of being the promising newcomer. I didn't feel like I had to produce, but I worked hard. Right from spring training I had to work to win the position from Alomar. The Yankees gave me confidence when they traded for me. I figured they traded for me because they wanted me to be their second baseman, but I never took anything for granted.'
The 1976 Yankees DID win the pennant, and largely because Willie Randolph was stationed at second base. Over the next decade- and though several more Yankees championships- Randolph remained the glue of the Yankees infield. Willie is linked with Kansas City's Frank White and Detroit's Lou Whitaker as the cream of all-around second basemen in the American League.
He has great range. He has quick hands and feet. He makes all the smart plays. And he turns the double play beautifully, although the since the departure of shortstop Bucky Dent- and shortstop has been a Yankees problem position ever since Dent was traded- Willie has had to work with a number of shortstops, most of them mediocre.
But Randolph still makes the pivot at second with the best of them. 'He played like his usual self at second base,' Yankees manager Lou Piniella said of Willie's 1986 performance. 'He turned the double play better than anyone in baseball as far as I'm concerned.'
Offensively, Randolph is a versatile threat who can ably fit into several slots of the batting order. In fact, prior to the acquisition of Rickey Henderson- who is now considered the ultimate leadoff man in baseball- Randolph proved to be an excellent leadoff hitter. Willie, who has good power to right-center, has always been consistent at the plate; just twice in his eleven Yankee seasons has he failed to bat at least .270, and his only real off year was the strike-curtailed 1981 season when he slumped to .232.
And while Randolph's batting average has never been superb- he has never hit better than .294- he always ends up among the league leaders in on-base average. His strike zone judgement is unparalleled in the game. Randolph consistently walks far more than he strikes out, and he is usually among the league leaders in drawing bases on balls. In 1980 he walked 119 times to lead the American League, and though he is not the Mickey Mantle-type power hitter that pitchers fear, he has drawn the most Yankee walks in a season since Mantle's 122 in 1962.
In the Yankees' 1977 World Championship season, Mickey Rivers was the leadoff man, and a fine one, hitting .326. But Rivers, who had 184 hits in 585 at-bats, drew only 18 walks. Randolph hit .274 (151-for-551), yet he drew 64 free passes. In essence, Willie was just as valuable a table setter as Marvelous Mickey. Randolph got on base, by hit or by walk, more often than Mick the Quick, 215 times to 202.
Every true Yankees fan knows that it was Willie's sacrifice fly that drove in the winning run in the Yanks' dramatic ninth inning rally against Kansas City in the finale of the American League Championship Series of 1977. And every true Yankees fan remembers Randolph's game-winning home run against Oakland in the finale of the 1981 playoffs. Randolph gets the big hit when it really counts.
Snuffy Stirnweiss and Billy Martin were great Yankee second basemen, but the best three Yankee second sackers prior to Randolph were Tony Lazzeri, Joe Gordon and Bobby Richardson. The Yankees were badly in need of a second baseman in 1926 when Lazzeri hooked up with them. Just the previous year Lazzeri had made 222 RBI in a 200-game Pacific Coast League season.
Tough-as-nails Tony played between two less confident men (at the time at least), first baseman Lou Gehrig and shortstop Mark Koenig, and commanded the infield. No one in baseball ever had better instincts for the game than Tony Lazzeri.
Lazzeri was a leader, a solid fielder and the best right-handed hitter in the famed Murderers Row. He hit .292 lifetime, with a high of .354 in 1929. He produced seven seasons of 100-plus RBI, and in a 1936 game he drove in 11 runs! Lazzeri was undoubtedly one of the greatest second basemen, if not the greatest, next to Rogers Hornsby, of all time- and why he isn't in the Hall of Fame is one of baseball's intriguing mysteries.
Joe Gordon succeeded Lazzeri at the position in 1938. Gordon was acrobatic and a wizard at turning the double play. He had lightning-quick hands, and he put a blanket over the whole right side of the Yankees infield.
Gordon, who came to the Yankees out of the University of Oregon, left after the 1946 season when the Yankees traded him to Cleveland for pitcher Allie Reynolds. It was a trade that helped both teams. Gordon continued as the premier second baseman in the league for some time, finishing his career with 253 home runs (153 with the Yankees, 100 with Cleveland), the most ever for an American League second baseman. He hit 30 homers for the Yankees in 1940, and two years later, when he batted .322, was the league's Most Valuable Player.
Bobby Richardson, 5'9", boyish-looking and exceedingly religious, had the heart of a lion when the chips were down. Brooks Robinson once said that Richardson was the best clutch hitter he ever saw. Take, for example, Richardson's performance in the 1960 World Series when he set a record with 12 RBI, or his exploits in the 1964 World Series when he made 13 hits.
Richardson, a Yankee from 1955 through 1966, was a solid hitter who twice batted over .300 and who in 1962 gathered 209 hits. But his career average of .266 isn't in Randolph's league, and he never drew the walks that Willie draws.
Where Richardson really helped the Yankees was in the field. He won five consecutive Gold Gloves from 1961 though 1965. One of the most beautiful things to witness in sports was to watch Richardson turning a double play with Tony Kubek. Bobby would field a grounder, his feet planted, then shift to his right, his right knee grazing the ground as he'd fire a perfect throw to Kubek, who would cross the bag, accepting the throw, and snap it to first to complete the twin killing.
Ten years after South Carolinian Richardson left the Yankee scene, another South Carolina native, Willie Randolph, took over at second. Like Lazzeri, Gordon and Richardson before him, Randolph became a leader. Not in words, but in actions. He has great concentration. He leads in a quiet, businesslike way. He has always handled himself- and his fame- well.
In 1986 Willie Randolph and Ron Guidry became co-captains of the Yankees, only the seventh and eighth captains in Yankees history. Randolph, who has worn the Pinstripes through almost his entire big league career, is now the sole survivor of that inspirational collection of 1976 Yankees, the team that put the franchise back on the map. The key to that pennant was Randolph; the Yankees were waiting for a top-flight second baseman- for a top-flight professional. Willie filled the bill.
Randolph was a quiet kid back in 1976. He was almost invisible among the big guys- Munson, Nettles, Chambliss, Lyle, Hunter, White and Rivers. 'I've become a little more vocal over the years,' said Randolph in 1986. 'But,' he added characteristically, 'I try to do most of my talking on the field.'
On the field, Randolph has proven that he is in the same league as all the great Yankee second basemen before him. Randolph will be thirty-three this season; let's hope that he will get the chance to savor yet another Yankees World Championship."

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook

"1986 was a typical Randolph season in some regards, atypical in others. Typical in that he was third in the American League with 94 walks and 313 putouts (among second basemen) and sixth with a .393 on-base percentage; atypical in that he had a career high 20 errors.
On the all-time Yankee lists, Randolph moved from 19th to 14th with 1,464 games played; 18th to 14th with 5,450 at-bats; 15th to 13th with 888 runs; 19th to 15th with 1,501 hits; and is now 17th on the doubles list with 215 and 20th on the triples list with 55. 15 stolen bases in '86 runs his career total to 232, needing one to tie Roy White for second on that Yankee list.
Willie was named co-captain with Ron Guidry on March 4. He opened the season by hitting safely in his first 15 games (20-for-61, .328 batting average) and reached base safely in his first 28 games, a string broken on May 11 at Texas. He recorded his 5,000th at-bat as a Yankee on April 20 at Milwaukee and ended April hitting .319. Willie had an eight-game hitting streak May 18-26 (13-for-29, .448 BA), raising his overall batting average from .296 to .325, and ended May hitting .310.
He hit his first home run on June 22 at Toronto off Jimmy Key. He slumped at the plate in June, going 21-for-99 (.212 BA), lowering his overall average to .273 by month's end. He went 20 games, June 29-July 21, without an extra-base hit, yet had his third career four-walk game on July 3 against Detroit.
Willie's mid-season slide continued into July (19-for-87, .218 BA), with his overall average at .260 on July 31. His season average bottomed out on July 20, having dropped to .256.
From July 21 through the end of the season, Willie hit .317 (52-for-164), raising his overall average to .276. He hit one home run in his first 108 games, then hit four in his last 33. On September 13 Willie played in his 1,447th game at second base for the Yankees, breaking Tony Lazzeri's record of 1,446. He recorded his 1,500th career hit on September 22 at Baltimore, homering off Scott McGregor.
Willie had one at-bat as a designated hitter in '86 and was 1-for-2 with a triple as a pinch hitter. He led all Yankee infielders with 381 assists. He hit .259 with runners in scoring position, his nine game winning RBI were a career high, and his 50 RBI were the most since his career high of 61 in 1979.
One of the most sought after infield prospects of the mid-70s, Willie is able to swing a good bat, draw walks and steal bases. He impressed the Yankees during spring training of 1975 when the Yankees and Pirates played six games. He was leading the International league in hitting that year when he was recalled by the Pirates in July. Willie saw little action with Pittsburgh as Rennie Stennett was having a fine year, but played winter ball in Venezuela.
In 1976 Willie was named the James P. Dawson Award winner as the outstanding Yankee rookie in the spring training. The first rookie ever listed on an All-Star ballot, he was named to the AL All-Star team (although replaced due to injury) and to the Topps Rookie All-Star team. His 37 stolen bases were just four shy of the Yankee record for a rookie set by Bert Daniels in 1910. Willie had minor surgery during the off-season due to an injury to his right knee, first suffered on July 6, and was also bothered by a sore right shoulder.
Willie was voted to the American League All-Star team in 1977, playing all nine innings, and set the record for most assists by a second baseman with six. He had two nine-game hitting streaks. Willie's best effort came on May 19 against Baltimore, going 4-for-4 and scoring four runs. He missed a few games with a bruised right thumb and a sore right knee.
He was second in the league in putouts, chances and double plays and third in assists for a second baseman. He tied for sixth in the AL with 11 triples and hit .305 with runners on base. Willie was voted to the 1977 AP, UPI and Sporting News postseason All-Star teams.
Bothered by injuries in 1978, mainly a bruised right knee and a pulled left hamstring, Willie finished fifth in the AL with a .385 on-base percentage and led the Yankees with 82 walks. He went 8-for-16 with six runs scored during New York's four-game sweep of Boston in September, including a five-RBI game on September 7. He went 4-for-4 at Cleveland on September 23. He pulled his left hamstring beating out an infield single on September 29 against the Indians, ending his '78 season and keeping him out of the playoffs and World Series. He hit .320 with runners on base that year and made both the AP and UPI postseason all-star teams.
1979 was an injury-free year for Willie. He led the club in games, at-bats, runs, triples, walks and stolen bases while tying for the club lead in hits, and had three four-hit games. He tied for third in the AL with 13 triples, the most by a Yankee since Tommy Henrich hit 14 in 1948, was fourth in the AL with 95 walks, 10th with 32 stolen bases, 13th with 98 runs and 15th with a .376 on-base percentage. Willie led AL second basemen with 355 putouts, 478 assists, 846 total chances and 128 double plays.
Willie led the American League with 119 walks in 1980, the most by a Yankee since Mickey Mantle's 122 in 1962, and his .429 on-base percentage was second in the AL. He led the Yankees, and was eighth in the league, with 30 stolen bases.
He started slowly that year, hitting .128 on April 19, but hit .300 the rest of the way. Willie had a 13-game hitting streak, May 14-28, matching Reggie Jackson for the longest by a Yankee, and had two four-hit games. He stole three bases on June 11 at California, and finished the season by walking in his last 15 games. He hit .385 in the ALCS, second to Bob Watson, and was named to the UPI and Sporting News All-Star teams and won the Sporting News Silver Bat award for AL second basemen.
Willie's 59 runs in 1981 were eighth in the AL, his 57 walks were ninth and his 14 stolen bases were 15th. He was voted to his fourth AL All-Star team. He missed eight games in late August and additional games in September with a groin pull. His solo home run in the third game of the ALCS was the game winner, clinching the American League pennant.
He had a good start in 1982, hitting in his first nine games and ending April with a .348 batting average. He kept his average over .300 through June 9 and ended the season strongly, hitting .398 in his last 23 games. Willie led the Yankees in games, at-bats, runs, hits and walks.
Hampered by injuries in 1983, Willie played in his lowest number of games since joining the Yankees (excluding the strike season). He was on the disabled list from June 27 to July 12 with a pulled hamstring and reinjured himself, going back on the DL from July 13 to August 5. Willie had his 1,000th hit as a Yankee on August 5 against Detroit and had a 16-game hitting streak from September 6 to September 23, the longest of the year by a Yankee.
Willie hit a two-run homer in the 1984 Yankee Stadium opener. He had a pair of nine-game hitting streaks, May 9-19 and June 13-21, and flirted with a .300 batting average all season. Consistent, he kept his average between .290 and .310 from June 11 to September 25. Willie stole the 200th base of his Yankee career on July 16 at Texas. He tied for sixth with Rickey Henderson in the AL with 86 walks and had an impressive .377 on-base percentage.
Among AL second basemen in 1985, Willie was second with 739 total chances and 104 double plays and third with 425 assists. He had a 10-game hitting streak, June 30-July 11. He scored four runs on July 27 at Texas, had three doubles on July 30 at Cleveland and had first career two-home run game on September 5 at Oakland, going 4-for-4. He had his 5,000th career at-bat on September 29 against Baltimore and hit his 200th career double on October 3 off Milwaukee's Tim Leary. His .382 on-base percentage was sixth in the AL, 14th in the majors, and his 85 walks tied for seventh in the AL, 13th in the majors. Willie received the Good Guy Award from the New York Press Photographers Association.
Although born in South Carolina, Willie's family moved to the Brownsville section of Brooklyn when he was an infant. He played stickball in the streets and fields of Canarsie and baseball at Tilden High School. The oldest of five children, Willie has three brothers and a sister. His brother Terry was an 11th round draft choice of the Green Bay Packers in 1977, and also played for the Jets."

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

1987 Profile: Tommy John

"When Tommy John broke his thumb in a freak accident that ended his season last year, the veteran pitcher simply said, 'It's a shame to see it end this way. It wasn't the way I planned it.' But when John offered his resignation as pitching coach at the University of North Carolina, the Yankees brought him back for a more suitable end to an outstanding career.
At age 43, the veteran lefty has overcome adversity throughout his career. Last year was no exception. A back strain destroyed his outside shot of making the club in the spring, but when the call came in May he was ready. With his bionic arm, John won three straight games for the Yankees, finishing the year with an impressive 5-3 mark.
How long can this ageless wonder continue to baffle hitters? The Yankees are betting on one more year with John."

-The New York Yankees Official 1987 Yearbook

"He came to New York's spring camp as a non-roster invitee and appeared in three games, starting once. His spring numbers were 0-0, 2.00 ERA in nine innings pitched, two runs, nine hits, two walks and eight strikeouts.
The veteran southpaw was signed as a free agent on May 2 and made his first regular season appearance with the Yankees that day, pitching 2.1 innings in relief against Texas and allowing one run. It was his first appearance in a Yankee uniform since August 29, 1982 at Toronto, his final outing prior to the August 31 trade that sent him to California, and his first game as a Yankee at Yankee Stadium since August 24, 1982.
T.J. appeared in eight games, posting a 3-1, 3.62 mark before suffering a strained left Achilles tendon, forcing him on to the 21-disabled list on June 12. While on the disabled list, Tommy was assigned to Ft. Lauderdale under the guidelines of baseball's injury rehabilitation program on July 25, remaining there through August 7. While in Florida he appeared in three games, going 2-0, 0.00 ERA including a shutout.
He was activated from the disabled list on August 8, and won his next two starts in impressive fashion, combining for no runs in 7.2 innings pitched on August 8 against Kansas City and in 7.1 innings pitched against Cleveland on August 13. Tommy suffered a bruised left instep after being hit by a comebacker off the bat of Seattle's Alvin Davis in his August 19 start; x-rays were eventually taken, the results of which were negative. He tossed his first complete game in over two years on August 30 at Seattle, losing the 1-0 decision (his most recent complete game and shutout had been on July 8, 1984 with California against Boston).
Tommy's season came to an end when he suffered a fractured left thumb when he fell off the bullpen pitching mound in Oakland on September 3. Although he announced on July 24 that he would become the pitching coach at the University of North Carolina, he resigned the position on November 21, a month after assuming his duties.
T.J. began the 1982 season with the Yankees and was 10-10 with a 3.60 ERA before the August 31 trade that sent him to California. With New York, he threw shutouts against both the Angels on April 28 and Blue Jays on May 25 and won four of his last five decisions as a Yankee. He made seven starts with California, going 4-2, and pitched a complete game 8-3 victory against Milwaukee in ALCS Game 1. In 1983, Tommy led the Angel staff in starts and innings pitched. He suffered his first losing season since 1971, yet nine of his 13 defeats came in games in which the Angels scored two or fewer runs. He was 8-6 with a 2.64 ERA at home, 3-7 with a 7.13 ERA on the road. Tommy made his 600th major league appearance on July 15 at Baltimore.
In 1984 he held opponents to three or fewer runs in his first 11 starts, pitching to a 3-3, 2.48 mark. He had four complete games by the All-Star break, including a 4-0 shutout over Boston on July 8- career shutout No. 45- and recorded career win No. 250- a 2-hitter against Oakland on May 1. Tommy struck out Yankee Omar Moreno on May 18 to record career strikeout No. 2000. He dropped five of seven decisions in the second half before shifting to the bullpen on September 5.
T.J. began the 1985 season in the Angel starting rotation but was both starting and relieving after his first four starts. He was 1-3 with a 4.26 ERA as a starter, 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA in relief; his Angel wins came on April 28, starting at Seattle, and on May 11 in relief at Milwaukee.
He was released by the Angels on June 19, was signed by Modesto (the Class-A California League affiliate of Oakland) on July 12, and was 0-0 with a 5.73 ERA at Modesto. Tommy was then assigned to Madison (of the Class-A Midwest League), another A's affiliate, and appeared in one game, going 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA. He was signed to a major league contract by the A's on July 26.
Tommy made his first [major league] appearance since June 5, and first start since June 2, that day at Milwaukee, notching his first of two wins with Oakland. The other win came in Oakland on August 27 against New York, throwing seven scoreless innings while giving up only three hits. After that, he went on to lose his final five starts (21 earned runs, 20.2 innings pitched, 9.14 ERA).
T.J. made his first career appearance [with Cleveland] on September 6, 1963, a relief stint at Washington, and his first career start came on September 14 at Los Angeles, losing the 4-3 decision. He notched his first career win on May 3, 1964, a 6-0 shutout over Baltimore.
In 1965 Tommy recorded the first of his 16 double-figure-win seasons, going 14-7 [with the Chicago White Sox], and recorded all three of his American League saves. He tied for the AL lead with six shutouts in 1966, and recorded the first victory by an AL pitcher at Anaheim Stadium, beating the Angels 3-1 on April 19. He tied for the AL lead with five shutouts in 1967, and in 1968 went 10-5 with a 1.98 ERA until suffering a broken collarbone in a fight with Detroit's Dick McAuliffe in early August.
T.J. led the White Sox staff with a 3.26 ERA in 1969 and averaged seven innings per start. His total of 271 innings pitched in 1970 still remains his second highest single season total, and he matched his career high of 138 strikeouts. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers after his third straight sub-.500 year in 1971.
In 1972, Tommy lost just two games in 23 starts made after May 17, while winning eight. He damaged his left elbow in a collision at home plate on September 23 against San Francisco and underwent surgery for the removal of bone chips five days later. He led NL pitchers with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage (56 total chances) in '72 and recorded his 1,000th career strikeout on June 25 against Atlanta. With a 16-7 mark in 1973, T.J. led the N.L. with a .696 won-lost percentage, winning his last five decisions. He recorded his 100th career win on June 8 against the Mets at Shea. His 3.10 ERA led the Dodger staff.
Tommy was 13-3 in 1974 and was the top winner in the National League when he ruptured a ligament in his left elbow on July 17 while pitching against Montreal. His .813 won-lost percentage stood up as the best in the league, despite not pitching again. At first it was thought the condition would improve with rest, but surgery was eventually prescribed. The operation was performed on September 25 as a tendon from his right forearm was removed and used in the reconstruction of his left elbow. The operation, performed by Dr. Frank Jobe, was the first of its kind on an athlete, and Jobe told Tommy he would never pitch again.
Following surgery, Tommy spent the entire 1975 season on the disabled list. He used that time undergoing therapy, running and exercising his newly reconstructed left elbow.
T.J. made one of the greatest comebacks in baseball history in 1976, earning NL Comeback Player of the Year honors from the Sporting News. He also won the Fred Hutchinson Award given annually to the player who best exemplifies the competitive instincts, character and desire of Fred Hutchinson. His 3.09 ERA was sixth best in the league. His best outings came on July 23, throwing a 4-hitter against San Diego, and on September 14, shutting out the Reds.
One of five 20-game winners in the NL in 1977, Tommy was one of four NL pitchers to win eight straight, June 18- August 3. He was NL Player of the Week, August 8-14, hurling a 2-hitter over the Reds and a 4-hitter over Atlanta, and on August 8 hit his first homer since 1968. His 2.78 ERA was fifth in the NL and he finished second to Steve Carlton in the Cy Young Award voting. Tommy won 14 of his last 17 decisions and won the NLCS clincher in rain over Philadelphia.
In 1978 T.J. was 4-0, 1.80 ERA in April and 3-1, 1.95 ERA in July. He had three relief outings with a win and a save, allowing no runs. He threw a 4-hit shutout over Philadelphia in the second game of the NLCS and beat the Yankees in the World Series opener, 11-5.
[With the Yankees] in 1979 Tommy won at least 20 games (21) for the second time in his career, finishing second in the AL to Mike Flanagan, and his 2.96 ERA was second in the league to teammate Ron Guidry's 2.78. He was tied for fourth with 36 games started, tied for second with 17 complete games, second with 276.1 innings pitched, tied for sixth with three shutouts and sixth with a .692 won-lost percentage. His nine homers allowed were the fewest among AL starters.
Tommy won his first nine decisions of '79 and 10 of his first 11. He was the American League's first ever Pitcher of the Month in April, going 4-0 with a 1.12 ERA. Tommy made his only relief appearance of the year on May 1 at California. He recorded four straight complete game wins from May 5-20, and his best game of the year was a 2-0, 2-hit shutout over Boston on May 20. T.J. was AL Player of the Week, May 14-20, with a 2-0, 1.50 mark.
He was named the left-handed starter on the UPI All-Star team. He became only the eighth pitcher to win 20 games in both leagues; the others were Jerry Koosman, Andy Messersmith, Gaylord Perry, Ferguson Jenkins, Joe McGinnity, Jesse Tannehill and Al Orth.
His 22 wins in 1980 are a career high. That year he led the AL with six shutouts, was tied for second with Mike Norris in wins, tied for fourth in both starts and complete games, fifth in innings pitched, tied for fifth with a .710 won-lost percentage and finished fourth in the Cy Young voting.
Tommy won his 200th career game, a 2-hit shutout at Seattle on June 6, and threw three shutouts in three starts against Chicago. He won five of his last seven decisions and seven of his last ten. He was named to his fourth All-Star team and was voted by the players to the Sporting News All-Star squad as the left-handed pitcher. At 43-18, Tommy was the winningest pitcher in the majors for the '79 and '80 seasons.
His 2.64 ERA in 1981 was fourth best in the AL, yet the Yankees scored just 12 runs in his eight losses. He cut his left index finger on a razor on June 5 and was placed on the DL. He was reactivated on August 9 for the second half [after the strike].
On August 13 his three-year-old son Travis fell from a third-floor window and was critically injured. Throughout the ordeal, Tommy missed just one start, joining the team only on days he pitched. Tommy pitched five consecutive complete games from September 3 to September 25.
T.J. won Game 2 of the World Series against his former Dodger teammates. He was the winningest pitcher [in the AL] from 1979-81 with a 52-36 record.
Tommy grew up in Terre Haute, Indiana. He received 35 scholarship offers upon graduation from Gerstmeyer High School, where he played both basketball and baseball. He attended Indiana State in Terre Haute, and following the 1979 season was given the Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest award given by the school. An avid golfer, he has hosted the Tommy John Celebrity Invitational Golf Classic for the past 10 years, with proceeds directed to Children's Hospital of Los Angeles for cancer research. Tommy also works with the International Save-A-Child group and the March of Dimes.
Tommy enjoys reading and World War II history, and his favorite spectator sports are golf, pro and college basketball, hockey and basketball. The Chicago Cubs were his favorite team as a youngster and his favorite players were Hank Sauer and Whitey Ford. His toughest opponents: Joe Morgan, Wade Boggs, Roberto Clemente and Billy Williams; his favorite ballpark: Yankee Stadium; and Tommy John, Sr. helped his career the most.
T.J. has worn #25 for 23 years. His favorite entertainers are Don Rickles and Willie Nelson. His favorite restaurant is Chanteclair in Indianapolis, Indiana.
He has authored two books, 'The Tommy John Story' and, with his wife Sally, 'The Sally and Tommy John Story.' The latter book recounts qualities of love and caring and how their Christian faith helped sustain them through near tragedy when their son Travis (age 3 at the time) fell 27 feet from an apartment window on August 13, 1981, and survived a 14-day coma and a one-month hospital stay. Travis is fine today."

-1987 New York Yankees Information Guide