"Righetti fell far short of matching his major league record 46 saves of 1986, but still emerged as one of the game's top relievers. He enjoyed a typically strong second half, converting 14 of 18 save opportunities, and cashed 31 of 44 save chances overall. Righetti ranks 13th on the all-time save list with 138 and stands three saves shy of tying Sparky Lyle for second on the Yankees list.
He was AL Rookie of the Year as a starter in 1981 and could return to that role under new/old manager Billy Martin in 1988. He fired a 4-0 no-hitter against Boston on July 4, 1983.
Born in San Jose, California, Righetti was obtained from Texas with Mike Griffin, Paul Mirabella, Juan Beniquez and Greg Jemison for Sparky Lyle, Larry McCall, Dave Rajsich, Mike Heath, Domingo Ramos and cash in November 1978. His father Leo was a shortstop in the Yankees' system."
-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1988 Edition
"Nobody's perfect, not even Dave Righetti. The Yankee stopper took some heat of his own, unjustly, when he got off to a slow start last year. In 1986 he was nearly flawless in posting a major league record 46 saves. Pitching in the shadows of that record, Rags came under heavy scrutiny.
No, he didn't have the same type of year in 1987 but that's why they call them records- they are rare achievements. Take away the enigma of the record and you'll see that Righetti once again showed why he is considered one of the top relievers in the game. He won his second consecutive Rolaids Relief Man Award, finishing tied for second in the league with 31 saves. His 31 saves equals his 1984 total for the fourth best on the Yankee single-season list. Combined with his eight wins, Righetti had a hand in 39 of the team's 89 wins (43.8 percent).
And it was an off year? Since moving to the bullpen in 1984 he has averaged over 34 saves a season, and his 138 saves in only four years places him 13th on the all-time list. With four saves in 1988 he will pass Sparky Lyle to move into second place on the all-time Yankee list.
As Righetti says, 'Everybody has his good days and his bad days. The reason I am a good pitcher is because I don't have many bad days."
-The New York Yankees Official 1988 Yearbook
"With 31 saves in 1987 he tied Jeff Reardon for second in the AL behind Tom Henke's league leading 34, and his 60 appearances placed him ninth in the league. The Yankees were 45-15 in the games Dave pitched in, and with 31 saves and eight wins he contributed to 43.8% of New York's 89 wins.
Rags was 2-0 with a 2.70 ERA and six saves (in seven save situations) from Opening Day through April 23, his first nine appearances. From April 24 through June 19 he went 2-3 with eight saves (in 15 save situations), allowing 20 earned runs in 30.1 innings pitched for a 5.93 ERA. Beginning with his next appearance on June 23, Righetti appeared in 33 games through the remainder of '87, allowing earned runs in just eight of those games, going 4-3 with 17 saves, a 2.28 ERA (13 ER, 51.1 IP) and just four failed save situations. Had he not allowed six earned runs in his 58th and 60th (final) appearances, his stats over those 33 games would have been 4-1 with 17 saves, a 1.35 ERA (7 ER, 46.2 IP) and just two failed save situations.
At the All-Star break Righetti was 5-3 with 17 saves in 34 games, a 3.86 ERA (24 ER, 56 IP) and nine failed save situations. After the All-Star break, he was 3-3 with 14 saves in 26 games, a 3.00 ERA (13 ER, 39 IP) and four failed save situations. Of Dave's 31 saves, eight saved wins for starter Rick Rhoden.
Dave had a season high six strikeouts (in 2.1 IP) on May 2 at Minnesota, and threw 4.1 innings on August 20 at Seattle, his longest relief outing of '87. He allowed four runs (three earned) in 2.1 innings in his last outing of '87, on October 1 at Boston, the most earned runs he had allowed in one outing since June 20, 1986 at Toronto.
With runners on base, Rags retired his first batter 18 of 27 times, and overall retired his first batter in 42 of his 60 appearances. He prevented 29 of 38 inherited runners from scoring and held [hitters] to a .262 batting average against.
Dave was successful in 31 of 44 save situations in 1987, a 70% success rate. Since being assigned to the bullpen prior to the 1984 season, he has accumulated 137 saves in 183 save situations, a 75% success rate. Over that period of time, of the 46 save situations in which Dave was not able to record the save, the Yankees went 21-25, meaning that the Yankees have won 158 of the 183 games he entered in a save situation- an .860 winning percentage.
His total of 137 saves since being assigned to the bullpen in '84 is the highest among all pitchers over the same period of time. Those that follow are Lee Smith, 133; Jeff Reardon, 130; and Dan Quisenberry, 101. Righetti currently ranks 13th on the all-time save list with 138. He is three saves shy of tying Sparky Lyle (141) for second on the all-time Yankee save list, and is 12 short of tying Rich Gossage (150) for first.
Last year Righetti was selected to and played on his second consecutive American League All-Star team. He won his second consecutive Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award, compiling 72 points to edge out Minnesota's Jeff Reardon, and tied with Reardon for his second straight Sporting News Fireman of the Year Award.
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 relievers to record 40+ saves are Jeff Reardon (41 in 1985) and Steve Bedrosian (40 in '87).
Righetti's 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 and 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.
He 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). Dave 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).
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.
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.
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 against Detroit at Yankee Stadium on Catfish Hunter Day, getting a 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 with 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 removed by a double play (Jim Rice) and one picked off first by Righetti (Reid Nichols). 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 on September 28, 1951 at Yankee Stadium, and the first no-hitter by a Yankee southpaw since George Mogridge no-hit Boston at Fenway Park on April 24, 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. At the time, only Sparky Lyle (35 in 1972) and Rich Gossage (33 in 1980) had more saves in a season as Yankees. Dave 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 Lyle's mark of 72, set in 1977. Dave began that season impressively, not allowing any runs in his first seven outings, going 1-0 with four saves in 8.1 innings. He 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. Dave 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. He struck out a season high four batters three times: May 30 against California, June 30 against Milwaukee and September 5 against Oakland.
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 Junior College 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.'"
-1988 New York Yankees Information Guide
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