"Candelaria led a poor Yankee staff with 13 victories, despite not pitching after August 24 with torn cartilage in his right knee. His six complete games marked his highest total since 1980.
Candelaria won six decisions in as many starts from May 4 to June 11, including a 2-hit 13-strikeout masterpiece against Oakland on May 22. He generally has outstanding control.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Candelaria was the Pirates' second round pick in the June 1972 draft. He signed as a free agent with the Yankees prior to last season."
-Tom Pedulla, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1989 Edition
"For John Candelaria, wearing the Pinstripes has been sweet and sour. The Yankees are expecting more of the former, which is why they exercised their option on the pitcher for 1989.
For the pitching-hungry Yankees, there was really no decision, as the veteran of more than 14 seasons has repeatedly proven his ability to accept a challenge. Before the 1988 season, the Mets offered Candelaria a job, but couldn't guarantee it would be as a starter. So the Brooklyn native returned home, with the Yankees, and showed the baseball world he could still get it done.
The crafty left-hander led the team in almost every pitching category a year ago, even with his season ending on August 24 due to cartilage problems in his right knee. 'I believe I'm a winning person,' says the big southpaw. 'My goal when I go to the mound is to pitch well, and to try and get us a win.'
With the injury behind him, this quiet veteran is back to offer a level of pitching consistency the Yankees need. Candy survived a shuffling of the Yankee pitching staff and will be counted on heavily to repeat his sweet success from last year."
-The New York Yankees Official 1989 Yearbook
"Despite having his season end after his August 24 start due to cartilage problems in his right knee, Candelaria led the Yankees in almost all pitching categories, including wins, posting a record of 13-7.
His debut as a Yankee came on April 6 in New York against Minnesota, getting a no-decision in a 5-3 Yankee win. Candelaria's first Yankee win came in his second start, on April 12 at Toronto, winning a complete game, 12-3 decision- it was his first complete game win since a 3-0 victory on August 9, 1986 against Seattle while with California, having 32 starts between. He lost consecutive starts for the only time in '88 on April 17 at Milwaukee and April 23 against Toronto by scores of 3-6 and 2-3, respectively.
Beginning with his next start, April 29 at Texas, John reeled off seven wins and a save in his next eight appearances. From April 29 through June 11 he won all seven starts, along with a save in relief, allowing 11 earned runs in 53 innings (1.87 ERA) including three complete games and a shutout. Through June 11, covering his first 12 games (11 starts), John was 8-2 with a 2.57 ERA (23 ER, 80.2 IP).
His first shutout of the year came on May 22 against Oakland, yielding just two hits while striking out 13 while winning 2-0. It was his 12th career shutout and first since the August 9, 1986 complete game. The 13 strikeouts were the most by a Yankee since Ron Guidry struck out 14 on July 11, 1987, and the most Candy had recorded since striking out 13 (his regular season career high) on June 26, 1975 against the Cubs, though he did strike out 14 in Game 3 of the '75 NLCS against the Reds. The 2-hitter was his best career low-hit game since his 1976 no-hitter. The last Yankee to throw a 2-hitter was Tommy John on August 8, 1987. Candelaria's only other nine-inning 2-hitter came on April 25, 1976 at San Francisco, though he did throw a rain-shortened 2-hitter in June of 1977.
He made his only relief outing of 1988 on May 2 at Chicago when he was summoned to get the final out. He struck out Steve Lyons to end the game and record his first American League save and first save since 1985.
John's win streak was snapped with a loss at Cleveland on June 17. The last time he won seven (or more) consecutively was when he matched his career best eight-game winning streak in 1983 (he also won eight straight in 1976).
In 13 starts beginning on June 17, he went 5-5 with a 4.23 ERA (36 ER, 76.1 IP). His second shutout came on July 2 at Chicago, tossing another 2-hitter. After allowing a first inning leadoff single to Gary Redus, he retired the next 22 batters he faced before allowing an eighth inning single to Dave Gallagher, then retired the final five batters. Redus, who stole second, was the only Chicago player to reach scoring position. Candelaria struck out 12 in his 13th career shutout and third career 2-hitter. He was the only Yankee besides Rick Rhoden (April 5 against Minnesota) to throw a complete game shutout in 1988.
John now has at least 10 wins in 11 of his 14 major league seasons. His .650 winning percentage ranked 10th in the AL and he now has a .617 career winning percentage (164-102). His 3.38 ERA (59 ER, 157 IP) led Yankee starters and was the lowest by a Yankee starter since Guidry's 3.27 in 1985. Candy reduced his ERA by almost 1.5 runs compared to '87, going from 4.81 to 3.38. He led the Yankees with 121 strikeouts, his highest total since 133 in 1984 and the eighth time he reached the 100 strikeout plateau. John also led the Yankees with six complete games, his most since pitching seven in 1980, and finished fourth on the club with 157 innings pitched, his highest total since 185.1 in 1984.
He was ejected from three games this past season. On April 17 at Milwaukee he was ejected by umpire Drew Coble in the fifth inning for hitting Bill Schroeder, and was also ejected from his start on May 4 at Kansas City by umpire Durwood Merrill after the seventh inning for arguing. He was ejected again by Coble, in Cleveland on August 13, in a game he was not pitching for arguing from the bench.
John left three games with injuries: May 29 at Seattle (sore left elbow); July 30 at Toronto (slight stiffness, left elbow); and his final start on August 24 at Oakland (cartilage problems in his right knee, which sidelined him for the remainder of the year). He pitched only 1.1 inning in his August 24 start before being forced to leave, his shortest outing as a starter since September 18, 1987 while with the Mets. John underwent arthroscopic surgery on October 13 to repair a tear of the medial meniscus in his right knee. The surgery was performed by Dr. Lewis Yocom in Los Angeles.
The Yankees went 17-8 in the 25 games he pitched. Opponents had a .248 batting average against him- lefties hit .144 while righties hit .268. In New York John was 7-5 in 15 games, with a shutout, a 3.28 ERA and a .264 batting average against, while on the road he was 6-2 in 10 games, with a shutout, a save, a 3.55 ERA and a .220 batting average against.
He displayed outstanding control, striking out 121 in 157 innings pitched while walking just 23 (10 in his last nine starts). Candy went 25 innings without yielding between May 10 and June 11 and also went 24.1 innings between June 22 and July 14 without a walk.
Of the 79 pitchers in major league history who have stood 6'6" or better (Candy measures 6'6"), Candelaria has the most wins, 164, with Ron Reed in second place with 146.
John is signed through the 1989 season. The Yankees exercised his option on October 2, 1988.
In 1975 John started Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, going 7.2 innings (no decision) and allowing three hits while striking out 14 including seven of the first ten batters he faced. In 1976 he tossed a no-hitter on August 9 against Los Angeles.
John went 20-5 in 1977 and became the first Pirate to win 20 games since Vernon Law in 1960, and the first Pirate lefty to win 20 since Wilbur Cooper in 1924. He led the National League with an .800 winning percentage and a 2.25 ERA and was the first pitcher since Sandy Koufax in 1965 to record 20 wins and lead the league in win-loss percentage and ERA. His 231 innings pitched ranked first among Pirate pitchers. Three times he knocked in the game winning run. John went 10-3 in the first half of '77 and was named to his only All-Star team (the game was played at Yankee Stadium), but did not appear [in the game].
Hampered by lower back pains in 1978 which contributed to his 12-11 record, John was also bothered by a nagging left forearm which extended his rest between starts. He got the Bucs off to a fine start with a 1-0 shutout win over the Cubs on Opening Day and strung together five straight wins from May 27-June 21. In ten of his losses the Pirates scored three runs or less.
John led the 1979 Pirates in wins, complete games and in fewest walks, while his ERA was 12th in the league. Between June 19 and September 11, he won nine 11 starts including back-to-back complete games on July 14 and July 20 and on August 28 and September 2; in those nine wins he had a 1.60 ERA and six complete games. John was 1-1 in the World Series against Baltimore, losing Game 3 but winning Game 6 as he teamed with Kent Tekulve to shut out the Orioles 4-0.
He led the Pirates in starts, complete games and fewest walks in 1980. In 1981, he suffered torn bicep muscle on May 10 at St. Louis and was disabled for the remainder of the season. He underwent rehabilitation under the guidance of Dr. Paul Bauer, a San Diego orthopedist.
John's 2.94 ERA in 1982 was sixth best in the league, and he was second on the club in wins and strikeouts. He went 5-0 in July and was tabbed National League Pitcher of the Month and was NL Player of the Week for the week ending July 25. In 1983 he finished sixth in the NL with 15 wins and 157 strikeouts. He won his 100th career game against Philadelphia on June 17 of that year, becoming the 15th pitcher in Pirate history to reach that plateau. John was 12-2 in his last 14 decisions, from June 7 through August 3, and was 12-1 against the East.
His 2.72 ERA in 1984 was fifth in the NL, and in his 12 wins he allowed just 12 earned runs in 80.1 innings pitched for a 1.57 ERA; his ERA was 4.20 in his 11 losses (31 ER, 66.1 IP), and in his 10 no-decisions his ERA was 2.56 (11 ER, 38.2 IP). He walked two or fewer batters in 24 of his 28 starts and allowed just 22 walks in his final 26 appearances (21 starts, 141.1 IP).
John struck out 11 on April 13 at St. Louis, recorded his 1,000th career strikeout on May 11 at Atlanta and fanned 12 Reds on May 23, his most strikeouts since he struck out 12 Mets on June 1, 1976. He threw a 4-hit shutout on July 3 at Los Angeles and homered off Tim Lollar on July 19 in Pittsburgh, the first home run of his professional career. John underwent successful surgery following the season for the removal of a bone spur in his left elbow.
He made 37 appearances with the Pirates in 1985, all in relief. His longest outing as a Pirate was three innings. On August 2 John was traded to the California Angels with pitcher Al Holland and outfielder George Hendrick for pitcher Pat Clements, outfielder Mike Brown and a player to be named later (pitcher Bob Kipper).
John made his California debut as a starter on August 4 against Minnesota, posted his first win as an Angel on August 11 at Minnesota and captured six of his first seven decisions. He threw a complete game shutout against the White Sox on September 19- it was his first complete game since July 19, 1984 against San Diego and his first complete game shutout since his 4-hitter against Los Angeles on July 3 of that year. John was 5-2 with a 2.88 ERA against the West.
He enjoyed a successful but painful season in 1986. Despite some discomfort in his left elbow he made four spring training starts, going 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA (2 ER, 14 IP). He made his first start on April 9 at Seattle and lasted just two innings before leaving with further discomfort. John was placed on the 15-day disabled list with cracked calcification of the left elbow on April 15 (retroactive to April 11) and underwent surgery by Dr. Lewis Yocum at Centinela Hospital on April 16 to remove a bone spur in the elbow.
John was sent to California's Class-A affiliate in Palm Springs for rehabilitation, appearing in two games and combining for two earned runs in seven innings with two walks and eight strikeouts. He was reactivated from the DL on July 8 and made his first start that night, allowing no runs in five innings pitched, and in his first 15.2 innings pitched struck out 14 with only two earned runs.
He won his first three decisions after his return, and six of his first seven. John's first loss of the season was an 8-1 setback to Roger Clemens on July 25 in Anaheim, and his other loss came on August 20 at Detroit, losing 3-0 to a Walt Terrell 1-hitter.
John threw his second shutout as an Angel, and the 11th of his career on August 9 against Seattle, tossing a 3-hitter and winning 3-0 on the 10-year anniversary of his no-hitter against Los Angeles. He struck out a season high 10 in that game. John pitched his 2,000th career inning on September 21 and was the pitcher of record in California's 8-3 win against Texas on September 26 to clinch the division title.
The Angels finished 13-3 in games John pitched. He walked two batters or less in 12 [of 16] starts and retired the first batter he faced in an inning in 69 of 95 opportunities. He allowed just four homers in 91.2 innings pitched and had .208 batting average against.
John began 1987 by winning his first four decisions with California. In his next start on May 13 at Detroit, his eighth start and appearance, he lasted just 2.2 innings and allowed seven runs (earned) on five hits in a 10-7 loss; he suffered his first loss of '87 and his ERA ballooned from 2.82 to 3.99. On May 15 John was placed on the 15-day disabled list for personal reasons, enabling him to undergo rehabilitation for alcohol dependency.
He was re-activated from the DL on May 29 and returned to the mound on May 31, but lost his second straight decision. In June he went 1-1 in three starts, combining to allow 13 earned runs in 17.2 innings pitched (6.62 ERA). On June 19 John was again placed on the 15-day disabled list for personal reasons, but this time remained on the DL until August 5. He again checked himself into St. Joseph's Hospital (Orange County, CA) to undergo rehabilitation for alcohol dependency.
Upon his latest return, John went 2-2 with a 4.10 ERA in six starts in August. Included was a 6-hit, eight inning performance against the Yankees in Anaheim on August 25 which he won 5-1. Prior to his trade to the Mets he made two September starts for California, going 1-1.
John was dealt to the Mets on September 15 in exchange for right-handed pitcher Jeff Richardson and left-handed pitcher Shane Young. His first start for New York came on September 18 at Pittsburgh, lasting just 1.1 inning and allowing five runs on eight hits, but he got a no-decision in a 10-9 Mets loss. John went 2-0 in his final two starts down the stretch, however, combining to allow three runs in 11 innings (2.45 ERA).
John played high school basketball at New York's LaSalle Academy where he was All-City in 1971 and '72, and also made All-American in '72. He was one of the most sought after high school players in the nation during his senior year. He did not play high school baseball during his junior and senior years due to a lack of facilities. John was invited to a tryout for the 1972 Puerto Rican Olympic basketball team (his parents are natives of Puerto Rico), but elected to sign a baseball contract with the Pirates.
John enjoys travel."
-1989 New York Yankees Information Guide
Pitched 2-0, no-hit victory over Los Angeles Dodgers, August 9, 1976.
Tied for NL lead in home runs allowed with 29 in 1977.
Named American League Comeback Player of the Year, 1986.
-1989 New York Yankees Information Guide
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