R.I.P. Bill Burbach

1993 Profile: John Habyan

"Eager to rebound after terrible second half. Habyan struggled to an 8.22 ERA in the second half, surrendering 21 runs and 42 hits in 23 innings. He was 3-2 with six saves and a glittering 1.54 ERA as late as July 9 but had already made 35 appearances in 84 games to that point. He was used every other day for six straight appearances from July 1-11. He finished with a team high 56 appearances. A back problem and a tired arm doomed him after the break.

Habyan is an outstanding man when at full strength. He requires careful monitoring after undergoing shoulder surgery in 1989.

Born January 29, 1964, in Bayshore, New York, he was acquired from the Orioles for Stanley Jefferson on July 20, 1989. He spent parts of nine seasons in the minors."

-Tony DeMarco (Ft. Worth Star-Telegram) and Tom Pedulla (Gannett Newspapers), The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1993 Edition

"The first thing you should know about John Habyan is that he's a good guy. Who says so? The New York Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association voted Habyan its Ben Epstein Good Guy award.

Habyan is one of baseball's role players, a middle-inning reliever. That means few wins, few saves, hardly any glory and almost no recognition. But does it mean he's not appreciated? Try telling that to Mark Connor, Habyan's pitching coach last season.

'The ideal scenario for me,' Connor says, 'is having Habyan for the eighth inning and Farr for the ninth.'

For the second straight year, Habyan was a workhorse for the Yankee pitching staff, appearing in 56 games for a two-year total of 122. And when Steve Farr went down with a bad back, Habyan stepped in as closer and reeled off five saves in five chances. But his workload increased and his numbers decreased. It was all due to a bad back which Habyan never revealed. When you've spent nine years in the minors, you're reluctant to give up what you've earned.

And now you know why the New York Baseball Writers think John Habyan is a 'Good Guy.' "

-The New York Yankees Official 1993 Yearbook

"In 1992, for the second consecutive season, Habyan led the club in appearances (56). He was 5-6 with seven saves and a 3.84 ERA.

Habyan started off the season picking up where he left off in 1991. Through his first 12 appearances (through 5/4) he was 1-0 with a save and a 0.60 ERA (15.0 IP, 1 ER). He earned his first save on April 12 at Detroit, pitching 2.1 perfect innings. Overall in May, he posted a 1.62 ERA after posting a 0.75 ERA in April.

John's ERA increased in June (3.18). He allowed his first home run of 1992 on June 26 against Chicago (Robin Ventura). In his first five July appearances he earned five saves. At the break he was 3-3 with six saves and a 1.81 ERA.

After the break, John went through perhaps the toughest pitching period of his career. From July 22-September 14 over 15 appearances, he allowed 21 earned runs (32 H, 5 HR) over 14.1 innings pitched, raising his ERA from 1.81 to a season high 4.25. John ended the season not allowing an earned run over four games pitched (7.0 IP), dropping his ERA to 3.84. He was 2-3 with a save and an 8.22 ERA after the break.

His total of seven saves was a career best. John had only three saves prior to 1992. He posted his seven saves in 12 opportunities.

Habyan retired the first batter 34 of 56 times and stranded 19 of 36 inherited runners. He had 16 1-2-3 innings.

The homer he allowed to Ventura on June 26 was the first by a left-handed batter against him since July 3, 1988 (Geno Petralli). Habyan had a 3.50 ERA on the road but with opponents hitting just .223 against him. He had a 2.95 ERA at night. Right-handed batters hit .295 against him.

Habyan did not make an error in 18 chances. He had three pickoffs.

He signed a contract for the 1993 season.

Among the most consistent Yankee relievers in 1991, Habyan posted a club best 2.30 ERA while leading the team in relief appearances (66). He was part of a quartet of relievers (with Greg Cadaret, Steve Farr and Lee Guetterman) that each notched 60-plus appearances. It was the first time in club history that more than two Yankee pitchers pitched in more than 60 games.

He earned a win on May 10 against Oakland; the win was his first in the majors since 1988 and snapped a Yankee string of 16 consecutive losses to the A's. John earned a save on May 14 against California, his first in the majors since 1987. He earned wins in back-to-back appearances on June 7 and June 9 against Texas. On June 29 at Milwaukee, he allowed a two-run homer to Candy Maldanado, his first home run allowed since July 3, 1988.

From July18-August 20 John had a string of 15 consecutive scoreless appearances (22.0 IP) dropping his ERA from 2.53 to 1.75. He earned a save in the season finale on October 6 against Cleveland.

For the season, right-handed batters hit just .200 with two homers against Habyan, and in 114 at-bats left-handed hitters did not hit a home run off him. At home he posted a 3-0 record with two saves and a team leading 1.33 ERA (47.1 IP) and a team leading .194 batting average against.

He struck out 70 and walked only 20, striking out 3.5 batters for each walk allowed. He had a staff best three pickoffs.

John had two 1990 stints with the Yankees and was used exclusively as a reliever. He began the season with the Columbus Clippers and had his contract purchased by New York on April 16. 

He pitched immediately, making two relief appearances (April 18 at Detroit and April 21 at Texas). He was outrighted to Columbus on April 24 upon Lance McCullers' activation from the disabled list.

Overall at Columbus in 1990, he was 7-7 with six saves and a 3.21 ERA. He allowed only one home run in his final 18 appearances (43.1 IP) with the Clippers. In relief for Columbus, he allowed just 39 hits over 55.0 innings. His best month was July when he was 2-2 with a 1.47 ERA.

Habyan had his contract purchased by the Yankees for the second time on September 9. Overall for the Yankees, he was 0-0 with a 2.80 ERA in eight innings pitched.

Prior to the start of the 1989 season, John had a bizarre accident. On January 6 he had a third-degree separation of his right shoulder when he was involved in a sledding accident in Baltimore. He underwent surgery on January 8 and his rehabilitation extended into the beginning of the season. As a result, John did not report to Baltimore AAA affiliate Rochester until June 11 and did not make his first appearance until June 15. John was acquired by AAA affiliate Columbus from Rochester on July 19 in exchange for outfielder Stan Jefferson. At the time of the trade, Habyan was 1-2 with a 2.17 ERA (37.1 IP, 9 ER) for Rochester. 

At Columbus, John finished with a 2-3 record and a 5.44 ERA and was used exclusively as a starter, making eight appearances and notching two complete games.  He ranked second on the club for fewest walks allowed and gave up only two home runs, an average of one every 23.0 innings.

The Orioles 3rd round pick in the 1982 June draft, John began his pro career with Bluefield (rookie league) and was 9-2 with a 3.54 ERA in 12 games (two complete games and a shutout), fanning 55 batters over 81 innings. His nine wins tied for the Appalachian League lead.

Habyan split the 1983 season between Class-A Newark and Class-A Hagerstown. He compiled a 2-3 record with a 5.81 ERA with Hagerstown in 11 starts (1 CG, 1 SHO) with 42 strikeouts over 48 innings (8 K/9 IP). At Newark, he went 5-3 with a 3.39 ERA in 11 starts (1 CG, 1 SHO) , striking out 64 in 72 innings (8 K/9 IP).

He began the 1984 season with Hagerstown and went 9-4 (3.54 ERA) in 13 games (13 GS, 4 CG), striking out 81 batters over 81.1 innings (9 K/9 IP). John was promoted to Charlotte on June 21 and at the time had nine of Hagerstown's 34 wins. At Charlotte he went 4-7 in 13 starts.

Habyan spent most of the 1985 season with Charlotte, winning a club-best 13 games. His season highlights included a nine-inning no-hitter against Columbus on May 13 and two 3-hitters. In his first 11 starts he was 8-0 with a 2.54 ERA before losing to Memphis on June 8. Overall, John allowed three runs or less in 19 of 28 starts.

He finished third in the Southern League in strikeouts (123), innings pitched (189.2) and complete games (8) and fifth in ERA (3.27) and was named as the right-handed pitcher on the Southern League All-Star team. John left the Instructional League and was recalled by the Orioles on September 23, joining an injury-riddled staff. He made his major league debut on September 29 at Yankee Stadium in the first game of a doubleheader; he pitched 0.2 innings in relief of Scott McGregor in a 4-0 loss to Joe Cowley. His first major league win came in his only other outing, against Boston on October 3.

John began the 1986 season with Rochester and posted a 12-7 record with a 4.29 ERA, tying for second in the league in wins. In 25 starts (26 games) he had five complete games. John was red hot from May 4-August 4, going 12-2 with a 3.33 ERA (135.1 IP, 50 ER).

He was recalled by the Orioles on August 29 and made his major league starting debut that day, losing 4-0  to Dave Stewart at Oakland. Habyan's first major league win as a starter came against Milwaukee on September 20. 

He began the 1987 season with Rochester and was recalled for good by the Orioles on May 18. At the time of his recall, he was leading the International League with 39 strikeouts. With the Orioles, John was 2-7 in 13 starts, and 4-0 with a save and a 3.66 ERA (59.0 IP) in 14 relief appearances. His five wins after the break tied for the club-best. 

His last eight appearances were all starts. John's best outing came on September 28 at Detroit (8.1 IP, 0 R, 5 H), combining with Tom Niedenfuer for a 3-0 shutout over Jack Morris, one of only four times the Tigers were shut out in 1987.

John spent the majority of the 1988 season at Rochester. He was used exclusively as a starter, going 9-9 with a 4.46 ERA in 23 games with eight complete games (tied for second in the International League) and a shutout. John made two tours of duty with the Orioles (May 2-28 and June 28-July 15), compiling a 1-0 record with a 4.29 ERA in seven relief appearances. 

His only win came on July 2 at Texas. He returned to Rochester after his second stint with the Orioles and compiled a 6-3 record with a 3.66 ERA (59.0 IP) through his final nine starts.

He graduated in 1982 from St. John the Baptist High School in Brentwood, New York and played Little League ball in Brentwood. Before moving to Maryland, he volunteered as the assistant j.v. basketball coach at St. John the Baptist during the winter.

He makes local hospital visits and also enjoys playing basketball, football and street hockey. John was a Tom Seaver fan as a youngster. His favorite entertainer is Bill Murray.

John was the recipient of the 1992 Ben Epstein Good Guy Award, as voted by the New York chapter of the BBWAA, at the 1993 Baseball Writers Dinner."

-1993 New York Yankees Information Guide 

Tied for Appalachian League lead in wins (9), 1982.

Pitched 6-0 no-hitter against Columbus, May 13, 1985.

Named to Southern League All-Star team, 1985.

-1993 New York Yankees Information Guide 

John Gabriel Habyan "Habes" (P)   #42

Born December 29, 1964, in Bayshore, NY, resides in Bel Air, Maryland. Height: 6-2, weight: 195. Bats right, throws right.

Married, Bonnie (10/26/91).

Major league service time: 3 years, 154 days. Opening Day Age: 29.

-1993 New York Yankees Information Guide 

R.I.P. Dick Schofield