R.I.P. Joe Pepitone

1993 Profile: Steve Farr

"Farr continues to do the job, despite advancing age and the lack of a fastball.

He established a career high with 30 saves, seven better than the mark he set the year before. He converted 30 of 36 tries and each of his last 12 opportunities. Farr recorded the first 30-save season by a Yankee right-hander since Rich Gossage recorded that total in 1982. His 1.59 ERA was the lowest by a Yankee reliever in a full season since Steve Hamilton (1.40) in 1965. He limited opponents to a .186 batting average.

Farr was born December 12, 1956, in Cheverly, Maryland. He began as an undrafted free agent with the Pirates and pitched seven-plus seasons in the minors before breaking in with Cleveland in 1984."

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

"There's the swagger. And the air of confidence on the mound. And the way he aggressively goes at the hitter. 

Most of the great Yankee relievers had them. The swagger. The confidence. The aggressiveness. 

Sparky Lyle had them. Goose Gossage had them. And Steve Farr has them.

Maybe in Farr's case, the confidence is a facade.

'The key is confidence,' he admits, 'but believe me, I'm scared out there, too.'

Oh, yeah! Tell that to American League batters who have faced Farr in the ninth inning, with the game on the line.

'I don't like to screw up,' Farr says. 'I don't feel like getting booed. That's part of the deal, though.'

All relief pitchers live on the edge, one pitch from being booed. The good ones, like Farr, thrive in such situations. Like bull fighters. sword swallowers and guys who soar over canyons on motorcycles, this a not a job for the faint-hearted.

But that's why they call him the 'Beast.' His competitive nature has helped him reach the top of his profession.

To survive, you must put up numbers like Farr's: 53 saves, and already seventh on the Yankees' all-time saves list entering the '93 season.

To do this you have to have swagger. You have to have confidence. And you have to be aggressive."

-The New York Yankees Official 1993 Yearbook

"In 1992, for the second consecutive season, Steve handled the role of Yankee closer. He finished with a 2-2 record, a career high 30 saves and a career low 1.50 ERA. The most consistent of Yankee relievers last year, his ERA rose above 2.00 just once.

Steve earned a save on Opening  Day against Boston. He was ejected by umpire Drew Coble on May 10 at Oakland after hitting Jerry Browne.

Through June 14, he made 19 appearances and was 0-1 with nine saves in 13 chances and a 0.93 ERA (19.1 IP, 2 ER). At the All-Star break he was 0-1 with 12 saves in 16 chances and a 1.78 ERA (25.1 IP, 19 H, 5 ER). Steve's last appearance before the break was June 29 as he was bothered by a strained lower back. He was put on the 15-day DL just prior to the break.

Steve was activated on July 18 and appeared on June 23. The Yankees had five save chances while he was out, with John Habyan saving all five games. Steve was 0-1 with a 1.98 ERA, posting all nine Yankee saves in August, and came back to post a 0.96 ERA in September/October.

Over his last eight appearances, Steve was 1-0 with seven saves (7.1 IP, 1 ER) and had 17 saves in his final 20 outings. Over the final two months he converted 17 of the club's 18 saves, and after the break converted 18 of the club's 20 saves and had a 1.35 ERA. 23 of his final 25 appearances were scoreless.

Farr led the pen in saves and games finished (42), was second in games (50) and third in innings (52.0). He converted his 30 saves (tied for 6th in the AL) in 36 opportunities (83%) and converted his final 12 save chances. Farr ranked seventh in the AL Rolaids Relief standings.

His save total was the highest by a right-handed Yankee pitcher since Rich Gossage had 30 in 1982. His ERA was the lowest by a Yankee reliever since Gossage in 1981 (0.77, 46.2 IP) and the lowest by a Yankee reliever with 50-plus innings since Steve Hamilton in 1965 (1.40, 58.0 IP.

He has converted 53 of 65 saves (82%) since joining the Yankees and 92 of 114 (81%) over the last four seasons. His 53 saves as a Yankee rank seventh on the club's all-time list.

The Yankees were 39-11 when Steve pitched in 1992 and are 72-30 over the last two seasons. He was not scored upon in 43 of his 50 outings (86%) and pitched 19 1-2-3 innings. He stranded 10 of 18 inherited baserunners and retired the first batter he faced 35 of 50 times (70%). Steve had seven outings of more than one inning (13 scoreless innings), but never pitched more than two innings.

Opponents hit .186, including .217 (18-for-83) by left-handed batters and .160 (16-for-100) by right-handed batters. He allowed a career low two home runs (Phil Plantier, Carney Lansford). Steve had 18 saves and a 1.96 ERA at home, 12 saves and a 1.17 ERA on the road. He had a 1.16 ERA in night games.

He signed a three-year contract with the Yankees as a free agent in November 1990. The contract extends through the 1993 season.

Steve appeared exclusively in relief in 1991, assuming the role of closer vacated by the departure of Dave Righetti.

His first save as a Yankee came on April 13 at Kansas City  On May 10 he saved a 5-3 victory over Oakland, ending the Yankees' 16-game losing streak against the Athletics. Farr earned his first win as a Yankee in his next outing, on May 12 against Oakland.

At the break he was 2-1 with 12 saves (14 opportunities) and a 1.56 ERA and through July had 16 saves in 18 chances. Steve saved 14 of the Yankees' 26 victories in June and July.

He had a scoreless streak of 28.0 innings snapped on August 4 at Detroit when Tony Phillips hit a solo homer with two out in the 9th inning; it was the only road homer he allowed all year. His scoreless string was the longest by a Yankee since Lee Guetterman's record-setting 30.2 to start the 1989 season. Steve's covered 24 games, starting May 29, and during the streak he allowed only 11 hits and one extra-base hit while walking only two, striking out 21 and recording 14 saves.

Steve set a career high in saves with this 21st on September 27 at Cleveland. After the break, he was 3-4 with 11 saves in 15 situations and a 3.03 ERA in 27 appearances.

In 1991 Steve was part of a quarter of Yankee relievers (along with Cadaret, Guetterman and Habyan) who each notched 60-plus appearances, 

Farr set a career high with 23 saves (10th in the AL) in 29 opportunities. It was also the most by a Yankee right-handed pitcher since Rich Gossage had 30 in 1982. 

Opponents hit .219 against Farr. Right-handed batters hit .201 with two homers, left-handers hit .241 with two homers. He a 1.72 ERA on the road. Steve had 12 appearances of more than one inning (27.1 IP) with a 3.29 ERA. He pitched one inning or less in 48 games (42.2 IP), with a 1.48 ERA. He finished 48 games, 10th in the AL.

A member of the Kansas City Royals in 1990, Steve had perhaps his finest season in the majors, posting a 13-7 record with a save and a 1.98 ERA over 57 appearances (second most on the club), including six starts. He led the club in wins, and his wins, ERA, innings (127.0) and strikeouts (94) were all career bests. Opponents hit .220 against Steve.

He was 5-1 with a 1.51 ERA as a starter and 8-6 with a save and 2.19 in relief. He was used in save situations only twice all year and his one save came on August 9 against Chicago. Of his relief appearances, Steve had 12 of more than two innings and had a 1.21 ERA in such games (37.1 IP) as opposed to 39 appearances of two innings or less in which he had a 2.83 ERA (54.0 IP).

Farr made his first start on June 10 at Oakland and took the loss; the start was his first since making two starts in his final two 1989 appearances. His July 3 start against the Yankees resulted in a win. He had a stretch after the break from July 13-August 26 where over 16 games he allowed just five earned runs over 38.0 innings pitched for a 1.18 ERA, lowering his overall ERA from 2.51 to 1.98.

His other three starts were his final games of the season (September 17-29) and all three resulted in wins. Included was a complete game shutout against California on September 23  (9.0 IP, 5 H)- the complete game and the shutout were both career firsts. Overall in those three starts, Steve allowed just one earned run (a Larry Parrish homer in the final outing) over 21.1 innings, lowering his ERA from 2.30 to a season-ending 1.98.

Steve was 9-2, 1.37 in 37 games at Royals Stadium. His 49 career saves as a Royal are the fourth most in club history behind Dan Quisenberry, Doug Bird and Jeff Montgomery.

In 1989, Farr was 2-5 with 18 saves and a 4.12 ERA over 51 games, including two starts in his final two appearances. The 18 saves tied Jeff Montgomery for the club lead.

Steve opened the season as the bullpen closer and was successful in each of his first ten save situations. Through his first 26 outings he had 15 saves and a 1.95 ERA. Included was a stretch from June 15-July 22 where he struck out at least one batter (15 total) in 12 straight games. Steve's only relief win came on July 30 against Baltimore (2.0 IP).

He spent time on the disabled list as he was placed on the 15-day DL on August 23 (retroactive to 8/21) with torn cartilage in his right knee. He underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair his knee and was activated on September 13. Farr started on September 24 against Seattle, only his second start since 1985, and picked up the win (6.0 IP, 5 H, 1 ER). In his two starts he posted a 1.50 ERA (12.0 IP, 2 ER), fanning 10 batters along the way.

Of his 49 relief appearances, he started the inning 41 times. Overall, he was successful in 18 of 22 save situations. All four blown saves came as a result of having allowed a home run. He finished 35 of the first 37 outings in which he appeared, none commencing earlier than the eighth inning.

In 1988, his first full season in the majors, Farr established himself as the Royals' closer in the pen. He led the staff, and established a personal best, by appearing in 62 games, eighth best in Royal history. He did not register his first save until May 16, yet finished with 20 saves to tie for seventh best in club history. Steve was successful in 20 of 25 save situations.

Steve joined the Pirates organization when he was signed as a free agent in December 1976. From 1977 through 1982 he pitched for five different clubs in the Pittsburgh farm system, appearing in 142 games, and was 35-39 with 11 saves and a 4.28 ERA. Of those 142 games, 76 were as a starter. Steve had an amazing 23 complete games, 36% of his starts.

He spent the 1983 season with the Pirates ' AA club Buffalo of the Eastern League while being traded to the Cleveland organization on June 8 for catcher John Malkin. He was 13-1 with a league leading 1.61 ERA. Steve was named to Baseball America's Class AA and Eastern League all-star teams.

Steve started the 1984 season with Cleveland's AAA club at Maine, going 4-0 with a 2.60 ERA over six starts. He earned a promotion to the Indians on May 14, appearing in 31 games (16 starts) for the Tribe. He was 3-11 with a 4.58 ERA.

In 1985, Steve was signed as a free agent by the Royals on May 9. He started his season at Omaha and pitched brilliantly, posting a 10-4 record with a league leading 2.02 ERA over 17 games (16 starts). He led Omaha in wins, ERA, complete games, shutouts and strikeouts.

Steve made his first appearance in a Kansas City uniform on August 8 as a starter against Detroit and was not involved in the decision in a 6-4 Royal win. He picked up his first win as a Royal on September 6 against Milwaukee in a 7-1 Kansas City win- the victory marked Steve's first major league win since August 13, 1984. He notched his first save as a Royal on September 25 at Seattle.

He appeared in two games in the American League Championship Series, both in relief. He hurled 4.1 innings of 2-hit ball in relief in Game 3, picking up Kansas City's first win in the ALCS. He did not pitch in the World Series.

1986 was the first full season in the majors for Steve and he established his mark as an effective reliever. He tied for second on the club with 56 games pitched and posted the club's second best ERA (3.13). He was 7-0 with four saves and a 2.23 ERA at Royals Stadium.

Steve was named the Royals' pitcher of the month for both May and June. He did not pitch after September 16 because of a sore shoulder.

He spent most of the 1987 season in the bullpen, appearing in 47 games which tied him for second most on the club. He had a then career high 88 strikeouts which also led the bullpen. He had two brief stints at Omaha: from July 31-August 13 and from August 30-September 4.

Steve graduated from DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland. He was a catcher and pitcher at DeMatha, lettering in baseball. He attended Charles County Community College (LaPlata, MD) and American University (Washington, DC). Steve went to American U. on a scholarship and played baseball at both schools.

Steve played Babe Ruth and American Legion ball as a youngster. He helped his team to the 1972 Babe Ruth World Series, held in Pine Bluff, Arkansas.

Steve enjoys cars and credits Jamie Quirk with helping his career."

-1993 New York Yankees Information Guide

Steven Michael Farr "Steve" "Beast" (P)     #26

Born December 12, 1956, in Cheverly, Maryland, resides in Corolla, North Carolina. Height: 5-11, weight: 204. Bats right, throws right.

Married, Andrea (12/5/92). Attended Charles Country Community College and American University.

Major league service: 8 years, 27 days. Opening Day Age: 36.

-1993 New York Yankees Information Guide