Tim Stoddard

In January, 1975, Stoddard was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 2nd round of the MLB January draft after playing collegiate baseball at North Carolina State. In 1975 he made his professional debut, pitching for the Class AA Knoxville Sox, where he went 3-4, with a 4.23 ERA and 7 Saves. In 1976 he pitched for Knoxville and the Class AAA Iowa Oaks. He first reached the majors with one appearance in 1975.

Stoddard signed with the Baltimore Orioles on April 8, 1977, eleven days after his release by the White Sox on March 28.[8] He pitched the 1977 season with the Orioles' Class AA Charlotte O's going 10-7 with a 3.21 ERA and 5 saves. In 1978 Stoddard was promoted to the Class AAA Rochester Red Wings, where he was 7-3 with a 2.61 ERA and 7 saves.[9]

After a second brief majors call up in 1978, Stoddard made a Major League Roster for good in 1979 with the Baltimore Orioles; that year, he pitched in 29 games, winning three and saving three others, with a 1.71 earned run average (ERA) in 58 innings pitched. The 1979 Orioles won the American League pennant, before losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the World Series, after leading three games to one. In Game Four, Stoddard was the winning pitcher and drove in Billy Smith with an eighth-inning single, becoming the first player to drive in a World Series run in his very first at-bat. (At the time, the World Series only used the designated hitter in even-number years.)

Stoddard became the Orioles’ closer in 1980, pitching in a career-high 64 games and finishing fourth in the AL with 26 saves, which would stand as a single-season franchise record until Don Aase broke it with 34 saves in 1986. Over the next three years Stoddard shared the closer role with left-hander Tippy Martinez. In 1983 his ERA ballooned to 6.09.[10]

In 1983 Stoddard was a member of the Orioles 1983 World Series champions. Stoddard did not pitch in the World Series, which the Orioles won over the Philadelphia Phillies in five games. Stoddard became the first player to win a championship ring in both an NCAA basketball championship game and a World Series.[11]

Stoddard was traded from the Orioles to the Oakland Athletics for Wayne Gross on December 9, 1983.[10] He was dealt again during spring training on March 26, 1984 from the Athletics to the Chicago Cubs for Stan Kyles,[12] with minor league outfielder Stan Boderick also sent to Oakland to complete the transaction five days later on March 31. During the 1984 season, Stoddard pitched in 58 games and posted a 10-6 record and seven saves as the Cubs won the National League East title—their first postseason appearance since the 1945 World Series. The Cubs, however, lost to the San Diego Padres in the National League Championship Series. After the season Stoddard signed with the Padres as a free agent.[13] The compensation draft pick that the Cubs received for losing Stoddard in free-agency was later used to draft Rafael Palmeiro.[14]

While pitching for the Padres, on June 18, 1986, Stoddard hit his only career home run in what turned out to be his final Major League at bat.[14] After pitching for the Padres for a year and a half, Stoddard was traded to the New York Yankees on July 9, 1986, for Ed Whitson who had famously fought with Yankees Manager Billy Martin.[15][13]

Stoddard served mainly as a Yankee setup man for closer Dave Righetti. While pitching against the California Angels on September 5, 1987, Stoddard gave up the first-ever "broken bat" home run to Jack Howell.[16] Stoddard was released by the Yankees on August 14, 1988 after posting a 6.38 ERA.

Stoddard pitched his final season (1989) with the Cleveland Indians, pitching in 14 games with a 2.95 ERA before being released on July 12, 1989.[13]

In his career, Stoddard pitched in 485 games, all in relief. He won 41 games against 35 losses, with 79 saves, a 3.95 ERA and 582 strikeouts in 729+2⁄3 innings pitched. Stoddard is one of only two men to play in both an NCAA Basketball Final Four game, and an MLB World Series.