Jim Clancy (baseball)
Encyclopedia
James Clancy is a former starting pitcher
in Major League Baseball
who played for the Toronto Blue Jays
(1977–88), Houston Astros
(1989–91) and Atlanta Braves
(1991). He batted and threw right-handed.
on the south side of Chicago and was drafted by the Texas Rangers
in the fourth round of the 1974 MLB Draft. Clancy played rookie level baseball with the Rangers Gulf Coast League
team, where he had a record of 3-3 with a 2.72 ERA in nine starts.
The Rangers moved Clancy up to the Anderson Rangers
of the Western Carolinas League
for the 1975 season, however, despite a respectable ERA of 3.83 in 23 starts, Clancy had a poor 6-13 record. Texas moved Clancy up to the San Antonio Brewers of the Texas League
in 1976, however, he had a rough season, posting a record of 6-8 with a 6.41 in 23 starts. He was left unprotected in the 1976 MLB Expansion Draft
, and was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays
with the sixth pick.
AA affiliate, the Jersey City Indians
of the Eastern League. Despite having a poor season with the team, where he had a 5-13 record and 4.88 ERA in 20 starts, the Blue Jays called him up to the Major League
level. Clancy made his MLB debut on July 26, 1977, against the Texas Rangers
at Exhibition Stadium
. Clancy started the game, however, he lasted only two innings, allowing five runs as the Rangers routed Toronto 14-0. Clancy earned his first major league victory in his next start, pitching a complete game, allowing seven hits and one earned run as Toronto defeated the Milwaukee Brewers
3-2. Clancy would finish the year with a 4-9 record with a 5.05 ERA.
In 1978, Clancy spent his first full season with the Blue Jays, earning a 10-12 record with a 4.09 ERA in 31 games. He had an injury plagued season in 1979, where he had a 2-7 record and a 5.51 ERA in 12 games.
Clancy had a very solid season in 1980, as he had a 13-16 record with a 3.30 ERA and 15 complete games, before struggling in the 1981 season, as Clancy had a 6-12 record with a 4.90 ERA.
In 1982, Clancy posted his first winning season, as he had a 16-14 record, starting a league high 40 games, and appearing in the 1982 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
, where Clancy pitched a perfect fourth inning. He had another very solid season in 1983, where Clancy had a record of 15-11 with a 3.91 ERA, as the Blue Jays had their first ever winning season.
Clancy struggled in 1984, as he had a losing record for the first time in three seasons, with a 13-15 record, and a 4.64 ERA in a league high 36 starts. He led the league in earned runs allowed with 125. The 1985 season would be injury plagued, however, Clancy pitched effective, earning a 9-6 record and a 3.78 ERA as Toronto made the post-season for the first time in team history. The injured Clancy pitched in only one inning in the 1985 ALCS as Toronto lost to the Kansas City Royals
in seven games.
He had a disappointing 1986 season, as Clancy posted a 14-14 record with a 3.94 ERA, followed by a strong year in 1987, in which he had a 15-11 record and a 3.54 ERA as the Blue Jays failed to qualify for the playoffs in both years. Clancy spent his final season with Toronto in 1988, where he struggled with a record of 11-13 and a 4.49 ERA, as the Jays once again missed the playoffs.
. He made his Astros debut on April 8, 1989, pitching 8.1 innings and allowing two runs in a 6-2 win over the San Diego Padres
at The Astrodome. He would struggle as the season went along, sporting a record of 7-14 with a 5.08 ERA as the Astros finished in third place in the National League West
.
Clancy split time between starting and working out of the bullpen in 1990, where he struggled with a 2-8 record and a 6.51 ERA, and had a stint with the Tucson Toros
, the Astros AAA affiliate in the Pacific Coast League
. In 1991, Clancy spent the season working out of the bullpen, and despite a 0-3 record, he was effective, as he had a 2.78 ERA in 30 games and earned five saves. On July 31, 1991, Clancy was traded to the Atlanta Braves
for Matt Turner
.
, all out of the bullpen, as he posted a 3-2 record with a 5.71 ERA, helping Atlanta win the National League West
division. In the 1991 NLCS, Clancy made only one appearance, getting the only batter out that he faced as the Braves defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates
to earn a spot in the World Series
. Clancy pitched in three games during the 1991 World Series
, and earned his first ever post-season victory in the third game of the series as Atlanta defeated the Minnesota Twins
5-4 in twelve innings. Clancy finished the series with a 1-0 record with a 4.15 ERA, however, the Twins won the series in seven games.
Clancy once again became a free agent after the season, and signed a deal with the Chicago Cubs
, however, he retired during spring training in 1992.
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played for the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
(1977–88), Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
(1989–91) and Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
(1991). He batted and threw right-handed.
Texas Rangers
Clancy attended St. Rita of Cascia High SchoolSt. Rita of Cascia High School
St. Rita of Cascia High School is an all-male Roman Catholic high school located on the southwest side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago and is operated by the Order of Saint Augustine...
on the south side of Chicago and was drafted by the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
in the fourth round of the 1974 MLB Draft. Clancy played rookie level baseball with the Rangers Gulf Coast League
Gulf Coast League
The Gulf Coast League is a minor league baseball league which operates in Florida. It is a Rookie League, with a season running from mid-June to late August. The season is 60 games long and teams in the league are divided into three divisions, East, North and South...
team, where he had a record of 3-3 with a 2.72 ERA in nine starts.
The Rangers moved Clancy up to the Anderson Rangers
Anderson Rangers
The Anderson Rangers were a Texas Rangers affiliate in the Class A Western Carolinas League for just one year, 1975. Managed by Rich Donnelly, the club finished second out of the league's four teams in the season's first half and third in the second half, posting an overall record of 67-70...
of the Western Carolinas League
Western Carolinas League
The Western Carolinas League was a Class D and a low Class A full-season league in American minor league baseball. The WCL changed its name prior to the 1980 season and has been known since as the South Atlantic League, a highly successful low Class A circuit with teams up the Eastern Seaboard...
for the 1975 season, however, despite a respectable ERA of 3.83 in 23 starts, Clancy had a poor 6-13 record. Texas moved Clancy up to the San Antonio Brewers of the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
in 1976, however, he had a rough season, posting a record of 6-8 with a 6.41 in 23 starts. He was left unprotected in the 1976 MLB Expansion Draft
1976 MLB expansion draft
The 1976 MLB Expansion Draft was held November 5, 1976. This expansion draft was conducted by Major League Baseball to stock the major league rosters of the Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners, new major league expansion franchises that were set to start play in the ...
, and was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
with the sixth pick.
Toronto Blue Jays
Clancy began his Blue Jays career playing with the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
AA affiliate, the Jersey City Indians
Jersey City Indians
The Jersey City Indians were a minor league baseball team based in Jersey City, New Jersey, which played in the Eastern League for the 1977 and 1978 seasons. In 1977, the team was the AA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team became affiliated with the Oakland Athletics for the 1978 season...
of the Eastern League. Despite having a poor season with the team, where he had a 5-13 record and 4.88 ERA in 20 starts, the Blue Jays called him up to the Major League
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
level. Clancy made his MLB debut on July 26, 1977, against the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
at Exhibition Stadium
Exhibition Stadium
Canadian National Exhibition Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, that formerly stood on the Exhibition Place grounds, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada....
. Clancy started the game, however, he lasted only two innings, allowing five runs as the Rangers routed Toronto 14-0. Clancy earned his first major league victory in his next start, pitching a complete game, allowing seven hits and one earned run as Toronto defeated the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
3-2. Clancy would finish the year with a 4-9 record with a 5.05 ERA.
In 1978, Clancy spent his first full season with the Blue Jays, earning a 10-12 record with a 4.09 ERA in 31 games. He had an injury plagued season in 1979, where he had a 2-7 record and a 5.51 ERA in 12 games.
Clancy had a very solid season in 1980, as he had a 13-16 record with a 3.30 ERA and 15 complete games, before struggling in the 1981 season, as Clancy had a 6-12 record with a 4.90 ERA.
In 1982, Clancy posted his first winning season, as he had a 16-14 record, starting a league high 40 games, and appearing in the 1982 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
1982 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1982 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 53rd midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played on July 13, 1982 at Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, home of the...
, where Clancy pitched a perfect fourth inning. He had another very solid season in 1983, where Clancy had a record of 15-11 with a 3.91 ERA, as the Blue Jays had their first ever winning season.
Clancy struggled in 1984, as he had a losing record for the first time in three seasons, with a 13-15 record, and a 4.64 ERA in a league high 36 starts. He led the league in earned runs allowed with 125. The 1985 season would be injury plagued, however, Clancy pitched effective, earning a 9-6 record and a 3.78 ERA as Toronto made the post-season for the first time in team history. The injured Clancy pitched in only one inning in the 1985 ALCS as Toronto lost to the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
in seven games.
He had a disappointing 1986 season, as Clancy posted a 14-14 record with a 3.94 ERA, followed by a strong year in 1987, in which he had a 15-11 record and a 3.54 ERA as the Blue Jays failed to qualify for the playoffs in both years. Clancy spent his final season with Toronto in 1988, where he struggled with a record of 11-13 and a 4.49 ERA, as the Jays once again missed the playoffs.
Houston Astros
Clancy became a free agent after the 1988 season, and signed a contract with the Houston AstrosHouston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. He made his Astros debut on April 8, 1989, pitching 8.1 innings and allowing two runs in a 6-2 win over the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
at The Astrodome. He would struggle as the season went along, sporting a record of 7-14 with a 5.08 ERA as the Astros finished in third place in the National League West
National League West
The National League Western Division, or NL West, is one of the three divisions of Major League Baseball's National League. It was created in 1969 when the previously undivided National League expanded its membership to twelve teams, positioning half of them in an Eastern division and the other...
.
Clancy split time between starting and working out of the bullpen in 1990, where he struggled with a 2-8 record and a 6.51 ERA, and had a stint with the Tucson Toros
Tucson Toros
The Tucson Toros are a professional baseball team based in Tucson, Arizona, in the United States. They are owned by Tucson Baseball, LLC with Jay Zucker as chairman of the board. Sean Smock is the team's general manager....
, the Astros AAA affiliate in the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
. In 1991, Clancy spent the season working out of the bullpen, and despite a 0-3 record, he was effective, as he had a 2.78 ERA in 30 games and earned five saves. On July 31, 1991, Clancy was traded to the Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
for Matt Turner
Matt Turner (baseball)
William Matthew Turner is a former middle-relief pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from through . He batted and threw right-handed....
.
Atlanta Braves
Clancy appeared in 24 games with the Atlanta BravesAtlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, all out of the bullpen, as he posted a 3-2 record with a 5.71 ERA, helping Atlanta win the National League West
National League West
The National League Western Division, or NL West, is one of the three divisions of Major League Baseball's National League. It was created in 1969 when the previously undivided National League expanded its membership to twelve teams, positioning half of them in an Eastern division and the other...
division. In the 1991 NLCS, Clancy made only one appearance, getting the only batter out that he faced as the Braves defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
to earn a spot in the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
. Clancy pitched in three games during the 1991 World Series
1991 World Series
The 1991 World Series pitted the Minnesota Twins of the American League against the Atlanta Braves of the National League. The series was played from Saturday, October 19 to Sunday, October 27....
, and earned his first ever post-season victory in the third game of the series as Atlanta defeated the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
5-4 in twelve innings. Clancy finished the series with a 1-0 record with a 4.15 ERA, however, the Twins won the series in seven games.
Clancy once again became a free agent after the season, and signed a deal with the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, however, he retired during spring training in 1992.