Tom Waddell (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Thomas David Waddell is a former Major League Baseball
pitcher
. One of only eight Scotland
natives to ever be a major league ballplayer, he pitched for the Cleveland Indians
from to , and again in .
Waddell grew up in Closter, New Jersey
.
The right-hander was signed by the Atlanta Braves
as an amateur free agent out of Manhattan College
in . After three seasons in their farm system, he was drafted by the Indians in the rule 5 draft
. He made his major league debut on April 15, 1984 against the Baltimore Orioles
, facing only two batters and giving up a game tying sacrifice fly
and a single
. For the season, Waddell went 7-4 with a 3.06 earned run average
, 59 strikeouts and six saves in 58 appearances for the Indians, setting a club record for relief appearances
by a rookie.
In 1985, Waddell was 4-5 with a 3.88 ERA and nine saves out of the tribe's bullpen
when Cleveland manager Pat Corrales
converted him into a starter
. In his first major league start, Waddell pitched six plus innings
to earn the win over Ron Guidry
and the New York Yankees
. For the season, he made nine starts, including a 7-hit complete game
win over Dave Stieb
and the Toronto Blue Jays
on August 19.
Waddell had shoulder surgery
in September 1985 and made only three rehab appearances for Cleveland's triple A affiliate in . He was unsuccessful in a brief 1987 comeback bid, going 0-1 with a 14.29 ERA in six games with the Indians. He signed a minor league contract with the Montreal Expos
in , and went 3-2 with a 2.95 ERA splitting the season between their double and triple A affiliates. He split the season between the Expos' and Milwaukee Brewers
' farm system before retiring.
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...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. One of only eight Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
natives to ever be a major league ballplayer, he pitched for the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland 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...
from to , and again in .
Waddell grew up in Closter, New Jersey
Closter, New Jersey
Closter is a Borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 8,373. After the turn of the century, Closter changed from being sprawling estates and farms into a middle and upper middle class suburban town...
.
The right-hander was signed by 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....
as an amateur free agent out of Manhattan College
Manhattan College
Manhattan College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college in the Lasallian tradition in New York City, United States. Despite the college's name, it is no longer located in Manhattan but in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, roughly 10 miles north of Midtown. Manhattan College offers...
in . After three seasons in their farm system, he was drafted by the Indians in the rule 5 draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. He made his major league debut on April 15, 1984 against the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, facing only two batters and giving up a game tying sacrifice fly
Sacrifice fly
In baseball, a sacrifice fly is a batted ball that satisfies four criteria:* There are fewer than two outs when the ball is hit.* The ball is hit to the outfield....
and a single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
. For the season, Waddell went 7-4 with a 3.06 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, 59 strikeouts and six saves in 58 appearances for the Indians, setting a club record for relief appearances
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
by a rookie.
In 1985, Waddell was 4-5 with a 3.88 ERA and nine saves out of the tribe's bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
when Cleveland manager Pat Corrales
Pat Corrales
Patrick Corrales , is a former catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who played from 1964–1973, primarily for the Cincinnati Reds, but also for the Philadelphia Phillies, St...
converted him into a starter
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 his first major league start, Waddell pitched six plus innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
to earn the win over Ron Guidry
Ron Guidry
Ronald Ames Guidry , nicknamed "Louisiana Lightning" and "Gator", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
and the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. For the season, he made nine starts, including a 7-hit complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
win over Dave Stieb
Dave Stieb
David Andrew Stieb [STEEB] is a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays.-Playing career:Born in Santa Ana, California, Stieb played varsity baseball at Southern Illinois University as an outfielder...
and 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 ....
on August 19.
Waddell had shoulder surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
in September 1985 and made only three rehab appearances for Cleveland's triple A affiliate in . He was unsuccessful in a brief 1987 comeback bid, going 0-1 with a 14.29 ERA in six games with the Indians. He signed a minor league contract with the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
in , and went 3-2 with a 2.95 ERA splitting the season between their double and triple A affiliates. He split the season between the Expos' and 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...
' farm system before retiring.