Dave Roberts (baseball pitcher)

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David Arthur Roberts was a left-handed major league baseball pitcher. He was born September 11, 1944, in Gallipolis, Ohio. Over his major league career he won 103 games.

Roberts changed organizations 11 times in his pro baseball career. "The way I look at it," he said, "either I'm a bum or everybody wants me."

He was one of the best Jewish pitchers in major league history, 3rd in games career-wise (445) behind only Scott Radinsky and Ken Holtzman, 4th in wins (103) and strikeouts (957) behind only Sandy Koufax, Holtzman, and Steve Stone, and 7th in ERA (3.78).[1]

Contents

[edit] Minor league career

Roberts was approached by 14 teams after graduating from high school.

He was initially signed in June 1963 as an undrafted amateur free agent by the Philadelphia Phillies.

He played as a farmhand for them, as well as the Kansas City A's and Pittsburgh Pirates (who claimed him on waivers in April 1964), before being taken by San Diego with the 39th pick in the October 1968 expansion draft.

Roberts was 1968 Pitcher of the Year for the International League Columbus Jets, after going 18-5.

In the minor leagues from 1963-69, he was 65-32 with a 3.00 ERA.

[edit] Major league career

In 1970 Roberts was 6th in the NL in bases on balls/9 IP (2.13).

He went 14-17 for the last-place 1971 Padres, finishing 2nd to Tom Seaver with a 2.10 ERA. He was 6th in the voting for the NL Cy Young Award, 7th in bases on balls/9IP (2.04), 9th in innings pitched (269.7), 10th in complete games (14), and 24th in the voting for the NL MVP. He held batters to a .191 batting average when runners were in scoring position.

In December 1971 he was traded by the Padres to the Houston Astros for Mark Schaeffer, Bill Greif, and Derrell Thomas.

In 1972 he was 12-7.

With Houston in 1973, he recorded a career-best 17-11 record, setting a club record with 6 shutouts (2nd in the NL). He was 6th in the NL in wins and sacrifice hits (12), 7th in games started (36), 8th in complete games (12), and 10th in ERA (2.85) and bases on balls/9IP (2.24).

In December 1975 he was traded by the Astros with Jim Crawford and Milt May to the Detroit Tigers for Mark Lemongello, Gene Pentz, Terry Humphrey, and Leon Roberts.

After a 16-17 season with the 1976 Tigers, in which he was 5th in the league in shutouts (4), 7th in games started (36), and 9th in complete games (18), he had surgery to correct an arthritic knee.

In July 1977 he was purchased by the Chicago Cubs.

In 1978 he batted .327 for the Cubs, with a .500 slugging percentage, in 52 at bats.

In February 1979 he signed as free agent with the San Francisco Giants.

In June 1979 he was traded by the Giants with Len Randle and Bill Madlock to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Al Holland, Fred Breining, and Ed Whitson.

Combined, in 1979 he had a 2.90 ERA.

In April 1980 he was purchased by the Seattle Mariners.

In January 1981 he was signed as a free agent by the New York Mets.

In June 1981 he was signed as a free agent by the San Francisco Giants.

[edit] Pitching

He had great success against Graig Nettles, who was 0-19 against him in his career.

[edit] Hitting

A good hitter for a pitcher, Roberts had a career BA of .194 with 7 home runs.

[edit] Sources

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