David Clyde

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

David Clyde
Pitcher
Batted: Left	Threw: Left
MLB debut
June 27, 1973 for the Texas Rangers
Final game
August 7, 1979 for the Cleveland Indians
Career statistics
Wins-losses	18-33
ERA	4.63
Strikeouts	228
Teams
Texas Rangers (1973–1975) Cleveland Indians (1978–1979)
Career highlights and awards
First overall pick in the 1973 amateur draft.

David Eugene Clyde (born April 22, 1955 in Kansas City, Kansas) is a former left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who played all or part of five seasons for the Texas Rangers (1973 to 1975) and Cleveland Indians (1978 to 1979). His once promising baseball career ended because of arm injuries at age 26.

Clyde had a stellar high school baseball career at Westchester High School in Houston, Texas where he finished with a record of 18 wins, 0 losses, as a senior and only gave up three earned runs in 148 innings pitched. He was the first person selected in the 1973 MLB Draft. He received a $125,000 signing bonus, the highest bonus ever given to a draft pick at the time.^[1]

He was quickly promoted to the majors and was the youngest player to play in a MLB game that year. Clyde won his first ever Major League start and played in eighteen games (all starts) that season, finishing with a record of 4-8, with a 5.01 ERA. In the 1974 season, Clyde played in 28 games (21 starts) and finished with 3-9 record, and a 4.38 ERA. He started one game in the 1975 season (a loss) before developing arm trouble and being demoted to the minor leagues. He stayed in the minors for three seasons before being traded (with Willie Horton) to the Cleveland Indians for Tom Buskey and John Lowenstein prior to the 1978 season.

Many of Clyde's troubles are attributed to him being rushed into the major at age 18, before he was ready. This was due, in part, to Texas owner Bob Short wanting to sell tickets. Clyde's first start resulted in a sellout crowd and a win, but that was his career's high point.

Clyde started for the Indians for most of that year, playing in 28 games (starting 25) and finished with a record of 8-11, with a 4.28 ERA and 83 strikeouts. Clyde also finished fourth in the American League with 11 wild pitches. He played in 9 games (8 starts) with the Indians during the 1979 season (3-4, 5.91 ERA) before being demoted to the minors. He was traded back to the Rangers after the 1979 season but was released by them prior to the 1980 season.

Clyde tried to restart his career with the Houston Astros for the 1981 season but never played a game with them.

Clyde recently retired from the lumber business.