Jerry Koosman
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Jerome Martin "Jerry" Koosman (born December 23, 1942 in Appleton, Minnesota) is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies between 1967 and 1985. He was generally considered the #2 starter on the Miracle Mets when they won the World Series in 1969, behind only Hall of Famer Tom Seaver.
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[edit] Rookie Year
After leading all International League pitchers in strikeouts in 1967, Koosman broke into the Mets’ rotation in 1968. He posted a 19-12 record with seven shutouts, 178 strikeouts and a 2.08 earned run average. The wins, shutouts, and ERA set franchise records, all set by mound mate Tom Seaver the year before. Koosman also made the first of two All-Star teams in his career. The National League won the game 1-0 (to date, the only All-Star Game to end in a 1-0 score) in this, the “Year of the Pitcher.” Koosman pitched a scoreless ninth for the save, striking out Carl Yastrzemski for the final out. Koosman would be named to the 1968 Topps All-Star Rookie Roster and finish runner-up to Johnny Bench for the National League Rookie of the Year honors.
[edit] The Miracle Mets
In 1969 Koosman posted a 17-9 record with a 2.28 ERA and 180 strikeouts in making a second All-Star appearance. That year, he was a member of the Mets team that unexpectedly won the National League East title (with both leagues expanding from ten teams to 12, both leagues were now split into two divisions) after not only finishing dead last in five of their first seven seasons, but also trailing the Chicago Cubs for much of this season, by as many as 10 games on August 13. The day before, Koosman had lost to the Houston Astros to fall to 9-8; he would win eight of his final nine decisions, the lone loss coming against the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 1 after he was battered out with by four runs in only 1/3 of an inning. In Game Two of the NLCS against the Atlanta Braves, Koosman was shelled from the mound, giving up six runs in 4 2/3 innings, three of those runs coming on Hank Aaron’s fifth-inning home run. The Mets, however, were already ahead 9-6; they added two more runs to win the game, then won the next game to complete the sweep of the Braves.
Koosman was the pitching star of the 1969 World Series against the Baltimore Orioles. After Seaver was defeated in Game One, Koosman, leading 1-0 in Game Two, held the Orioles without a hit until Paul Blair broke up his bid for a no-hitter leading off the seventh. Blair later scored on Brooks Robinson’s single—the only hit Robinson would collect in this Series (in 19 at-bats). The Mets regained the lead in the ninth, Ed Charles scoring on an Al Weis single, and after retiring both Don Buford and Blair, Koosman walked both Frank Robinson and Boog Powell. He was relieved by Ron Taylor, who got Brooks Robinson to ground out to end the game.
The Mets won the next two games, then Koosman took the mound for Game Five. He fell behind 3-0 after giving up home runs to his mound opponent, Dave McNally, and Frank Robinson. The Mets, however, cut into the Oriole lead on Donn Clendenon’s two-run home run, then tied the game on a homer by Weis—the first ever Shea Stadium home run for a player who had hit only six career homers at that point. The New Yorkers scored two runs in the eighth to take the lead, and after walking Frank Robinson to lead off the ninth, Koosman retired the next three hitters to end the game and complete the Mets’ improbable World Series win.
[edit] “You Gotta Believe”, “It’s Never Over Until It’s Over”
In 1970 Koosman posted a 12-7 record with a 3.14 ERA. Over the next two seasons, however, posted losing records: 6-11 in 1971 (a season in which he was beset by arm woes) and 11-12 in 1972 with a 4.14 ERA—more than a run and a half above his career ERA to that point. In 1973 he went 5-0 in his first six starts, but ended the season 14-15. However, as in 1969, the Mets, with the pitching of Koosman, Seaver and Jon Matlack, unexpectedly won the NL East title, and once again, by overtaking the Cubs, whom they had trailed by as many as nine games. (This season would become famous for two famous slogans: Tug McGraw’s “You Gotta Believe,” and manager Yogi Berra’s “It’s never over until it’s over.”) In Game Three of the NLCS against the Cincinnati Reds, Koosman pitched a complete game, 9-2 victory in a game headlined by Pete Rose's altercation with Mets' shortstop Bud Harrelson. The victory gave the Mets a 2-1 lead in the NLCS; they won the pennant the very next day. Koosman was the winning pitcher in Game Five of the World Series against the defending champion Oakland Athletics, holding Oakland scoreless for 6 1/3 innings. This victory gave the Mets a 3-2 lead in the Series, but this time there would be no miracles: Oakland won the next two games to repeat as World Champions.
[edit] Later Met Years
Koosman posted a 15-11 record in 1974 and 14-13 record in 1975. In 1976 he had possibly his best season ever, establishing career bests with 21 wins (against 10 losses) and 200 strikeouts. He also finished runner-up to Randy Jones for the National League Cy Young Award. In 1977, the Mets traded Seaver to the Reds. The remainder of the team deteriorated, especially Koosman who slumped to 8-20, finishing tied with Phil Niekro for most losses in the NL. After a 3-15 season in 1978 Koosman, seeing no imminent improvement to the team, was traded to the Minnesota Twins at his request.
[edit] Later career
Koosman rebounded in 1979 to post a 20-13 record, and went 16-13 in 1980. Less than a month after the 1981 strike ended, on August 30, the Twins traded Koosman to the Chicago White Sox. He went 4-13 on the season, again finishing tied for his league lead in losses.
Koosman posted identical 11-7 records in 1982 and 1983. In the latter year, the White Sox won the American League West title to make their first post-season appearance since the 1959 World Series. However, the Baltimore Orioles defeated the White Sox in four games. After the season Koosman was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies; he went 14-15 in 1984 his last productive season.
Koosman was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 1989. With 222 wins, he is tied (with Hooks Dauss) at #70 on the all-time win list. He ended his career with a 222-209 record and a 3.36 ERA in 612 games. He struck out 2556 batters in 3839 and 1/3 innings pitched.
[edit] Trivia
- Koosman loves to joke about how "valuable" his 1968 Topps rookie card (#177) is, however its value is mostly due to the fact that it's also Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan's rookie card.
- The Mets acquired Jesse Orosco in the trade that sent Koosman to the Twins. Coincidentally, Orosco would be on the mound for the final out of the Mets' only other World Series title to date, in the 1986 World Series. In another coincidence, that 1986 Championship team was managed by Davey Johnson, whom Koosman had retired for the final out of the 1969 World Series.
- In his book October 1964, author David Halberstam states that the Mets had decided to trade Koosman while he was still struggling in their farm system but that he was retained because then-club president (and reputed skinflint) George Weiss discovered that Koosman owed the Mets $500 and would not let him go until the debt was paid.
| Preceded by Ken Henderson |
Major League Player of the Month April, 1973 |
Succeeded by Willie Crawford |
[edit] External link
- Baseball-Reference.com - career statistics and analysis
- Ultimate Mets Database - Jerry Koosman as a New York Met
