Jimmy Key

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Jimmy Key
Pitcher
Batted: Right Threw: Left
MLB debut
April 6, 1984 for the Toronto Blue Jays
Final game
September 20, 1998 for the Baltimore Orioles
Career statistics
Wins-losses     186-117
ERA     3.51
Strikeouts     1,538
Teams
Career highlights and awards
  • Selected by Chicago White Sox in 10th Round (243rd overall) of 1979 amateur entry draft; 3rd round of the 1982 amateur draft by Toronto.
For the Formula One technical director, see James Key (Formula One).

James Edward "Jimmy" Key (born April 22, 1961 in Huntsville, Alabama) was a left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. Over the span of his 15 major league seasons, Key has had 12 seasons where he has won 12 or more games. The bulk of his career was with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Retired from baseball, Key is married wife Karin and lives in North Salem, New York.

Contents

[edit] Career

[edit] Butler High School

Jimmy Key's baseball career began in high school in Huntsville, Alabama. Key was a lefthander with a 10-0 record. He had nine shutouts and a 0.30 ERA his senior season. Key also batted .410 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs in his high school career.

[edit] Clemson University Tigers (1980-1982)

Key posted a 9-3 record at Clemson and 2.79 ERA on the mound. As a hitter Key batted at .300 with 21 doubles. Key is the only Clemson player to be a member of the first-team All-ACC in two positions (pitcher and DH) in 1982. Key pitched the opening game of the 1980 College World Series.

[edit] Toronto Blue Jays (1984-1992)

Key was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 3rd round of the 1982 amateur draft. His minor league season began in 1982 when he played for Florence Blue Jays (5-2 with 3.72 ERA) of the South Atlantic League and the Medicine Hat Blue Jays (2-1 with 2.30 ERA) of the Pioneer League.

In 1983 Key split his time with the Knoxville Blue Jays (6-5 - 2.85 ERA) and Syracuse Chiefs (4-8 - 4.13 ERA) before heading to Toronto.

Key made his Major League debut on April 6, 1984 and was utilized in relief situations through his inaugural year, notching 10 saves and a 4.65 ERA. He wore number 27 in his first season and 22 for the duration of his Blue Jays career.

He had two rehab stints with the Dunedin Blue Jays in 1988 and 1990. He had a 4-0 record with and ERA of 2.50 over

Key moved into the starting rotation in 1985 and quickly became a cornerstone in the rotation, leading the Blue Jays to their first ever postseason appearance that year. More postseason appearances would follow, culminating in a World Series championship in 1992.

[edit] New York Yankees (1993-1996)

Key was one of the most popular Blue Jays until his departure in 1993 to play for the rival New York Yankees (signed as a free agent on December 10, 1992) and was paid US$16.8 million over four years. He posted a 49-23 record in 94 games over three seasons with the Yankees. He had his career high of 173 strikeouts in the first year with the Yankees in 1993. He continued to wear his number 22 with the Yankees.

He spent time with the Gulf Coast Yankees (1-0 and 0.00 ERA) and Tampa (0-0 and 2.77 ERA) of the Florida State League during rehab assignments during his last season with New York in 1996.

[edit] Baltimore Orioles (1997-1998)

Key was signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles on December 10, 1996 and posted a 22-13 record in 59 appearances over two seasons. A free agent in his final season, Key retired from the game in after the 1998 season largely due to injuries. He made US$7.73 million with the Orioles over 2 seasons. He wore the number 21 with the Orioles.

Notes: He was assigned to Fredrick of the Carolina League in 1998 (1-0 3.00 ERA) during his final rehab stint. Key was granted free agency for the last time on October 27, 1998 by Orioles GM Pat Gillick, the same GM who granted him the same conditions in Toronto in 1992.

His best personal years were in 1987, when he posted an 17-8 record with a league-leading 2.76 ERA, and in 1993, when he went 18-6 with a 3.00 ERA and 173 strikeouts.

[edit] Strengths and weaknesses

Key was one of the premiere 'control' pitchers in the game with a good strikeout-to-walk ratio over most of his career. His fastball was not particularly speedy, but was often effective as he could spot it on both corners of the plate -- although when his throw went high, opponents fared well. He also possessed a fine slider which would start out away from a right-handed hitter but would then break over the outside corner of the plate for a strike. He had a very good pickoff move to first base, which he notably demonstrated in Game 4 of the 1992 World Series by picking off Otis Nixon, one of the game's premiere base stealers at the time.

Key tended to give up more than his share of home runs even while holding his opponents' on-base percentage to a low level. He was injury-prone with significant down time in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996 and 1998. Key has had Tommy John surgery to repair his injured arm.

[edit] Honors and Awards

  • All-star for Toronto (1985, 1991) and New York (1993, 1994)
  • Finished 6th in American League MVP voting (New York - 1994)
  • Finished 2nd in American League Cy Young voting - Toronto (1987) and New York (1994)
  • Finished 4th in American League Cy Young voting (New York - 1993)
  • Won American League ERA title (Toronto - 1987, 2.76 ERA)
  • The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year in 1987 (Toronto) and 1994 (New York)
  • Clemson University Hall of Fame 1999
  • 1982 Atlantic Coast Conference All-Star - Pitcher and DH (Clemson Tigers)

[edit] External links

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