Frank Goodpasture

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Frank Goodpasture

Frank Goodpasture during Spring training of his famed 1988 campaign
retired — No. 46
Relief pitcher
Born: April 16, 1955 (1955-04-16) (age 53)
Bats: left Throws: left 
Major League Baseball debut
June 3, 1984 for the NY Mets
Selected MLB statistics
(through October 1, 1994)
Win-Loss     4-7
Earned Run Average     5.22
Strikeouts     273
Teams

Franklin Eric Goodpasture (born April 16, 1955) was a pitcher for the NY Mets and Kansas City Royals. Best remembered for his fiery temper and slurve, he is considered by many to be one of the best AL central left handed long relievers of the 1988 season.

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[edit] Early life

Frank Goodpasture was born in San Angelo, Texas. His father was a bricklayer and his mother worked part time as a telephone operator. Life was not easy for young Frank as he was 'the smallest kid in lower school.' Teachers remember Frank as being a hellion, as such he was a regular visitor to the principal's office.

In an interview with the Milwalkee times, Frank mentions that his adolescence was the toughest time of his life. "My Dad was an alcoholic and my mother was addicted to cough medicine. It was tough living in that environment. However, baseball gave me an out. It gave me a way to escape my home life and thrive."

[edit] Amateur career

Frank enrolled at junior college in Tuscon Arizona. He was a walk on for his JoCo team, the Tuscon Crush. It was during this time that Frank started to develop his sluve and pick-off move, two items that would prove indispensable during his brief MLB career.

[edit] Professional Career

[edit] Chicago Cubs (1976-1982)

Goodpasture was drafted in the 27th round of the 1977 amateur draft by the Chicago Cubs. His contract was a meager 10,000$ a year with a 2500$ signing bonus. Frank remembered considering pursuing his ambitions in broadcast journalism. However, 'the Cubs contract was more money then I would have been paid as a weatherman. I would have been remiss to say no.'

[edit] New York Mets (1982-1985)

Frank toiled in the Cubs system for 6 years, never ascending past AA. During the last year of his contract, he was traded to the Mets for cash considerations. Frank exploded onto the scene in the Mets system, posting a 3.22 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP which earned him his contract expansion. He made his MLB debut in 1984 vs. the Padres in the 7th inning of a 9-2 rout. Frank let up 3 runs in 2/3's innings pitched.

[edit] Kansas City Royals (1986-1990)

[edit] 1986 Season

During the '85 offseason, the Mets traded Goodpasture to the Royals for one prospect and cash. The GM of the Mets cited that Goodpasture's repeated trips between AAA Long Island and the parent club made him difficult to protect from waivers. Indeed, Frank has ended the season with just one move left in his contract before being exposed waivers. The Mets felt that a AAA demotion was unavoidable and thus sought some recompose. From '84-'85, Frank posted a 5.88 ERA during 8 separate stints with the Mets.

Although the Met's GM denies it, Frank insisted there were other motives to being shunted out of the Mets system. During a December interview with the Pawtukett express, Goodpasture was adamant that 'no one in that organization [Mets] knew nothing about baseball (sic).'

Rumors had circulated that Frank was not fitting in with the club. He would routinely peg opposing batters if he let up more than a 2 run homer, despite being only used in long relief. The Mets always seemed reluctant to break up the handful of fights that started over these incidents. Another thing that Frank was noted for doing was being furious for being used in back-to-back games. Of course, this only happened 4 times during his Mets tenure. After being pulled, he would storm of the field amidst an invective laden rant.

The Royals extended a spring training invite to Goodpasture on the condition that he re-structure his contract. Frank, against the advice of his agent, accepted the Royals proposal. After bitter competition during the '86 Spring tryouts in Jupiter Fl., Goodpasture captured the 7th reliever spot.

Despite two trips to the DL in '86, Frank managed to remain on the Royals for the entire season. Part of his success during this season was a marked increase in his pickoffs. Frank's pickoff move was considered well above average for a long reliever. Moreover, as a left hander, Frank was naturally predisposed to nailing runners at first. Another change in Frank during this season was centered around the pitcher's attitude on the mound. Frank became more and more livid whenever he let up a run. In fact, during a loss to the Orioles, Frank went on such a violent rant after giving up a 3-run homer that several parents left the ball park with their children. When asked about the 14-3 loss to Baltimore and his invective laden rant after Murray's homer run, Frank said "serves that [expletive] right, no one swings on a 3-1 count against me. The next time I see that [expletive] piece of [expletive], I am drilling him in the [expletive] head." Frank did not face the Orioles again that season.

During the '86 season, Frank pitched 45 innings and picked off 13 runners. He ended the season with a 5.21 ERA and 2.45 WHIP.

[edit] 1987 Season

Frank again broke spring training with the Royals but was quickly demoted to AAA Topeka. Frank earned the demotion after posting a 5.88 ERA in 7.2 inning's pitched. Frank remained at Topeka for the rest of the season, earning a call-up when rosters expanded in September. Frank pitched only once in September, during a rain-delayed loss to the then Californian Angels.

Frank ended his disappointing '87 season with a 6.01 ERA. He picked off only 3 runners during the '87 campaign.

[edit] 1988 Season

After a disappointing '87 campaign, Frank undertook an aggressive off-season workout regimen. As he was in the last year of his contract, Goodpasture knew he needed a big season to garner interest from big league clubs. Eating a high carb diet based on oat-meal and spaghetti, Frank reported to Spring Training the first eligible day in the best shape of his life. He lit up the grapefruit league, posting a 3.89 ERA in 8 appearances. He made the roster and pitched on opening day in long relief of a 10-2 loss to the Brewers.

Like his first season with the Royals, Frank managed to stay on the 23 man roster for all 162 games. However, unlike '85, Frank maintained an excellent ERA of 4.11, earning him brief regular relief appearances. Frank tagged 4 wins onto his record, a number that he would never beat.

Another key to Frank's success was his perfection of his pickoff move. Frank picked off 18 runners in the '86 campaign, 9 of these coming in the month of July. His July '86 record is a mark that has yet to be bested by any Royals reliever.


[edit] Career statistics

Seasons G GS W L PCT ERA CG SHO IP H ER HR BB K
6 72 0 4 7 .398 5.22 0 35 392.1 1,022 232 382 312 122