Tony Fossas
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| Tony Fossas | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pitcher | ||
| Born: September 23, 1957 | ||
| Batted: Left | Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | ||
| May 15, 1988 for the Texas Rangers |
||
| Final game | ||
| May 14, 1999 for the New York Yankees |
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| Career statistics | ||
| Win-Loss | 17-24 | |
| ERA | 3.90 | |
| Strikeouts | 324 | |
| Teams | ||
| Career highlights and awards | ||
|
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Emilio "Tony" Fossas was a left-handed Major League Pitcher during the late 1980s and 1990s.
He was signed as a 12th round pick by the Texas Rangers during the 1979 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft. The previous year he was drafted by the Minnesota Twins, but decided not to sign with the team, instead finishing his college studies and collegiate career at University of South Florida - Tampa.
After nearly becoming a career minor leaguer, at the age of 31 he received a promotion to the Majors in 1988 with the Rangers, who released him during the offseason.
Although he only pitched 5 2/3 innings that initial year, Fossas eventually became an entrenched yeoman setup pitcher with the Milwaukee Brewers from 1989 to 1990, the Boston Red Sox from 1991 to 1994, and the St. Louis Cardinals from 1995 to 1997.
Fossas' greatest success came as a left-handed specialist reliever, or LOOGY, a pitcher who was brought in expressly to face one or two particularly dangerous left-handed batters (during Fossas's tenure, this included such players as Ken Griffey, Jr., Barry Bonds, and Mo Vaughn). As a left-handed reliever with an unorthodox delivery, he was well-suited to this role, and often faced only one or two batters in each appearance. With Boston in 1992, Fossas made 60 appearances, but due to his specialized use he pitched a total of less than 30 innings.
In 1998 he pitched for the Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs and returned to the Texas Rangers in what would be his last full year before finishing his career with the New York Yankees in 1999.
Statistically, his career was not solid, save for the fact that he was often the oldest player on his team once he reached the Majors.
He became a pitching coach for Florida Atlantic University Owls in 2004.
[edit] Miscellaneous
- Fossas was born as Emilio Antonio Fossas Morejon
- Because he spent most of his career in the Minor Leagues and the American League, both of which use the Designated hitter, and that he was often used as a short relief specialist, he only had one at bat during his career, a grounder into a double play in 1996 while he was with the St. Louis Cardinals
