| Greg Minton | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born: July 29, 1951 Lubbock, Texas |
|
| Batted: Switch | Threw: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| September 7, 1975 for the San Francisco Giants | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 29, 1990 for the California Angels | |
| Career statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 59–65 |
| Earned run average | 3.10 |
| Strikeouts | 479 |
| Saves | 150 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Gregory Brian Minton (b. July 29, 1951 in Lubbock, Texas) is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played for the California Angels and San Francisco Giants.
Minton enjoyed a 16-year major league career, from 1975 to 1990, and was a member of the 1982 National League All-Star Team. His nickname, "Moon Man," stemmed from various escapades such as the hijacking of the team bus and the flooding of a minor league ballpark so he could leave Amarillo one day early at the end of the season.
Minton went three full seasons (269 1/3 innings) without allowing a home run until John Stearns homered against him on May 2, 1982. This still is the longest such streak in the post-1920 live-ball era. A crippling injury in 1979 caused Minton to alter his delivery. Instead of using his then-normal high leg kick, Minton shortened his stride to take pressure off his knee. The new delivery gave Minton a 92-mph sinker that batters were unable to drive.
After his career as a player, Minton was a pitching coach in the California Angels' organization, and managed the Class A Lubbock Crickets for two years.
On August 14, 1986, Minton gave up the last of Pete Rose's Major League record 4,256 career hits.