#662 Stan Banhsen

Hard throwing, workhorse, Midwest born starter…Taken in the 4^th round of historic inaugural 1965 draft by the Yankees…that year started in AA and added two more years in AAA in the farm system before being ready… Rookie of the year 1968…Sparkling 17-12 record and 2.05 ERA, a career mark…Suffered from considerable sophomore jinx…9-16 record and nearly doubling his ERA…Multiple reports attributed the slide to a lowered pitcher’s mound…moderate come back in 1970 and 1971 winning 14 games in both years for the Bronx Bombers…Was traded to White Sox for Rich McKinney…Career took off in Chi-town under the philosophy of coach Johnny Sain …won 21 games in 41 starts…1973 Banhsen returns and by poor run support nearly inverses his record by losing 21 and winning 18…The season had its cost…Stan pitched 282 innings in Sain’s “less is more” belief…Banhsen’s arm was taxed and never achieved the same level…1974 saw a losing record and his highest ERA to date…after a slow start was shipped to the A’s in 75 and then to the Expos in 1977…product during this time was fair but remarkable…Took a turn to the middle relief  in 78 and continued in that path until his last MLB season with California and Philedelphia…1983 comeback bid with AAA Portland was disastrous…never an all star despite the excellent years of 1968 and 1972.