Saturday, April 30, 2016

#477 Tom Phoebus

Pronounced Fee-Bus.....diminutive curveball specialist and hometown product of Baltimore.....Enjoyed limelight with several good campaigns in the late 60’s....started out going 2-1 with 1.27 ERA in 1966 call up...proceeded to racked up 14, 15, and then 14 win seasons respectively in years 1967-69....took a back seat in rotation during 1970 sharing the #5 spot with Jim Hardin....claimed a 5-5 win loss record....highlight of season was winning game 2 of WS.... came in relief his first and only WS appearance ....it was also his last time in a Oriole uniform....traded to Padres for 1971 season...bittersweet for the Baltimore native....fared poorly in Yellow and Brown going 3-11 and was eventually  ushered out of rotation to mop up in lost games the last two months....Resurfaced as a Cub for 1972 to shore up their relief corp.... did a reasonable job with 6 saves...traded to Atlanta for an Hall of Fame Manager, Tony LaRussa....spent 1973 in AAA Richmond before retiring....was a draftsman in off season.


3 comments:

  1. Phoebus really stepped up for the Orioles in 1967, when McNally, Palmer, and Bunker were all sidelined with injuries after their fine 1966 seasons.

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  2. The 60's were by large very good for the Orioles between a very strong farm systems shrewd trades, and little luck (expansion teams passing on Jim Palmer as damaged goods). Although both Baltimore and LA had losing records after 1966 WS, I beleive the Orioles did better despite having more adversity.

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  3. In 1968 he pitched a no-hitter against the Red Sox. He passed away in 2019.

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