Bob Welch

Played For
Los Angeles Dodgers (1978-1987)
Oakland Athletics (1988-1994)

Best Season: 1990
After a hard-luck 3-2 start (the A's scored just one run in each of his two losses), Welch strung together 10 consecutive victories. From August until the end of the season, he went 11-2 to finish at 27-6. Welch was essentially a seven-inning starter, and he only hurled two complete games. His ERA during his 10-game winning streak, which stretched over 11 starts, was a solid, but unspectacular 3.21. He received 15 of the 29 first-place votes for the Cy Young Award, edging Roger Clemens for the honor.

Factoids
Bob Welch was scheduled to pitch Game Three of the World Series on October 17, 1989, when San Francisco's Candlestick Park was shook by an earthquake that devastated much of the Bay Area. When the Series resumed more than a week later, Welch was passed up and did not make a start, as Oakland won the title.

The Confrontation
The outlook wasn't brilliant
for the Yankees in La.
The score stood 4-3, two out,
one inning left to play.
But when Dent slid safe at second
and Blair got on at first
Every screaming Dodger fan
had cause to fear the worst.
For there before the multitude —
Ah destiny! Ah fate!
reggie Jackson, mighty Reggie
was advancing to the plate.
Reggie, whose three home runs
had won the year before,
Reggie, whose big bat tonight
fetched every Yankee score.
On the mound to face him
stood the rookie, young Bob Welch,
A kid with a red hot fastball —
Reggie's pitch — and nothing else.
Fifty thousand voices cheered
as Welch gripped ball in mitt.
One hundred thousand eyes watched
Reggie rub his bat and spit.
"Throw your best pitch, kid, and duck,"
Reggie seemed to say.
The kid just glared. He must have known
this wasn't Reggie's day.
His first pitch was a blazer.
Reggie missed it clean.
Fifty-thousand throats responded
with a Dodger scream.
They squared off, Reggie and the kid.
Each knew what he must do.
And seven fastballs later,
the count was three and two.
No shootout on a dusty street
out here in the Far West
Could match the scene: A famous bat;
a kid put to the test.
One final pitch. The kid reared back
and let a fastball fly.
Fifty thousand Dodger fans
gave forth one final cry.
Ah, the lights still shine on Broadway,
but there isn't any doubt:
The Big Apple has no joy left.
Mighty Reggie has struck out.

Written by Jules Loh for the Associated Press, October 13, 1978.

Where He Played
Like Dave Stewart and Rick Sutcliffe, two other pitchers who came up through the talented Dodgers organization, Welch had to earn his stripes in the bullpen befe getting a chance as a starter, which he eventually did in 1980.

Born
Robert Lynn Welch was born on November 3, 1956, in Detroit, MI.

Batted:  Right
Threw:  Right

Primary Position:  P

Primary Team:  LAN

College:  Eastern Michigan

Major League Debut
June 20, 1978 ... He struck out Houston's Mike Fischlin, the first batter he faced as a reliever. Bob Watson collected the first hit off Welch.

Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1978
Paul Molitor
Ozzie Smith
Carney Lansford
Pedro Guerrero
Danny Darwin
Mike Morgan
Dave Stewart
Terry Kennedy
Ron Oester

Similar Players
Orel Hershiser, Milt Pappas, Kevin Brown

Related Players
Reggie Jackson, Steve Howe, Dave Stewart, Dave Duncan

Hall of Fame Voting Year Election Votes Pct 2000 BBWAA 1 .2%

Post-Season Appearances
1978 World Series
1978 National League Championship Series
1981 World Series
1981 National League Championship Series
1981 National League Division Playoffs
1983 National League Championship Series
1985 National League Championship Series
1988 World Series
1988 American League Championship Series
1989 American League Championship Series
1990 American League Championship Series
1990 World Series
1992 American League Championship Series

The Pitches He Threw
When he arrived in Oakland, Welch refined a forkball that he had originally been taught by Ron Perranoski with the Dodgers. A's pitching coach Dave Duncan helped Welch perfect the pitch.

Awards and Honors
1990 AL Cy Young

Milestones
On Opening Day of the 1993 season (April 5), Welch picked up his 200th victory in a 9-4 Oakland defeat of the Detroit Tigers. Welch went just five innings, leaving the game with a 5-2 advantage.

Notes
Welch's epic confrontation with Reggie Jackson in Game Two of the 1978 World Sereis, took seven minutes and nine pitches. Welch through nothing but fastballs to "Mr. October."

Injuries and Explanation for Missed Playing Time
Welch admitted that he had torn a groin muscle the day before the earthquake in the '89 Series, and couldn't have pitched effectively in the series anyway.

Transactions
June 5, 1974: Drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 14th round of the 1974 amateur draft, but did not sign; June 7, 1977: Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1st round (20th pick) of the 1977 amateur draft; December 11, 1987: Traded as part of a 3-team trade by the Los Angeles Dodgers with Matt Young to the Oakland Athletics. The Los Angeles Dodgers sent Jack Savage to the New York Mets. The Oakland Athletics sent Alfredo Griffin and Jay Howell to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Oakland Athletics sent Kevin Tapani and Wally Whitehurst to the New York Mets. The New York Mets sent Jesse Orosco to the Los Angeles Dodgers; November 5, 1990: Granted Free Agency; December 15, 1990: Signed as a Free Agent with the Oakland Athletics; October 26, 1994: Granted Free Agency.

All-Star Selections
1980 NL
1990 AL

Replaced
Rick Sutcliffe, who was sent back to the bullpen by an impatient Tommy Lasorda in 1980.

Replaced By
On May 16, 1994, Welch failed to get out of the first inning against the Rangers, and his ERA for the season stood at a frightening 9.53. Manager Tony Larussa demoted Welch to the pen, and gave his next start to Carlos Reyes, who was rocked hard. For the remainder of the year, the A's essentially got by with a four-man rotation when they could, but shuttled in Reyes, Miguel Jimenez and Steve Karsay when they had to use a #5 starter. Welch pitched 17 games out of the bullpen, got his ERA down a little, and as a free agent at the end of the season, he was not signed.

Best Strength as a Player
Perserverence and the magical arm God gave him.

Largest Weakness as a Player
Welch overcame alcoholism early in his career, and penned the autobiographical Five O'Clock Comes Early: A Young Man's Battle With Alcoholism. He turned this "weakness" into a strength, as he forged a long career after he became sober.

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