Bobby Sprowl
Bobby Sprowl | |
---|---|
Pitcher | |
Born: Sandusky, Ohio | April 14, 1956|
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
MLB debut | |
September 5, 1978, for the Boston Red Sox | |
Last MLB appearance | |
October 3, 1981, for the Houston Astros | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 0–3 |
Earned run average | 5.44 |
Strikeouts | 34 |
Teams | |
Robert John Sprowl (born April 14, 1956) is an American former professional baseball player who was a pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1978 to 1981. He played for the Boston Red Sox and Houston Astros.
Amateur career
Sprowl attended George D. Chamberlain High School and was a star pitcher at the University of Alabama. In 1976, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League, and received the league's Outstanding Pro Prospect award, and helped lead Wareham to the league title.[1] Sprowl led the nation in strikeouts per nine innings in 1977,[2] and was selected by the Red Sox in that year's amateur draft.
Professional career
Boston Red Sox
Sprowl is best known for losing two critical games in the 1978 pennant race between the
Sprowl's first start was in
Sprowl's Boston teammates lauded his effort, and Zimmer gave him a second start on September 10 against the Yankees, in the fourth game of a four-game series at
The Red Sox were 1.5 games behind the Yankees when they arrived in New York on September 15, which would have been Sprowl's next start. However, Zimmer instead started Luis Tiant on short rest; Tiant lasted only 3.2 innings and allowed all four runs in Boston's 4-0 defeat. Zimmer did not use Sprowl at all against the Yankees that weekend, but he started on September 18 in Detroit against the Tigers. He allowed three runs in five innings, leaving with a 4-3 lead, and Boston won the game in 11 innings. This was Sprowl's last start of the season, as Zimmer went with a four-man rotation of Tiant, Mike Torrez, Dennis Eckersley, and Stanley for the final two weeks. Overall, Sprowl went 0-2 with a 6.39 earned run average with Boston.
Houston Astros
The following season, Sprowl was traded to the Astros. He pitched in 19 games over the next three years, mostly in middle relief. He was sent back to the minors in 1982, and spent three seasons in the Astros and Baltimore Orioles organizations. The closest he ever got to the majors again was three games for the Astros' top affiliate, the Tucson Toros. He ended his major-league career with an 0-3 record in four years.
Coaching career
He is currently the head coach of the Shelton State Community College baseball team.[6]
References
- ^ "Wareham takes Cape League championship". Yarmouth Register. Yarmouth, MA. September 2, 1976. p. 22.
- ^ "Bobby Sprowl". bristolredsox.com. Retrieved 2010-11-2.
- ^ "Bobby Sprowl Minor League Statistics & History". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2010-11-2.
- ^ Neyer, Rob. Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Blunders (2006), p. 184.
- ^ Boswell, Thomas (September 6, 1978). "Orioles Trim Red Sox, 4-1". Washington Post. Retrieved 2015-07-07.
- ^ "Shelton State Community College".
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet, or Pelota Binaria (Venezuelan Winter League)