Craig Swan
Craig Swan | |
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Van Nuys, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 3, 1973, for the New York Mets | |
Last MLB appearance | |
May 29, 1984, for the California Angels | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 59–72 |
Earned run average | 3.74 |
Strikeouts | 673 |
Teams | |
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Career highlights and awards | |
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Craig Steven Swan (born November 30, 1950) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in
Early life and career
Swan was born in
Swan was chosen by the Mets in the third round of the
Productive years
Swan broke into the majors for good in 1976. In the Mets' last good season of the decade, Swan was the fifth starter and posted statistics slightly below the league average with a 3.54 ERA and a 6–9 record. His highlight was his first victory of the season when he pitched a five-hit complete game shutout with 11 strikeouts. He was inconsistent for the season. After four terrible starts, the following three starts resulted in just a single earned run on 13 hits and four walks over 26 innings with 21 strikeouts — a fantastic 0.35 ERA.
In 1977, Swan's numbers declined slightly but so did the rest of the team's as number one starter, Jerry Koosman, lost 20 games and the Mets sank into last place in the division.
In 1978, the Mets struggled to a 66–96 record but Swan started the season with a five-hit complete game shutout, the third of his career. In the second game of a July 4, 1978 doubleheader, Swan logged a career-high 13 strikeouts but surrendered two ninth-inning runs to lose the game 3–2. The loss dropped his record to 1–5 despite a very good 2.66 ERA. Swan's ERA continued improving and he won his next seven decisions. On September 16, he allowed one run and three hits over nine innings but was again denied a win. At season's end, Swan had the best ERA in the National League as well as the second-best WHIP and second-best hits per nine innings. His ERA was only 1.67 at Shea Stadium. Despite his excellent statistics, he finished with only a 9–6 record. The Mets were the third-worst pitching team in the league, and they finished with the worst record in the N.L.
After his two good seasons for the Mets, Swan signed a contract which made him the highest paid pitcher in Mets history at the time.
After missing almost all of 1981 with a rotator cuff injury and the aforementioned broken
Winding down
After his comeback year of 1982, Swan felt something pop in his arm during a spring training game in 1983.[1] He pitched through the injury but it severely limited his endurance. He was again effective in relief but his ERA as a starter rose to a terrible 6.22. In 1984, while the Mets were finally ending years of futility, Swan managed only ten awful relief appearances before being released on May 9. The California Angels signed him two weeks later but he was benched for good after two more bad appearances, which were the last of his career.
Post-retirement
After numerous injuries forced the end of his career, Swan used the medical knowledge he obtained from his ordeals to invest himself in the technique known as Rolfing. He graduated from the Rolf Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and opened a practice in Connecticut.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Czerwinski, Kevin T. (2002-01-11). "Where have you gone, Craig Swan?". MLB.com. Archived from the original on 2005-08-25. Retrieved 2006-10-11.
- ^ "CWS Record Book". College World Series of Omaha, Inc. Archived from the original on 2006-10-30. Retrieved 2006-10-28.
- ^ "All Tournament Teams". College World Series of Omaha, Inc. Archived from the original on 2006-10-30. Retrieved 2006-10-28.
- ^ "Past CWS Champions". College World Series of Omaha, Inc. Archived from the original on 2006-10-30. Retrieved 2006-10-28.
- ^ "Award Winners – Most Valuable Pitchers". Minorleaguebaseball.com. Retrieved 2006-10-28.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet, or The Ultimate Mets Database