1979 Philadelphia Phillies season
Encyclopedia
The 1979 Philadelphia Phillies
season was a season in American baseball. The team finished fourth in the National League East
, 14 games behind the first-place Pittsburgh Pirates
.
, Pete Rose
signed a four-year, $3.2-million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies
, temporarily making him the highest-paid athlete in team sports. The Phillies were in the middle of the greatest era in the history of the franchise when Rose came on board. They had won the National League East three years running (1976–78) two of which were won with 101 win seasons.
The Phillies entered the 1979 season with one of the strongest lineups in the league with the addition of Rose but with numerous injuries on the pitching staff. AP sports writer Hal Bock picked the Phils to finish second behind the Pirates
as the Phillies would enter the season with pitchers Larry Christenson
, prospect Jim Wright
, and Dick Ruthven
all injured.
On May 17, 1979, the Phillies beat the Cubs
23-22 at Wrigley Field
in ten innings with a 30-mph wind blowing out to left field. After the game, the Phils were 14 games over .500 and in first place by 3½ games over the Montreal Expos
.
On July 10 Del Unser
hit his third consecutive pinch hit
home run
. Unser tied a Major League Baseball
record with homers in three straight pinch at bat
s. The at bats were on June 30, July 5, and July 10.
By August 29, the team had fallen to fifth place and two games under .500, 12½ games behind the Pirates. Mid-season injuries to Manny Trillo
, Larry Bowa
, and Greg Luzinski contributed to hurt the club. The team's decline led to the firing of manager Danny Ozark on August 31 who was replaced by Dallas Green
. Green was named interim manager, a position made permanent shortly after the end of the season.
s", in a derisive nod to cheap handguns then called by that name and were worn for the first and last time on May 19, 1979, a 10-5 loss to the Expos
. The immediate reaction of the media, fans, and players alike was negative, with many describing the despised uniforms as pajama-like. As such, the idea was hastily abandoned. Mike Schmidt would wear the uniform during the MLB All-Star Tour of Japan following the 1979 season.
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
season was a season in American baseball. The team finished fourth in the National League East
National League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
, 14 games behind the first-place Pittsburgh Pirates
1979 Pittsburgh Pirates season
The 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates had 98 wins and 64 losses and captured the National League East Division title by two games over the Montreal Expos. The Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds to win their ninth National League title, and the Baltimore Orioles to win their fifth World Series title - and also...
.
Offseason
Prior to the 1979 season1979 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over Baltimore Orioles ; Willie Stargell, MVP*American League Championship Series MVP: None.*National League Championship Series MVP: Willie Stargell...
, Pete Rose
Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
signed a four-year, $3.2-million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, temporarily making him the highest-paid athlete in team sports. The Phillies were in the middle of the greatest era in the history of the franchise when Rose came on board. They had won the National League East three years running (1976–78) two of which were won with 101 win seasons.
The Phillies entered the 1979 season with one of the strongest lineups in the league with the addition of Rose but with numerous injuries on the pitching staff. AP sports writer Hal Bock picked the Phils to finish second behind the Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
as the Phillies would enter the season with pitchers Larry Christenson
Larry Christenson
Larry Richard 'L.C.' Christenson , is a former professional baseball pitcher who played his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1973-1983....
, prospect Jim Wright
Jim Wright (1980s pitcher)
James Leon Wright is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for two seasons. He pitched 17 games for the Kansas City Royals during the 1981 Kansas City Royals season and seven games during the 1982 Kansas City Royals season. He is the current Colorado Rockies bullpen coach.-External...
, and Dick Ruthven
Dick Ruthven
Richard David Ruthven is a former Major League Baseball pitcher with a 14-year career from 1973 to 1986. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs all of the National League. During his career, Ruthven had a record of 123-127, an ERA of 4.14, and 1145 career strikeouts...
all injured.
Notable transactions
- December 4, 1978: Jeff SchneiderJeff SchneiderJeffrey Theodore "Jeff" Schneider is former Major League Baseball pitcher. Schneider played for the Baltimore Orioles in . He was on a rookie card with Hall of Famer Cal Ripken.-External links:*...
was drafted from the Phillies by the Baltimore OriolesBaltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
in the 1978 rule 5 draftRule 5 draftThe Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. - December 5, 1978: Carmelo CastilloCarmen CastilloMonte Carmelo Castillo is a former right-handed outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians and Minnesota Twins.-External links:...
was drafted by the Cleveland Indians from the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1978 minor league draft. - December 5, 1978: Pete RosePete RosePeter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
was signed as a free agent by the Phillies. - December 6, 1978: Joe CharboneauJoe CharboneauJoseph Charboneau was a Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Indians and is one of the most often-cited examples of a flash in the pan or of baseball's fabled sophomore jinx....
was traded by the Phillies to the Cleveland IndiansCleveland IndiansThe Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
for Cardell CamperCardell CamperCardell Camper is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for one season. He played for the Cleveland Indians from September 11, 1977 to October 2, 1977.-External links:...
. - January 9, 1979: Mark Davis was drafted by the Phillies in the 1st round (1st pick) of the secondary phase of the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft1979 Major League Baseball DraftThe 1979 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held on June 5-7, 1979, via conference call.-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1979 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :...
. - February 23, 1979: Barry FooteBarry FooteBarry Clifton Foote is a former American professional baseball player, scout, coach and minor league manager. Foote played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Montreal Expos , Philadelphia Phillies , Chicago Cubs , and New York Yankees...
, Ted SizemoreTed SizemoreTed Crawford Sizemore was a second baseman for Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers , St...
, Jerry MartinJerry MartinJerry Lindsey Martin is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is the son of major league pitcher Barney Martin....
, Derek BotelhoDerek BotelhoDerek Wayne Botelho is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Kansas City Royals and Chicago Cubs, who is currently the pitching coach for the Class A-Advanced Lynchburg Hillcats.-Career:...
, and Henry Mack (minors) were traded by the Phillies to the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for Manny TrilloManny TrilloJesús Manuel Marcano Trillo , also nicknamed "Indio", is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues from to...
, Greg GrossGreg GrossGregory Eugene Gross , is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues from 1973-1989, playing for the Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, and Philadelphia Phillies...
and Dave RaderDave Rader (baseball)David Martin Rader is a former professional baseball player. From through , he was a catcher in Major League Baseball, playing for the San Francisco Giants , St. Louis Cardinals , Chicago Cubs , Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox...
. - March 27, 1979: Richie HebnerRichie HebnerRichard Joseph Hebner is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He played from 1968 to 1985 in Major League Baseball. He played with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, and Chicago Cubs, all of the National League, and the Detroit Tigers of the American...
and José MorenoJosé Moreno (baseball)José de los Santos Mauricio Moreno is a former Major League Baseball player. He played all or part of three seasons in the majors between and , playing for a different team in each season...
were traded by the Phillies to the New York MetsNew York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
for Nino EspinosaNino EspinosaArnulfo Acevedo Espinosa was a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher from the Dominican Republic signed as an amateur free agent with the New York Mets in September at the age of 17....
. - March 27, 1979: Rudy MeoliRudy MeoliRudolph Bartholomew Meoli is a former professional baseball player who played six seasons for the California Angels, Chicago Cubs, and Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball.-References:...
was signed as a free agent by the Phillies. - March 28, 1979: Dan BoitanoDan BoitanoDanny Jon Boitano was a Major League Baseball pitcher from to . Boitano holds the distinction of having been the Philadelphia Phillies' first round pick in the secondary phase of both the and amateur draft. A highly touted prospect, he had also been drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers , St...
was traded by the Phillies to the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee BrewersThe Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
for Gary BeareGary BeareGary Ray Beare is a former Major League Baseball player. He batted right-handed and threw right-handed as well.-Early life and education:Gary Beare was born in San Diego, California and attended California State University, Long Beach....
. - March 29, 1979: Del UnserDel UnserDelbert Bernard Unser is a retired Major League Baseball center fielder and utility player who had a 15-year career from 1968 to 1982. Unser played for the Washington Senators from 1968 to 1971 and the Cleveland Indians in 1972...
was signed as a free agent by the Phillies.
Regular season
 Richie Ashburn Richie Ashburn Don Richard "Richie" Ashburn , also known by the nicknames, "Putt-Putt", "The Tilden Flash", and "Whitey" due to his light-blond hair, was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball. He was born in Tilden, Nebraska... OF Outfielder Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder... , TV Sportscaster In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator... Retired 1979 |
On May 17, 1979, the Phillies beat the Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
23-22 at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
in ten innings with a 30-mph wind blowing out to left field. After the game, the Phils were 14 games over .500 and in first place by 3½ games over the Montreal Expos
1979 Montreal Expos season
- Offseason :* November 28, 1978: Duffy Dyer was signed as a free agent by the Expos.* December 4, 1978: Ken Macha was drafted by the Expos from the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1978 rule 5 draft....
.
On July 10 Del Unser
Del Unser
Delbert Bernard Unser is a retired Major League Baseball center fielder and utility player who had a 15-year career from 1968 to 1982. Unser played for the Washington Senators from 1968 to 1971 and the Cleveland Indians in 1972...
hit his third consecutive pinch hit
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
. Unser tied a Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
record with homers in three straight pinch at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s. The at bats were on June 30, July 5, and July 10.
By August 29, the team had fallen to fifth place and two games under .500, 12½ games behind the Pirates. Mid-season injuries to Manny Trillo
Manny Trillo
Jesús Manuel Marcano Trillo , also nicknamed "Indio", is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues from to...
, Larry Bowa
Larry Bowa
Lawrence Robert Bowa is a former middle infielder, playing mainly as a shortstop, and manager in Major League Baseball.-Early life:...
, and Greg Luzinski contributed to hurt the club. The team's decline led to the firing of manager Danny Ozark on August 31 who was replaced by Dallas Green
Dallas Green
George Dallas Green is a former pitcher, manager, and executive in Major League Baseball. After playing for the Philadelphia Phillies and two other teams, he went on to manage the Phillies, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets, and managed the Phillies when they won their first World Series...
. Green was named interim manager, a position made permanent shortly after the end of the season.
Alternate uniforms
The Phillies front office introduced an alternate all-burgundy version of the team uniform for the 1979 season to be worn for Saturday games. They were called "Saturday Night SpecialSaturday night special
The phrase Saturday night special is pejorative slang used in the United States and Canada for any inexpensive handgun. Saturday night specials have been defined as compact, inexpensive handguns with low perceived quality; however, there is no official definition of "Saturday night special" under...
s", in a derisive nod to cheap handguns then called by that name and were worn for the first and last time on May 19, 1979, a 10-5 loss to the Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
. The immediate reaction of the media, fans, and players alike was negative, with many describing the despised uniforms as pajama-like. As such, the idea was hastily abandoned. Mike Schmidt would wear the uniform during the MLB All-Star Tour of Japan following the 1979 season.
Notable transactions
- April 3, 1979: Todd CruzTodd CruzTodd Ruben Cruz was an American Major League Baseball player who spent all or part of six seasons in the majors with the Philadelphia Phillies, Kansas City Royals, California Angels, Chicago White Sox, Seattle Mariners and Baltimore Orioles, from 1978 to 1984...
was traded by the Phillies to the Kansas City RoyalsKansas City RoyalsThe Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
for Doug BirdDoug BirdJames Douglas Bird was a Major League Baseball pitcher from to . Bird was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 3rd round of the 1969 amateur draft's secondary phase....
. - May 11, 1979: Jim KaatJim KaatJames Lee "Jim" Kaat , nicknamed "Kitty", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins , Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees , and St...
was purchased from the Phillies by the New York YankeesNew York YankeesThe New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. - June 5, 1979: Roy SmithRoy Smith (1980s pitcher)Le Roy Purdy Smith is a former professional baseball pitcher and executive. He played all or part of eight seasons in Major League Baseball from until . He is currently a scout for the New York Mets.-Playing career:...
was drafted by the Phillies in the 3rd round of the 1979 Major League Baseball Draft1979 Major League Baseball DraftThe 1979 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held on June 5-7, 1979, via conference call.-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1979 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :...
. Player signed on July 30. - June 16, 1979: Jim LonborgJim LonborgJames Reynold Lonborg is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher who played with the Boston Red Sox , Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies...
was released by the Phillies. - June 29, 1979: Rudy Meoli was purchased from the Phillies by the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
.
Roster
| 1979 Philadelphia Phillies | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
| Pitchers | Catchers Infielders |
Outfielders | Manager Coaches |
||||||
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1B | 163 | 628 | 208 | .331 | 4 | 59 | |
| 2B | 118 | 431 | 112 | .260 | 6 | 42 | |
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 118 | 174 | 58 | .333 | 0 | 15 | |
| 30 | 73 | 13 | .178 | 0 | 6 | |
| 31 | 54 | 11 | .204 | 1 | 5 | |
| 12 | 19 | 2 | .105 | 0 | 1 | |
Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | 251 | 18 | 11 | 3.62 | 213 | |
| 33 | 212 | 14 | 12 | 3.65 | 88 | |
| 19 | 106 | 5 | 10 | 4.50 | 53 | |
| 3 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 4.26 | 9 |
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5.16 | 33 | |
| 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6.91 | 3 | |