Steve Baker (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Steven Byrne Baker is a former Major League Baseball
pitcher
who played for four seasons. He pitched for the Detroit Tigers
from 1978 to 1979, the Oakland Athletics
from 1982 to 1983, and the St. Louis Cardinals
in 1983. He was originally drafted by the New York Mets
in the 18th round of the 1974 MLB Draft, but did not sign with them, instead choosing to attend college at the University of Oregon
. With things not working out in Oregon, Baker left school his freshman year and returned to El Cajon, CA. Baker regrouped and was masterful in a season with the Grossmont Junior College Baseball team in El Cajon, CA he signed with the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent on May 10, 1976.
After spending part of the 1978 season in the minor leagues, Baker made his major league debut on May 25, 1978. In a contest against the Baltimore Orioles
, he pitched 6⅓ innings, striking out six and allowing one earned run as the Tigers lost to the Orioles, 2–1. Baker made 15 appearances for the Tigers, starting ten games, earning two wins, four losses, and an earned run average
(ERA) of 4.55. Baker also made 16 appearances for the Evansville Triplets
of the American Association
, the AAA-level minor league affiliate of the Tigers. In those appearances, Baker made 16 starts, won eight, lost one, threw four complete game
s, three shutout
s, and earned an ERA of 3.21. Baker began the 1979 season as a part of the Tigers' rotation as a spot starter. He played 21 games, starting 12 of them. After posting a 1–7 record and a 6.64 ERA, Baker was sent back to Evansville, where he finished out the season. After spending nine games with Evansville in 1980, he was purchased by the Toronto Blue Jays
on June 6, 1980.
Baker spent the rest of the season with the Syracuse Chiefs, the Blue Jays' AAA minor league team. He had a 6–5 record with a 3.20 ERA in 17 starts at Syracuse, and the following season Baker had a record of eight wins and 14 losses. He was released by the Blue Jays on January 28, 1982 and was signed by the Oakland Athletics as a free agent on March 9. Baker spent most of 1982 with the Tacoma Tigers, where he had his best professional season: 13 wins, five losses, a 2.48 ERA, and nine complete games. After being called up to the Athletics in September and playing five games, he had his most productive major league season in 1983. He pitched in 35 games in relief for Oakland before he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on September 2, 1983 for players to be named later (Tom Dozier
and Jim Strichek). He played eight games in relief for the Cardinals, his last appearance coming on September 27, 1983. He spent three more years in the minor leagues before retiring.
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...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who played for four seasons. He pitched for the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
from 1978 to 1979, the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
from 1982 to 1983, and the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
in 1983. He was originally drafted by the New York Mets
New York Mets
The 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...
in the 18th round of the 1974 MLB Draft, but did not sign with them, instead choosing to attend college at the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
. With things not working out in Oregon, Baker left school his freshman year and returned to El Cajon, CA. Baker regrouped and was masterful in a season with the Grossmont Junior College Baseball team in El Cajon, CA he signed with the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent on May 10, 1976.
After spending part of the 1978 season in the minor leagues, Baker made his major league debut on May 25, 1978. In a contest against the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The 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...
, he pitched 6⅓ innings, striking out six and allowing one earned run as the Tigers lost to the Orioles, 2–1. Baker made 15 appearances for the Tigers, starting ten games, earning two wins, four losses, and an earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
(ERA) of 4.55. Baker also made 16 appearances for the Evansville Triplets
Evansville Triplets
The Evansville Triplets were a minor league baseball team of the American Association from to . In its last season, Evansville was the Triple-A farm team for the Detroit Tigers...
of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
, the AAA-level minor league affiliate of the Tigers. In those appearances, Baker made 16 starts, won eight, lost one, threw four complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
s, three shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
s, and earned an ERA of 3.21. Baker began the 1979 season as a part of the Tigers' rotation as a spot starter. He played 21 games, starting 12 of them. After posting a 1–7 record and a 6.64 ERA, Baker was sent back to Evansville, where he finished out the season. After spending nine games with Evansville in 1980, he was purchased by the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
on June 6, 1980.
Baker spent the rest of the season with the Syracuse Chiefs, the Blue Jays' AAA minor league team. He had a 6–5 record with a 3.20 ERA in 17 starts at Syracuse, and the following season Baker had a record of eight wins and 14 losses. He was released by the Blue Jays on January 28, 1982 and was signed by the Oakland Athletics as a free agent on March 9. Baker spent most of 1982 with the Tacoma Tigers, where he had his best professional season: 13 wins, five losses, a 2.48 ERA, and nine complete games. After being called up to the Athletics in September and playing five games, he had his most productive major league season in 1983. He pitched in 35 games in relief for Oakland before he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals on September 2, 1983 for players to be named later (Tom Dozier
Tom Dozier
Thomas Dean Dozier is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Oakland Athletics during the season.-References:...
and Jim Strichek). He played eight games in relief for the Cardinals, his last appearance coming on September 27, 1983. He spent three more years in the minor leagues before retiring.