Tom Gordon
Encyclopedia
Thomas Gordon nicknamed "Flash", is a former Major League Baseball
right-handed pitcher
. He played with the Kansas City Royals
(1988–95), Boston Red Sox
(1996–99), Chicago Cubs
(2001–02), Houston Astros
(2002), Chicago White Sox
(2003), New York Yankees
(2004–05), Philadelphia Phillies
(2006–08) and the Arizona Diamondbacks
(2009).
in Avon Park, Florida
, and was a letterman in baseball.
with the Kansas City Royals, first appearing in five games at the age of 20 late in the 1988 season. He became an immediate sensation in Kansas City the following year, posting a 17-9 record and a 3.64 ERA
in his first full season, and he finished second in the 1989 Rookie of the Year balloting. Gordon also recorded 153 strikeout
s in 1989, the tenth highest total in the American League
, all of which earned him the nickname "Flash."
Gordon continued to post top-10 strikeout totals during the 1990 and 1991 seasons, but his number of wins dropped each year while his ERA crept upwards. Finally, in 1992 Gordon had one of the worst season of his career, posting a 6-10 record and a 4.59 ERA. He bounced back with seasons of 11 or 12 wins from 1993 to 1995, but he never quite regained his rookie form. Prior to the 1996 season, Gordon left Kansas City and signed as a free agent with the Boston Red Sox.
In his first season in Boston, Gordon had a 12-9 record and a 5.59 ERA – the highest ERA of his career to that point. Over the next two years, however, the Red Sox converted Gordon from a starting pitcher to a closer
and his career reignited. In 1998, Flash set the club's single-season record for saves (46) and was named to his first All-Star
Team. His success continued in 1999 setting a major league record with his 54th consecutive save in June, but a nagging elbow injury limited him to just 21 appearances, which required ulnar collateral ligament
reconstruction (or UCL) also known as Tommy John surgery, that forced him to spend 2000 on the disabled list. His popularity in Boston at this point led New England
-based writer and Red Sox fan Stephen King
to reference him as the object of infatuation for the young protagonist of the 1999 novel The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
. After subsequent stops in Houston and both sides of Chicago, Gordon landed in New York. He was an invaluable addition to the Yankees bullpen
, serving as a set-up
for closer Mariano Rivera
, or as a middle reliever
in tough situations.
s, a 3.99 ERA
, 114 saves, and 1896.2 innings in 671 games (203 as a starter).
He signed a three-year deal worth $18 million with the Phillies before the 2006 season. Gordon debuted in Philadelphia as a closer during the 2006 season, replacing Billy Wagner
, who signed with the Mets
after the 2005 season. On May 2, 2007, Gordon was placed on the disabled list due to a rotator cuff inflammation, at which time he was replaced in the closer slot by former starting pitcher Brett Myers
. Following both pitchers' return from the DL, Myers retained the closer position, while Gordon was shifted to a late-inning reliever. Flash was named to the 2006 NL All Star Team as the leading vote getter from the players.
However, on July 6, 2008, Gordon was placed on the 15-day disabled list for tenderness in his right elbow. Fellow reliever Brad Lidge praised Gordon calling him "a stud" and said that the Phils were hoping for him to return to the team after his 15 day stint. Prior to being placed on the disabled list, Gordon recorded a 13.45 earned run average giving up six runs in four total innings since June 11. He eventually was ruled out for the season but was able to earn his first World Series ring on the bench in the 2008 World Series.
. After spending most of the season on the disabled list, he was released on August 11.
novel The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
.
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...
right-handed 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...
. He played with the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The 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...
(1988–95), Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1996–99), Chicago 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...
(2001–02), Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
(2002), Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
(2003), New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The 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...
(2004–05), 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...
(2006–08) and the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
(2009).
High school career
Gordon attended Avon Park High SchoolAvon Park High School
Avon Park High School, is located in Avon Park, Florida. It is a four year high school with a total student enrollment of 1164.-Fight Song:Fight on for Avon ParkWe will cheer you on your wayFight on for Avon ParkWe will cheer you as you play...
in Avon Park, Florida
Avon Park, Florida
Avon Park is a city in Highlands County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population in 2009 at 8,824. It is the oldest city in Highlands County, and was named after Stratford-upon-Avon, England.-History:...
, and was a letterman in baseball.
Early career
Gordon began his career as a starting pitcherStarting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
with the Kansas City Royals, first appearing in five games at the age of 20 late in the 1988 season. He became an immediate sensation in Kansas City the following year, posting a 17-9 record and a 3.64 ERA
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...
in his first full season, and he finished second in the 1989 Rookie of the Year balloting. Gordon also recorded 153 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s in 1989, the tenth highest total in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
, all of which earned him the nickname "Flash."
Gordon continued to post top-10 strikeout totals during the 1990 and 1991 seasons, but his number of wins dropped each year while his ERA crept upwards. Finally, in 1992 Gordon had one of the worst season of his career, posting a 6-10 record and a 4.59 ERA. He bounced back with seasons of 11 or 12 wins from 1993 to 1995, but he never quite regained his rookie form. Prior to the 1996 season, Gordon left Kansas City and signed as a free agent with the Boston Red Sox.
In his first season in Boston, Gordon had a 12-9 record and a 5.59 ERA – the highest ERA of his career to that point. Over the next two years, however, the Red Sox converted Gordon from a starting pitcher to a closer
Closer (baseball)
In baseball, a closing pitcher, more frequently referred to as a closer , is a relief pitcher who specializes in closing out games, i.e., getting the final outs in a close game. Closers often appear when the score is close, and the role is often assigned to a team's best reliever. A small number of...
and his career reignited. In 1998, Flash set the club's single-season record for saves (46) and was named to his first All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
Team. His success continued in 1999 setting a major league record with his 54th consecutive save in June, but a nagging elbow injury limited him to just 21 appearances, which required ulnar collateral ligament
Ulnar collateral ligament (elbow)
The ulnar collateral ligament is a thick triangular band consisting of two portions, an anterior and posterior united by a thinner intermediate portion....
reconstruction (or UCL) also known as Tommy John surgery, that forced him to spend 2000 on the disabled list. His popularity in Boston at this point led New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
-based writer and Red Sox fan Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
to reference him as the object of infatuation for the young protagonist of the 1999 novel The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is a psychological horror novel by Stephen King. In 2004, a pop-up book adaptation was released, designed by Kees Moerbeek and illustrated by Alan Dingman.- Plot summary :...
. After subsequent stops in Houston and both sides of Chicago, Gordon landed in New York. He was an invaluable addition to the Yankees bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
, serving as a set-up
Setup pitcher
In baseball, a setup pitcher is a relief pitcher who regularly pitches before the closer. They commonly pitch the 7th and/or 8th innings, with the closer pitching the 9th....
for closer Mariano Rivera
Mariano Rivera
Mariano Rivera is a Panamanian right-handed baseball pitcher who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. Nicknamed "Mo", Rivera has served as a relief pitcher for most of his career, and since 1997, he has been the Yankees' closer...
, or as a middle reliever
Middle relief pitcher
In baseball, middle relief pitchers are relief pitchers who commonly pitch in the 6th or 7th innings or in situations where several innings worth of work is required . In the National League, a middle reliever often comes in after the starting pitcher has been pulled for a pinch hitter...
in tough situations.
2006-07
At this point, Gordon had compiled a career 122-111 record with 1733 strikeoutStrikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s, a 3.99 ERA
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...
, 114 saves, and 1896.2 innings in 671 games (203 as a starter).
He signed a three-year deal worth $18 million with the Phillies before the 2006 season. Gordon debuted in Philadelphia as a closer during the 2006 season, replacing Billy Wagner
Billy Wagner
William Edward Wagner , nicknamed "Billy the Kid", is a retired Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He pitched for the Houston Astros , the Philadelphia Phillies , the New York Mets , the Boston Red Sox , and the Atlanta Braves...
, who signed with the Mets
METS
The Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard is a metadata standard for encoding descriptive, administrative, and structural metadata regarding objects within a digital library, expressed using the XML schema language of the World Wide Web Consortium...
after the 2005 season. On May 2, 2007, Gordon was placed on the disabled list due to a rotator cuff inflammation, at which time he was replaced in the closer slot by former starting pitcher Brett Myers
Brett Myers
Brett Allen Myers is a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who is currently playing for the Houston Astros.-High school career:...
. Following both pitchers' return from the DL, Myers retained the closer position, while Gordon was shifted to a late-inning reliever. Flash was named to the 2006 NL All Star Team as the leading vote getter from the players.
2008
Gordon had fully rehabilitated his arm and was prepared for the '08 season.However, on July 6, 2008, Gordon was placed on the 15-day disabled list for tenderness in his right elbow. Fellow reliever Brad Lidge praised Gordon calling him "a stud" and said that the Phils were hoping for him to return to the team after his 15 day stint. Prior to being placed on the disabled list, Gordon recorded a 13.45 earned run average giving up six runs in four total innings since June 11. He eventually was ruled out for the season but was able to earn his first World Series ring on the bench in the 2008 World Series.
2009
On February 6, , Gordon signed a one-year deal with the Arizona DiamondbacksArizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
. After spending most of the season on the disabled list, he was released on August 11.
2010
On August 9, Gordon said that he still thinks he has what it takes to compete, but that he's "fine" with retirement.Career highlights and achievements
- Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award (1998)
- Led AL in saves (1998)
- Led AL in games finished (69, 1998)
- Set an MLB record with 54 consecutive saves (1998–99)
- Led AL in Holds (36) 2004
- Three-time All-Star (1998, 2004, 2006)
- Only pitcher in MLB history with 100 wins, saves, and holds.
- World Series Champion (2008)
In popular culture
Gordon is mentioned by name in the title, and frequently referred to in the Stephen KingStephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
novel The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is a psychological horror novel by Stephen King. In 2004, a pop-up book adaptation was released, designed by Kees Moerbeek and illustrated by Alan Dingman.- Plot summary :...
.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball saves champions
- List of Major League Baseball all-time saves leaders
- Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all timeTop 100 strikeout pitchers of all timeIn baseball, a strikeout occurs when the batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. Strikeouts are associated with dominance on the part of the pitcher and failure on the part of the batter....