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Bill Caudill
William Holland Caudill (born July 13, 1956) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Caudill was one of the top closers in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1982 to 1985.
Caudill attended Aviation High School in Redondo Beach, California, and graduated in 1974. He was selected in the eighth round of the 1974 Major League Baseball draft by the St. Louis Cardinals.
After three seasons in the Cardinals' farm system, in which he went 21–23 with a 3.57 earned run average, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for Joel Youngblood just before the start of the 1977 season. He went 15–6 with a 4.04 ERA his only season in the Reds' farm system, after which he and Woodie Fryman were traded to the Chicago Cubs for Bill Bonham.
Caudill spent the 1978 season with the Wichita Aeros of the American Association. He split the 1979 season between Wichita and the Cubs, making his major league debut on May 12. Though he had been used almost exclusively as a starter in the minors, he made his major league debut in relief. Already down 10–3 to the Houston Astros, Caudill was called upon for mop up duty. He pitched the rest of the game, giving up only one unearned run. Splitting his time between the bullpen and the starting rotation, Caudill went 1–7 with a 4.80 ERA and 104 strikeouts his rookie season. He recorded his first MLB win on September 29, his last appearance that season.
In 1980, Caudill went 4–6 with a 2.19 ERA and 112 strikeouts. He earned his first major league save on September 28 against the Pittsburgh Pirates and was second only to Dick Tidrow with 72 games pitched for the Cubs. His numbers dipped to 1–5 with a 5.83 ERA in 1981.
On April 1, 1982, Caudill was one of two players to be named later from a 1981 mid-season deal in which the Cubs received Pat Tabler from the New York Yankees. The Cubs later sent Jay Howell to the Yankees to complete that trade. The Yankees immediately sent Caudill, Gene Nelson, and a player to be named later to the Seattle Mariners for Shane Rawley. The Mariners later also received Bobby Brown from the Yankees.
The Mariners introduced a nautically themed bullpen car called the "Tugboat" for the 1982 season. It got off to a rocky start for the home opener when Caudill stole the keys during pregame festivities, leaving the Tugboat stranded on the left-field line and delaying the start of the game. On another occasion, when brought in to pitch in a one-sided game, Caudill appeared from the bullpen sporting a half-shaved beard. He acquired the nickname "the Inspector" after inspecting the Mariners bats for unused hits and discarding those he deemed empty. The team began playing the Pink Panther Theme over the Kingdome loudspeakers when he was summoned from the Mariners' bullpen.
Despite his antics, Caudill emerged as one of the American League's top relievers his first season in Seattle. He felt snubbed when All-Star manager Billy Martin of Oakland left him off the AL squad, which had eight pitchers. His record stood at 8–3 with a 1.95 ERA and a team record 17 saves when selections were made. For the season, he went 12–9 with a 2.35 ERA, 26 saves, and 111 strikeouts.
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Bill Caudill
William Holland Caudill (born July 13, 1956) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. Caudill was one of the top closers in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1982 to 1985.
Caudill attended Aviation High School in Redondo Beach, California, and graduated in 1974. He was selected in the eighth round of the 1974 Major League Baseball draft by the St. Louis Cardinals.
After three seasons in the Cardinals' farm system, in which he went 21–23 with a 3.57 earned run average, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for Joel Youngblood just before the start of the 1977 season. He went 15–6 with a 4.04 ERA his only season in the Reds' farm system, after which he and Woodie Fryman were traded to the Chicago Cubs for Bill Bonham.
Caudill spent the 1978 season with the Wichita Aeros of the American Association. He split the 1979 season between Wichita and the Cubs, making his major league debut on May 12. Though he had been used almost exclusively as a starter in the minors, he made his major league debut in relief. Already down 10–3 to the Houston Astros, Caudill was called upon for mop up duty. He pitched the rest of the game, giving up only one unearned run. Splitting his time between the bullpen and the starting rotation, Caudill went 1–7 with a 4.80 ERA and 104 strikeouts his rookie season. He recorded his first MLB win on September 29, his last appearance that season.
In 1980, Caudill went 4–6 with a 2.19 ERA and 112 strikeouts. He earned his first major league save on September 28 against the Pittsburgh Pirates and was second only to Dick Tidrow with 72 games pitched for the Cubs. His numbers dipped to 1–5 with a 5.83 ERA in 1981.
On April 1, 1982, Caudill was one of two players to be named later from a 1981 mid-season deal in which the Cubs received Pat Tabler from the New York Yankees. The Cubs later sent Jay Howell to the Yankees to complete that trade. The Yankees immediately sent Caudill, Gene Nelson, and a player to be named later to the Seattle Mariners for Shane Rawley. The Mariners later also received Bobby Brown from the Yankees.
The Mariners introduced a nautically themed bullpen car called the "Tugboat" for the 1982 season. It got off to a rocky start for the home opener when Caudill stole the keys during pregame festivities, leaving the Tugboat stranded on the left-field line and delaying the start of the game. On another occasion, when brought in to pitch in a one-sided game, Caudill appeared from the bullpen sporting a half-shaved beard. He acquired the nickname "the Inspector" after inspecting the Mariners bats for unused hits and discarding those he deemed empty. The team began playing the Pink Panther Theme over the Kingdome loudspeakers when he was summoned from the Mariners' bullpen.
Despite his antics, Caudill emerged as one of the American League's top relievers his first season in Seattle. He felt snubbed when All-Star manager Billy Martin of Oakland left him off the AL squad, which had eight pitchers. His record stood at 8–3 with a 1.95 ERA and a team record 17 saves when selections were made. For the season, he went 12–9 with a 2.35 ERA, 26 saves, and 111 strikeouts.