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Ray Sadecki
Raymond Michael Sadecki (December 26, 1940 – November 17, 2014) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He is best remembered as the left-handed complement to Bob Gibson, who in 1964, won 20 games to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to their first World Series title in eighteen years. He was notable for throwing the palmball.
Ray was born to Frank and Josephine Koska Sadecki in Polish Hill (Kansas City, Kansas). By the time he was a sophomore at Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas, Sadecki was drawing major league scouts to his games. His senior year, after the Cyclones went 18–0, and won the state baseball championship, the "bonus baby" signed with the Cardinals while still only seventeen years old.
He compiled a 22–16 record, a 3.77 earned run average & 349 strikeouts over his first two seasons in the Cardinals' farm system. After six appearances with the Rochester Red Wings in 1960, in which he compiled a 1.76 ERA, Sadecki received a call up to the majors at just nineteen years old.
He allowed five runs (2 earned), while lasting just 22⁄3 innings in his major league debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates to take the loss. His first career win was a shutout of the Cincinnati Reds on June 15, in which he scattered three hits while walking eight & striking out nine. Splitting his time between starts & relieving, he posted a 9–9 record, 3.78 ERA & 95 strikeouts over 1571⁄3 innings pitched to earn Cardinal Rookie of the Year honors.
He became a full-time starting pitcher in 1961, and led his team with 222.2 innings pitched & fourteen wins (tied with Larry Jackson). He also proved to be one of the better hitting pitchers in the National League. In 87 at bats, Sadecki had 22 hits for a .253 batting average, and drove in twelve runs.
This early success did not carry over to 1962, however. After a contract holdout that had Sadecki enter Spring training late, he began the season in the bullpen, and earned his first career save against the expansion New York Mets on April 18. He was battered around by the Chicago Cubs in his first start four days later for his first loss of the season. He won his next start against the Reds, even though it wasn't an especially impressive performance (8 hits, 3 walks, 4 earned runs in 8+ innings. Exited in the 9th with the tying run on second. Lindy McDaniel came in for the save). Facing the Reds again a week later, Sadecki didn't even make it out of the first inning, surrendering five runs (4 earned) in 2⁄3 of an inning. A similarly poor performance against the Reds on June 5 placed Sadecki square in the crosshairs of manager Johnny Keane. He pitched well over the rest of June (3-1 record, all 3 wins were complete games), but the wheels came off in July (1-4, 6.94 ERA), and Sadecki was optioned to the International League's Atlanta Crackers for the remainder of the season.
Sadecki pitched well for the Crackers, going 7–1 with a 2.55 ERA in nine games. That performance, and a strong Spring earned Sadecki the number five slot in the Cards' rotation for 1963. He got off to a poor start (0-4, 6.80 ERA. The Cardinals were also 0–3 in his no-decisions), however, Keane stuck with him, and Sadecki reversed course. He won his next four starts, earning a save in between, and ending the season with an even 10–10 record.
Still only 23 years old at the start of the 1964 season, Sadecki's name came up several times during the off season in trade rumors. Prior to Ernie Broglio being included in the trade that brought Lou Brock to the Cardinals, the Cubs inquired about Sadecki, but were turned down by the Cards. He was also rumored to be heading to the San Francisco Giants for Felipe Alou, but that trade also never materialized.
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Ray Sadecki
Raymond Michael Sadecki (December 26, 1940 – November 17, 2014) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He is best remembered as the left-handed complement to Bob Gibson, who in 1964, won 20 games to lead the St. Louis Cardinals to their first World Series title in eighteen years. He was notable for throwing the palmball.
Ray was born to Frank and Josephine Koska Sadecki in Polish Hill (Kansas City, Kansas). By the time he was a sophomore at Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas, Sadecki was drawing major league scouts to his games. His senior year, after the Cyclones went 18–0, and won the state baseball championship, the "bonus baby" signed with the Cardinals while still only seventeen years old.
He compiled a 22–16 record, a 3.77 earned run average & 349 strikeouts over his first two seasons in the Cardinals' farm system. After six appearances with the Rochester Red Wings in 1960, in which he compiled a 1.76 ERA, Sadecki received a call up to the majors at just nineteen years old.
He allowed five runs (2 earned), while lasting just 22⁄3 innings in his major league debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates to take the loss. His first career win was a shutout of the Cincinnati Reds on June 15, in which he scattered three hits while walking eight & striking out nine. Splitting his time between starts & relieving, he posted a 9–9 record, 3.78 ERA & 95 strikeouts over 1571⁄3 innings pitched to earn Cardinal Rookie of the Year honors.
He became a full-time starting pitcher in 1961, and led his team with 222.2 innings pitched & fourteen wins (tied with Larry Jackson). He also proved to be one of the better hitting pitchers in the National League. In 87 at bats, Sadecki had 22 hits for a .253 batting average, and drove in twelve runs.
This early success did not carry over to 1962, however. After a contract holdout that had Sadecki enter Spring training late, he began the season in the bullpen, and earned his first career save against the expansion New York Mets on April 18. He was battered around by the Chicago Cubs in his first start four days later for his first loss of the season. He won his next start against the Reds, even though it wasn't an especially impressive performance (8 hits, 3 walks, 4 earned runs in 8+ innings. Exited in the 9th with the tying run on second. Lindy McDaniel came in for the save). Facing the Reds again a week later, Sadecki didn't even make it out of the first inning, surrendering five runs (4 earned) in 2⁄3 of an inning. A similarly poor performance against the Reds on June 5 placed Sadecki square in the crosshairs of manager Johnny Keane. He pitched well over the rest of June (3-1 record, all 3 wins were complete games), but the wheels came off in July (1-4, 6.94 ERA), and Sadecki was optioned to the International League's Atlanta Crackers for the remainder of the season.
Sadecki pitched well for the Crackers, going 7–1 with a 2.55 ERA in nine games. That performance, and a strong Spring earned Sadecki the number five slot in the Cards' rotation for 1963. He got off to a poor start (0-4, 6.80 ERA. The Cardinals were also 0–3 in his no-decisions), however, Keane stuck with him, and Sadecki reversed course. He won his next four starts, earning a save in between, and ending the season with an even 10–10 record.
Still only 23 years old at the start of the 1964 season, Sadecki's name came up several times during the off season in trade rumors. Prior to Ernie Broglio being included in the trade that brought Lou Brock to the Cardinals, the Cubs inquired about Sadecki, but were turned down by the Cards. He was also rumored to be heading to the San Francisco Giants for Felipe Alou, but that trade also never materialized.