Baseball Digest, catching up with Clyde in August 2003, indicated that he may have hurt himself in the majors by linking up with some veterans who liked to party. However, he was beset by tendinitis in his throwing shoulder during camp, and Texas released him on March 31.48 After his shoulder failed to improve with rest, Clyde underwent surgery on May 7.49 He was forced to pay for the operation out of pocket and subsequently filed a grievance against the Rangers for cutting him while injured. He won three or four games right away, and every time he pitched at home, wed draw 25,000 extra people. The top selection in the June 1973 baseball draft, Clyde, who had pitched nine no-hitters for Westchester High School in Houston, signed for a $125,000 bonus. 5 David Fuller, Legion Tournament Starts Here Wednesday, Longview News-Journal, August 8, 1971: 10. When major-league rosters expanded in September, Clyde was recalled to Texas. Clyde announced his retirement from baseball in February 1982. We hope readers will take away three ideas from this book in addition to forming a foundationof statistical thinking and methods. The son of a telephone executive, Clyde was born in Kansas City, Kansas, the eldest of four brothers. He was the same pitcher in 1979 that he was in Texas, not much of a breaking ball, not much of a changeup, recalled Cleveland teammate Toby Harrah years later. [1] After a poor start in which he walked the first two batters he faced, he settled down, pitched five innings, giving up only one hit (a home run to Mike Adams) while striking out eight batters in a 43 victory over the Minnesota Twins. If I were going through that now, I'd kick the door in and demand an explanation. Clyde spent the majority of the 1975 season with the Pittsfield (Massachusetts) Rangers in the Double-A Eastern League. More important to Short, Clyde had attracted 35,698 customers, the Rangers' largest crowd that season. 16 Gary Long, Orioles Big Guys Give Clyde Trouble, Miami Herald, March 15, 1974: 291. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. us. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. With large turnouts for both games at Arlington Stadium, Clyde stuck around for the rest of the season. Clyde joined the Rangers on the road and was thrust into action on the teams next homestand. Bob Short, the Rangers owner, added a provision designed more to fatten his wallet than help David excel. David . In 19 starts, he compiled a 4-10 record and 6.85 ERA while walking more batters than he struck out. Although he was born in Kansas City, he played his high school ball in Houston and was somewhat of a local legend. 54 Townsend, David Clyde: Franchise Savior and Cautionary Tale.. Clyde was left unprotected in the expansion draft in the fall of 1976, but neither the Mariners nor the Blue Jays took a flier. "All my players from all over crying, broke down. We were not going to settle for anything less than a major league contract. 29 Mike Shropshire, Shelled Rangers Regroup, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, July 6, 1974: 9. (Age 24-107d) [3], Clyde began the 1974 season with a 30 record,[9] then became embroiled in controversy following a dispute between new manager Billy Martin and general manager Bobby Brown. That puts you on the 40-man roster.13 Clyde wanted to ensure he got to the big leagues within three years or had the opportunity to go elsewhere. By then, his fastball velocity had dipped to the 87-88 range, but he still found success.52 In 10 appearances (seven starts), he won all six of his decisions and recorded a 0.76 ERA, thereby earning a promotion to Triple-A Tucson, which had become an Astros affiliate. David Clyde, Westchester (Houston), 1973 It may be a bit unfair to call Clyde a bust as a professional player considering that injuries and overuse as a young prospect led to an early exit from the Major Leagues. In 1978, David set highs for innings pitched (153 1/3), starts (25) and complete games (5). [3], Prior to the draft, the Texas Rangers held the second lowest attendance in the American League, ahead of only the Cleveland Indians despite having Baseball Hall of Famer Ted Williams as manager at one point. 35 Jim Sarni, Texas Clyde Faces a Minor Problem, Fort Lauderdale News, March 26, 1975: 53. Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. The miscue led to two unearned runs later in the inning. David Eugene Clyde was born on April 22, 1955, in Kansas City, Kansas. "He's a lesson in the need for patience. By then, Martin had been replaced by Frank Lucchesi. As of 2023, Clyde was retired but still coaching young pitchers, and still lived in Texas. "It might have been different if that hadn't happened," said Nelson. "If they ever start an Instructional League Hall of Fame, I'll be a charter member." 42 Bob Nold, Tribe Faith in Clyde Rewarded, Akron Beacon Journal, May 17, 1978: 45. He made his first start of the season on May 16 versus the As, a complete game gem in which he allowed two runs on four hits. "We went from one paycheck to the next.". It came at a cost, however. Only 27 days short of his pension, Clyde would like to get back into baseball, maybe as a minor league pitching coach for the Rangers. [8] He started one game in 1975 (a loss) before injuring his shoulder and was demoted to the Pittsfield Rangers of the Eastern League. Phoenix, AZ 85004 He was 18-0 with a 0.18 ERA in his senior year at Westchester High, allowing three earned runs in 150 innings. He pitched 416 innings over parts of five seasons with the Rangers and Cleveland Indians, registering an 18-33 record and 4.63 ERA. September 2001 0. I got more instruction here the first day than I got in five years with Texas, said Clyde at the time.41. David Clyde was perhaps the most dominating pitcher in high school baseball history during his days at Houston Westchester High School from 1970 to 1973. Clyde attempted to make a comeback with the Houston Astros but was unsuccessful. Get scores, news and notes in your inbox every day. He pitched in nine games with the Indians in 1979 (34, 5.91 ERA) before tearing his rotator cuff and was demoted to the minors, playing in what would be his last Major League game on August 7, 1979. David Clyde was born on Friday, April 22, 1955, in Kansas City, Kansas. on any other website. Clyde, who was selected No. After being chosen as the top overall pick in the 1973 June amateur draft, left-handed pitcher David Clyde made the rare leap from high school to the big leagues with the Texas Rangers.2 The teenage phenom singlehandedly galvanized a fan base and saved a Rangers franchise that was in dire financial straits. Clyde was 18 years old when he broke into the big leagues on June 27, 1973, with the Texas Rangers. David Eugene Clyde (born April 22, 1955) is a former left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who played for five seasons with the Texas Rangers (19731975) and Cleveland Indians (19781979). He wouldnt know a release point from a whooping crane.31 Because the Rangers were surprisingly in playoff contention during the second half, Clydes usage became sporadic, alternating between long relief and spot starts. August 1973 - Present. Bob Short, cashing in on David's appeal at the gate, was able to get out of the ownership racket, selling the team to Brad Corbett while David was floundering. [14] One week before the thirtieth anniversary of his first career game, Clyde threw the ceremonial first pitch to his exteammate Ken Suarez during an Rangers-Astros game. (3) Data are messy, and statistical tools are imperfect. August 7, 1979 This page was last edited on 21 January 2023, at 00:29. Traded to the Cleveland Indians in 1978, he was 8-11 and then 3-4 before he damaged a rotator cuff. 48 Paul Domowitch, Things Not So Bonny for Rangers Clyde, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, March 25, 1980: 30. By Joe Nick Patoski. He struck out eight Boston hitters, including future Hall of Famers Carlton Fisk, Carl Yastrzemski, and Orlando Cepeda. ''I'd have to say that David Clyde was one of the best young left-handed pitchers I've ever seen,'' Herzog said. 555 N. Central Ave. #416 . 1 Gene Wojciechowski, From Baseball to Tomball, Los Angeles Times, September 9, 1986: 27. Another 10,000 were reportedly turned away.16 Belly dancers, lion cubs, and a large papier-mch giraffe brought in from nearby theme parks added to the circus-like atmosphere. The one hit was a two-run homer by Mike Adams. The 1,400 sq. He was named by journalist Randy Galloway as among the worst cases of "mishandling" a young player in baseball history. David injured his shoulder, spending much of the season when he was not hurt back in the minors trying to find some semblance of what made him great in high school. He showed up to Rangers spring camp in 1977 throwing without pain but had not regained his previous velocity.40 He was assigned to the Triple-A Tucson Torosthe Rangers new affiliate in the PCLto start the season. [8] Questioned about the difference between high school or professional baseball, Clyde stated that MLB hitters "see the ball better, thus they make contact more often". Short regularly staged promotions in an attempt to lure fans, including Bat Night, T-shirt Night, Keychain Night, and even Pantyhose Night. Total Zone Rating and initial framework for Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith. In Clydes penultimate start of the seasona Friday night home game versus the Angels which attracted a crowd of only 2,513he pitched into the ninth inning but took the loss. After seeking multiple opinions, the 21-year-old southpaw underwent surgery with Dr. Frank Jobe in Los Angeles and missed the remainder of the season. [5] He dominated for Columbus, having a 60 record with a 0.76 ERA, but struggled with the Toros, having a 6.85 earned run average. 51 Mike Lane, The Lonely Ranger, Columbian (Vancouver, WA), July 15, 1981: 28. He was wild and the other hitters started sitting on his fastball. The Rangers drew 686,085 for their 81 home games that year, 32 percent of them showing up for the 12 starts by Clyde, which accounted for 14.8 percent of the home schedule. In a career-high 153 innings pitched, he struck out 83 and walked 60. He wasn't big league ready, particularly off the field. On June 5the day of the draftTV trucks lined up down the street outside of Clydes home. Join our linker program. David Clyde Trades and Transactions. Does the Sport Owe Him Anything, January 31, 2019, https://theathletic.com/766944/2019/01/31/david-clyde-kept-baseball-in-arlington-and-missed-an-mlb-pension-by-37-days-does-the-sport-owe-him-anything/, accessed December 23, 2022. We present them here for purely educational purposes. Many thanks to him. As a freshman, he was already the best pitcher on the varsity team. I agreed to pitch Clyde two games, then farm him out to the minors, where he could build his arm and confidence over a couple of years, wrote Herzog in Youre Missin a Great Game.14. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. But on June 27, 1973, the traffic was so thick around old Arlington Stadium when Clyde made his debut against Minnesota that the game's start was delayed to accommodate the crowd. David Clyde Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com David Clyde Position: Pitcher Bats: Left Throws: Left 6-1 , 180lb (185cm, 81kg) Born: April 22, 1955 (Age: 67-311d) in Kansas City, KS us More bio, uniform, draft, salary info 32 32 Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. 24 Mike Shropshire, Birds Soaring High on Doomsday Defense, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 28, 1973: 18. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? In addition to a son (Ryan) from his second marriage, Clyde had two children (Reed and Lauren) from his third marriage to the former Robin McCauley, a union which ultimately ended in divorce. His career would stretch over parts of five big-league seasons, with Texas from 1973-75 and Cleveland in 1978-79. Rangers owner Bob Short -- against the advice of his manager, scouts, and others possessing . Throw it hard.' August 18, 2018 - Present. 53 Levi Weaver, David Clyde Kept Baseball in Arlingtonand missed an MLB Pension by 37 Days. 6 Buck Francis, Westchester Ace Great, Corpus Christi Times, June 5, 1972: 14. Clydes career arc serves as a cautionary tale for what can happen when a young player is rushed to the big leagues. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. 34 David Clydes Future Very Much in Question.. "His legacy is when you see a young kid get drafted and someone in an organization declares, 'He's not going to be another David Clyde," the late Hal Keller, the Rangers scouting director at the time, said more than once in the ensuing years. Clyde is one of just three high school pitchers drafted first overall (the other two being Brien Taylor and Brady Aiken) and the only one to make it to MLB. . He is noted for his once promising baseball career, which ended at age 26 because of arm and shoulder injuries. His sophomore season included a perfect game against the defending state champions.4 Pitching for the Westchester American Legion squad that summer, he allowed only four runs in 83 innings while racking up 150 strikeouts.5 As a junior in 1972, Clyde amassed a 17-1 record which included three no-hitters and four one-hitters. From there, things quickly went south. It was supposed to be a quick shot in the arm for a financially strapped franchise that just a year earlier had moved from Washington, D.C., and whose owner, Bob Short, was in jeopardy of having to turn it over to the American League. Clyde, who was selected No. Two days later I went out to throw batting practice and I couldnt pick my arm up, Clyde later explained. But it took him six more starts to win again. As the No. In addition to being in the skippers doghouse, Clyde received no instruction from his pitching coach, Art Fowler, who had replaced Estrada. 38 Nold, Confidence Important for Reborn Clyde., 39 Nold, Confidence Important for Reborn Clyde.. Art Fowlers job was to get drunk with Billy on the road, recalled Shropshire. Through eight starts, he compiled a 3-3 record with a 3.31 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 49 innings. 33 David Clydes Future Very Much in Question, Naples Daily News, March 14, 1975: 60. 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