Bob Stanley
Encyclopedia
Robert William "Bob" Stanley (born November 10, 1954 in Portland, Maine
) is a former Major League Baseball
right-handed relief pitcher
who played with the Boston Red Sox
.
Over his 13-year career, Stanley played only for the Red Sox from 1977-89. Bob was a first-round pick of the Boston Red Sox in .
A sinker ball
specialist, Stanley was the club all-time saves
leader with 132 until Jonathan Papelbon
passed him on July 1, 2009, but to most Red Sox fans, he is simply known as "The Steamer" (he is also known as "Bigfoot"). He is also the all-time leader in appearances
with 637 and is a member of the Red Sox Hall of Fame since . His best season came in when he led the Sox with 33 saves and posted a 2.45 ERA
.
Stanley was a key member of the Red Sox team that came within one strike of winning the World Series
but ultimately fell to the Mets
in seven games. Stanley entered Game 6 with the Red Sox one out away from clinching their first World Series since 1918. But his wild pitch
to Mookie Wilson
allowed the Mets to tie the score and then New York won it on Bill Buckner's error.
In , working as a starter
for the first time since , Stanley was 4-15 with 67 strikeout
s and a 5.01 ERA.
On September 25, 1989, Stanley announced his retirement. He compiled a 115-97 career-record with 693 strikeouts, a 3.64 ERA, 21 complete games, seven shutout
s, 132 saves, and 1707 innings
in 637 games (85 as a starter).
On April 4, 2011 Bob Stanley was named President of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League
franchise the Seacoast Mavericks
. The Mavs are owned and operated by Bob's good friend, Dave Hoyt who owns and operates USA Training Center In Portsmouth, New Hampshire where Bob gives lessons on a part-time basis.
To this day, Bob Stanley still lives in the New England
area, living in the Seacoast region of southern New Hampshire.
On June 10, 2011, he threw out the first pitch at the new Futures Collegiate Baseball League
team, the Martha's Vineyard Sharks
at Vineyard Baseball Park located at Martha's Vineyard Regional High School
in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts
.
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
) is a former Major League Baseball
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 relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
who played with the 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"...
.
Over his 13-year career, Stanley played only for the Red Sox from 1977-89. Bob was a first-round pick of the Boston Red Sox in .
A sinker ball
Sinker (baseball)
In baseball, a sinker , is a type of fastball pitch which has significant downward and horizontal movement. The sinker is known for inducing a lot of ground balls...
specialist, Stanley was the club all-time saves
Save (sport)
In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. The number of saves, or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted, is an oft-cited statistic of relief pitchers...
leader with 132 until Jonathan Papelbon
Jonathan Papelbon
Jonathan Robert Papelbon is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball. Before joining the Phillies, Papelbon played with the Boston Red Sox from 2005-2011....
passed him on July 1, 2009, but to most Red Sox fans, he is simply known as "The Steamer" (he is also known as "Bigfoot"). He is also the all-time leader in appearances
Games pitched
In baseball statistics, games pitched is the number of games in which a player appears as a pitcher; a player who is announced as the pitcher must face at least one batter, although exceptions are made if the pitcher announced in the starting lineup is injured before facing a batter, perhaps while...
with 637 and is a member of the Red Sox Hall of Fame since . His best season came in when he led the Sox with 33 saves and posted a 2.45 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...
.
Stanley was a key member of the Red Sox team that came within one strike of winning the World Series
1986 World Series
The 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. It was cited in the legend of the "Curse of the Bambino" to explain the error by Bill Buckner in Game 6 that allowed the Mets to extend the series to a seventh game...
but ultimately fell to the 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 seven games. Stanley entered Game 6 with the Red Sox one out away from clinching their first World Series since 1918. But his wild pitch
Wild pitch
In baseball, a wild pitch is charged against a pitcher when his pitch is too high, too short, or too wide of home plate for the catcher to control with ordinary effort, thereby allowing a baserunner, perhaps even the batter-runner on strike three or ball four, to advance.A wild pitch usually...
to Mookie Wilson
Mookie Wilson
William Hayward "Mookie" Wilson is an American former Major League Baseball center fielder and current coach for the New York Mets. He played 12 years in baseball for the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays . He was a switch hitter primarily known for his impressive speed and positive attitude...
allowed the Mets to tie the score and then New York won it on Bill Buckner's error.
In , working as a starter
Starting 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....
for the first time since , Stanley was 4-15 with 67 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 and a 5.01 ERA.
On September 25, 1989, Stanley announced his retirement. He compiled a 115-97 career-record with 693 strikeouts, a 3.64 ERA, 21 complete games, seven 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, 132 saves, and 1707 innings
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
in 637 games (85 as a starter).
On April 4, 2011 Bob Stanley was named President of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League
Futures Collegiate Baseball League
The Futures Collegiate Baseball League is a 6 team collegiate summer baseball league. The Futures League was co-developed by the New York-Penn League's Lowell Spinners owner Drew Weber, Weber formally developed and owned the New Hampshire Fisher Cats Double A Affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays...
franchise the Seacoast Mavericks
Seacoast Mavericks
- Seacoast Mavericks :The Seacoast Mavericks is a collegiate summer baseball team located in New Hampshire. It is a recent addition to the Futures Collegiate Baseball League which is a wooden bat league with a 44 game regular season. The FCBL comprises the Seacoast Mavericks and three other teams...
. The Mavs are owned and operated by Bob's good friend, Dave Hoyt who owns and operates USA Training Center In Portsmouth, New Hampshire where Bob gives lessons on a part-time basis.
To this day, Bob Stanley still lives in the 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...
area, living in the Seacoast region of southern New Hampshire.
On June 10, 2011, he threw out the first pitch at the new Futures Collegiate Baseball League
Futures Collegiate Baseball League
The Futures Collegiate Baseball League is a 6 team collegiate summer baseball league. The Futures League was co-developed by the New York-Penn League's Lowell Spinners owner Drew Weber, Weber formally developed and owned the New Hampshire Fisher Cats Double A Affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays...
team, the Martha's Vineyard Sharks
Martha's Vineyard Sharks
The Martha's Vineyard Sharks are a collegiate summer baseball team based on Martha's Vineyard, that is set to play in 2011 in the announced Futures Collegiate Baseball League of New England...
at Vineyard Baseball Park located at Martha's Vineyard Regional High School
Martha's Vineyard Regional High School
Martha's Vineyard Regional High School or MVRHS is a high school in Oak Bluffs on the island of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, United States.-History:...
in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts
Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts
Oak Bluffs is a town located on Martha's Vineyard in Dukes County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,713 at the 2000 census and was estimated at 3,735 as of 2008...
.
Highlights
- Twice All-StarMajor League Baseball All-Star GameThe 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...
(1979, 1983) - Twice Top 10 Cy Young AwardCy Young AwardThe Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
(7th, 1978; 7th, 1982) - 3-time led the Major Leagues in relief innings (1981–83)
- Set an American LeagueAmerican LeagueThe 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...
record in relief innings (168.1, 1982)
See also
- Boston Red Sox Hall of FameBoston Red Sox Hall of FameThe Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame was instituted in 1995 to recognize the careers of former Boston Red Sox baseball players. A 15-member selection committee of Red Sox broadcasters and executives, past and present media personnel, and representatives from The Sports Museum of New England and the...
- 1986 World Series1986 World SeriesThe 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. It was cited in the legend of the "Curse of the Bambino" to explain the error by Bill Buckner in Game 6 that allowed the Mets to extend the series to a seventh game...
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball all-time saves leaders