Tom Candiotti
Encyclopedia
Thomas Caesar Candiotti (born August 31, 1957 in Walnut Creek, California
) is a former right-handed pitcher
in Major League Baseball
who was known for his knuckleball
. He played for the Milwaukee Brewers
, Cleveland Indians
, Toronto Blue Jays
, Oakland Athletics
and Los Angeles Dodgers
. Candiotti is currently a TV-Radio analyst for the Arizona Diamondbacks
and is under contract through the 2011 season.
Candiotti is a graduate of Queen of All Saints Catholic School in Concord, California and an alumnus of Saint Mary's College of California.
The knuckleball throwing
Candiotti, nicknamed "The Candy Man" or simply "Candy", was originally drafted by Kansas City in 1980 but claimed in the Rule 5 Draft
by Milwaukee that year. After two forgettable seasons with the Brewers, Candiotti signed with Cleveland in 1985, where he enjoyed his most successful seasons. With the woeful Indians of the 1980s, Candiotti had a record of 72-65 with only one losing season. His best season was 1988 when he went 14-8 with a 3.28 ERA
and 137 strikeouts.
In 1991, Cleveland shipped him to Toronto to help in their playoff
run. He left the Blue Jays the following season to sign with Los Angeles where he pitched well for six years, hampered by poor run support. He finished his career with the Indians before retiring in 1999.
Candiotti appeared briefly in Billy Crystal
's 2001 movie "61*" as pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm
, who like Candiotti was known for throwing knuckleballs.
Candiotti was inducted into the International Bowling Museum's Hall of Fame on June 27, 2007.
Walnut Creek, California
Walnut Creek is an incorporated city located east of the city of Oakland. It lies in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area. While not as large as neighboring Concord, Walnut Creek serves as the business and entertainment hub for the neighboring cities within central Contra Costa...
) is a former 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...
in 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...
who was known for his knuckleball
Knuckleball
A knuckleball is a baseball pitch with an erratic, unpredictable motion. The pitch is thrown so as to minimize the spin of the ball in flight. This causes vortices over the stitched seams of the baseball during its trajectory, which in turn can cause the pitch to change direction—and even...
. He played for the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
, Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
and Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. Candiotti is currently a TV-Radio analyst for 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...
and is under contract through the 2011 season.
Candiotti is a graduate of Queen of All Saints Catholic School in Concord, California and an alumnus of Saint Mary's College of California.
The knuckleball throwing
Knuckleball
A knuckleball is a baseball pitch with an erratic, unpredictable motion. The pitch is thrown so as to minimize the spin of the ball in flight. This causes vortices over the stitched seams of the baseball during its trajectory, which in turn can cause the pitch to change direction—and even...
Candiotti, nicknamed "The Candy Man" or simply "Candy", was originally drafted by Kansas City in 1980 but claimed in the Rule 5 Draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
by Milwaukee that year. After two forgettable seasons with the Brewers, Candiotti signed with Cleveland in 1985, where he enjoyed his most successful seasons. With the woeful Indians of the 1980s, Candiotti had a record of 72-65 with only one losing season. His best season was 1988 when he went 14-8 with a 3.28 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...
and 137 strikeouts.
In 1991, Cleveland shipped him to Toronto to help in their playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
run. He left the Blue Jays the following season to sign with Los Angeles where he pitched well for six years, hampered by poor run support. He finished his career with the Indians before retiring in 1999.
Candiotti appeared briefly in Billy Crystal
Billy Crystal
William Edward "Billy" Crystal is an American actor, writer, producer, comedian and film director. He gained prominence in the 1970s for playing Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap and became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in the critical and box office successes...
's 2001 movie "61*" as pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm
Hoyt Wilhelm
James Hoyt Wilhelm was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985....
, who like Candiotti was known for throwing knuckleballs.
Candiotti was inducted into the International Bowling Museum's Hall of Fame on June 27, 2007.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- MLB All-Time Hit Batsmen ListMLB All-Time Hit Batsmen ListThis is a list of top 100 Major League Baseball pitchers who have the most hit batsmen of all time. There is an of hitters who have been hit by pitch the most times.Active players are denoted in bold text.-The List:* Bold denotes active player...
- 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....