By pitching well at AA San Antonio (Texas League) during the 1981 major league baseball
strike, Niedenfuer earned a promotion to the Dodgers for the second half of the season.
He capped a successful rookie season with 5-2/3 scoreless postseason innings. His
94-mph fastball made him the Dodgers'
bullpen stopper after
Steve Howe's departure.
Niedenfuer gave up two notorious homers to
Ozzie Smith and
Jack Clark in the final
two games of the 1985 NLCS, with Clark's home run sending the Cardinals to the World
Series.
(TG)
Tom Niedenfuer
teams