The 6'7" Stoddard started at forward for North Carolina State's 1974 NCAA basketball champions. He was originally signed by the White Sox in 1975, but was released after two minor league seasons. Stoddard reached the ML for good in 1979, posting a 1.71 ERA in 29 appearances for the AL champion Orioles. He had an RBI single in the World Series against the Pirates, the first player ever to drive in a WS run in his very first ML at-bat. In 1980 he led the Orioles with 26 saves. Stoddard shared the Orioles closer role with lefthander Tippy Martinez from 1981 to 1983, but in 1983 his ERA was 6.09, and he was traded twice before the 1984 season, first to Oakland and then to the Cubs. Stoddard won 10 games and saved 7 in his one season with the Cubs, then signed with the Padres in 1985, and was traded to the Yankees for Ed Whitson in July 1986. In New York, Stoddard was mostly a set-up man for Dave Righetti, and was released in August 1988 with a 6.38 ERA. Stoddard never started a game in 12 ML seasons. (SCL)
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FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»August 24, 1983:
Making his only career appearance behind the plate, Oriole infielder Lenn Sakata catches the 10th inning against the Blue Jays and then hits a 3-run homer as the O's win, 7–4. Toronto goes ahead 4–3 in the top of the 10th after Cliff Johnson homers and Barry Bonnell singles. Tippy Martinez relieves Tim Stoddard and picks off Bonnell, walks Dave Collins and picks him off. Tippy then allows a Willie Upshaw single, and picks him off. Helped by the runners' eagerness to test Sakata, Tippy sets a never-to-be-topped ML record.
»August 7, 1984:
The Cubs sweep a pair from the visiting Mets, winning 8–6 and 8–4. Rick Sutcliffe (9–1) beats Ron Darling (10-5) in the opener, benefiting from a 6-run 5th inning. Keith Moreland hits a 3-run home run and Ron Cey a 2-run shot in the 5th. A 5-run 4th in game two propels Chicago to the win for reliever Tim Stoddard. Lee Smith notches his 25th save.
»January 8, 1985: The Padres sign free-agent reliever Tim Stoddard to a 3-year, $1.5 million contract. Stoddard was 10-6 with seven saves for the Cubs last season.
»June 18, 1986:
Padre reliever Tim Stoddard slugs a solo homer in the 3rd off the Giants Mike LaCoss, and then is lifted an inning later. The Giants win 6–3. For Stoddard, his first homer comes in his last major league at bat. He'll appear in another 128 games but never swing a bat.
»July 9, 1986:
The Padres trade P Tim Stoddard to the Yankees for P Ed Whitson, who had become the target of such fan abuse in New York that manager Lou Piniella would no longer pitch him in Yankee Stadium.
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