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BaseballLibrary.com
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Mike Witt
Born: 1960

RHP 1981-91, 93 Angels, Yankees

Mike Witt's Teammates

  • All-Star in 1986-87

IPW-LERA
Career 2108.1117-1163.83
League CS 211-03.05

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The 6'7" California native entered his prime years in position to become one of baseball's great pitchers for the Angels. Behind him was the 13th perfect game in major league history, a 1-0 win September 30, 1984 in Texas; and selection to the 1986 and 1987 All-Star squads.

Using a great curveball and a good fastball, and changing speeds well, Witt climbed among the Angels' leaders in wins, games pitched, starts, complete games, strikeouts, innings pitched, and shutouts, leading the club in each of those categories (except shutouts) each year from 1984 to 1987. He joined Dean Chance (1962-65) as the only pitcher to lead the Angels in wins four straight seasons and was the Angel MVP in 1986.

Witt suddenly lost his overpowering stuff in the middle of 1987. His strikeout numbers dropped substantially, and he was never again able to reclaim his dominance for the Angels. The New York Yankees felt that a change of scenery would bring about the Witt of old, and traded Dave Winfield to get him on May 11, 1990. Witt never won more than five games for the Yankees during his three-year tenure there. (ME/GL)


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FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
» July 23, 1984: Angels Mike Witt strikes out 16 Mariners in a 7–1 victory.

» September 30, 1984: On the final day of the regular season, California's Mike Witt fans 10 and needs just 97 pitches to complete a perfect game 1–0 over Texas. Witt's gem is the first 9-inning perfect game in Angels history and the first in the major leagues since Len Barker's in 1981.

» October 1, 1985: The Angels go back into 1st place in the American League West, beating the Royals, 4–2. Mike Witt and DonnieMoore combine on a 6-hitter.

» September 12, 1986: In his first major league at bat, Oakland's Terry Steinbach homers at Cleveland. It comes off Greg Swindell in a 9–3 victory. Mike Witt (18-8) is the winner.

» October 7, 1986: In the ALCS opener, California behind Mike Witt downs Boston's 20-game winner Roger Clemens 8–1.

» April 11, 1990: California's Mark Langston and Mike Witt combine to no-hit the Mariners 1–0 for the first combined no-hitter in the major leagues since 1976. It is Langston's first start for the Angels since signing as a free agent in the off-season. 1B Wally Joyner makes an error in the 5th when he overthrows Langston on Pete O'Brien's grounder. O'Brien tries for 2B, not realizing that C Lance Parrish baked up the play and has the ball. He's thrown out.

» May 11, 1990: Citing a no-trade clause in his contract, Yankee OF Dave Winfield refuses to report to the Angels after being traded for Mike Witt. Winfield will eventually accept the trade on May 16th, ending his often stormy relationship with Yankee owner George Steinbrenner.