Cy Young Profile: LaMarr Hoyt, 1983

Pitcher, Chicago White Sox

Age:  28

4^th season with White Sox

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’3”    Weight: 250

Prior to 1983:

A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Hoyt played quarterback and middle linebacker on the Keenan High School football team as well as shortstop, outfielder, and pitcher on the baseball squad. He was chosen by the New York Yankees as a pitcher in the 1973 amateur draft. Initially assigned to Johnson City of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, Hoyt produced a 6-6 record in 12 starts with a 3.91 ERA. Moving on to Fort Lauderdale of the Class A Florida State League in 1974, he went 13-4 with a 2.40 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 161 innings pitched. With teams at the Class A and AA levels in 1975, he compiled a combined 4-5 record with a 3.60 ERA. Hoyt spent 1976 with West Haven of the Class AA Eastern League where he went 15-8 with a 2.50 ERA and 103 strikeouts. In 1977, Hoyt was traded to the White Sox as part of the deal that brought shortstop Bucky Dent to the Yankees. He started off poorly for Iowa of the Class AAA American Association and was sent down to Knoxville of the Class AA Southern League where he was 4-13 with a 4.23 ERA. Demoted to Appleton of the Class A Midwest League in 1978, Hoyt compiled an 18-4 record with a 2.90 ERA and 115 strikeouts. In the winter he played in the Dominican Republic under his eventual major league manager with the White Sox, Tony LaRussa, and he developed into a finesse pitcher who could work the corners of the strike zone. Playing in the Class AA and AAA levels in 1979, Hoyt was a combined 10-9 with a 3.53 ERA. He started the 1980 season in Class AAA with Iowa and utilized primarily as a reliever until called up by the White Sox in June. Appearing in 24 games, 13 of them starts, Hoyt was 9-3 with a 4.57 ERA. Utilized almost exclusively out of the bullpen during the strike-interrupted 1981 season, he was again 9-3 with a 3.57 ERA and 10 saves. As a member of the starting rotation in 1982, he led the AL in wins with his 19-15 record and had a 3.53 ERA and 124 strikeouts. With a slider, curve, and sinker he was an integral part of a fine rotation that included Richard Dotson, Floyd Bannister, Britt Burns, and Jerry Koosman coming into the 1983 season.  

1983 Season Summary

Appeared in 36 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 36

Games Started – 36 [3, tied with Scott McGregor & Dave Stieb]

Complete Games – 11 [6, tied with four others]

Wins – 24 [1]

Losses – 10

PCT - .706 [4]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1

Innings Pitched – 260.2 [4]

Hits – 236 [12, tied with John Tudor]

Runs – 115 [10, tied with Jim Clancy & Chris Codiroli]

Earned Runs – 106 [10]

Home Runs – 27 [7, tied with Dennis Eckersley]

Bases on Balls – 31

Strikeouts – 148 [8]

ERA – 3.66 [17]

Hit Batters – 1

Balks – 1

Wild Pitches – 1

League-leading wins were +2 ahead of runner-up Richard Dotson

Midseason Snapshot: 9-8, ERA - 4.14, SO - 80 in 132.2 IP

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Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 9 IP) vs. Seattle 6/20, (in 7.1 IP) vs. Minnesota 6/25, (in 9 IP) vs. Baltimore 8/12

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 7 IP) at NY Yankees 8/17

Fielding

Chances – 79

Put Outs – 21

Assists – 56

Errors – 2

DP – 4

Pct. - .975

Postseason Pitching: (ALCS vs. Baltimore)

G – 1, GS – 1, CG – 1, Record – 1-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 9, H – 5, R – 1, ER – 1, HR – 0, BB – 0, SO – 4, ERA – 1.00, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

AL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

AL Pitcher of the Year: Sporting News

13^th in AL MVP voting (24 points, 6% share)

AL Cy Young voting:

LaMarr Hoyt, ChiWS: 116 pts. – 17 of 28 first place votes, 83% share

Dan Quisenberry, KC.: 81 pts. – 9 first place votes, 58% share

Jack Morris, Det.: 38 pts. – 2 first place votes, 27% share

Richard Dotson, ChiWS.: 9 pts. – 6% share

Ron Guidry, NYY: 5 pts. – 4% share

Scott McGregor, Balt.: 3 pts. – 2% share

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White Sox went 99-63 to finish first in the AL Western Division by 20 games over the Kansas City Royals. The pitching staff led the league in fewest walks allowed (447). Lost ALCS to the Baltimore Orioles, 3 games to 1, with Hoyt’s Game 1 complete game Chicago’s only victory.

Aftermath of ‘83:

The White Sox faded in 1984 and Hoyt went from leading the AL in wins two seasons in a row to topping the circuit in losses with a 13-18 record along with a 4.47 ERA. In the offseason he was traded to the San Diego Padres as part of the deal that brought shortstop prospect Ozzie Guillen to Chicago. Following a slow start with his new team in 1985, he won 11 straight decisions on his way to a 16-8 record with a 3.47 ERA and the only All-Star selection of his career. In 1986, Hoyt entered rehab for alcoholism and missed the first month of the season. He went on to post an 8-11 record with a 5.15 ERA. Suspended for 1987 due to drug-related issues, he re-signed with the White Sox, but further drug problems finished his career. Overall in the major leagues, Hoyt compiled a 98-68 record with a 3.99 ERA and 681 strikeouts over 1311.1 innings pitched. He pitched 48 complete games that included 8 shutouts. With the White Sox, he was 74-49 with a 3.92 ERA and 513 strikeouts over 942 innings with 39 complete games and 5 shutouts.

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Cy Young Profiles feature pitchers who were recipients of the Cy Young Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1956 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1966 and from 1967 on to one recipient from each major league.