Cy Young Profile: Bruce Sutter, 1979

Pitcher, Chicago Cubs

Age:  26

4^th season with Cubs

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’2”    Weight: 190

Prior to 1979:

A Pennsylvania native, Sutter (pronounced SUE-ter) excelled in football, as well as baseball, at Donegal High School in Mount Joy. Initially drafted by the expansion Washington Senators as a 17-year-old out of high school in 1970, he was too young to sign and went to Old Dominion University, dropped out, and pitched for a semipro baseball team in the Lebanon Valley League. Drawing the attention of a scout for the Cubs, he signed a $500-per-month contract with a $500 signing bonus in September of 1971. Assigned to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 1972, Sutter almost immediately suffered a career-threatening elbow injury, returned to Lancaster to work in a plant, and had elbow surgery at his own expense, fearing the Cubs might otherwise let him go. Arriving at spring training in 1973, he found he had lost his fastball and minor league pitching instructor Fred Martin taught him the split-fingered fastball that was an off-speed pitch requiring less velocity, which became his primary pitch. Learning to control the splitter, he was sent to Quincy of the Class A Midwest League. Pitching out of the bullpen, he appeared in 40 games and posted a 3-3 record with 5 saves and a 4.13 ERA. Starting off the 1974 season with the Key West Conchs of the Class A Florida State League, Sutter was 1-5 with a 1.35 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 40 innings before being promoted to Midland of the Class AA Texas League where he finished off the year in good fashion. With Midland in 1976, he appeared in 41 games and recorded 13 saves along with a 5-7 tally. Moving up to Wichita of the Class AAA American Association in 1976, he got off to an excellent start and was called up by the Cubs in May. Joining a weak pitching staff, Sutter had a fine rookie season in which he went 6-3 with 10 saves and a 2.70 ERA while appearing in 52 games. The Cubs contended in the NL East during the first half of 1977, and Sutter played a key role until he had to go on the disabled list in August due to a sore shoulder. The club suffered without him and, while he did return, it was too late for the Cubs. Sutter finished at 7-3 with 31 saves and a 1.34 ERA while appearing in 62 games. He also struck out 129 batters over the course of 107.1 innings and was an All-Star for the first time. Chicago started well again in 1978 and Sutter had 14 saves by the All-Star break. He ended up having a lesser season than in ’77, producing an 8-10 tally with 27 saves and a 3.19 ERA while striking out 106 batters in 98.2 innings pitched. Heading into 1979, he had established himself as a top bullpen closer whose performance suffered when overworked.

1979 Season Summary

Appeared in 62 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

 

Pitching

Games – 62 [12, tied with Elias Sosa]

Games Started – 0

Compete Games – 0

Wins – 6

Losses – 6

PCT - .500

Saves – 37 [1]

Shutouts – 0

Innings Pitched – 101.1

Hits – 67

Runs – 29

Earned Runs – 25

Home Runs – 3

Bases on Balls – 32

Strikeouts – 110

ERA – 2.22 [Non-qualifying]

Hit Batters – 0

Balks – 0

Wild Pitches – 9 [7, tied with Bert Blyleven & Charlie Hough]

League-leading saves were +6 ahead of runner-up Kent Tekulve

Midseason Snapshot: 2-2, G – 32, SV – 22, ERA - 1.34, SO - 62 in 53.2 IP

 

---

 

Most strikeouts, game – 7 (in 5 IP) vs. Cincinnati 5/10

10+ strikeout games – 0

Batting

PA – 15, AB – 12, R – 0, H – 3, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 3, BB – 1, SO – 5, SB – 1, CS – 0, AVG - .250, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 2, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 27

Put Outs – 9

Assists – 15

Errors – 3

DP – 0

Pct. - .889

Awards & Honors:

NL Cy Young Award: BBWAA

NL Reliever of the Year: Rolaids

All-Star

7^th in NL MVP voting (69 points, 21% share)

NL Cy Young voting:

Bruce Sutter, ChiC.: 72 pts. – 10 of 24 first place votes, 60% share

Joe Niekro, Hou.: 66 pts. – 9 first place votes, 55% share

J.R. Richard, Hou.: 41 pts. – 4 first place votes, 34% share

Tom Seaver, Cin.: 20 pts. – 17% share

Kent Tekulve, Pitt.: 14 pts. – 1 first place vote, 12% share

Phil Niekro, Atl.: 3 pts. – 3% share

 

---

 

Cubs went 80-82 to finish in fifth place in the NL Eastern Division, 18 games behind the division-winning Pittsburgh Pirates. The pitching staff led the league in strikeouts (933) and most hits allowed (1500). The Cubs, who were a very respectable 48-38 during the season’s first half, won only nine games in September in dropping to fifth. Manager Herman Franks quit in disgust on September 23 and Joey Amalfitano finished out the season. Sutter and slugging outfielder Dave Kingman provided the team’s best performances.

Aftermath of ‘79:

Following his outstanding 1979 performance, Sutter received a $700,000 contract via arbitration. As closer for a poor club in 1980, he again led the NL in saves with 28 to go along with a 5-8 record and 2.64 ERA in 60 appearances. Seeking a long-term contract, he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, who signed him to a four-year contract extension. During the strike-shortened 1981 season, Sutter appeared in 48 games and was 3-5 with 25 saves and a 2.62 ERA. He faltered down the stretch in September as the Cardinals, who had the best overall record in the NL East, failed to qualify for the revamped postseason format by not finishing first in either half of the season. The result was much better for the Cards in 1982, as they succeeded in winning the division. Sutter contributed six saves down the stretch in September, on his way to 36 for the year (leading the NL for the fourth consecutive season), in addition to a 9-8 record with a 2.90 ERA while appearing in 70 games. In the NLCS vs. Atlanta, he retired 13 straight batters on his way to a win and a save as the Cardinals pulled off a sweep. In the World Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, he added another win and two saves, the second coming in the climactic Game 7 win. In 1983, Sutter had a down year along with the rest of the club, finishing at 9-10 with 21 saves and a 4.23 ERA in 60 appearances. He rebounded in 1984 to 45 saves and a 1.54 ERA along with a 5-7 tally while appearing in 71 games. A free agent in the offseason, he signed with the Atlanta Braves for $4.8 million over six years along with additional inducements. He started strong in 1985 and had nine saves by the end of May. But he encountered rough going thereafter due to the affects of a sore shoulder. He finished with 58 appearances and a 7-7 record with 23 saves and a 4.48 ERA. Following offseason shoulder surgery, he was limited to 16 appearances and three saves (and as many blown saves) in 1986. He missed all of 1987. Returning in 1988, Sutter was no longer the reliable closer he had once been. While his 14 saves led the last-place club, his ERA was 4.76. He retired following the disappointing season. For his major league career, Sutter appeared in 661 games and posted a 68-71 record with 300 saves and a 2.83 ERA. He further struck out 861 batters over 1042 innings pitched. With the Cubs he appeared in 300 games and went 32-30 with 133 saves and 494 strikeouts over 493 innings. 1982 marked the only year in which he appeared in the postseason. He led the NL in saves five times and was a six-time All-Star. The Cardinals retired his #42 (which all major league teams retired in tribute to Jackie Robinson), and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006, becoming the first pitcher to be enshrined who never started a major league game.

 

--

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.