Rookie of the Year: Pat Zachry, 1976

Pitcher, Cincinnati Reds

Age:  24 (Apr. 24)

Bats – Right, Throws – Right

Height: 6’5”    Weight: 180

Prior to 1976:

A Texas native, Zachry survived a gunshot wound at 14 and pitched on the baseball team at Richfield High School in Waco. After throwing three no-hitters in summer league action he was selected by the Reds in the 1970 amateur draft. Signing for a $3500 bonus, he played for two teams at the Rookie and Class A levels in ’70 and produced a combined 3-5 record with a 2.76 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 75 innings pitched. Advancing to Tampa of the Class A Florida State League in 1971, he posted a 12-4 mark with a 3.21 ERA and 115 strikeouts over 143 innings. Sent to Quebec’s Trois Rivieres Aigles of the Class AA Eastern League in 1972, Zachry went 7-7 with a 2.64 ERA and 102 strikeouts while pitching 133 innings. Still with Trois Rivieres in 1973, he was utilized as both a starter and reliever and had a 12-12 tally with a 3.29 ERA and 130 strikeouts over 178 innings. Promoted to Indianapolis of the Class AAA American Association in 1974, Zachry, who started in 17 of his 33 games, produced a 10-7 record with a 3.52 ERA, although his strikeouts fell to 98 in 151 innings. With Indianapolis again in 1975, he again went 10-7 with a league-leading 2.43 ERA and 100 strikeouts. He was a league All-Star selection. Zachry made the staff of the defending World Series champion Reds for 1976. 

1976 Season Summary

Appeared in 38 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate NL rank in Top 20]

Pitching

Games – 38

Games Started – 28

Complete Games – 6

Wins – 14 [16, tied with five others]

Losses – 7

PCT - .667 [6]

Saves – 0

Shutouts – 1

Innings Pitched – 204

Hits – 170

Runs – 70

Earned Runs – 62

Home Runs – 8

Bases on Balls – 83 [8]

Strikeouts – 143 [11]

ERA – 2.74 [5, tied with Randy Jones]

Hit Batters – 2

Balks – 3 [4, tied with six others]

Wild Pitches – 5

Midseason Snapshot: 7-3, ERA – 2.66, SO – 77 in 101.1 IP

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 Most strikeouts, game – 9 (in 9 IP) vs. LA Dodgers 5/28, (in 9 IP) vs. San Diego 9/21

10+ strikeout games – 0

Fewest hits allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) at Atlanta 9/4

Batting

PA – 77, AB – 62, R – 1, H – 7, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 2, BB – 3, SO – 25, SB – 0, CS – 0, AVG - .113, GDP – 0, HBP – 0, SH – 12, SF – 0

Fielding

Chances – 34

Put Outs – 13

Assists – 20

Errors – 1

DP – 2

Pct. - .971

Postseason Pitching: G – 2 (NLCS vs. Philadelphia – 1; World Series vs. NY Yankees – 1)

 GS – 2, CG – 0, Record – 2-0, PCT – 1.000, SV – 0, ShO – 0, IP – 11.2, H – 12, R – 4, ER – 4, HR – 2, BB – 8, SO – 9, ERA – 3.09, HB – 0, BLK – 0, WP – 0

Awards & Honors:

NL Rookie of the Year: BBWAA (co-winner)

NL ROY Voting:

Pat Zachry, Cin.: 11 of 24 votes, 46% share

Butch Metzger, SD.: 11 votes, 46% share

Hector Cruz, StL.: 2 votes, 8% share

 

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Reds went 102-60 to finish first in the NL Western Division by 10 games over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The pitching staff led the league in saves (45). The Reds were 28-17 by the end of May and coasted to a second straight NL West title. Won NLCS over the Philadelphia Phillies, 3 games to 0. Won World Series over the New York Yankees, 4 games to 0, making them the first NL club to win back-to-back World Series championships since the 1921-22 New York Giants.

Aftermath of ‘76:

Zachry had a hernia operation in the offseason and missed much of spring training in 1977, which caused him to get off to a slow start, further hindered by a sore arm. He had a 3-7 record and 5.04 ERA in June when he was traded to the New York Mets as part of the deal for star RHP Tom Seaver. His performance improved the rest of the way with his new club, going 7-6 with a 3.76 ERA for an overall record of 10-13 and a 4.25 ERA. With command of a slider, changeup, and fastball, Zachry started well in 1978 and was an All-Star for the only time in his major league career. But when pulled from a late July game against the Reds, he kicked the dugout step and broke a bone in his foot, thus ending his season. His record was 10-6 with a 3.33 ERA and 78 strikeouts in 138 innings pitched. Hindered by a sore elbow in 1979, Zachry got off to a 5-1 start before going on the disabled list and having surgery. He returned to action in May of 1980 and had an uneven season in which he posted a 6-10 tally and a 3.01 ERA with 88 strikeouts. During the strike-interrupted 1981 season, Zachry went 7-14 with a 4.14 ERA. In 1982 he started in only 16 of his 36 appearances and had a 6-9 record and a 4.05 ERA. Dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the offseason, he was utilized almost exclusively as a reliever in 1983 and was 6-1 with a 2.49 ERA. Strictly working out of the bullpen in 1984, Zachry appeared in 58 games and had a 5-6 tally along with a 3.81 ERA and two saves. Traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1985, he made 10 relief appearances until being released in June, which ended his career. Overall, in the major leagues, Zachry compiled a 69-67 record with a 3.52 ERA. He pitched 29 complete games with 7 shutouts and recorded 669 strikeouts over 1177.1 innings. With the Reds he went 17-14 with a 3.35 ERA, 9 complete games, and 179 strikeouts over 279 innings pitched. He appeared in four postseason games with the Reds and Dodgers and was 2-0 with a 2.87 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 15.2 innings. Following his major league playing career, Zachry coached for a time at the minor league level. He later pitched in the short-lived Senior Professional Baseball Association in 1989 and ’90. He has been inducted into the Waco Independent School District Athletic Hall of Fame.   

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Rookie of the Year Profiles feature players who were recipients of the Rookie of the Year Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (1947 to present). The award was presented to a single major league winner from its inception through 1948 and from 1949 on to one recipient from each major league.