Pitcher, Kansas
City Royals
Age: 26 (June 25)
3rd season
with Royals
Bats – Right,
Throws – Right
Height: 6’1” Weight: 190
Prior to 1971:
A native of
Toledo, Ohio, Drago started out playing youth baseball prior to lettering in
basketball and bowling, in addition to baseball, at that city’s Woodward High
School. His varsity pitching record was 18-3, including two no-hitters. Accepting
a baseball scholarship to the University of Detroit, Drago signed with the
Detroit Tigers following his sophomore year in 1964. Initially assigned to the
Florida Instructional League, in 15 relief appearances he produced a 1-2 record
and 2.19 ERA with 14 strikeouts and 12 walks over 37 innings. With Daytona
Beach of the Class A Florida State League and Rocky Mount of the Carolina
League in 1965 Drago, utilized primarily as a starting pitcher, had a
combined tally of 5-14 with a 3.36 ERA, 105 strikeouts and 58 walks over 142
innings pitched. Back with Rocky Mount in 1966 his record was a far more
agreeable 15-9 with a 1.79 ERA, 14 complete games, 7 shutouts, and 151
strikeouts over 186 innings. He pitched a seven-inning no-hitter and was a
league All-Star. He finished the season with an appearance with the Toledo Mud
Hens of the Class AAA International League although he spent 1967 with the
Montgomery Rebels of the Class AA Southern League. He duplicated his Class A
win total by achieving a 15-10 tally with a 3.27 ERA, 12 complete games, 4
shutouts, and 134 strikeouts over 179 innings. Drago spent 1968 in Class AAA
back in his hometown with Toledo and was once more a 15-game winner with his
15-8 record and 3.36 ERA with 9 complete games, 3 shutouts, and 146 strikeouts
over 182 innings. With a repertoire of both a sinking and rising fastball, a
slider, and a changeup, and appearing ready for the major leagues, he was
exposed to the 1969 expansion draft and was taken by the Royals. Overcoming a
midseason slump, Drago posted a respectable 11-13 tally and 3.77 ERA with 10
complete games that included two shutouts, and 108 strikeouts over 200.2
innings for the new club. Both he and the Royals had a more difficult season in
1970, with Drago’s record coming in at 9-15 with a 3.75 ERA, 7 complete games,
and 127 strikeouts over 240 innings.
1971 Season Summary
Appeared in 35
games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]
Pitching
Games – 35
Games Started –
34
Complete Games
– 15 [12, tied with Jim Kaat & Steve Kline]
Wins – 17 [11,
tied with Jim Perry]
Losses – 11
PCT - .607 [14]
Saves – 0
Shutouts – 4 [7,
tied with ten others]
Innings Pitched
– 241.1
Hits – 251 [8]
Runs – 84
Earned Runs – 80
Home Runs – 14
Bases on Balls
– 46
Strikeouts – 109
ERA – 2.98 [16]
Hit Batters – 9
[3, tied with Tom Murphy]
Balks – 0
Wild Pitches – 4
Midseason
Snapshot: 9-5, ERA - 3.44, SO – 60 in 117.2 IP
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Most
strikeouts, game – 8 (in 9 IP) at California 7/1
10+ strikeout
games – 0
Fewest hits
allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 5 (in 9 IP) vs. Baltimore 7/20
Batting
PA – 92, AB –
77, R – 3, H – 10, 2B – 3, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 4, BB – 8, SO – 44, SB – 0, CS
– 0, AVG - .130, GDP – 1, HBP – 0, SH – 7, SF – 0
Fielding
Chances – 51
Put Outs – 7
Assists – 42
Errors – 2
DP – 9
Pct. - .961
Awards & Honors:
5th in
AL Cy Young voting, tied with Andy Messersmith, Cal. (1 point – 1% share)
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The Royals went
85-76 to finish second in the AL Western Division, 16 games behind the
division-winning Oakland Athletics. The pitching staff led the league in saves
(44) and fewest home runs allowed (84). The Royals, in their first full season
under manager Bob Lemon, got off to an 11-11 April start and played
consistently well throughout the season. The addition of shortstop Freddie
Patek significantly improved the infield defense and he combined well with
veteran second baseman Cookie Rojas, who was in his first full season in Kansas
City.
Aftermath of 1971:
Following his fine 1971 season, Drago faltered in 1972 and produced a record of 12-17, which was nearly the exact opposite of his ’71 tally, along with a respectable 3.01 ERA, 11 complete games, and 135 strikeouts over 239.1 innings. 1973 was a more disappointing season for Drago, if not the Royals, as his ERA rose to 4.23 to go along with a 12-14 record, 10 complete games, and 98 strikeouts over 212.2 innings. In the offseason he was traded to the Boston Red Sox for RHP Marty Pattin. Utilized as both a starter and reliever with his new club in 1974, Drago was at his most effective out of the bullpen and finished at 7-10 with 3 saves, a 3.48 ERA, 8 complete games (out of 18 starts), and 90 strikeouts over 175.2 innings. Almost exclusively a reliever in 1975, he recorded 15 saves along with a 2-2 tally in 40 appearances along with a 3.84 ERA and 43 strikeouts over 72.2 innings. The Red Sox topped the AL East and Drago picked up two saves in the ALCS triumph over Oakland. He made two more appearances in the seven-game World Series loss to the Cincinnati Reds where he was credited with the loss in Game 2 but finished with a 2.25 ERA over 4 innings. In the offseason, Drago was dealt to the California Angels, a team on the rise after being cellar dwellers for two years. In 1976 his 6 saves were enough to lead the team. In addition he compiled a 7-8 record in 43 relief appearances along with a 4.42 ERA and 43 strikeouts over 79.1 innings. Midway through the 1977 season, Drago was on the move again, this time to the Baltimore Orioles who were seeking to keep up with the Yankees in the AL East. Having appeared in only 13 games with the Angels, he pitched in 36 games out of the bullpen for the Orioles and finished with an overall record of 6-4 with 5 saves, a 3.41 ERA, and 35 strikeouts over 60.2 innings. As a free agent in the offseason, Drago returned to the Red Sox. In 1978 the Red Sox started strong and had a 14.5-game lead in the AL East before collapsing in the season’s second half and needing a late rally to end up tied with the Yankees, who defeated them in a one-game playoff to decide the division title. Drago appeared in 37 games (one start and the remainder in relief), splitting bullpen duty with righthanders Bob Stanley and Tom Burgmeier. His record was 4-4 with 7 saves, a 3.03 ERA, and 42 strikeouts over 77.1 innings. The club endured another second-half collapse on the way to third place in 1979. Drago made 53 appearances and remained a solid performer out of the bullpen with a 10-6 tally, 13 saves, another 3.03 ERA, and 67 strikeouts over 89 innings. A notorious bench jockey who relentlessly needled opposing players, off the field he regularly visited children in hospitals, bringing gifts and signing autographs. In 1980 he started in seven of his 43 appearances, one of them a complete game on his way to a 7-7 record with 3 saves, a 4.14 ERA, and 63 strikeouts over 132.2 innings. Just before the 1981 season Drago was dealt to the Seattle Mariners where he was back to being a full-time reliever and endured a disappointing season where he went 4-6 with 5 saves in 39 appearances, posting a career-worst 5.53 ERA. He was released by the Mariners prior to the 1982 season, thus concluding his playing career. For his major league career, Drago pitched in 519 games, 189 of them starts, and produced a 108-117 record with 58 saves, a 3.62 ERA, 62 complete games, 10 shutouts, and 987 strikeouts over 1875 innings. With the Royals he made 182 appearances, including 160 starts, and was 61-70 with one save, 53 complete games, all 10 shutouts, and 577 strikeouts over 1134 innings pitched. Drago pitched in 4 postseason games, all with Boston, and had a 0-1 record with 2 saves and a 1.04 ERA. Never an All-Star Drago proved to be a capable pitcher as both a starter and reliever, but 1971 marked the only season in which he received an award vote. Following his baseball career, he became entangled in legal problems stemming from his two divorces and child support payments. He died at age 78 in 2023.
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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league
in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum
of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who
led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a
minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between
the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc.
players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the
postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years.