Buzz Capra, baseball player, 1971-1977

Buzz Capra

Born: 10/1/1947 in Chicago, IL, USA

MLB Debut: 1971-09-15 | Final Game: 1977-09-26

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'10" | Weight: 168 lbs

Full name: Lee William Capra

📊 Compare This Player 📈 View Career Timeline

Biography

Buzz Capra was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1971 to 1977. Born in 1947, he made a name for himself during an era characterized by the transition from the deadball style of play to a more modern offensive approach. Over his career, Capra compiled a record of 31 wins and 37 losses, with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.87. He recorded a total of 362 strikeouts and notched five saves, showcasing his ability as both a starter and a reliever. Capra's most notable achievement came in 1974 when he was selected as an All-Star, a testament to his talent and effectiveness on the mound. Throughout his time in the league, he was known for his competitiveness and skill, contributing to his teams during a period of significant change in baseball dynamics. Though his career was relatively brief, Capra's impact on the game was marked by his determination and the role he played in his teams' pitching rotations.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
31 37 142 61 16 5 5 544.3 479 234 60 258 362 3.87 0

Career ERA 3.87 vs. league average 3.63 across their career seasons — 6.7% worse than league average.

Season-by-Season Pitching

Year Team Lg W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER BB SO ERA Lg ERA Pitcher PIV
1971 NYN NL 0 1 3 0 0 0 0 5.3 3 5 5 6 8.44 — 0.0
1972 NYN NL 3 2 14 6 0 0 0 53.0 50 27 27 45 4.58 3.26 (-40%) -913.8
1973 NYN NL 2 7 24 0 0 0 4 42.0 35 18 28 35 3.86 3.75 (-3%) -565.5
1974 ATL NL 16 8 39 27 11 5 1 217.0 163 55 84 137 2.28 3.63 (+37%) 1871.3
1975 ATL NL 4 7 12 12 5 0 0 78.3 77 37 28 35 4.25 3.71 (-15%) -837.9
1976 ATL NL 0 1 5 0 0 0 0 9.3 9 9 6 4 8.68 3.51 (-147%) 0.0
1977 ATL NL 6 11 45 16 0 0 0 139.3 142 83 80 100 5.36 4.00 (-34%) -6181.6

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
142 141 9 19 0 0 0 5 0 17 40 0.135 0.226 0.135 0.361 -415.8

Career AVG .135 vs. league average .255 across their career seasons — 47.2% below league average.

Career OBP .226 vs. league average .322 across their career seasons — 29.7% below league average.

Career SLG .135 vs. league average .372 across their career seasons — 63.8% below league average.

Career OPS 0.361 vs. league average 0.695 across their career seasons — 48.0% below league average.

Season-by-Season Batting

Year Team Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG Lg AVG Lg OBP Lg SLG Lg OPS PIV
1971 NYN NL 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1972 NYN NL 14 12 1 3 0 0 0 1 0 3 3 0.250 — — — — 0.0
1973 NYN NL 24 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1974 ATL NL 39 67 4 11 0 0 0 1 0 8 23 0.164 .256 (-36%) .324 (-22%) .369 (-56%) .693 (-40%) -415.8
1975 ATL NL 12 23 2 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 5 0.043 — — — — 0.0
1976 ATL NL 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1977 ATL NL 45 36 1 4 0 0 0 2 0 3 9 0.111 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 142 61 31 71 4 6

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1971 NYN P 3 0 0 1 0 0
1972 NYN P 14 6 5 10 0 2
1973 NYN P 24 0 1 7 0 0
1974 ATL P 39 27 13 19 3 2
1975 ATL P 12 12 6 13 0 1
1976 ATL P 5 0 0 3 0 0
1977 ATL P 45 16 6 18 1 1

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 142

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1974 Player of the Month June
1974 Player of the Week Week of 1974-06-28

College History

School Name City State Years Attended
Illinois State University Normal IL 1967, 1968, 1969

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1974 Cy Young Award NL 9th 1.0 120 0
1974 Most Valuable Player NL 20th 3.0 336 0