Butch Metzger, baseball player, 1974-1978

Butch Metzger

Born: 5/23/1952 in Lafayette, IN, USA

MLB Debut: 1974-09-08 | Final Game: 1978-06-28

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 185 lbs

Full name: Clarence Edward Metzger

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Biography

Butch Metzger, born in 1952, was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1974 to June 28, 1978. He made his mark in Major League Baseball during an era that saw a transition from the dominant pitching of the early 1970s to a more balanced offensive approach. Metzger's career record stood at 18 wins and 9 losses, with a commendable earned run average (ERA) of 3.74. Over the course of his career, he recorded 175 strikeouts and achieved 23 saves, showcasing his versatility and effectiveness as both a starter and a reliever. Metzger's contributions to the game were recognized with notable accolades, including the Rookie of the Year award and The Sporting News Rookie Pitcher of the Year award, underscoring his immediate impact as a newcomer in the league. While his career was brief, Metzger's performance left an impression on the teams he played for, reflecting the competitive spirit and evolving strategies of the time. His legacy is a reminder of the talented pitchers who played during a dynamic period in baseball history.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
18 9 191 1 0 0 23 293.3 289 122 23 140 175 3.74 0

Career ERA 3.74 vs. league average 3.71 across their career seasons — near 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
1974 SFG NL 1 0 10 0 0 0 0 12.7 11 5 12 5 3.55 3.63 (+2%) -
1975 SDP NL 1 0 4 0 0 0 0 4.7 6 4 4 6 7.71 — -
1976 SDP NL 11 4 77 0 0 0 16 123.3 119 40 52 89 2.92 3.51 (+17%) -
1977 SDP NL 0 0 17 1 0 0 0 22.7 27 14 12 6 5.56 4.00 (-39%) -
1977 STL NL 4 2 58 0 0 0 7 92.7 78 32 38 48 3.11 4.00 (+22%) -
1978 NYN NL 1 3 25 0 0 0 0 37.3 48 27 22 21 6.51 3.69 (-77%) -953.6

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
191 15 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 8 0.000 0.118 0.000 0.118 0.0

Career AVG .000 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — 100.0% below league average.

Career OBP .118 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — 63.8% below league average.

Career SLG .000 vs. league average .377 across their career seasons — 100.0% below league average.

Career OPS 0.118 vs. league average 0.702 across their career seasons — 83.2% 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
1974 SFG NL 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1975 SDP NL 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0
1976 SDP NL 77 8 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1977 SDP NL 17 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1977 STL NL 58 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0.000 — — — — 0.0
1978 NYN NL 25 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000 — — — — 0.0

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 191 1 12 35 1 1

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1974 SFN P 10 0 1 1 0 0
1975 SDN P 4 0 0 1 0 0
1976 SDN P 77 0 5 17 1 0
1977 SDN P 17 1 0 3 0 0
1977 SLN P 58 0 5 9 0 1
1978 NYN P 25 0 1 4 0 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 191

Awards & Honors

Year Award Notes
1976 Rookie of the Year
1976 TSN Rookie Pitcher of the Year

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1976 Rookie of the Year NL 1st 11.0 24 11