Spec Shea, baseball player, 1947-1955

Spec Shea

Born: 10/2/1920 in Naugatuck, CT, USA

Died: 7/19/2002 in New Haven, CT, USA

MLB Debut: 1947-04-19 | Final Game: 1955-08-27

Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 195 lbs

Full name: Francis Joseph Shea

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Biography

Spec Shea was a notable pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1947 to 1955. Born in 1920, Shea's professional career unfolded during a transformative period in baseball, marked by the post-World War II era where the game saw an influx of talent and increased competition. He concluded his career with a record of 56 wins and 46 losses, showcasing a solid performance on the mound with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.8. Over his career, Shea struck out 361 batters and secured five saves, highlighting his versatility and ability to perform in high-pressure situations. Shea's most distinguished moment came with his selection to the All-Star Game, where he represented the best of the game during his era. Known for his competitive spirit and strategic pitching, Shea contributed to his teams not only through his skills but also his leadership on the field. His career spanned a time when baseball was evolving, and he left a lasting impact on the teams he played for, including the Washington Senators and the New York Yankees. As a pitcher, Shea exemplified the hard work and dedication that defined the era, making his mark in the annals of baseball history.

Career Pitching Statistics

W L G GS CG SHO SV IP H ER HR BB SO ERA Pitcher PIV
56 46 195 118 48 12 5 943.7 849 398 66 497 361 3.80 0

Career ERA 3.80 vs. league average 4.00 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
1947 NYY AL 14 5 27 23 13 3 1 178.7 127 61 89 89 3.07 3.97 (+23%) -
1948 NYY AL 9 10 28 22 8 3 1 155.7 117 59 87 71 3.41 4.10 (+17%) -
1949 NYY AL 1 1 20 3 0 0 1 52.3 48 31 43 22 5.33 4.12 (-29%) -
1951 NYY AL 5 5 25 11 2 2 0 95.7 112 46 50 38 4.33 4.04 (-7%) -
1952 WSN AL 11 7 22 21 12 2 0 169.0 144 55 92 65 2.93 3.70 (+21%) -
1953 WSN AL 12 7 23 23 11 1 0 164.7 151 72 75 38 3.94 4.14 (+5%) -
1954 WSN AL 2 9 23 11 1 0 0 71.3 97 49 34 22 6.18 3.90 (-59%) -
1955 WSN AL 2 2 27 4 1 1 2 56.3 53 25 27 16 3.99 4.00 (avg) -

Career Batting Statistics

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB BB SO AVG OBP SLG OPS PIV
195 298 29 58 8 4 1 33 0 19 63 0.195 0.245 0.258 0.504 -1197.8

Career AVG .195 vs. league average .261 across their career seasons — 25.4% below league average.

Career OBP .245 vs. league average .336 across their career seasons — 26.9% below league average.

Career SLG .258 vs. league average .384 across their career seasons — 32.7% below league average.

Career OPS 0.504 vs. league average 0.720 across their career seasons — 30.0% 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
1947 NYY AL 27 56 8 11 2 1 0 1 0 5 9 0.196 .262 (-25%) .336 (-22%) .376 (-29%) .712 (-26%) -248.5
1948 NYY AL 28 47 4 7 0 2 0 4 0 6 11 0.149 — — — — -253.9
1949 NYY AL 20 12 1 3 0 0 0 4 0 2 2 0.250 — — — — 0.0
1951 NYY AL 25 28 5 6 0 0 1 5 0 2 7 0.214 — — — — 0.0
1952 WSN AL 22 63 6 15 2 0 0 10 0 2 16 0.238 .252 (-6%) .326 (-20%) .369 (-27%) .696 (-24%) -248.3
1953 WSN AL 23 62 2 11 1 1 0 6 0 2 9 0.177 .264 (-33%) .335 (-40%) .397 (-43%) .733 (-41%) -447.1
1954 WSN AL 23 20 2 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 6 0.050 — — — — 0.0
1955 WSN AL 27 10 1 4 2 0 0 2 0 0 3 0.400 — — — — 0.0

Postseason Statistics

Playoff Career Batting

G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
3 5 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 2 0.400

Playoff Batting by Year

Year Round Team G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG
1947 WS NYA 3 5 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 2 0.400

Playoff Career Pitching

W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
2 0 3 3 0 15.3 10 4 8 10 2.35

Playoff Pitching by Year

Year Round Team W L G GS SV IP H ER BB SO ERA
1947 WS NYA 2 0 3 3 0 15.3 10 4 8 10 2.35

Fielding Statistics

Career Fielding Totals by Position

Position G GS PO A E DP
P 195 15 49 125 6 8

Season-by-Season Fielding

Year Team Pos G GS PO A E DP
1947 NYA P 27 0 9 14 0 0
1948 NYA P 28 0 4 17 1 0
1949 NYA P 20 0 2 9 1 1
1951 NYA P 25 0 7 14 1 3
1952 WS1 P 22 0 14 23 0 1
1953 WS1 P 23 0 5 24 0 2
1954 WS1 P 23 11 5 17 1 1
1955 WS1 P 27 4 3 7 2 0

Career Games by Position

Position Games
Pitcher 195

Award Voting History

Year Award League Finish Points Won Points Max Votes First
1947 Most Valuable Player AL 14th 23.0 336 0
1947 Rookie of the Year ML 3rd 67.0 165 0