Joe Beckwith
Born: 1/28/1955 in Opelika, AL, USA
Died: 5/22/2021 in Auburn, AL, USA
MLB Debut: 1979-07-21 | Final Game: 1986-09-30
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 200 lbs
Full name: Thomas Joseph Beckwith
Biography
Joe Beckwith was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1979 until his retirement in 1986. Born in 1955, Beckwith made his debut during a time when the game was transitioning into a more offensive era, yet he carved out a niche for himself as a reliable arm on the mound. Over the course of his career, he amassed a record of 18 wins and 19 losses, complemented by a respectable earned run average (ERA) of 3.54. His ability to strike out batters was evident, as he recorded a total of 319 strikeouts, showcasing his skill and competitiveness in a league filled with powerful hitters.
Despite not being a household name, Beckwith's contributions to the teams he played for were significant. He also recorded 7 saves, highlighting his versatility as both a starting pitcher and a reliever. His career spanned several pivotal moments in baseball history, including the rise of the designated hitter and changes in pitching strategies. Beckwith remains a notable figure in the annals of baseball for his dependable performances on the mound during a dynamic period in the sport.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 19 | 229 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 422.0 | 432 | 166 | 39 | 150 | 319 | 3.54 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | LAD | NL | 1 | 2 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 37.3 | 42 | 18 | 15 | 28 | 4.34 | - |
| 1980 | LAD | NL | 3 | 3 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59.7 | 60 | 13 | 23 | 40 | 1.96 | - |
| 1982 | LAD | NL | 2 | 1 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 40.0 | 38 | 12 | 14 | 33 | 2.70 | - |
| 1983 | LAD | NL | 3 | 4 | 42 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 71.0 | 73 | 28 | 35 | 50 | 3.55 | - |
| 1984 | KCR | AL | 8 | 4 | 49 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 100.7 | 92 | 38 | 25 | 75 | 3.40 | - |
| 1985 | KCR | AL | 1 | 5 | 49 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 95.0 | 99 | 43 | 32 | 80 | 4.07 | - |
| 1986 | LAD | NL | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18.3 | 28 | 14 | 6 | 13 | 6.87 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 229 | 19 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 0.053 | 0.100 | 0.053 | 0.153 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | LAD | NL | 17 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1980 | LAD | NL | 38 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1982 | LAD | NL | 19 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1983 | LAD | NL | 42 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
| 1984 | KCR | AL | 49 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1985 | KCR | AL | 49 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1986 | LAD | NL | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | WS | KCA | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1983 | NLCS | LAN | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4.3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0.00 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | WS | KCA | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00 |
| 1983 | NLCS | LAN | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2.3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0.00 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 229 | 5 | 34 | 51 | 6 | 3 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | LAN | P | 17 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| 1980 | LAN | P | 38 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| 1982 | LAN | P | 19 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983 | LAN | P | 42 | 3 | 8 | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| 1984 | KCA | P | 49 | 1 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
| 1985 | KCA | P | 49 | 0 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 1 |
| 1986 | LAN | P | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 229 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | LAN | NL | $200,000 |
| 1985 | KCA | AL | $358,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $558,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Auburn University | Auburn | AL | 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 |