Sugar Cain
Born: 4/5/1907 in Macon, GA, USA
Died: 4/3/1975 in Atlanta, GA, USA
MLB Debut: 1932-04-15 | Final Game: 1938-05-28
Bats: L | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 190 lbs
Full name: Merritt Patrick Cain
Biography
Sugar Cain was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1932 to 1938. Born in 1907, Cain made his debut during an era marked by the transition from the deadball era to a more offensive-minded game. Throughout his career, he showcased a competitive spirit on the mound, finishing with a record of 53 wins and 60 losses, and an earned run average (ERA) of 4.83. His ability to strike out batters was notable, as he recorded a total of 279 strikeouts, underscoring his capacity to dominate opposing hitters at times.
Despite the challenges of the era, which included the Great Depression affecting the league's landscape and the evolving strategies of the game, Cain remained a reliable option for his teams. He also contributed to his team's efforts with one save, demonstrating his versatility and willingness to take on critical situations in games. Sugar Cain's career, though perhaps overshadowed by some of his contemporaries, reflected the determination and resilience characteristic of many players of that time, leaving a lasting legacy in baseball history.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53 | 60 | 178 | 137 | 58 | 2 | 1 | 987.3 | 1119 | 530 | 67 | 569 | 279 | 4.83 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | PHA | AL | 3 | 4 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 45.0 | 42 | 25 | 28 | 24 | 5.00 | 80.4 |
| 1933 | PHA | AL | 13 | 12 | 38 | 32 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 218.0 | 244 | 103 | 137 | 43 | 4.25 | -9113.2 |
| 1934 | PHA | AL | 9 | 17 | 36 | 32 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 230.7 | 235 | 113 | 128 | 66 | 4.41 | -4945.2 |
| 1935 | PHA | AL | 0 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26.0 | 39 | 19 | 19 | 5 | 6.58 | -737.0 |
| 1935 | SLA | AL | 9 | 8 | 31 | 24 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 167.7 | 197 | 98 | 104 | 68 | 5.26 | -2101.6 |
| 1936 | CHW | AL | 14 | 10 | 30 | 26 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 195.3 | 228 | 103 | 75 | 42 | 4.75 | - |
| 1936 | SLA | AL | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16.3 | 20 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 6.61 | 239.7 |
| 1937 | CHW | AL | 4 | 2 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 68.7 | 88 | 47 | 51 | 17 | 6.16 | - |
| 1938 | CHW | AL | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19.7 | 26 | 10 | 18 | 6 | 4.58 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 180 | 344 | 18 | 56 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 13 | 83 | 0.163 | 0.196 | 0.174 | 0.370 | -2410.5 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | PHA | AL | 10 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0.250 | 0.0 |
| 1933 | PHA | AL | 39 | 80 | 3 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 0.200 | -479.2 |
| 1934 | PHA | AL | 36 | 82 | 4 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 0.159 | -771.9 |
| 1935 | PHA | AL | 6 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1935 | SLA | AL | 31 | 57 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 0.193 | 0.0 |
| 1936 | CHW | AL | 31 | 68 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 0.103 | -732.1 |
| 1936 | SLA | AL | 4 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.286 | -732.1 |
| 1937 | CHW | AL | 18 | 22 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.182 | 0.0 |
| 1938 | CHW | AL | 5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 178 | 0 | 17 | 168 | 14 | 15 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | PHA | P | 10 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 1933 | PHA | P | 38 | 0 | 6 | 45 | 2 | 5 |
| 1934 | PHA | P | 36 | 0 | 4 | 47 | 5 | 2 |
| 1935 | PHA | P | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 1935 | SLA | P | 31 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 2 | 3 |
| 1936 | CHA | P | 30 | 0 | 2 | 27 | 3 | 3 |
| 1936 | SLA | P | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1937 | CHA | P | 18 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 1 |
| 1938 | CHA | P | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 178 |