Mike Caldwell
Born: 1/22/1949 in Tarboro, NC, USA
MLB Debut: 1971-09-04 | Final Game: 1984-09-25
Bats: R | Throws: L | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 185 lbs
Full name: Ralph Michael Caldwell
Biography
Mike Caldwell was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1971 to 1984. Born in 1949, he made his Major League debut and quickly established himself as a reliable starter in a competitive era of baseball. Caldwell finished his career with a record of 137-130 and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.81, showcasing his ability to keep runs to a minimum while accumulating a notable total of 939 strikeouts. He also contributed with 18 saves, reflecting his versatility and value to his teams.
Caldwell played during a transitional period in baseball, bridging the gap between the tail end of the deadball era and the more offensive-minded approach that characterized the late 1970s and early 1980s. His pitching style was marked by a combination of control and a diverse arsenal that allowed him to adapt to the changing dynamics of the game. Throughout his career, Caldwell was known for his competitive spirit and durability, often taking the mound in critical situations. His contributions to the teams he played for have left a lasting impact, making him a respected figure in baseball history.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 137 | 130 | 475 | 307 | 98 | 23 | 18 | 2408.7 | 2581 | 1020 | 218 | 597 | 939 | 3.81 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | SDP | NL | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0.00 | - |
| 1972 | SDP | NL | 7 | 11 | 42 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 163.7 | 183 | 73 | 49 | 102 | 4.01 | - |
| 1973 | SDP | NL | 5 | 14 | 55 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 149.0 | 146 | 62 | 53 | 86 | 3.74 | - |
| 1974 | SFG | NL | 14 | 5 | 31 | 27 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 189.3 | 176 | 62 | 63 | 83 | 2.95 | - |
| 1975 | SFG | NL | 7 | 13 | 38 | 21 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 163.3 | 194 | 87 | 48 | 57 | 4.79 | - |
| 1976 | SFG | NL | 1 | 7 | 50 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 107.3 | 145 | 58 | 20 | 55 | 4.86 | - |
| 1977 | CIN | NL | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 24.7 | 25 | 11 | 8 | 11 | 4.01 | 404.3 |
| 1977 | ATL | AL | 5 | 8 | 21 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 94.3 | 101 | 48 | 36 | 38 | 4.58 | - |
| 1978 | ATL | AL | 22 | 9 | 37 | 34 | 23 | 6 | 1 | 293.3 | 258 | 77 | 54 | 131 | 2.36 | - |
| 1979 | ATL | AL | 16 | 6 | 30 | 30 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 235.0 | 252 | 86 | 39 | 89 | 3.29 | - |
| 1980 | ATL | AL | 13 | 11 | 34 | 33 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 225.3 | 248 | 101 | 56 | 74 | 4.03 | - |
| 1981 | ATL | AL | 11 | 9 | 24 | 23 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 144.3 | 151 | 63 | 38 | 41 | 3.93 | - |
| 1982 | ATL | AL | 17 | 13 | 35 | 34 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 258.0 | 269 | 112 | 58 | 75 | 3.91 | - |
| 1983 | ATL | AL | 12 | 11 | 32 | 32 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 228.3 | 269 | 115 | 51 | 58 | 4.53 | - |
| 1984 | ATL | AL | 6 | 13 | 26 | 19 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 126.0 | 160 | 65 | 21 | 34 | 4.64 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 476 | 216 | 11 | 34 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 62 | 0.157 | 0.172 | 0.190 | 0.362 | -1036.4 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | SDP | NL | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0.0 |
| 1972 | SDP | NL | 42 | 50 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0.140 | -476.2 |
| 1973 | SDP | NL | 56 | 35 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0.143 | 0.0 |
| 1974 | SFG | NL | 31 | 63 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 0.143 | -560.2 |
| 1975 | SFG | NL | 38 | 44 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0.159 | 0.0 |
| 1976 | SFG | NL | 50 | 19 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.158 | 0.0 |
| 1977 | CIN | NL | 14 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.500 | 0.0 |
| 1977 | ATL | AL | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1978 | ATL | AL | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1979 | ATL | AL | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1980 | ATL | AL | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1981 | ATL | AL | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1982 | ATL | AL | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1983 | ATL | AL | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1984 | ATL | AL | 26 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | ALCS | ML4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1982 | WS | ML4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1981 | AEDIV | ML4 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 29.0 | 35 | 13 | 4 | 12 | 4.03 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | ALCS | ML4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3.0 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 15.00 |
| 1982 | WS | ML4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 17.7 | 19 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 2.04 |
| 1981 | AEDIV | ML4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8.3 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4.32 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 475 | 308 | 116 | 499 | 15 | 39 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | SDN | P | 6 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972 | SDN | P | 42 | 20 | 9 | 47 | 2 | 3 |
| 1973 | SDN | P | 55 | 13 | 12 | 29 | 2 | 1 |
| 1974 | SFN | P | 31 | 27 | 11 | 48 | 0 | 7 |
| 1975 | SFN | P | 38 | 21 | 10 | 33 | 1 | 2 |
| 1976 | SFN | P | 50 | 9 | 8 | 22 | 1 | 2 |
| 1977 | CIN | P | 14 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1977 | ML4 | P | 21 | 12 | 7 | 27 | 0 | 3 |
| 1978 | ML4 | P | 37 | 34 | 14 | 50 | 0 | 2 |
| 1979 | ML4 | P | 30 | 31 | 7 | 64 | 2 | 3 |
| 1980 | ML4 | P | 34 | 33 | 8 | 37 | 1 | 5 |
| 1981 | ML4 | P | 24 | 23 | 5 | 26 | 0 | 0 |
| 1982 | ML4 | P | 35 | 34 | 13 | 48 | 1 | 5 |
| 1983 | ML4 | P | 32 | 32 | 4 | 38 | 2 | 4 |
| 1984 | ML4 | P | 26 | 19 | 7 | 24 | 3 | 2 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 476 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Player of the Week | Week of 1984-04-13 |
| 1978 | Player of the Week | Week of 1978-09-22 |
| 1978 | Player of the Week | Week of 1978-08-18 |
| 1978 | TSN Comeback Player of the Year |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina State University | Raleigh | NC | 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Cy Young Award | AL | 2nd | 76.0 | 140 | 0 |
| 1978 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 12th | 41.0 | 392 | 0 |