Joe Cowley
Born: 8/15/1958 in Lexington, KY, USA
MLB Debut: 1982-04-13 | Final Game: 1987-05-03
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'5" | Weight: 210 lbs
Full name: Joseph Alan Cowley
Biography
Joe Cowley, born in 1958, was a professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1982 until 1987. Throughout his career, Cowley made a name for himself with a record of 33 wins and 25 losses, showcasing his ability to compete at the highest level. He concluded his playing days with an earned run average (ERA) of 4.2 and accumulated a total of 332 strikeouts, reflecting his capacity to miss bats and contribute to his team's pitching staff.
Cowley's career unfolded during a transformative period in baseball, marked by the transition from the deadball era to a more offensive-minded game. Despite not recording any saves, Cowley's role as a starting pitcher allowed him to influence games directly, often taking the mound in critical situations. His contributions to the teams he played for, including the Chicago White Sox and the New York Yankees, left a lasting mark, particularly as he navigated the challenges and pressures of pitching in the Major Leagues during the mid-1980s.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | 25 | 95 | 76 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 469.3 | 414 | 219 | 69 | 232 | 332 | 4.20 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | ATL | NL | 1 | 2 | 17 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52.3 | 53 | 26 | 16 | 27 | 4.47 | -379.2 |
| 1984 | NYY | AL | 9 | 2 | 16 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 83.3 | 75 | 33 | 31 | 71 | 3.56 | - |
| 1985 | NYY | AL | 12 | 6 | 30 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 159.7 | 132 | 70 | 85 | 97 | 3.95 | - |
| 1986 | CHW | AL | 11 | 11 | 27 | 27 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 162.3 | 133 | 70 | 83 | 132 | 3.88 | - |
| 1987 | PHI | NL | 0 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11.7 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 5 | 15.43 | -1413.5 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 96 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.222 | 0.222 | 0.278 | 0.500 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | ATL | NL | 17 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
| 1984 | NYY | AL | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1985 | NYY | AL | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1986 | CHW | AL | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1987 | PHI | NL | 5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.333 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 95 | 76 | 36 | 56 | 10 | 2 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | ATL | P | 17 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1984 | NYA | P | 16 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| 1985 | NYA | P | 30 | 26 | 6 | 22 | 3 | 1 |
| 1986 | CHA | P | 27 | 27 | 16 | 16 | 4 | 0 |
| 1987 | PHI | P | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 95 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Player of the Week | Week of 1986-09-19 |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | CHA | AL | $295,000 |
| 1985 | NYA | AL | $120,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $415,000 | ||