Rob Gardner
Born: 12/19/1944 in Binghamton, NY, USA
Died: 10/21/2023 in Binghamton, NY, USA
MLB Debut: 1965-09-01 | Final Game: 1973-07-13
Bats: R | Throws: L | Height: 6'1" | Weight: 176 lbs
Full name: Richard Frank Gardner
Biography
Rob Gardner, born in 1944, was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1965 to 1973. He made his mark in a competitive era of Major League Baseball, transitioning from the tail end of the deadball era into a time when offensive production began to rise. Gardner played for several teams, showcasing his skills primarily as a starting pitcher, and he concluded his career with a record of 14 wins and 18 losses. Over his time in the league, he posted an earned run average (ERA) of 4.35 and recorded 193 strikeouts, along with 2 saves, reflecting his versatility on the mound.
Gardner was known for his competitive spirit and resilience, characteristics that resonated with fans and teammates alike during his tenure. Though he may not have achieved superstar status, his contributions to the teams he played for during the late 1960s and early 1970s were significant in the development of pitching depth in the rotation. His career unfolded during a period of significant changes in baseball, as the sport began to embrace a more analytical approach to player performance and strategy. Gardner's journey through the league left an indelible mark on the franchises he represented and on the game itself.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 18 | 109 | 42 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 331.0 | 345 | 160 | 35 | 133 | 193 | 4.35 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | NYN | NL | 0 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28.0 | 23 | 10 | 7 | 19 | 3.21 | -188.9 |
| 1966 | NYN | NL | 4 | 8 | 41 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 133.7 | 147 | 76 | 64 | 74 | 5.12 | -3053.8 |
| 1967 | CHC | NL | 0 | 2 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31.7 | 33 | 14 | 6 | 16 | 3.98 | - |
| 1968 | CLE | AL | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.7 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6.75 | 0.0 |
| 1970 | NYY | AL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.3 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 4.91 | - |
| 1971 | NYY | AL | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3.00 | - |
| 1971 | OAK | AL | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.7 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2.35 | 0.0 |
| 1972 | NYY | AL | 8 | 5 | 20 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 97.0 | 91 | 33 | 28 | 58 | 3.06 | - |
| 1973 | ATL | AL | 1 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 12.7 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 5 | 9.95 | - |
| 1973 | OAK | AL | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.3 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4.91 | 0.0 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 111 | 87 | 2 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 37 | 0.138 | 0.148 | 0.161 | 0.309 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | NYN | NL | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1966 | NYN | NL | 43 | 41 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0.171 | 0.0 |
| 1967 | CHC | NL | 18 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1968 | CLE | AL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1970 | NYY | AL | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.333 | 0.0 |
| 1971 | NYY | AL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1971 | OAK | AL | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 | 0.0 |
| 1972 | NYY | AL | 20 | 28 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0.107 | 0.0 |
| 1973 | ATL | AL | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1973 | OAK | AL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 109 | 42 | 11 | 54 | 1 | 4 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | NYN | P | 5 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 1966 | NYN | P | 41 | 17 | 4 | 24 | 1 | 1 |
| 1967 | CHN | P | 18 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1968 | CLE | P | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1970 | NYA | P | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1971 | NYA | P | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1971 | OAK | P | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1972 | NYA | P | 20 | 14 | 2 | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| 1973 | ML4 | P | 10 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 1973 | OAK | P | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 109 |