Butch Metzger
Pitcher · Career Stats, Bio & Records (1974-1978)
Butch Metzger was a pitcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1974 to 1978 for 4 teams, including the San Francisco Giants, a span of 5 seasons. Across 191 career appearances, he went 18-9 with a 3.74 ERA, 175 strikeouts, and 23 saves. Butch Metzger was a Rookie of the Year.
- W (Wins):
- Games credited to a pitcher whose team took a lead it never surrendered while he was the pitcher of record.
- ERA (Earned Run Average):
- Earned runs allowed per nine innings pitched: (ER × 9) ÷ IP. The primary measure of pitching effectiveness.
- SO (Strikeouts):
- For a batter, times retired on a third strike; for a pitcher, batters retired on a third strike.
- WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched):
- Baserunners allowed per inning: (BB + H) ÷ IP. Under 1.00 is elite.
Data updated
- Position
- Pitcher
- Bats / Throws
- R / R
- Height / Weight
- 6'1" / 185 lb
- MLB Debut
- 1974-09-08
- Last Game
- 1978-06-28
- Awards
- Rookie of the Year
Full name: Clarence Edward Metzger
Season-by-Season Pitching
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Lg ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | SFN | NL | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12.2 | 11 | 5 | 12 | 5 | 3.55 | 3.63 (+2%) | -317.8 |
| 1975 | SDN | NL | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.2 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7.71 | — | 0.0 |
| 1976 | SDN | NL | 11 | 4 | 77 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 123.1 | 119 | 40 | 52 | 89 | 2.92 | 3.51 (+17%) | 1454.2 |
| 1977 | SDN | NL | 0 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22.2 | 27 | 14 | 12 | 6 | 5.56 | 4.00 (-39%) | -1585.7 |
| 1977 | SLN | NL | 4 | 2 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 92.2 | 78 | 32 | 38 | 48 | 3.11 | 4.00 (+22%) | -204.9 |
| 1978 | NYN | NL | 1 | 3 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37.1 | 48 | 27 | 22 | 21 | 6.51 | 3.69 (-77%) | -946.4 |
| Career · 6 seasons | 18 | 9 | 191 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 293.1 | 289 | 122 | 140 | 175 | 3.74 | — | -1,601 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 191 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | .000 | .118 | .000 | .118 | 0 |
Career AVG .000 vs. league average .258 across their career seasons — 100.0% below league average.
Career OBP .118 vs. league average .325 across their career seasons — 63.8% below league average.
Career SLG .000 vs. league average .377 across their career seasons — 100.0% below league average.
Career OPS .118 vs. league average .702 across their career seasons — 83.2% below league average.
Season-by-Season Batting
Click a stat to plot it across every season.
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | Lg AVG | Lg OBP | Lg SLG | Lg OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | SFN | NL | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1975 | SDN | NL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1976 | SDN | NL | 77 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1977 | SDN | NL | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1977 | SLN | NL | 58 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| 1978 | NYN | NL | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0.0 |
| Career · 6 seasons | 191 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | .000 | — | — | — | — | 0 | ||
Lg columns show the league average for that season, with the player's figure as a percentage above or below it. Career totals the seasons listed above.
Game Log & Splits
View full game log (382 games) →Per-game data from Retrosheet (regular season, through 2025).
Batting — Home / Away
| Split | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 100 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Away | 91 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
Pitching — Home / Away
| Split | G | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 100 | 151.2 | 135 | 55 | 68 | 96 | 3.26 |
| Away | 91 | 141.2 | 154 | 67 | 72 | 79 | 4.26 |
Last 10 Games — Pitching
| Date | Tm | Opp | Dec | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978-06-28 | NYN | CHC | L | 0.1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978-06-26 | NYN | CHC | L | 0.1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978-06-25 | NYN | PIT | — | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1978-06-24 | NYN | PIT | — | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978-06-18 | NYN | SFG | — | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978-06-15 | NYN | LAD | — | 3.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1978-06-11 | NYN | SFG | — | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1978-06-06 | NYN | LAD | — | 3.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 1978-05-30 | NYN | STL | — | 2.0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 1978-05-27 | NYN | HOU | W | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
Season-by-Season Fielding
Career Games by Position
Circle size = games played at each position.
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 191 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Rookie of the Year | |
| 1976 | TSN Rookie Pitcher of the Year |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Rookie of the Year | NL | 1st | 11.0 | 24 | 11 |
Butch Metzger: the record in brief
According to the bio, Butch Metzger debuted on September 8, 1974 and played a final game on June 28, 1978. Metzger played for the San Francisco Giants (1974), the San Diego Padres (1975 to 1977), the St. Louis Cardinals (1977), and the New York Mets (1978). Metzger, born on May 23, 1952, in Lafayette, IN, USA, is listed as a pitcher and both batted and threw right-handed. Size on record: 6'1" and 185 pounds. The given name on file is Clarence Edward Metzger.
The pitching table credits Metzger with a 18-9 record and a 3.74 ERA in 191 games. Metzger had 175 strikeouts and 23 saves. Metzger's 3.74 ERA was close to the 3.71 league figure for those seasons. Metzger won 11 games in 1976, the most of any season listed. The most saves in one season was 16, in 1976. 1976 was Metzger's sharpest full season, a 2.92 ERA against the league's 3.51.
Frequently Asked Questions about Butch Metzger
- What years did Butch Metzger play?
- Butch Metzger played in Major League Baseball from 1974 to 1978.
- Was Butch Metzger a pitcher?
- Yes. Butch Metzger pitched in the major leagues, recording 18 wins and 175 strikeouts.
- How many home runs did Butch Metzger hit?
- Butch Metzger hit 0 career home runs.
- What teams did Butch Metzger play for?
- Butch Metzger played for 4 teams: the San Francisco Giants (1974), the San Diego Padres (1975–1977), the St. Louis Cardinals (1977), and the New York Mets (1978).
- Did Butch Metzger win a Cy Young Award?
- No. Butch Metzger did not win the Cy Young Award.
- What awards did Butch Metzger win?
- Butch Metzger won the Rookie of the Year award (1976).
- What were Butch Metzger's career stats?
- In 191 games, Butch Metzger went 18-9 with a 3.74 ERA, 175 strikeouts, 293.1 innings pitched, and 23 saves.
- What position did Butch Metzger play?
- Butch Metzger played primarily as a pitcher, the position where he appeared in the most games.
- How tall was Butch Metzger and how much did he weigh?
- Butch Metzger was listed at 6 feet 1 inch and 185 pounds.
- What was Butch Metzger's career ERA?
- Butch Metzger finished with a 3.74 career ERA, going 18-9 with 175 strikeouts.
- How many strikeouts did Butch Metzger have?
- Butch Metzger recorded 175 career strikeouts.
- Is Butch Metzger in the Hall of Fame?
- No. Butch Metzger has not been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.