Fritz Peterson
Born: 2/8/1942 in Chicago, IL, USA
Died: 10/19/2023 in Winona, MN, USA
MLB Debut: 1966-04-15 | Final Game: 1976-06-19
Bats: B | Throws: L | Height: 6'0" | Weight: 185 lbs
Full name: Fred Ingles Peterson
Biography
Fritz Peterson was a professional baseball pitcher who played from 1966 to 1976. Born in 1942, he made a significant impact during his career, showcasing his skills on the mound in an era characterized by a mix of emerging power hitters and traditional pitching strategies. Peterson finished his career with a record of 133 wins and 131 losses, demonstrating his competitive nature and durability as a starting pitcher. He recorded an earned run average (ERA) of 3.3 over his career, alongside 1,015 strikeouts, which highlighted his ability to effectively challenge hitters.
Peterson was selected as an All-Star once, a testament to his talent and contributions to his teams, which included the New York Yankees and the Cleveland Indians. Known for his solid control and ability to induce ground balls, he played a key role in the pitching rotations of the teams he represented. With one save to his name, Peterson's versatility allowed him to adapt to various situations on the mound, making him a reliable option throughout the course of his career. His contributions during the late 1960s and early 1970s remain noteworthy in the context of a rapidly evolving game, as he navigated the challenges of a competitive landscape filled with both established stars and new talent.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 133 | 131 | 355 | 330 | 90 | 20 | 1 | 2218.3 | 2217 | 813 | 173 | 426 | 1015 | 3.30 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | NYY | AL | 12 | 11 | 34 | 32 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 215.0 | 196 | 79 | 40 | 96 | 3.31 | - |
| 1967 | NYY | AL | 8 | 14 | 36 | 30 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 181.3 | 179 | 70 | 43 | 102 | 3.47 | - |
| 1968 | NYY | AL | 12 | 11 | 36 | 27 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 212.3 | 187 | 62 | 29 | 115 | 2.63 | - |
| 1969 | NYY | AL | 17 | 16 | 37 | 37 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 272.0 | 228 | 77 | 43 | 150 | 2.55 | - |
| 1970 | NYY | AL | 20 | 11 | 39 | 37 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 260.3 | 247 | 84 | 40 | 127 | 2.90 | - |
| 1971 | NYY | AL | 15 | 13 | 37 | 35 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 274.0 | 269 | 93 | 42 | 139 | 3.05 | - |
| 1972 | NYY | AL | 17 | 15 | 35 | 35 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 250.3 | 270 | 90 | 44 | 100 | 3.24 | - |
| 1973 | NYY | AL | 8 | 15 | 31 | 31 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 184.3 | 207 | 81 | 49 | 59 | 3.95 | - |
| 1974 | CLE | AL | 9 | 14 | 29 | 29 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 152.7 | 187 | 74 | 37 | 52 | 4.36 | -1723.4 |
| 1974 | NYY | AL | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.7 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 4.70 | - |
| 1975 | CLE | AL | 14 | 8 | 25 | 25 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 146.3 | 154 | 64 | 40 | 47 | 3.94 | -1920.6 |
| 1976 | CLE | AL | 0 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47.0 | 59 | 29 | 10 | 19 | 5.55 | 263.4 |
| 1976 | TEX | AL | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15.0 | 21 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 3.60 | 5.6 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 355 | 515 | 31 | 82 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 31 | 0 | 24 | 144 | 0.159 | 0.199 | 0.204 | 0.402 | -3435.7 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | NYY | AL | 34 | 67 | 4 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 0.224 | -233.8 |
| 1967 | NYY | AL | 36 | 48 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 19 | 0.146 | -296.5 |
| 1968 | NYY | AL | 36 | 63 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 0.079 | -630.8 |
| 1969 | NYY | AL | 37 | 80 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 22 | 0.113 | -656.6 |
| 1970 | NYY | AL | 39 | 90 | 7 | 20 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0.222 | -375.0 |
| 1971 | NYY | AL | 37 | 85 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 22 | 0.082 | -931.8 |
| 1972 | NYY | AL | 35 | 82 | 6 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 0.232 | -311.2 |
| 1973 | NYY | AL | 31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1974 | CLE | AL | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1974 | NYY | AL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1975 | CLE | AL | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1976 | CLE | AL | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1976 | TEX | AL | 4 | 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 | 355 | 330 | 116 | 429 | 21 | 44 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966 | NYA | P | 34 | 32 | 16 | 36 | 4 | 1 |
| 1967 | NYA | P | 36 | 30 | 13 | 35 | 2 | 4 |
| 1968 | NYA | P | 36 | 27 | 6 | 56 | 2 | 6 |
| 1969 | NYA | P | 37 | 37 | 15 | 53 | 3 | 5 |
| 1970 | NYA | P | 39 | 37 | 12 | 52 | 3 | 7 |
| 1971 | NYA | P | 37 | 35 | 14 | 54 | 1 | 7 |
| 1972 | NYA | P | 35 | 35 | 13 | 44 | 1 | 6 |
| 1973 | NYA | P | 31 | 31 | 11 | 30 | 2 | 3 |
| 1974 | CLE | P | 29 | 29 | 8 | 30 | 2 | 2 |
| 1974 | NYA | P | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1975 | CLE | P | 25 | 25 | 8 | 26 | 1 | 3 |
| 1976 | CLE | P | 9 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | TEX | P | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 355 |
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Illinois University | DeKalb | IL | 1961, 1962, 1963 |