Bobby Thigpen
Born: 7/17/1963 in Tallahassee, FL, USA
MLB Debut: 1986-08-06 | Final Game: 1994-04-27
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 195 lbs
Full name: Robert Thomas Thigpen
Biography
Bobby Thigpen, born in 1963, was a prominent pitcher in Major League Baseball whose career spanned from 1986 until his retirement in 1994. Known for his exceptional closing ability, Thigpen established himself as one of the top relief pitchers of his time, earning an All-Star selection during his noteworthy career. He played primarily for the Chicago White Sox, where he became a key figure in the bullpen and was instrumental in securing games with his powerful pitching style.
Throughout his career, Thigpen amassed a record of 31-36 and demonstrated remarkable skill in high-pressure situations, finishing with an impressive 201 saves and a 3.43 ERA. His ability to strike out batters was evident, as he recorded 376 strikeouts over his career. Thigpen’s contributions to the game were particularly significant during the late 1980s and early 1990s, a period marked by an increasing emphasis on specialized relief pitching. He left a lasting legacy in the White Sox organization and remains a notable figure in the evolution of the closer role in baseball.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | 36 | 448 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 201 | 568.7 | 537 | 217 | 56 | 238 | 376 | 3.43 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | CHW | AL | 2 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 35.7 | 26 | 7 | 12 | 20 | 1.77 | - |
| 1987 | CHW | AL | 7 | 5 | 51 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 89.0 | 86 | 27 | 24 | 52 | 2.73 | - |
| 1988 | CHW | AL | 5 | 8 | 68 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 90.0 | 96 | 33 | 33 | 62 | 3.30 | - |
| 1989 | CHW | AL | 2 | 6 | 61 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 79.0 | 62 | 33 | 40 | 47 | 3.76 | - |
| 1990 | CHW | AL | 4 | 6 | 77 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 88.7 | 60 | 18 | 32 | 70 | 1.83 | - |
| 1991 | CHW | AL | 7 | 5 | 67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 69.7 | 63 | 27 | 38 | 47 | 3.49 | - |
| 1992 | CHW | AL | 1 | 3 | 55 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 55.0 | 58 | 29 | 33 | 45 | 4.75 | - |
| 1993 | CHW | AL | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 34.7 | 51 | 22 | 12 | 19 | 5.71 | - |
| 1993 | PHI | NL | 3 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19.3 | 23 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 6.05 | -320.2 |
| 1994 | SEA | AL | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.7 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 9.39 | 0.0 |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 448 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | CHW | AL | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1987 | CHW | AL | 51 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1988 | CHW | AL | 68 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1989 | CHW | AL | 61 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1990 | CHW | AL | 77 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1991 | CHW | AL | 67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1992 | CHW | AL | 55 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1993 | CHW | AL | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1993 | PHI | NL | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1994 | SEA | AL | 7 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | NLCS | PHI | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1993 | WS | PHI | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4.3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2.08 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | NLCS | PHI | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.7 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5.40 |
| 1993 | WS | PHI | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2.7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 448 | 0 | 43 | 71 | 4 | 10 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | CHA | P | 20 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| 1987 | CHA | P | 51 | 0 | 8 | 14 | 2 | 1 |
| 1988 | CHA | P | 68 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 2 |
| 1989 | CHA | P | 61 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | CHA | P | 77 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 1 | 2 |
| 1991 | CHA | P | 67 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 | CHA | P | 55 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| 1993 | CHA | P | 25 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1993 | PHI | P | 17 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| 1994 | SEA | P | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 448 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Pitcher of the Month | May |
| 1990 | Reliever of the Year Award | |
| 1990 | TSN Fireman of the Year |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | SEA | AL | $200,000 |
| 1993 | CHA | AL | $3,416,667 |
| 1992 | CHA | AL | $3,166,667 |
| 1991 | CHA | AL | $2,418,667 |
| 1990 | CHA | AL | $325,000 |
| 1989 | CHA | AL | $467,500 |
| 1988 | CHA | AL | $70,000 |
| 1987 | CHA | AL | $625,000 |
| 1986 | CHA | AL | $60,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $10,749,501 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi State University | Mississippi State | MS | 1984, 1985 |
| Seminole Community College | Sanford | FL | 1983 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Cy Young Award | AL | 4th | 20.0 | 140 | 2 |
| 1990 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 5th | 170.0 | 392 | 0 |