Pete Vuckovich
Born: 10/27/1952 in Johnstown, PA, USA
MLB Debut: 1975-08-03 | Final Game: 1986-10-02
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'4" | Weight: 215 lbs
Full name: Peter Dennis Vuckovich
Biography
Pete Vuckovich was a professional baseball pitcher whose career spanned from 1975 to 1986. Born in 1952, Vuckovich became known for his strong right arm and competitive spirit on the mound. Over the course of his career, he compiled a record of 93 wins and 69 losses, with a respectable earned run average (ERA) of 3.66. He struck out 882 batters and recorded 10 saves, showcasing his versatility and effectiveness as both a starter and a reliever. Vuckovich's performance peaked when he was awarded the prestigious Cy Young Award, highlighting his status as one of the elite pitchers of his era.
Vuckovich played during a transformative period in baseball, characterized by an evolution in pitching styles and strategies. His ability to mix pitches effectively and maintain composure under pressure made him a valuable asset to his teams. Vuckovich's contributions to the game extended beyond the numbers, as he became a respected figure in the clubhouse and a competitive force on the field, leaving a lasting impression on the franchises he represented. His career remains a testament to the skill and dedication required to excel in Major League Baseball.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 93 | 69 | 286 | 186 | 38 | 8 | 10 | 1455.3 | 1454 | 592 | 107 | 545 | 882 | 3.66 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | CHW | AL | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.3 | 17 | 15 | 7 | 5 | 13.06 | - |
| 1976 | CHW | AL | 7 | 4 | 33 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 110.3 | 122 | 57 | 60 | 62 | 4.65 | - |
| 1977 | TOR | AL | 7 | 7 | 53 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 148.0 | 143 | 57 | 59 | 123 | 3.47 | 1843.2 |
| 1978 | STL | NL | 12 | 12 | 45 | 23 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 198.3 | 187 | 56 | 59 | 149 | 2.54 | - |
| 1979 | STL | NL | 15 | 10 | 34 | 32 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 233.0 | 229 | 93 | 64 | 145 | 3.59 | - |
| 1980 | STL | NL | 12 | 9 | 32 | 30 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 222.3 | 203 | 84 | 68 | 132 | 3.40 | - |
| 1981 | ATL | AL | 14 | 4 | 24 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 149.7 | 137 | 59 | 57 | 84 | 3.55 | - |
| 1982 | ATL | AL | 18 | 6 | 30 | 30 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 223.7 | 234 | 83 | 102 | 105 | 3.34 | - |
| 1983 | ATL | AL | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14.7 | 15 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 4.91 | - |
| 1985 | ATL | AL | 6 | 10 | 22 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 112.7 | 134 | 69 | 48 | 55 | 5.51 | - |
| 1986 | ATL | AL | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32.3 | 33 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 3.06 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 286 | 208 | 15 | 33 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 49 | 0.159 | 0.169 | 0.192 | 0.361 | -1774.3 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | CHW | AL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1976 | CHW | AL | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1977 | TOR | AL | 53 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1978 | STL | NL | 45 | 58 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 0.138 | -548.1 |
| 1979 | STL | NL | 34 | 79 | 7 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 14 | 0.152 | -789.4 |
| 1980 | STL | NL | 32 | 71 | 4 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 0.183 | -436.7 |
| 1981 | ATL | AL | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1982 | ATL | AL | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1983 | ATL | AL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1985 | ATL | AL | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1986 | ATL | AL | 6 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | WS | ML4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1982 | ALCS | ML4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1981 | AEDIV | ML4 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 33.7 | 33 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 3.74 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | ALCS | ML4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 14.3 | 15 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 4.40 |
| 1982 | WS | ML4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 14.0 | 16 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4.50 |
| 1981 | AEDIV | ML4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5.3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0.00 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 286 | 186 | 87 | 222 | 21 | 15 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | CHA | P | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1976 | CHA | P | 33 | 7 | 3 | 19 | 3 | 0 |
| 1977 | TOR | P | 53 | 8 | 9 | 23 | 5 | 3 |
| 1978 | SLN | P | 45 | 23 | 12 | 34 | 2 | 4 |
| 1979 | SLN | P | 34 | 32 | 14 | 28 | 5 | 2 |
| 1980 | SLN | P | 32 | 30 | 16 | 28 | 1 | 3 |
| 1981 | ML4 | P | 24 | 23 | 11 | 27 | 0 | 1 |
| 1982 | ML4 | P | 30 | 30 | 13 | 39 | 4 | 1 |
| 1983 | ML4 | P | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | ML4 | P | 22 | 22 | 5 | 14 | 1 | 1 |
| 1986 | ML4 | P | 6 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 286 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Cy Young Award |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | ML4 | AL | $540,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $540,000 | ||
College History
| School Name | City | State | Years Attended |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarion University of Pennsylvania | Clarion | PA | 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 |
Award Voting History
| Year | Award | League | Finish | Points Won | Points Max | Votes First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Cy Young Award | AL | 1st | 87.0 | 140 | 14 |
| 1982 | Most Valuable Player | AL | 18th | 11.0 | 392 | 0 |
| 1981 | Cy Young Award | AL | 4th | 8.0 | 140 | 0 |