Ed Whitson
Born: 5/19/1955 in Johnson City, TN, USA
MLB Debut: 1977-09-04 | Final Game: 1991-09-29
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 6'3" | Weight: 195 lbs
Full name: Eddie Lee Whitson
Biography
Ed Whitson, born in 1955, was a professional baseball pitcher who played from 1977 until his retirement in 1991. Over his 14-year career, Whitson established himself as a reliable starter, finishing with a win-loss record of 126-123 and an earned run average (ERA) of 3.79. His ability to strike batters out was evident, as he accumulated a total of 1,266 strikeouts. In addition to his impressive strikeout numbers, Whitson also recorded 8 saves, showcasing his versatility on the mound. He was recognized for his talents with an All-Star selection during his career, marking a high point in his professional journey.
Whitson pitched during a transformative era in baseball, navigating the transition from the late 1970s through the early 1990s, a period marked by significant changes in player training, strategy, and the overall competitive landscape of the game. Known for his durability and competitive spirit, he contributed to multiple teams, demonstrating his ability to adapt and thrive in various pitching environments. Whitson's career remains a testament to the hard work and dedication required to succeed in Major League Baseball, leaving a lasting impact on the franchises he represented.
Career Pitching Statistics
| W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 126 | 123 | 452 | 333 | 35 | 12 | 8 | 2240.0 | 2240 | 944 | 211 | 698 | 1266 | 3.79 | 0 |
Season-by-Season Pitching
| Year | Team | Lg | W | L | G | GS | CG | SHO | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Pitcher PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | PIT | NL | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15.7 | 11 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 3.45 | 319.7 |
| 1978 | PIT | NL | 5 | 6 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 74.0 | 66 | 27 | 37 | 64 | 3.28 | 699.4 |
| 1979 | PIT | NL | 2 | 3 | 19 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 57.7 | 53 | 28 | 36 | 31 | 4.37 | -1360.2 |
| 1979 | SFG | NL | 5 | 8 | 18 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.3 | 98 | 44 | 39 | 62 | 3.95 | - |
| 1980 | SFG | NL | 11 | 13 | 34 | 34 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 211.7 | 222 | 73 | 56 | 90 | 3.10 | - |
| 1981 | SFG | NL | 6 | 9 | 22 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 123.0 | 130 | 55 | 47 | 65 | 4.02 | - |
| 1982 | CLE | AL | 4 | 2 | 40 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 107.7 | 91 | 39 | 58 | 61 | 3.26 | -168.0 |
| 1983 | SDP | NL | 5 | 7 | 31 | 21 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 144.3 | 143 | 69 | 50 | 81 | 4.30 | - |
| 1984 | SDP | NL | 14 | 8 | 31 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 189.0 | 181 | 68 | 42 | 103 | 3.24 | - |
| 1985 | NYY | AL | 10 | 8 | 30 | 30 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 158.7 | 201 | 86 | 43 | 89 | 4.88 | - |
| 1986 | NYY | AL | 5 | 2 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37.0 | 54 | 31 | 23 | 27 | 7.54 | - |
| 1986 | SDP | NL | 1 | 7 | 17 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75.7 | 85 | 47 | 37 | 46 | 5.59 | - |
| 1987 | SDP | NL | 10 | 13 | 36 | 34 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 205.7 | 197 | 108 | 64 | 135 | 4.73 | - |
| 1988 | SDP | NL | 13 | 11 | 34 | 33 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 205.3 | 202 | 86 | 45 | 118 | 3.77 | - |
| 1989 | SDP | NL | 16 | 11 | 33 | 33 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 227.0 | 198 | 67 | 48 | 117 | 2.66 | - |
| 1990 | SDP | NL | 14 | 9 | 32 | 32 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 228.7 | 215 | 66 | 47 | 127 | 2.60 | - |
| 1991 | SDP | NL | 4 | 6 | 13 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 78.7 | 93 | 44 | 17 | 40 | 5.03 | - |
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 461 | 576 | 24 | 72 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 0 | 18 | 169 | 0.125 | 0.152 | 0.146 | 0.297 | -3884.9 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | PIT | NL | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1978 | PIT | NL | 43 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0.182 | 0.0 |
| 1979 | PIT | NL | 19 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
| 1979 | SFG | NL | 18 | 32 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0.156 | 0.0 |
| 1980 | SFG | NL | 34 | 66 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 0.091 | -797.3 |
| 1981 | SFG | NL | 22 | 33 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 0.091 | 0.0 |
| 1982 | CLE | AL | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1983 | SDP | NL | 31 | 44 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 0.182 | 0.0 |
| 1984 | SDP | NL | 36 | 61 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0.049 | -848.7 |
| 1985 | NYY | AL | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1986 | NYY | AL | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0.0 |
| 1986 | SDP | NL | 17 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0.167 | 0.0 |
| 1987 | SDP | NL | 36 | 65 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 0.123 | -715.7 |
| 1988 | SDP | NL | 34 | 66 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 0.167 | -479.6 |
| 1989 | SDP | NL | 36 | 72 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 19 | 0.139 | -525.0 |
| 1990 | SDP | NL | 33 | 67 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 0.149 | -518.5 |
| 1991 | SDP | NL | 13 | 24 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0.125 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | WS | SDN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1984 | NLCS | SDN | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.000 |
Playoff Career Pitching
| W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8.7 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 4.15 |
Playoff Pitching by Year
| Year | Round | Team | W | L | G | GS | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | NLCS | SDN | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8.0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1.12 |
| 1984 | WS | SDN | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.7 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 40.50 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | 452 | 332 | 123 | 274 | 21 | 16 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | PIT | P | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1978 | PIT | P | 43 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 1979 | PIT | P | 19 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| 1979 | SFN | P | 18 | 17 | 2 | 15 | 2 | 1 |
| 1980 | SFN | P | 34 | 34 | 8 | 27 | 3 | 0 |
| 1981 | SFN | P | 22 | 22 | 10 | 11 | 3 | 1 |
| 1982 | CLE | P | 40 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983 | SDN | P | 31 | 21 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | SDN | P | 31 | 31 | 11 | 35 | 0 | 3 |
| 1985 | NYA | P | 30 | 30 | 8 | 16 | 3 | 3 |
| 1986 | NYA | P | 14 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | SDN | P | 17 | 12 | 6 | 13 | 2 | 1 |
| 1987 | SDN | P | 36 | 34 | 14 | 19 | 1 | 0 |
| 1988 | SDN | P | 34 | 33 | 10 | 30 | 4 | 2 |
| 1989 | SDN | P | 33 | 33 | 17 | 22 | 2 | 1 |
| 1990 | SDN | P | 32 | 32 | 18 | 42 | 0 | 3 |
| 1991 | SDN | P | 13 | 12 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | 452 |
Awards & Honors
| Year | Award | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Pitcher of the Month | August |
Salary History
| Year | Team | League | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | SDN | NL | $1,325,000 |
| 1990 | SDN | NL | $1,125,000 |
| 1989 | SDN | NL | $1,050,000 |
| 1988 | SDN | NL | $1,000,000 |
| 1987 | SDN | NL | $800,000 |
| 1986 | NYA | AL | $800,000 |
| 1985 | NYA | AL | $800,000 |
| Total Career Earnings | $6,900,000 | ||