gold star for USAHOF

48. Bert Blyleven

48. Bert Blyleven
  1. General
  2. Awards
  3. Career Stats
  • Born: April 6, 1951 in Zeist, Ut Netherlands
  • Weight: 200 lbs.
  • Height: 6'3"
  • Bats: R
  • Throws: R
  • Debut: June 05, 1970
  • Final Game: October 04, 1992
  • Cy Young - 1973
  • Cy Young - 1984
  • Cy Young - 1985
  • Cy Young - 1989
  • MVP - 1973
  • MVP - 1989
 
WLERAGGSSVIPSO
2872503.4569268504,970.03701
 

The most successful baseball player to be born in The Netherlands (although he was raised in California), Bert Blyleven played five of his 22 seasons in the Majors with the Cleveland Indians.

Blyleven arrived in Cleveland in 1981, two years removed after he helped the Pittsburgh Pirates win the World Series.  Blyleven had a good start, going 11-7 in the strike-impaired 1981 season, and he was first in the American League in bWAR for Pitchers.  He was injured for most of 1982, and 1983 was not great, but his 1984 season was sneaky good.  That year, Blyleven went 19-7 with a 2.87 ERA, 170 Strikeouts, and a third-place finish in Cy Young voting.

1985 was good too, although he started with a 9-11 record (up until the end of July) but was still named to the All-Star Game.  The struggling Indians traded him to the Minnesota Twins at the trading deadline, and he finished the year 17-16 and led the AL in Strikeouts (206) while matching his third-place finish for the Cy Young.

Blyleven’s career in Cleveland generated a record of 48-37 with a 3.23 ERA and 548 Strikeouts.

Blyleven entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011 in his fourteenth year of eligibility.  

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Pitcher
  • Acquired: Traded from the Pittsburgh Pirates with Manny Sanguillen for Gary Alexander, Victor Cruz, Bob Owchinko, and Rafael Vasquez 12/9/80.
  • Departed: Traded to the Minnesota Twins for Jay Bell, Curt Wardle, Jim Weaver, and a Player to be Named Later (which would be Rich Yett) 8/1/85.
  • Games Played: 104
  • Notable Statistics:

    48 Wins
    37 Losses
    3.23 ERA
    103 Games Started
    41 Complete Games
    9 Shutouts
    760.2 Innings Pitched
    548 Strikeouts
    3.13 FIP
    1.191 WHIP
    2.51 SO/BB
    20.1 bWAR

    No Playoff Games

  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    All-Star (1985*)
    Highest bWAR for Pitchers (1981)
    Most Innings Pitched (1985*)
    Most Strikeouts (1985*)
    Most Games Started (1985*)
    Most Complete Games (1985*)
    Most Shutouts (1985*)
    Highest Fielding Percentage by a Pitcher (1985*)

    *Blyleven was traded to Minnesota during the season.

Comments powered by CComment