Bert Blyleven (2011)


Date of Birth: 4/6/1951
Birthplace: Zeist, Netherlands

Bert Blyleven was born in the Netherlands but he was raised in California. He started in major league baseball at an early age, being drafted by the Minnesota Twins right after high school and being called up to the majors at age 19. He was a third round draft pick for the Twins on June 5, 1969.

Minnesota Twins

Blyleven played in the minor leagues for a little over a year before joining the Twins in 1970. That year he pitched 164.0 innings with a 10-9 record, 135 strikeouts to 47 walks, and a 3.18 ERA in 27 games. He won the Sporting News Rookie Pitcher of the Year award in 1970.

In 1971, Blyleven pitched in 38 games with the Twins. He had 16 wins and 15 losses, 224 strikeouts to 59 walks, and a 2.81 ERA in 278.1 innings. He had a similar season in 1972, when he had a 2.73 ERA in 39 games. He had a 17-17 record and 228 strikeouts to 69 walks in 287.1 innings.

Blyleven had a strong 1973 season, finishing with a career low ERA of 2.52. He had career highs in games played (40), innings pitched (325.0), wins (20 to 17 losses), and strikeouts to (258 to 67 walks). The following season, he had a 2.66 ERA in 37 games. He finished the 1974 season with 17 wins and 17 losses in 281.0 innings. He struck out 249 batters and walked 77.

Blyleven had a 3.00 ERA in 1975. He had 15 wins and 10 losses and 233 strikeouts to 84 walks in 275.2 innings in 35 games.

Texas Rangers

Blyleven was traded to the Texas Rangers on June 1, 1976. He finished the season with 13 wins and 16 losses, 219 strikeouts to 81 walks, and a 2.87 ERA in 297.2 innings in 12 games with the Twins and 24 games with the Rangers.

In 1977, Blyleven pitched his only no-hitter. He finished the season with 14 wins and 12 losses, 182 strikeouts to 69 walks, and a 2.72 ERA in 234.2 innings in 30 games. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates on December 8, 1977.

Pittsburgh Pirates

In 1978, his first season in Pittsburgh and in the National League, Blyleven had a 3.03 ERA in 34 games. He had 14 wins and 10 losses and 182 strikeouts to 66 walks in 243.2 innings.

Blyleven's ERA went up to 3.60 in 1979, and to 3.82 in 1980. He had 12 wins and 5 losses in 1979, and 8 wins and 13 losses the following season. He pitched 237.1 innings in 37 games in 1979, and 216.2 innings in 34 games in 1980.

Cleveland Indians

The Pirates traded Blyleven to the Cleveland Indians on December 9, 1980. In the strike shortened 1981 season, he pitched 159.1 innings in 20 games. He finished the season with an 11-7 record, 107 strikeouts to 40 walks, and a 2.88 ERA.

Blyleven was out for most of the 1982 season with an elbow injury. He returned to the Indians in 1983 for 24 games. He had 7 wins and 10 losses, 123 strikeouts to 44 walks, and a 3.91 ERA in 156.1 innings. The following season, he pitched in 33 games. He finished the 1984 season with 19 wins and 7 losses, 170 strikeouts to 74 walks, and a 2.87 ERA in 245.0 innings.

Return to the Twins

In 1985, Blyleven asked to be traded back to the Twins and the Indians traded him on August 1st. That season, he led the AL in complete games (24), innings pitched (293.2), and strikeouts (206 to 75 walks). He finished the season with 17 wins and 16 losses and a 3.16 ERA in 23 games with the Indians and 14 games with the Twins.

Blyleven again led the AL in innings pitched in 1986. He had 17 wins and 14 losses, 215 strikeouts to 58 walks, and a 4.01 ERA in 271.2 innings in 36 games. The next year, he again had a 4.01 ERA in 37 games. He finished the 1987 season with 15 wins and 12 losses and 196 strikeouts to 101 walks in 267.0 innings.

Blyleven struggled in 1988, finishing with a 5.43 ERA in 33 games. He had 10 wins and 17 losses and 145 strikeouts to 51 walks in 207.1 innings. The Twins traded him to the California Angels on November 3, 1988.

California Angels

In his first season with the Angels, Blyleven was named the Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year. In 1989, he had a 17-5 record with 131 strikeouts to 44 walks and a 2.73 ERA in 241.0 innings in 33 games.

Blyleven struggled in his final three seasons in the major leagues. In 1990, he had a 5.24 ERA with 8 wins and 7 losses in 134.0 innings in 23 games. He spent the entire 1991 season on the DL, recovering from rotator cuff surgery. In 1992, he had 8 wins and 12 losses and a 4.74 ERA in 133.0 innings in 25 games.

Awards and MLB Records

  • Sporting News Rookie Pitcher of the Year
  • Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year
  • Led AL in innings pitched (2 times)

Career Statistics

Statistics for Blyleven in 22 seasons (1970-1990, 1992) in the major leagues include:

  • 13 seasons with over 150 strikeouts, with a high of 258 in 1973
  • 9 seasons with an ERA under 3.0, with a low of 2.52 in 1973

Career pitching statistics for Blyleven include:

  • 692 games played
  • 4,970.0 innings pitched
  • 287-250 win-loss record
  • 3,701 strikeouts to 1,322 walks
  • 3.31 ERA

Post Playing Career

After leaving major league baseball as a player, Blyleven became a commentator for the Twins.

Blyleven was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2011 on the fourteenth ballot with 79.7% of the vote.

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Bert Blyleven
ESPN - Bert Blyleven
Baseball Reference - Bert Blyleven

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