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Jim Palmer
#22
| Pitcher | Baltimore
Orioles
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Jim Palmer |
The tall, handsome Palmer spent 19 seasons in the big leagues, all with the Orioles, and came to symbolize their successes in the late 1960s and 1970s - it was a success based on great pitching and sound fundamentals, and Palmer embodied the former. The high-kicking, smooth-throwing franchise player played on Baltimore's six championship teams of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He led the American League in ERA twice (1973 and 1975) and won three Cy Young Awards (1973, 1975 and 1976). A workhorse, he led the AL in innings pitched on three separate occasions and topped 300 IP four times.
He was an intense competitor and a great clutch pitcher. His wins included the Orioles' pennant-clinchers in 1966, 1969, 1970, and 1971, and he established LCS records for strikeouts (46) and complete games (five), and tied records by pitching in six LCS and winning four games. He was a very good defender - his picture-perfect delivery and all-around athleticism helped him to four Gold Gloves from 1976-79. And he combined intelligence, strength, competitiveness and consistency to become the Orioles' all-time winningest hurler. Palmer gained more widespread attention in 1980 when, because of his attractive physique and matinee idol looks, he became sports representative and model for Jockey Underwear.
But his story is also one of redemption and a second chance - as a young star, he suffered injuries that almost ended his career. On October 6, 1966, he became the youngest pitcher (20 years, 11 months) to win a complete-game, World Series shutout, defeating Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers in Game Two. But during the next two years, Palmer suffered from arm, shoulder, and back problems; he pitched in the minors for 17 of his 26 games in 1968 and 1969. He was left unprotected in the draft, but there were no takers.
Finally, thanks to surgery, work in the 1968 Instructional League and in winter ball, Palmer regained his form. He was still disabled for 42 days in 1969, but four days after coming off the DL, on August 13, he no-hit Oakland 8-0. His 16-4 record in 1969 led the AL in winning percentage. Palmer became one of the most dependable and durable pitchers in baseball. His 8 20-win seasons were interrupted in 1974 when he was downed for eight weeks with elbow problems. Only two other AL pitchers had as many 20-win seasons as Palmer: Walter Johnson (12) and Lefty Grove (8).
His impressive numbers include 268 career victories, a .638 lifetime winning percentage, 8 20-win seasons and a 2.86 ERA over 19 years - almost a full run lower than the league average. He pitched his entire career without allowing a grand slam.
"Most pitchers are too smart to manage."
— Jim Palmer
"The only thing Earl (Weaver) knows about big-league pitching is that he couldn't hit it."
— Jim Palmer
Cakes (Palmer) has won two-hundred forty games, but it took a picture of him
standing in his underwear to get nationally known."
— Mike Flanagan
""I don't know how to say this, but for a guy who's going to be in the Hall of Fame, your mechanics are awful."
— University of Miami Coach Lazaro Collazo when helping Palmer attempt a late comeback.
"Palmer is the greatest 'situation' pitcher I've ever seen. He makes them beat him on a single
and one run at a time. Most of the homers he gives up are solos because he only works to their
power when the bases are empty."
— Ray Miller
"The Chinese tell time by 'The Year of the Horse' or 'The Year of the Dragon.' I tell time by 'The Year of the Back'
and 'The Year of the Elbow.' This year it's the 'Year of the Ulnar Nerve.' Someone once asked me if I had any
physical incapacities of my own. 'Sure I do,' I said. 'One big one - Jim Palmer.' "
—Earl Weaver
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