Two-time All-Star Bob Veale handed away, the Pirates introduced on Tuesday. He was 89.
Veale, a Birmingham native, signed with the Pirates out of school in 1958. He spent elements of 5 seasons within the minors earlier than cracking the massive league roster in ’62. Veale labored largely out of the bullpen throughout his first full main league season the next 12 months. He turned in a 1.04 ERA throughout 77 2/3 innings to get a full-time rotation position heading into 1964.
The 6’6″ southpaw had a dominant first season as a starter. He began 38 of 40 video games and labored to a 2.74 ERA over 279 2/3 innings. Veale received 18 video games and led the majors with 250 strikeouts. He maintained the same tempo for the subsequent few seasons. Veale made consecutive All-Star groups in 1965 and ’66. He struck out a career-best 276 hitters whereas handing over a 2.84 ERA with a 17-12 document in 1965. He received one other 16 video games whereas recording 229 strikeouts throughout 268 1/3 innings the next 12 months.
Veale was among the many high handful of pitchers over that three-season stretch. He ranked sixth within the majors — trailing solely Corridor of Famers Don Drysdale, Jim Bunning, Sandy Koufax, Juan Marichal and Bob Gibson — in innings between 1964-66. Koufax was the one pitcher to strike out extra hitters. Veale ranked within the high 15 in earned run common amongst pitchers with not less than 400 innings.
Whereas he didn’t fairly preserve that tempo into his early 30s, Veale remained a productive pitcher all through the last decade. He topped 200 innings with a sub-4.00 ERA in every season between 1967-70. Veale turned in a 2.05 earned run common — his finest mark as a starter — throughout 245 1/3 frames in 1968. That was the Tenth-best mark in MLB (minimal 150 innings) even within the so-called Yr of the Pitcher. Veale by no means had nice command — he led the Nationwide League in walks in 4 of the 5 seasons between ’64 and ’68 — however he had a few of the recreation’s finest swing-and-miss stuff throughout his heyday.
Veale’s manufacturing dropped sharply in 1971. He was moved to the bullpen and allowed almost seven earned runs per 9. Whereas it wasn’t a great season individually, the Bucs knocked off the Orioles in a seven-game World Collection. Veale made one playoff look, giving up a run in two-thirds of an inning. Pittsburgh launched him the next 12 months. Veale signed with the Crimson Sox and labored out of the Boston ’pen via 1974 earlier than retiring. He’d work as a pitching coach within the Braves and Yankees farm programs after his taking part in days.
Over an MLB run that spanned elements of 13 seasons, Veale threw 1926 innings. He completed with a 3.07 earned run common whereas placing out greater than 1700 hitters. His 1652 punchouts in a Pittsburgh uniform rank him second in franchise historical past, trailing solely his former teammate Bob Good friend. Veale received 120 video games and picked up 21 saves throughout his late-career run as a reliever. MLBTR sends our condolences to his household, associates and family members.
