Heathcliff Slocumb

From SoSH

Heath Slocumb (Born on June 7, 1966 in Jamaica, NY), signed as an undrafted free agent by the New York Mets in 1984. Slocumb made his major league debut on April 11, 1991 and his Red Sox debut on April 4, 1996. He played his final Red Sox game on July 31, 1997 and his final major league game on September 26, 2000.

Contents 1 Overall Career 2 Awards 3 Moments in the Sun 4 Transactions 5 External Links

Overall Career

Though Slocumb was originally drafted by the Mets, he was taken in the 1986 minor league draft by the Chicago Cubs, and he made his debut with the Cubs in 1991. Heathcliff, a right-handed pitcher, spent two full years (one good, one bad) in the Cubs bullpen before being traded in the middle of his third year to the Cleveland Indians. Following the season, Slocumb was again traded, this time to the Phillies; it was in Philadelphia that Heathcliff had his best years, particularly when, in 1995, he was moved to the closer role and made the All-Star team.

In January of 1996, Heathcliff Slocumb was traded yet again, this time to the Red Sox. Despite posting a respectable 3.02 ERA, Slocumb blew 8 saves in 39 opportunities and made the end of the game somewhat of an adventure throughout 1996. In 1997, Heathcliff completely fell apart, posting a 5.67 ERA through the first four months of the season. Frustrated by his ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, the Sox looked to trade the closer in mid-1997; inexplicably, the Seattle Mariners offered Jason Varitek and Derek Lowe for him, and on July 31, 1997, the most favorably lopsided trade in Red Sox history was consummated. Fittingly, in his last game with the Red Sox, Slocumb blew a one run lead by allowing two runs in the bottom of the 10th to pick up the loss and the blown save.[1]

Alhough Varitek and Lowe were still in the minors, the trade paid immediate dividends for the Sox. In his first game back against the Red Sox on August 25, Slocumb blew the lead for the Mariners in the 8th inning, then lost the game in the 9th [2]. His second game two days later was similarly ineffective, as he gave up 2 runs in an inning of work in a 9-5 loss to the Red Sox [3]. Surprisingly, however, Slocumb was solid down the stretch for the Mariners (other than his hiccups against the Red Sox), blowing just one save in 11 attempts and helping the M's reach the playoffs.

In 1998, Slocumb spent his first full season with the Mariners, and, in April of that year, he had perhaps his best month for the Red Sox; in three appearances against the Sox, he allowed 6 runs in 1.1 innings, helping to spark a 7-run 9th inning rally in one contest[4] and allowing a walk-off single in another[5]. By mid-April, Slocumb was defrocked as closer, and he posted a 5.62 ERA for the 1998 season. After the 1998 season, he bounced from Baltimore to St. Louis to San Diego; after the Padres released him in January of 2001, Heathcliff retired.

Awards

• 1995 National League All-Star

Moments in the Sun

• Being traded for Jason Varitek & Derek Lowe.
• Heathcliff pitched the ninth inning in game 3 of the 1997 ALDS, allowing 1 ER and closing out Seattle's only win of the series

Transactions

• July 10, 1984: Signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent.
• December 9, 1986: Drafted by the Chicago Cubs from the New York Mets in the 1986 minor league draft.
• June 1, 1993: Traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Cleveland Indians for Jose Hernandez.
• November 2, 1993: Traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Philadelphia Phillies for Ruben Amaro.
• January 29, 1996: Traded by the Philadelphia Phillies with Larry Wimberly and Rick Holyfield to the Boston Red Sox for Glenn Murray, Ken Ryan, and Lee Tinsley.
• July 31, 1997: Traded by the Boston Red Sox to the Seattle Mariners for Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek.
• October 23, 1998: Granted Free Agency.
• January 15, 1999: Signed as a Free Agent with the Baltimore Orioles.
• April 30, 1999: Released by the Baltimore Orioles.
• May 15, 1999: Signed as a Free Agent with the St. Louis Cardinals.
• November 10, 1999: Granted Free Agency.
• November 24, 1999: Signed as a Free Agent with the St. Louis Cardinals.
• July 31, 2000: Traded by the St. Louis Cardinals with Ben Johnson to the San Diego Padres for Carlos Hernandez and Nate Tebbs.
• January 12, 2001: Released by the San Diego Padres.

External Links

• Heathcliff Slocumb's career statistics at Baseball-Reference.com