Don Ferrarese

Ferrarese was used both as a starter and reliever, throughout most of his MLB career. He began his career, as a reliever, on April 11, 1955, at the age of 26; in the first big league season, Ferrarese posted a 3.00 earned run average (ERA) in 6 games (9 innings of work).[1][2] He never quite lived up to that promise, though. Perhaps Ferrarese‘s best season when he appeared mostly as a starter was 1959. That year, he went 5 and 3, with a 3.20 ERA, in 76 innings of work. Although Ferrarese walked 51 and struck out only 45, he still gave up only 58 hits, that season.[1][2]

Ferrarese‘s finest season as a reliever was his last season. Spending time with the Phillies and Cardinals, he posted a combined 3.27 ERA (2.70 as a Cardinal) in 63+ innings of work. Although Ferrarese went 1 and 5, his ERA was considerably lower than the league average (4.21).[1][2] Ferrarese played his final big-league game on September 22, 1962. Overall, he was 19 and 36, with a 4.00 ERA, in just over 506 innings of work. Ferrarese struck out 350 and walked 295 batters.[1][2]

Ferrarese's career batting average was .156 (20 for 128).[1][2] The highlights of his hitting career came on May 26, 1959, and June 22, 1962, respectively. On May 26, 1959, Ferrarese collected three hits in three at-bats, all of them, doubles. He drove in two of the three runs the Indians scored, to help his team beat the White Sox, 3 to 0. The pitchers that Ferrarese faced in that game were Dick Donovan and Gerry Staley. On June 22, 1962, facing pitcher Jim Owens, Ferrarese hit a two-run home run, in the third inning. That was not enough though, as the Phillies — his former team — beat the Cardinals, 11 to 3. In Ferrarese‘s entire 1956 season, he collected one hit in 28 at-bats that year, for a .036 average. Ferrarese struck out in only 20.3% of his at-bats.[1][2] As a fielder, Ferrarese posted a .952 fielding percentage. Overall, his career statistics are most similar to those of Bryan Clark.[2]

Ferrarese was involved in multiple trades in his career, even after his big league career was over:[3]

• December 6, 1954: Traded by the Chicago White Sox with Matt Batts, Don Johnson, and Fred Marsh to the Baltimore Orioles for Jim Brideweser, Bob Chakales, and Clint Courtney.
• April 1, 1958: Traded by the Baltimore Orioles with Larry Doby to the Cleveland Indians for Gene Woodling, Dick Williams, and Bud Daley.
• December 6, 1959: Traded by the Cleveland Indians with Dick Brown, Minnie Miñoso, and Jake Striker to the Chicago White Sox for Johnny Romano, Bubba Phillips, and Norm Cash.
• April 28, 1962: Traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the St. Louis Cardinals for Bobby Locke and cash.
• February, 1963: Traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Houston Colt .45's for Bobby Tiefenauer.

• On May 5, 1956, Ferrarese struck out 13 batters, in a losing effort.
• On May 12, 1956, he pitched a near-no hitter, holding the New York Yankees hitless, through the first eight innings. Andy Carey’s ninth-inning lead-off single broke it up, finishing with a 2-hit, complete game shutout.

• Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball-Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet