Eddie Watt

Eddie Dean Watt (born April 4, 1941 in Lamoni, Iowa) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a right-handed relief pitcher from 1966 through 1975, most notably as a member of the Baltimore Orioles dynasty that won three consecutive American League pennants from 1969 to 1971 and, won the World Series in 1970. He also played for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs. In 2000, Watt was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame.[1]

Eddie Watt
Watt in 2014
Pitcher
Born: (1941-04-04) April 4, 1941
Lamoni, Iowa
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 12, 1966, for the Baltimore Orioles
Last MLB appearance
June 14, 1975, for the Chicago Cubs
MLB statistics
Win–loss record38–36
Earned run average2.91
Strikeouts462
Saves80
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Baseball career

Watt started just 13 out of the 411 games he appeared in, all during his rookie season. He was 2–5 as a starter and 7–2 with 4 saves as a reliever for the 1966 World Series Champion Orioles. He did not appear in any of the four World Series games against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jim Palmer, Wally Bunker, and Dave McNally all pitched complete games, and the team needed only one relief appearance, provided in record fashion by Moe Drabowsky.[2]

In 1969 the Orioles won the American League pennant and were upset in the World Series by the New York Mets. Watt contributed to Baltimore's 109–53 regular season record with a career-high 16 saves and a career-low 1.65 earned run average in 71 innings.

Watt was an important part of Baltimore's 1970 Championship season though it was not one of his best seasons statistically. He won 7 games and saved 12 with a 3.25 ERA in 53 appearances. He was the losing pitcher in the Orioles' 6–5 defeat to the Cincinnati Reds in Game 4 of the 1970 World Series. With the Orioles leading 5–3, he entered the contest in relief of Jim Palmer who had allowed a walk to Tony Pérez and a single to Johnny Bench to open the top of the eighth inning. His first pitch to Lee May resulted in a three-run homer to left field that prevented the Orioles from sweeping the Series which it would eventually win the following day. Watt had not pitched in any match during the previous two weeks.[3]

In Game 1 of the American League Championship Series versus the Oakland Athletics, Watt relieved starter Dave McNally, blanking the A's for the last two innings, earning a save. The Orioles would go on to sweep the Athletics, eventually facing the Pittsburgh Pirates in that year's Fall Classic, where Watt would make relief appearances in Games 3 and 4.

He was consistently effective during seven seasons of pitching exclusively in relief for Baltimore. From 1967 to 1973 he averaged 46 appearances, 67 innings, and 10 saves with an ERA of 2.40.

On December 7, 1973 Watt was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies for an estimated $70,000. In 1974 he appeared in 42 games for the Phils, going 1–1 with 6 saves and a 3.99 ERA. He was released by Philadelphia just before Opening Day in 1975, and he hooked on briefly with the Chicago Cubs, making his last major league appearance on June 14, 1975. He spent most of the season with the Wichita Aeros of the American Association.

Career totals include a record of 38–36 in 411 games pitched, 13 games started, 1 complete game, 240 games finished, 80 saves, and an ERA of 2.91. In 659.2 innings he gave up just 37 home runs, an average of about one per 18 innings, and had a very low WHIP of 1.188. He had a batting average of .190 in 100 at bats with 3 home runs, hit against Johnny Podres, Frank Kreutzer, and Sam McDowell.

References
  1. "Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame at MLB.com". mlb.com. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  2. "Baltimore Orioles 5, Los Angeles Dodgers 2". retrosheet.org. October 5, 1966. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
  3. Durso, Joseph. "Reds Top Orioles on Home Run, 6–5," The New York Times, Thursday, October 15, 1970. Retrieved October 15, 2020
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