Well, I Can Take Pat Zachry Seriously

I enjoyed this piece from Faith and Fear from a few weeks back (travel day for me today) which among other things asked, once you had Tom Seaver as your ace who can take Pat Zachry seriously?  (He was really talking about Charlie’s Angels)  Well I can.

Once you accept Seaver is leaving…..

You got Pat Zachry, a left handed pitcher who went 14-2 with a 2.74 ERA in 1976 (thats like a 3.74 ERA in 2009 numbers).

Doug Flynn who hit .283 in 95 games in ’76

Steve Henderson who hit .297 12 and 65 in ’77 (12 homers in 1977 is like 22 in 2009).

and um Dan Norman.

Of course it tore out our souls….and of course nobody panned out (you follow the Mets, does that surprise you?)….but in theory if it had to happen, two guys that were every day players and a young lefty coming off a solid year was not the worst plan.  If only we had blogs and WFAN and the internet that summer!

My buddy over at the great Centerfield Maz blog is kind enough to let me borrow full articles from his site…so take it away Maz!

THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2009

Former Met of the Day: Pat Zachry (1977-1982)

Patrick Paul “Pat” Zachry was born April 24, 1952 in Richmond, Texas. The tall lanky bearded right hander looked more like a fisherman than a ball player. He came up with Reds & tied for the 1976 Rookie of the Year award (with Butch Metzger) going 14-4 with a 2.74 ERA. He was the winning pitcher in Game 2 of the 1976 NLCS against the Phillies. In the 1976 World Series, he was the winning pitcher in Game 3, allowing two runs, on six hits in 6.2 innings, helping the Big Red Machine sweep the Series.

In 1977 he started out struggling going 3-7 , and found himself traded, along with Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson, & Dan Norman to the Mets for Tom Seaver. He had no chance following in Seaver’s footsteps no matter how well he did. Joining the Mets rotation in 1977 he found out he didn’t have the same offensive support he had in Cincinnati. He did well going 7-6 with a 3.76 ERA, & throwing a shut out. In 1978 he had 10 wins by early July and was the only Met chosen for the All Star Game, although he didn’t pitch.

On July 24,1978 Shea Stadium was packed, hoping Zachry could shut down Pete Rose during his record setting hit streak. Rose singled off Pat in the 7th inning, tying the 37 game NL hit streak record. The Reds ended up knocking him out of the game, that inning. On his way into the dugout he kicked the step, and fractured his left foot, ending his season; 10-6 with a 3.33 ERA. He started out 1979 very strong, going 5-1 in seven games, but then injuries finished off his season again. He returned to full strength, in 1980 but the Mets finished last & he ended up 6-10 with a team leading 3.01 ERA and 2 shut outs. In the 1981 strike shortened season he led the league in both HRs allowed (13) and losses (14). By 1982 he lost his place in the starting rotation, (6-9 , 4.08 ERA) and was traded to the Dodgers in exchange for Jorge Orta of White Sox fame.

Of his time in NY he recalls being a guest on Kiners Korner & receiving Getty Gas gift vouchers. When he tried to use them at a Roosevelt Ave. gas station the attendant chased him with a hammer. Quite a gift Ralph.

Zachry pitched two years in relief for the Dodgers, appearing in two games of the 1983 NLCS without a decision. Zachry’s career ended after ten games with the 1985 Phillies. In a 10 year career he was 69-67, with a 3.52 ERA, 7 shutouts, 27 complete games, & 669 strikeouts in 1117 innings pitched.

Retirement: Pat plays in Mets fantasy camps and is an elementary school teacher in Waco, Texas.

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