Editing Bruce Sutter (section)

==Career==

===Early career===
After being selected by the [[Washington Senators (1961–71)|Washington Senators]] in the 21st round of the [[1970 MLB draft]], Sutter instead attended [[Old Dominion University]]. He dropped out of school and returned to Lancaster to play [[semi-professional sports|semi-professional]] baseball. [[Ralph DiLullo]], a [[scout (sport)|scout]] for the [[Chicago Cubs]], signed Sutter as a free agent in September 1971.<ref>{{Cite web|first=Bruce |last=King |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/bruce-sutter/|title=Bruce Sutter |website=Society for American Baseball Research |access-date=October 14, 2022}}</ref> He pitched in two games for the [[Gulf Coast League Cubs]] in 1972.<ref name=BRMinors/> When he was 19, Sutter had surgery on his arm to relieve a [[pinched nerve]].<ref name=Philly>{{cite news|last=Smith|first=Claire|title=A reliever's long road trip|url=http://articles.philly.com/2006-07-30/sports/25405539_1_bruce-sutter-national-baseball-hall-split-fingered-fastball|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105035603/http://articles.philly.com/2006-07-30/sports/25405539_1_bruce-sutter-national-baseball-hall-split-fingered-fastball|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 5, 2013|access-date=November 1, 2013|newspaper=[[Philly.com]]|date=July 30, 2006}}</ref> When he recovered from surgery and returned to the mound a year later, Sutter found that his previous pitches were no longer effective. He learned the [[split-finger fastball]] from minor league pitching instructor [[Fred Martin (baseball)|Fred Martin]]. Sutter's large hands helped him to use the pitch, which was a modification of the [[forkball]].<ref name=Philly/>

Sutter had nearly been released by the Cubs, but found success with the new pitch. [[Mike Krukow]], who was also a Cubs minor league player at the time, said, "As soon as I saw him throw it, I knew he was going to the big leagues. Everyone wanted to throw it after he did."<ref name=ESPN>{{cite web|last=Kurkjian|first=Tim|title=Mastery of splitter led to Sutter's success|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/columns/story?id=2531648|work=[[ESPN.com]]|access-date=April 7, 2014|date=July 28, 2006}}</ref> He recorded a 3–3 [[win–loss record]], a 4.13 [[earned run average]] (ERA), and five [[save (baseball)|saves]] in 40 games for the [[Quincy Cubs]] in Class A baseball in 1973.<ref name=BRMinors>{{cite web|title=Bruce Sutter Minor League Statistics & History|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=sutter001how|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=July 5, 2014}}</ref>

Sutter split the 1974 season between the Class A [[Key West Conchs]] and the Class AA [[Midland Cubs]]. Though he finished the season with a combined 2–7 record, he recorded a 1.38 ERA in 65 innings. He returned to Midland in 1975 and finished the year with a 5–7 record, a 2.15 ERA, and 13 saves.<ref name=BRMinors/> Sutter led the team in ERA and saves as they won the [[Texas League]] West Division pennant.<ref name=Midland>{{cite web|title=1975 Midland Cubs|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=f394c475|website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=July 5, 2014}}</ref> He started the 1976 season with the Class AAA [[Wichita Aeros]], but he pitched only seven games with the team before being promoted to the major leagues.<ref name=BRMinors/>

===Chicago Cubs (1976–1980)===
Sutter joined the Cubs in May 1976. He pitched in 52 games and finished with a 6–3 [[win–loss record]] and 10 saves. In 1977 he had a 1.34 ERA, earned an [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] selection, and finished sixth and seventh in NL [[Cy Young Award]] and [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player Award]] voting, respectively.<ref name=BR/> On September 8, 1977, Sutter struck out all three batters on nine total pitches in the ninth inning of a 10-inning 3–2 win over the [[Montreal Expos]], becoming the 12th NL pitcher and the 19th pitcher in major-league history to achieve an [[immaculate inning]]. Sutter had also struck out the side (although not on nine pitches) upon entering the game in the eighth inning, giving him six consecutive strikeouts, tying the NL record for a reliever.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Madden |first=Bill |date=1977-09-09 |title=Bruce Sutter Ties Strike Out Record |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/latrobe-bulletin-bruce-sutter-ties-strik/157962311/ |access-date=2024-10-28 |work=Latrobe Bulletin |page=15 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

Sutter's ERA increased to 3.19 in 1978, but he earned 27 saves.<ref name=BR/> In May 1979, the Cubs acquired relief pitcher [[Dick Tidrow]]. Tidrow would enter the game and pitch a couple of innings before Sutter came in for the save. Sutter credited Tidrow for much of his success.<ref name=Fimaite>{{cite magazine|last1=Fimrite|first1=Ron|title=This pitch in time saves nine|url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1979/09/17/this-pitch-in-time-saves-nine-when-chicago-requires-late-inning-help-out-of-the-bullpen-comes-bruce-sutter-whose-unique-quotsplit-fingered-fastballquot-has-made-him-the-most-effective-relief-pitcher-in-the-game|access-date=2024-07-02|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|date=September 17, 1979}}<!-- In 2014, this URL was at https://www.si.com/vault/1979/09/17/823981/this-pitch-in-time-saves-nine-when-chicago-requires-late-inning-help-out-of-the-bullpen-comes-bruce-sutter-whose-unique-quotsplit-fingered-fastballquot-has-made-him-the-most-effective-relief-pitcher-in-the-game--></ref> Sutter saved 37 games for the club, tying the NL record held by [[Clay Carroll]] ({{baseball year|1972}}) and [[Rollie Fingers]] ({{baseball year|1978}}), and won the NL [[Cy Young Award]]. This year also marked the first of five seasons (four consecutive) in which he led the league in saves. Sutter also won the [[Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award]] and [[The Sporting News Reliever of the Year Award|''The Sporting News'' Fireman of the Year Award]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Fireman of the Year Award / Reliever of the Year Award by The Sporting News |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/awards/aw_snfi.shtml |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=Baseball Almanac}}</ref> In addition to a league-leading 28 saves in 1980, Sutter recorded a 2.64 ERA and finished with a 5–8 win–loss record in 60 games. His strikeout total, which had been over 100 the previous three seasons, fell to 76 that year and he never finished with more than 77 strikeouts in any of his remaining seasons.<ref name=BR/>

===St. Louis Cardinals (1981–1984) ===
Sutter was traded to the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] for [[Leon Durham]], [[Ken Reitz]], and a player to be named later in December 1980.<ref>{{cite news |title=Relief pitcher Bruce Sutter, traded by Chicago to St.... |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1980/12/16/Relief-pitcher-Bruce-Sutter-traded-by-Chicago-to-St/7034345790800/ |access-date=December 9, 2024 |work=United Press International |date=December 18, 1980}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Tuesday's Sports Transactions |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1980/12/09/Tuesdays-Sports-Transactions/7783345186000/ |access-date=December 9, 2024 |work=United Press International |date=December 9, 1980}}</ref> He made his fifth consecutive All-Star Game in 1981.<ref name=BR>{{cite web|title=Bruce Sutter Statistics and History|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/suttebr01.shtml|publisher=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]|access-date=April 7, 2014}}</ref> He recorded 25 saves, registered a 2.62 ERA, and finished fifth in the NL Cy Young Award voting.<ref name=BR/>

Sutter registered 36 saves in 1982, finishing third in the Cy Young Award voting.<ref name=BR/> Sutter earned the save in the pennant-clinching victory in the [[1982 National League Championship Series|NLCS]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1982-10-11 |title=Sutter, Herr In Series, Garber Out |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lancaster-new-era-sutter-herr-in-series/157971888/ |access-date=2024-10-28 |work=Lancaster New Era |page=13 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref> The Cardinals won the [[1982 World Series]] and Sutter is credited with two saves in that Series, including the Series-clinching save in Game 7 which ended with a strikeout of [[Gorman Thomas]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Reeves |first=Jim |date=1982-10-21 |title=St. Louis' Porter gets MVP |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-st-louis-port/157971971/ |access-date=2024-10-28 |work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram |page=31 |via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>

In 1983, Sutter recorded a 9–10 win–loss record and a 4.23 ERA; while his save total declined to 21.<ref name=BR/> In April of that year, Sutter executed a rare unassisted [[pickoff]] play: as [[Bill Madlock]] of the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] took a long lead off first base, he became distracted by Cardinals first baseman [[Keith Hernandez]]. Sutter ran off the mound to tag Madlock out.<ref name=Mulligan>{{cite book|last1=Mulligan|first1=Stephen|title=Were You There?: Over 300 Wonderful, Weird, and Wacky Moments from Pittsburgh's Three Rivers Stadium|date=2013|publisher=[[Dorrance Publishing Co.]]|isbn=978-1480905023|page=131|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rzP9vlQFkIkC|access-date=July 20, 2014}}</ref>

Sutter, who won both the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award and The Sporting News Reliever of the Year Award again in 1981, 1982, and 1984,<ref name=":0" /> tied [[Dan Quisenberry]]'s major league record for most saves in a season (45) in 1984. (His MLB record was broken by [[Dave Righetti]] (46) in 1986 and his NL record was broken by [[Lee Smith (baseball)|Lee Smith]] (47) in 1991.) During Sutter's record-breaking season, he pitched a career-high {{fract|122|2|3}} innings. It was one of five seasons in which Sutter threw more than 100 innings.<ref name=Kurkjian>{{cite web|last1=Kurkjian|first1=Tim|title=Mastery of splitter led to Sutter's success|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/columns/story?id=2531648|website=[[ESPN.com]]|date=July 28, 2006 |access-date=July 20, 2014}}</ref>

===Atlanta Braves (1985–1988)===
Sutter joined the [[Atlanta Braves]] in December 1984 as a [[free agent]]. ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that Sutter's six-year contract paid him $4.8 million and placed another $4.8 million into a deferred payment account at 13 percent interest. The newspaper estimated that the account would pay Sutter $1.3 million per year for 30 years after the initial six seasons of the contract. Sutter said that he was attracted to the Braves because of [[Atlanta]]'s scenery and his respect for [[Ted Turner]] and [[Dale Murphy]].<ref name=NYBrave>{{cite news|title=Sutter becomes a Brave|newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/12/08/sports/sutter-becomes-a-brave-atlanta-dec-7-ap-bruce-sutter-a-free-agent-relief-pitcher.html|access-date=July 4, 2014|agency=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 8, 1984}}</ref>

Before the start of the 1985 season, Cardinals manager [[Whitey Herzog]] commented on facing the season without Sutter. "To me, Bruce is the best there ever was," Herzog said. "Losing him is like Kansas City losing Dan Quisenberry...I told Bruce, 'Look, you've taken care of your children and your grandchildren and your great-grandchildren. Now, if I get fired in July, will you take care of me and Mary Lou?'"<ref name=Durso>{{cite news|last1=Durso|first1=Joseph|title=Sutter-less Cards optimistic|newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/04/sports/sutter-less-cards-optimistic.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3Aw|access-date=July 5, 2014|agency=[[The New York Times]]|date=March 4, 1985}}</ref>

When Sutter arrived in Atlanta, only two Braves pitchers had ever earned 25 or more saves in a season; the Braves in 1984 had recorded 49 saves as a team, just four more than Sutter's own total.<ref name=Marriage>{{cite news|last1=Martinez|first1=Michael|title=Sutter and Braves: A happy marriage|newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/31/sports/sutter-and-braves-a-happy-marriage.html|access-date=July 5, 2014|agency=[[The New York Times]]|date=March 31, 1985}}</ref> In 1985, Sutter's ERA rose to 4.48 and his saves total decreased to 23.<ref name=BR/> By the end of the season, he was bothered by nerve impingement in the right shoulder.<ref name=Tribune87>{{cite news|title=Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Bruce Sutter plans to...|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-01-23/sports/8701060551_1_contract-al-pitcher-outfielder-max-venable|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714201814/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-01-23/sports/8701060551_1_contract-al-pitcher-outfielder-max-venable|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 14, 2014|access-date=July 5, 2014|agency=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=January 23, 1987}}</ref> He underwent surgery on the shoulder after the season, and recovered in time to appear in [[spring training]] in mid-March 1986.<ref name=Robb>{{cite news|last1=Robb|first1=Sharon|title=Atlanta's fireman off to a hot start: Braves relieved after Sutter's first outing|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1986-03-12/sports/8601150396_1_first-pitch-braves-bruce-sutter|access-date=July 5, 2014|work=[[Sun-Sentinel]]|date=March 12, 1986|archive-date=July 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714224603/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1986-03-12/sports/8601150396_1_first-pitch-braves-bruce-sutter|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Near the end of March 1986, Sutter commented on his recovery, saying, "I'm throwing the ball as hard as I ever have, but it's just not getting there as fast. I don't know what's going to happen. I just have to keep throwing and see. So far, there have been no setbacks. Today I felt great, no problems."<ref name=Slow>{{cite news|last1=Verrell|first1=Gordon|title=Sutter's comeback goes slow: Braves relief ace's velocity in question|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1986/03/30/sutters-comeback-goes-slow-braves-relief-aces-velocity-in-question/|access-date=July 5, 2014|agency=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|date=March 30, 1986}}</ref> Sutter started the season with a 2–0 record and a 4.34 ERA in 16 games.<ref name=BR/> He was placed on the [[disabled list]] in May due to arm problems. On July 31, manager [[Chuck Tanner]] announced that Sutter would probably not return to pitching in that season.<ref name=Notebook>{{cite news|title=Wednesday's Notebook|url=https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1986/07/31/wednesdays-notebook-60/|access-date=July 5, 2014|agency=[[Orlando Sentinel]]|date=July 31, 1986}}</ref>

Sutter underwent shoulder surgery in February 1987, the third procedure performed on his arm, in an attempt to remove scar tissue and to promote nerve healing. To recover from the surgery, he was required to miss the entire 1987 season.<ref name=Rome>{{cite news|title=Bruce Sutter recovering from surgery|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=348&dat=19870212&id=siBNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3097,2121973|access-date=April 7, 2014|newspaper=[[Rome News-Tribune]]|date=February 12, 1987}}</ref> He returned to limited action with the Braves in 1988.<ref name=PSU>{{cite web|last=Groff|first=Tyler|title=Bruce Sutter|url=http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Sutter__Bruce.html|publisher=Pennsylvania Center for the Book|access-date=November 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515225200/http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Sutter__Bruce.html|archive-date=May 15, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> In late May, Sutter earned saves on consecutive nights and sportswriter [[Jerome Holtzman]] characterized his pitching as "vintage Sutter".<ref name=Touch>{{cite news|last1=Holtzman|first1=Jerome|title=Sutter finds touch again after not losing heart|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1988/05/26/sutter-finds-touch-again-after-not-losing-heart/|access-date=July 19, 2014|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=May 26, 1988}}</ref> He finished the year with a 1–4 record, a 4.76 ERA and 14 saves in 38 games pitched.<ref name=BR/> In late September, he had [[arthroscopic surgery]] on his right knee.<ref name=Knee>{{cite news|title=Sutter has surgery|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1988-09-27/sports/8802250647_1_padres-name-president-padres-game-dick-freeman|access-date=July 19, 2014|work=Sun-Sentinel|date=September 27, 1988|archive-date=July 29, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729195433/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1988-09-27/sports/8802250647_1_padres-name-president-padres-game-dick-freeman|url-status=dead}}</ref>