Remembering Luis Tiant: Coming At You In So Many Ways

You would never mistake Luis Tiant for any other pitcher in baseball. From his unique pitching style that often included turning his back to the batter, to his "Fu Manchu" moustache, to his smoking victory cigars in the shower, Tiant was truly one of a kind. He was also, at his best, one heck of a pitcher.

Tiant's best years came in the 1970s, when he won 15 or more games each year for the Boston Red Sox from 1972 through 1976 (including a trio of 20-win seasons). But he also pitched consistently well for the Cleveland Indians in the 1960s, including one year (1968) when he recorded the lowest earned run average by an American League pitcher since 1919 (when Walter Johnson posted a 1.49 ERA for the Washington Senators).

The Indians purchased Tiant from the Mexico City Tigers in 1962. He won 36 games in 2+ seasons in the Indians' farm system. In 1964, he was called up to the Tribe after going 15-1 for their Triple-A affiliate, Portland, striking out 154 batters in 137 innings. Debuting in the big leagues on July 19, 1964, he proved quickly that his performance at Portland was no fluke, going 10-4 for Cleveland the rest of that season with a 2.83 ERA.

The next 3 years Tiant went 35-31 with a 3.03 ERA, striking out an average of 8.2 batters per 9 innings pitched. Had he played for better Cleveland teams, Tiant should have won more games. And when Cleveland had its best showing in the 1960s, finishing third in 1968, Tiant turned in an outstanding season. He went 21-9, leading the American League in shutouts (9) and ERA (1.60), allowing only 5.3 hits for every 9 innings pitched. He was the starter (and loser) in a 1-0 All-Star Game, which turned out to be a fitting symbol for the "Year of the Pitcher" in 1968, as the game's only run was unearned.

 Cleveland's strong showing in 1968 was followed by the team's total collapse in 1969, finishing with the worst record in the American League. Likewise, Tiant's numbers slid from his masterpiece season of 1968, as he went from 20-game winner to 20-game loser, finishing 9-20, though with a respectable 3.71 ERA. In 1969, Tiant led the American League in both walks allowed (129) and home runs allowed (37). Those 37 home runs are still a Cleveland team record, and the only Cleveland team record Tiant holds.

As a strikeout pitcher, Tiant was one of the most prolific and efficient of the 1960s. He averaged 7.81 strikeouts per 9 innings, the sixth best average among major league pitchers in the 1960s. In both 1967 and 1968, Tiant averaged 9.2 strikeouts per 9 innings, both years fanning more than 200 batters.

Following the 1969 season, Tiant was traded to the Minnesota Twins in the deal that brought Dean Chance and Graig Nettles to the Indians. He struggled in Minnesota, due partly to injuries, and was released by the Twins in 1971 (and by the Atlanta Braves that same year) prior to his resurrection in Boston.

During the 1960s, pitching for mostly lackluster Cleveland teams, Tiant won 75 games in 6 years with a fine 2.84 combined ERA. A 3-time All-Star, he retired in 1982 after winning 229 games.