Jump to content

Mike Stanton (right-handed pitcher)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mike Stanton
Image
Stanton with the Cleveland Indians c. 1980
Pitcher
Born: (1952-09-25) September 25, 1952 (age 74)
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Batted: Switch
Threw: Right
MLB debut
July 9, 1975, for the Houston Astros
Last MLB appearance
August 8, 1985, for the Chicago White Sox
MLB statistics
Win–loss record13–22
Earned run average4.61
Strikeouts304
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Michael Thomas Stanton (born September 25, 1952) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in all or parts of seven seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1975 and 1985.[1]

Playing career

[edit]

Stanton attended Santa Fe Catholic High School in Lakeland, Florida. He learned to throw a slider from Denny McLain, who coached Stanton on an American Legion team while suspended from MLB. Stanton then attended then Miami Dade College, leading Florida junior college pitchers in strikeouts. He set school records for strikeouts in a game and a season.[2]

Stanton was drafted three times, by the Atlanta Braves, Kansas City Royals, and Texas Rangers before signing with the Houston Astros in 1973.[3] He led the Southern League with 146 strikeouts and 27 starts in 1974.[4] He made his MLB debut with the Astros in 1975,[5] pitching in seven games, including two starts. Due in part to poor control, he then bounced around the minors for the next four years, including a stint in the short-lived Inter-American League in 1979. When that league folded, he followed the advice of his manager, Pat Dobson, to sign with the Cleveland Indians. He returned to the majors with Cleveland in 1980, working primarily as a relief pitcher.[6][7][4] He was limited by a sore elbow in 1981.[4] Cleveland released him in February 1982.[1]

Stanton signed with the Seattle Mariners that April, and he had his longest and most productive tenure with the club. He ranked tenth in the American League with 56 games pitched in 1982.[4][1] He became a more trusted relief option following the trade of Bill Caudill.[8][9] Stanton had seven saves in his first two seasons with Seattle before leading the team with eight saves in 1984, though shoulder tendonitis ended his final full season with Seattle.[1][4]

The Mariners released Stanton in 1985, and he finished his MLB career that year with the Chicago White Sox.[1][10]

Personal life

[edit]

Stanton is married. During his playing career, he also was a landscape and wildlife artist.[4][8]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mike Stanton Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
  2. ↑ Barefield, Ron (May 12, 1973). "Stanton waits for offers". Lakeland Ledger. pp. 1B.
  3. ↑ "1st Round of the 1973 MLB January Draft-Secondary Phase". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Seattle Mariners 1985 Media Guide. pp. 53–54.
  5. ↑ Zier, Patrick (July 20, 1975). "Stanton was always ure he could play". Lakeland Ledger. pp. 9B.
  6. ↑ Zier, Patrick (June 8, 1981). "Stanton starting over in the Indians bullpen". Lakeland Ledger. pp. 1D.
  7. ↑ "Mike Stanton Minor Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
  8. 1 2 "Artfully, M's Stanton finds relief". The Spokesman-Review. May 31, 1984. p. 27.
  9. ↑ "Stanton adjusts to new role". Lawrence Journal-World. June 15, 1984. p. 17.
  10. ↑ "The Chicago White Sox hadn't had a hero in..." UPI. July 3, 1985. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mike_Stanton_(right-handed_pitcher)&oldid=1381734261"