Dave Giusti
| Dave Giusti | |
|---|---|
 Giusti in 1967 with the Houston Astros. | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:November 27, 1939 Seneca Falls, New York,U.S. | |
Batted:Right Threw:Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 13, 1962, for the Houston Colt.45s | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 27, 1977, for the Chicago Cubs | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 100–93 |
| Earned run average | 3.60 |
| Strikeouts | 1,103 |
| Saves | 145 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
David John Giusti, Jr.(born November 27, 1939) is an American former professionalbaseballplayer. He played inMajor League Baseballas a right-handedpitcherfrom 1962 to 1977, most notably as a member of thePittsburgh Piratesteams that won fiveNational League Eastern Divisiontitles in six years between1970and1975and, won theWorld Seriesin1971.
Early life[edit]
While playing baseball forSyracuse University,Giusti pitched in the1961 College World Seriesas astarting pitcher.He signed out of a college as afree agentwith theHouston Colt.45s(later theHouston Astros), and played inHoustonfrom 1962–68. Shortly before the1968 expansion draft,Giusti wastradedto theSt. Louis Cardinals,who left him unprotected, and he was then drafted by theSan Diego Padres.Two months later, Giusti was then traded back to the Cardinals. He competed for the fifth starter's role in spring training but lost out toMike Torrez.[1]
After the 1969 baseball season, Giusti was traded to thePittsburgh Pirates.With the Pirates, he was converted into arelief pitcherbymanagerDanny Murtaugh,and Giusti soon became one of the leading relief pitchers in theNational League.Using his sinkingpalmballheavily, Giusti recorded 20 or moresavesin each of the next four baseball seasons, and he led the National League with 30 saves in 1971 for the Pirates. Giusti appeared in three games for Pittsburgh in the1971 World Series,earning a save in Game Four. Giusti was awardedThe Sporting News Reliever of the Year Awardin 1971.
In 1973, Giusti was selected for theNational League'sAll-Star Team.Giusti pitched aone-two-threeseventh inning as the National League won the game 7–1.[2]
Shortly before the beginning of the 1977 season, he was traded to theOakland Athleticsas part of a ten-player trade – one that also sentTony Armas,Rick Langford,Doug Bair,Doc MedichandMitchell Pageto theOakland Athleticsand sentPhil Garner,Chris Batton,andTommy Helmsto Pittsburgh.[3]In August, the Athletics sold Giusti's contract to theChicago Cubswith whom Giusti finished the season, and after being released by the Cubs in November, Giusti retired from baseball.
Giusti's most valuable baseball pitch was his palmball.
Life Outside Baseball[edit]
After his baseball career, Giusti became a corporate sales manager forAmerican Express.As of 2002, he is retired and living inMt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania.
See also[edit]
- List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in games finished
References[edit]
- ^Iber, Jorge (2016).Mike Torrez: A Baseball Biography.Jefferson, NC: McFarland. p. 89.ISBN978-0-7864-9632-7.
- ^"1973 All-Star Game Play by Play".Retrosheet.RetrievedDecember 19,2010.
- ^"Pirates, A's Swap 9 Players; Garner and Medich Key Men".The New York Times.Associated Press. March 17, 1977.RetrievedJuly 5,2017.
External links[edit]
- Career statistics and player information fromBaseball Reference,orFangraphs
- 1939 births
- Living people
- Baseball players from Seneca County, New York
- People from Seneca Falls, New York
- Chicago Cubs players
- Houston Astros players
- Houston Buffs players
- Houston Colt.45s players
- Jacksonville Jets players
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- National League All-Stars
- National League saves champions
- Oakland Athletics players
- Oklahoma City 89ers players
- Pittsburgh Pirates players
- St. Louis Cardinals players
- Syracuse Orange men's basketball players
- Syracuse Orangemen baseball players
- American men's basketball players
- American people of Italian descent