Facts, Trivia, Memories and More about Ed Whitson

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Signed: December 27, 1984: Ed Whitson was signed as a free-agent to a five-year, $4.4 million contract.

Legacy

Whitson's free agent signing is widely regarded as one of the worst free agent signings in Yankee History. To this day it's still mentioned as a measuring stick when talk of terrible free agent signings comes up, along with the theory that certain players just can't handle New York. However, to that point Whitson had only one career winning season as a starter under his belt (14-8 for the Padres in 1984 - He went 4-2 in Cleveland in 1982, mostly in relief) and a career 53-56 record with a decent 3.60 ERA and 101 ERA+. Hardly the track record that nets a five-year contract. The previous year, he was terrific in Game 3 of the NLCS, going eight strong innings in a 7-1 Padres rout to stave off defeat and turn the series around. However, he couldn't even get out of the first inning of Game 2 of the World Series, getting knocked around for three runs before future Yankee Andy Hawkins shut the Tigers down completely as the Padres came back for their only win in the series.

In New York, he immediately found himself in Billy Martin's doghouse with a 1-6 record and 6.23 ERA in his first 11 starts. Despite turning it around with a 9-1 record and 4.23 ERA in his next 11 starts, Whitson's run ended when he was knocked around in a must-win game against the Blue Jays on September 15th.  The Yankees entered the four game set in Yankee Stadium just 2.5 games behind division leading Toronto.  After the Yankees won the first game with a 6-run seventh inning, they dropped the next two, setting up a must-win on Sunday.  Whitson lasted only until the top of the third where he failed to record an out, starting the inning with three consecutive singles, followed by a double, plating two runs and chasing Whitson.  Dennis Rassmussen came in to relieve and allowed four more runs to score, burying the Yankees in a 6-0 hole en route to an 8-5 loss that was never close. (A two-run Ken Griffey home run in the ninth made it seem closer than it was.)

Afterward, Whitson was skipped over repeatedly in the starting rotation as the Yankees continued to lose five more games.  Whitson believed he should be pitching.  Martin didn't agree.  It didn't help his cause when he got into a fight with Martin (who was trying to prevent a fight between Whitson and another patron) in a Baltimore hotel bar, eventually resulting in a broken arm for Billy. Whitson demanded a trade following the season, but the Yankees were unable to accommodate that demand. Despite Martin leaving, things wouldn't get better for Whitson in 1986. He was largely ineffective, despite a 5-2 record (four of the wins in relief), and he was traded back to San Diego on July 9, 1986 for reliever Tim Stoddard.