| Charlie Leibrandt | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1956-10-04)October 4, 1956 (age 69) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 17, 1979, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 21, 1993, for the Texas Rangers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 140–119 |
| Earned run average | 3.71 |
| Strikeouts | 1,121 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Charles Louis Leibrandt Jr. (/ˈliːbrænt/; born October 4, 1956) is an American formerMajor League Baseballpitcher who played from 1979 to 1993 for theCincinnati Reds,Kansas City Royals,Atlanta Braves, andTexas Rangers. Leibrandt was a member of the1985 World Series champion Royals team.
Leibrandt was born inChicago, Illinois. He grew up inGolf, Illinois and his parents, Anne and Chuck, ran a restaurant in the bordering village ofMorton Grove. He attendedChicago Cubs games atWrigley Field as a youth and dreamt of pitching for the Cubs. He attendedLoyola Academy.[1]
He attendedMiami University, inOxford, Ohio, from 1975–1978, where he earned four letters as a pitcher onthe baseball team. During his senior year, Leibrandt was selected first-team All-MAC; he compiled a record of 7–2 with an ERA of 1.65.[2]
Leibrandt was drafted by theCincinnati Reds in the ninth round of the 1978free agent draft. He made his debut inMajor League Baseball on September 17, 1979, in a Cincinnati Reds uniform. A few weeks later, he made his first post-season appearance in the1979 National League Championship Series, recording an out of the only batter he faced,John Milner.
In 1980, Leibrandt made his first major league start in the 4th game of the season as the Reds beat theAtlanta Braves, 5–0, and Leibrandt threw a five-hit shutout for his first career win. But Leibrandt, while 10–9 in 1980, showed little promise in Cincinnati and was traded to theKansas City Royals forBob Tufts on June 7, 1983. The following year, Leibrandt went 11–7 with a 3.63 ERA as the Royals won the Western Division championship.
In 1985, Leibrandt had the best year of his career, going 17–9 with a 2.69 ERA as the Royals won theWorld Series. Over the next three years, Leibrandt won 14, 16, and 13 games, but after a disastrous 1989 when he went 5–11 on a second place (but 92-wins) team, the Royals traded Leibrandt andRick Luecken to theAtlanta Braves forGerald Perry and Jim Lemasters.
On May 16, 1987, Leibrandt pitched a complete game one-hitter against theMilwaukee Brewers. The only hit for the Brewers was a bunt hit by backup Brewers catcherBill Schroeder. Schroeder would go on to become the TV color commentator for the Brewers.[3]
On the last place Braves in 1990, Leibrandt went 9–11 with a 3.16 ERA, finishing behind onlyJohn Smoltz andTom Glavine on the Braves staff in wins. The following year, 1991, Leibrandt was a member of one of two trios in MLB history ofsouthpaws ever to win 15 games on the same staff, sharing that honor with Glavine andSteve Avery, also has been done by the 1997 Mariners since. Leibrandt was generally regarded as a fourth starter on the Braves in 1991 and 1992. On September 29, 1992, Leibrandt recorded the 1,000th strikeout of his career against theSan Francisco Giants. In the same game, the Braves clinched the National League West title for the second straight year.
On December 9, 1992, Leibrandt was traded to theTexas Rangers along withPat Gomez for everyday utility playerJose Oliva.
In 1993, despite six straight road wins (which no subsequent Texas Rangers pitcher matched until 2009, when it was surpassed byScott Feldman), he ended with a season record of 9–10 record with a 4.55 ERA, and subsequently retired.[4]
For all of his successes as a pitcher, Leibrandt is best known for a series of post-season hard luck, pitching well in losing efforts. In 1984, Leibrandt and the Royals faced elimination in the best-of-fiveAmerican League Championship Series against theDetroit Tigers. Leibrandt threw a complete game three-hitter only to lose, 1–0, on a fielder's choice in the second inning.
In the following year'sALCS, theToronto Blue Jays beat Leibrandt badly in Game 1 but he turned in an effective pitching performance in Game 4. However, he lost when, leading 1–0 in the ninth, he walkedDámaso García, who scored onLloyd Moseby's double. Responsible for Moseby, Leibrandt watched as the Blue Jays scored twice off relieverDan Quisenberry and got tagged with the loss. He redeemed himself, however, coming out of the bullpen to replace the injuredBret Saberhagen in Game 7 and picking up the win that sent the Royals to theWorld Series.
In the World Series against theSt. Louis Cardinals, Leibrandt again pitched masterfully for eight innings and entered the ninth inning of Game 2 leading a two-hitter, 2–0. It all fell apart again for Leibrandt, though, asWillie McGee doubled to right. With two outs and McGee on second, three Cardinal hits, the last by future Braves teammateTerry Pendleton, scored four runs and saddled Leibrandt with another loss. Five nights later in Game 6, Leibrandt left in the eighth inning trailing 1–0 despite only allowing four hits. However, the Royals rallied and won the game 2–1 on a one-out bases-loaded bloop single by pinch-hitterDane Iorg. In Game 7 the following night, Kansas City blew the Cardinals out, 11–0, to win their first of two World Series titles.
In 1991, Braves managerBobby Cox designated Leibrandt the starter for Game 1 of theWorld Series against theMinnesota Twins. Leibrandt got the start by virtue of his long post-season rest and the fact he was the only Braves starter who had ever pitched in theMetrodome. Leibrandt lost as he pitched decently but was outpitched byJack Morris. Leibrandt is best known for surrendering awalk-off home run to futureBaseball Hall of FamerKirby Puckett in Game 6 of that series. The first pitch of the inning was a change-up, which Puckett took for strike one. The next one was a similar high and outside fastball, which Puckett took for ball one; pitch three was another fastball for ball two. The fourth pitch, and last pitch of the game, was a weak, high change-up that failed to break. Puckett made solid contact and sprinted for first, as was his usual practice. Only after he saw first base coachWayne Terwilliger throw up his hands in victory did Puckett realize he had hit a home run. Leibrandt was called upon to enter the game in a highly unfamiliar role – as a reliever late in the extra-inning game, and very late at night. Cox endured some criticism for the move because the Braves still had several relievers at their disposal including left-handerKent Mercker and right-handersJim Clancy andMark Wohlers.
Leibrandt played in theWorld Series with the Braves the following year. The Braves lost that series also, this time to theToronto Blue Jays in six games. In the final game, in circumstances similar to Game 6 of the prior year's Series, Leibrandt was called in as a reliever in an extra-inning game. Just as in 1991, Cox was criticized for using Leibrandt as a reliever with closerJeff Reardon and relieversMarvin Freeman andDavid Nied still available. Toronto rallied for two runs in the top of the 11th on a hit byDave Winfield. The Braves got one run back in the bottom of the 11th; however, it was not enough and Leibrandt ended up as the losing pitcher.
Leibrandt and his wife, Corrine, have four children—a daughter and three sons. He and his family continued to make their home in the Atlanta area after his retirement, and he coached his sons’ high school baseball teams at Marist School. The youngest son,Brandon, has played inMajor League Baseball for theMiami Marlins.[5] His middle son, Brodie, was a starter atColumbus State University, inColumbus, Georgia. Leibrandt's oldest son, Ryan, is a physician in New York City.[6]
