| Ross Grimsley | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1950-01-07)January 7, 1950 (age 75) Topeka, Kansas, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 16, 1971, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 24, 1982, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 124–99 |
| Earned run average | 3.81 |
| Strikeouts | 750 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Ross Albert Grimsley Jr.[1] (born January 7, 1950) is a former left-handedpitcher inMajor League Baseball who played for theCincinnati Reds (1971–73),Baltimore Orioles (1974–77 and 1982),Montreal Expos (1978–80) andCleveland Indians (1980). His father,Ross Sr., pitched for the 1951Chicago White Sox.
Grimsley was the son ofRoss Sr., who pitched for the 1951Chicago White Sox, and his wife Judy (Robinson) Grimsley. Ross Sr., a World War II veteran, had a long minor-league playing career.[2]
The younger Grimsley was a 1969 graduate of Frayser High School inMemphis, Tennessee, where he was an outstanding basketball and baseball player.[3] He attendedJackson State Community College inJackson, Tennessee. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the first round (17th pick) of the 1969 amateur draft (January Secondary).[4]
Grimsley made his major league debut for the Reds at age 21 on May 16, 1971 in a 9-3 loss to the Expos atRiverfront Stadium. He started and took the loss, pitched 1.2 innings and gave up three earned runs. The first major league hitter he faced wasRon Hunt.[5] In 26 starts that year, Grimsley posted a record of 10-7 with a 3.57 ERA.
Grimsley followed up with an even better season in 1972, going 14-8 with a 3.05 ERA for the National League champion Reds. He also had a strongWorld Series, going 2-1 in four games (three in relief) with a 2.57 ERA as the Reds fell to theOakland Athletics in seven games.[4] In 1973, Grimsley was 13-10 with a 3.23 ERA as the Reds won the NL West division.
The Reds were well known for conservative appearance rules for its players. Flouting the team rules with long hair, he ran afoul of managerSparky Anderson, who requested after the1973 season that Grimsley be traded. He, along with Wally Williams, was sent to theBaltimore Orioles forMerv Rettenmund,Junior Kennedy and Bill Wood on December 4 of that year.[6]
The deal paid off for the Orioles in 1974, as Grimsley went 18-13 with 17 complete games in a career-high 39 starts as the Orioles won the American League East division. In 1975 and 1976, his totals declined, with records of 10-13 with a 4.07 ERA and 8-7 with a 3.95 ERA. In 1977, Grimsley finished with a 14-10 mark and a 3.96 ERA.
Filing forfree agency after four seasons with the Orioles,[7] Grimsley signed a six-year, $1.1 million contract with theMontreal Expos on December 6, 1977. The Orioles had attempted to trade him to the Expos forBarry Foote prior to the 1977 season.[1] Grimsley rewarded the Expos with his best year in 1978. He was named to the 1978 National LeagueAll-Star team and finished seventh in voting for the 1978 National LeagueCy Young Award, posting a record of 20-11, 19 complete games, three shutouts, 263 innings pitched and a 3.05 ERA.[4] However, in 1979 Grimsley declined to a record of 10-9 with a 5.35 ERA. In 1980, he finished 2-6 with a 6.31 ERA for the Expos, and on July 11 was traded to theCleveland Indians, for whom he went 4-5 with a 6.75 ERA.
Grimsley was released by the Indians and did not pitch in the majors in 1981. In 1982 he returned to the Orioles, pitching in 21 games in his final major league season.[4] Grimsley's career totals included a 124-99 record, 79 complete games, 15 shutouts, 2,039 innings pitched and a 3.81 ERA.
Grimsley was one of the more colorful players of the 1970s. With the Reds, he was called into manager Sparky Anderson's office and told to stop corresponding with a "witch" who had been sending him good luck charms.[8]
In an incident on September 16,1975 atFenway Park, Grimsley, warming up in the Orioles' bullpen, responded to Boston fans' heckling by throwing into the right field bleachers. The ball passed through the protective netting, injuring a Boston fan. The fan named Manning later successfully sued Grimsley and the Orioles (underRespondeat superior) inManning v. Grimsley,[9] a case cited in law casebooks to highlight the scope of employment law as it relates toagency.[10][11] He was accused by Yankees manager Billy Martin in 1977 of throwingspitball pitches usingVaseline hidden in his hair, which was usually somewhat greasy in appearance anyway due to Grimsley's penchant for not showering during winning streaks. In addition to his nickname "Scuz" for his grooming habits, Grimsley was also called "Crazy Eyes" for wearing turquoise contact lenses.
After his playing career ended, he was a minor league instructor for the Orioles,Atlanta Braves,Seattle Mariners andPhiladelphia Phillies.[12]
Since 1999, Grimsley has been a minor-league pitching coach, for theSan Francisco Giants, and for the AARichmond Flying Squirrels.[13]
He has also co-hosted pre-game Orioles coverage on Baltimore'sWJZ-FM 105.7, the team's flagship radio station.
He and his wife live outside of Baltimore.[14]