As a 21-year old, Blue burst on the scene in 1971, winning the American
League's Cy Young and MVP awards. The rest of his career was spent
trying to live up to that standard. He managed to win more than 200
games, despite several contract battles, shoulder injuries, and a drug
conviction. Showing rare good judgment, he declined several thousands of
dollars in bonus money offered by A's owner Charlie Finley if the
left-hander would legally change his name to "True Blue." Nicknames See above comment regarding Finley's request. Played For Oakland A's (1969-1977), San Francisco Giants (1978-1981, 1985-1986), Kansas City Royals (1982-1983) Post-Season 1971 ALCS, 1972 ALCS, 1972 World Series, 1973 ALCS, 1973 World Series, 1974 ALCS, 1974 World Series, 1975 ALCS Blue never won a World Series game (0-3, 4.04), and he was 1-5 in 17 post-season games. His shining moment in the post-season was a two-hit shutout of the Orioles in game three of the '74 playoffs, when he out-dueled Jim Palmer. Blue was also 0-for-13 with 12 K's at the plate in the post-season. World Champion? Yes, as a member of the 1972-1974 A's, who became the second franchise to win World Series titles in three straight seasons. Ultimate Games (4-0) 1972 ALCS Game Five, 1972 World Series Game Seven, 1973 ALCS Game Five, 1973 World Series, Game Seven. Blue pitched out of the pen in the '72 playoffs, earning a save in the decisive game with four shutout innings of relief. Honors All-Star (6): 1971, 1975, 1977-1978, 1980-1981; American League Most Valuable Player 1971; American League Cy Young 1971 Stats Career stats from baseball-reference.com Similar Players Billy Pierce Uniform #'s #21 (1969), #17 (1970), #35 (1970-1972), #14 (1973-1981, 1983, 1985-1986), #33 (1982-1983) Major League Debut: July 20, 1969 Transactions Selected by Kansas City Athletics in the 2nd round of the free-agent draft (June 6, 1967); Traded by Oakland Athletics to San Francisco Giants in exchange for Gary Alexander, Gary Thomasson, Dave Heaverlo, Alan Wirth, John Henry Johnson, Phil Huffman, $300,000 and a player to be named later (March 15, 1978) - A's received Mario Guerrero (April 7, 1978); Traded by San Francisco Giants with Bob Tufts to Kansas City Royals in exchange for Renie Martin, Craig Chamberlain, Atlee Hammaker and Brad Wellman (March 30, 1982); Released by Kansas City Royals (August 5, 1983); Signed by San Francisco Giants (April 6, 1985); Granted free agency (November 12, 1985); Signed by San Francisco Giants (December 17, 1985); Granted free agency (November 12, 1986); Signed by Oakland Athletics (January 20, 1987). Best Season, 1971 Blue was a twenty-game winner by August 7. He had his record at 22-4, before going 2-4 down the stretch. Despite the late-season slump, he still won the Cy Young in a close vote over Detroit's Mickey Lolich. The MVP race was not as close. Blue easily out-polled teammate Sal Bando. Blue led the AL in ERA (1.82), WHIP and shutouts (eight). He posted 301 K's, second to Lolich, who most likely lost the Cy Young because his ERA was a run higher than Vida's. Milestones Collected the 200th win of his career on April 20, 1986, against the San Diego Padres... Best Strength as a Player His fastball. Largest Weakness as a Player His drug problems. |
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Stars In Their Time Profile - Vida Blue
Stats from
www.baseball-reference.com Vida was signed by the Athletics at the age of nineteen. An excellent high school athlete in Louisiana, he turned down a chance to be a college quarterback. He was called up for four starts in 1969. The next year he hit his stride. He was called up by the A's late in the season, and a few days later went the distance, one-hitting the Royals. Ten days later he would no-hit the Twins, only a walk to Harmon Killebrew spoiling the perfecto. At the tender age of twenty, he was a foe to be reckoned with. Then came 1971. At 24-8 with a league-leading 1.82 ERA, 301 strikeouts and 8 shut-outs, Vida won not only the Cy Yound Award, but also the MVP. Who was the last switch-hitter to win MVP? Our friend Vida. He also went to the All Star Game and was the winning pitcher. However, there was trouble in paradise. Blue's salary for that amazing season was a paltry $14,700. The next year Blue held out, hoping to get more money out of penny-pinching Charlie Finley. He didn't suit up until May, and then only after Commissioner Bowie Kuhn got involved with the contract negotiations. After his bitter dispute, Vida signed for $63,000. His 1972 season was a complete loss. Many factors were involved in this crash. Even this early in his career, Vida was dabbling with drugs. Also, the A's had torched his arm the year before. He had pitched in 312 inning in 1971, including a mid-season start where he struck out 17 in 11 innings. That kind of wear-and-tear can be a disaster to a young arm. The modern-day posterboy for pitcher abuse, Kerry Wood, blew out his arm at roughly the same age in a season where he pitched fewer than 170 innings. Blue finished at 6-10 as his teammates won the first of their three-peat World Series titles. Vida was a big contributor to the A's dynasty of the early 1970's. 20 wins in 1973, 17 in 1974 and 22 in 1975. But the landscape of baseball had changed. Free agency was now put into the equation, and Charlie Finley, knowing that he couldn't re-sign his big stars, decided to sell them to the highest bidder. First Finley sold Blue to the Yankees for $1.5M, only to have the trade voided by Kuhn as "not in the best interest of baseball." Then he was traded to the Reds, the major component being a payment of $1.75M. Again, Kuhn vetoed the sale. Finally he was sent across the bay to San Francisco in 1978. He enjoyed a good year with the Giants, going 18-10 with a 2.79 ERA, and became the first pitcher to start for each league in the All Star Game. Blue faded in his early 30s, and was traded to Kansas City. There his career hit rock bottom. After the 1983 season, he and several teammates pleaded guilty to cocaine charges. He figured that he would only get community service, but this was Missouri, and he got jail time. Kuhn again played a role in Vida's careeer, the commissioner suspended Blue for the entire 1984 season. Vida found work with the Giants when he was allowed to return to baseball. At the age of 35 he was able to post an 8-8 record on a team that lost 100 games. In 1986 he went 10-10 and notched his 200th win. He was supposed to rejoin Reggie Jackson in Oakland, but retired abruptly during spring training in 1987. Rumors of a failed drug test circled around the media.
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