Baron’s Corner
Jim (Kitty) Kaat, part of a record-setting Phillies pitching staff in 1976, is a Hall of Famer….finally.
The left-hander, a workhorse over four decades, was selected by the Golden Era committee earlier this week for induction next July. Kitty posted a 283–237 record and 3.45 ERA in 898 games over 25 years in the majors, 1959–1983. More numbers, 4,530.1 innings and 19,023 batters faced. Defense? 16 Gold Gloves. Offense? 16 home runs, 106 RBI.
Clubs: Twins, White Sox, Phillies, Yankees, Cardinals.
He took the ball, ate up innings and did it quickly. “Think long, think wrong” was his philosophy.
Phillies Connection
GM Paul Owens traded three number one picks, RHP Roy Thomas (June 1971), RHP Dick Ruthven (January secondary phase 1973) and INF-OF Alan Bannister (January regular phase) to the White Sox for the 37-year-old Kaat and minor league INF Mike Buskey, December 10, 1975. (Back then, January regular and secondary phases were players previously drafted but who didn’t sign).
Kaat was one of 11 pitchers for the entire 1976 season. All but seven starts came from Steve Carlton (20–7), Jim Lonborg (18–10), Kaat (12–14), Larry Christenson (13–8) and Tommy Underwood (10–5). With Kaat in the rotation, the Phillies won the division title 1976–77–78.
Starting in 1960, Kaat had always worn #36. When he came to the Phillies, he asked for that number. When told that it was retired for Robin Roberts, he totally understood, and chose 39.
Kaat started the season opener in 1976, the only time in a 15-year span in which Carlton didn’t start the Phillies first game.
From May 31 through June 24 Kaat won six consecutive starts. Number 4 in that streak was a complete game win over the Giants at the Vet. Time of game, 1 hour, 47 minutes.
Kaat becomes the 12th pitcher in the Hall of Fame to have worn a Phillies uniform. The list ranges from 15 Phillies seasons, Steve Carlton (1972–86) to one season for Pedro Martinez (2009).
1976 Staff
Others who started games that season include Ron Reed (4), Wayne Twitchell (2) and Randy Lerch whose lone game was a start on September 27, the day after the Phillies clinched the division title.
The five-man bullpen were all acquisitions of GM Paul Owens: Reed (trade the day before Kaat), Tug McGraw (1974 trade), Gene Garber (1974 purchase), Twitchell (1971 trade) and Ron Schueler (1973 trade).
The 11-man pitching staff is the lowest for any Phillies team during a 162-game season and the fewest since the 1915 championship club used 9. The roster limit then was 21 players.
Club record for most pitchers in a season: 34, 2019.
