Andy Hassler

Andrew Earl Hassler

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 5", Weight 220 lb.
• High School Palo Verde High School (Tucson)
• Debut May 30, 1971
• Final Game May 7, 1985
• Born October 18, 1951 in Texas City, TX USA
• Died December 25, 2019 in Wickenburg, AZ USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Andy Hassler pitched 14 seasons in the majors fox six different clubs.

Hassler was selected by the California Angels in the 25th round of the 1969 amateur draft and made his pro debut that summer with the Angels' team in the Arizona Instructional League. By 1971, he had reached the majors as a 19-year-old, and he bounced between the Angels and the AAA Salt Lake City Angels through 1974.

He had a particularly unlucky season in 1974, when he held a 2.61 ERA (third best in the American League) over 22 starts (a 131 ERA+), which included 10 complete games, yet finished the season with only 7 wins against 11 losses. He started 1975 off strong, going 3-1 in 5 April starts, but then lost his next 11 decisions to end the year with a 3-12 mark. He started 1976 off by losing his first 6 decisions and his spot in the Angels rotation, and that July, he was sent to the Kansas City Royals. After losing his first decision with Kansas City (to extend his losing streak 18), he finally snapped the skid, ultimately posting a 5-6 record and a 2.89 ERA for the Royals. He also got his first taste of postseason ball that fall, making 2 appearances in the ALCS against the New York Yankees. In that series, he and fellow lefty Larry Gura, who had combined for 9 wins for the Royals, were selected to start games over righthanders Al Fitzmorris and Doug Bird, who had 27 wins between them, as manager Whitey Herzog felt the Yankees were vulnerable against left-handed pitching. He thus started and lost Game 3 at Yankee Stadium on October 12th. Still, the Royals were able to extend the series to the limit before Chris Chambliss' famous walk-off homer in Game 5 ended it.

Hassler won a career-best 9 games in 1977, threw a one-hitter against the Cleveland Indians on July 2nd, and once again saw action in the ALCS against the Yankees. This time, he started Game 2 against these same Yankees at Yankee Stadium on October 6th, and lost again. He started the 1978 season by going 1-4, 4.32 in his first 11 games and on July 24th was purchased by the Boston Red Sox. He pitched mainly out of the bullpen during the last two months, which were those when the Sox saw their large lead over the Yankees evaporate, resulting in the famous one-game playoff to settle matters after the two teams finished tied. He went 2-1, 3.00 in 13 games during that stretch, most of his appearances coming in September. In the playoff game on October 2nd at Fenway Park, he came in the game in the 8th inning in relief of Mike Torrez and Bob Stanley after the Yankees had stretched their lead to 5-2 after Bucky Dent's three-run homer off Torrez in the 7th, and a solo shot by Reggie Jackson off Stanley to lead off the 8th. He stopped the bleeding, retiring 5 straight batters before allowing a two-out single to pinch-hitter Paul Blair in the 9th; he then gave way to Dick Drago who completed the inning by retiring Thurman Munson on a ground ball. The Red Sox were able to pull back to within a run against Rich Gossage in the bottom of the 8th, but the Goose kept them from scoring in the bottom of the 9th inning and the epic season was over.

He started 1979 with Boston but moved on to the New York Mets in the middle of the year. After the season, he became a free agent and signed a six-year, $750,000 contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates. However, he only made six appearances with the Pirates before being sold back to the Angels in 1980, the fourth time in five seasons that he had switched teams mid-year. He played a large role in the Angels bullpen that year, leading the club with 10 saves. He remained with California through 1983, returning to the postseason in the 1982 ALCS, and then pitched parts of two summers with the St. Louis Cardinals to end his career.

Related Sites

• Andy Hassler at the SABR Bio Project