Dave Goltz

David Allan Goltz

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 215 lb.
• High School Rothsay Secondary School
• Debut July 18, 1972
• Final Game June 22, 1983
• Born June 23, 1949 in Pelican Rapids, MN USA

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Biographical Information

Dave Goltz is the only player with three straight seasons at exactly .500 and at least 20 decisions in each of those seasons. In 1974 he was 10-10 followed by consecutive 14-14 seasons. He broke through in 1977 and won 20 games to lead the American League in wins (tied with Dennis Leonard and Jim Palmer).

Goltz led the Gulf Coast League with a 2.00 ERA in his first pro season of 1967. He then led the Northern League with 122 strikeouts in 1968, but missed 1969 due to military service and much of 1970 with injuries.

Goltz signed a big free agent contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers following the 1979 season. He was one of the most notorious free agent busts of his time, going only 9-19 for some very good Dodger teams from 1980 to 1982. He did manage to pick up a World Series ring during that time, when he appeared in two games in relief during the 1981 World Series. He was released on April 27, 1982 and picked up by the California Angels a month later. He did much better for his new team, going 8-5, 4.08 with 3 saves as a swingman over the remainder of the 1982 season. He appeared in one game as a long reliever in the 1982 ALCS against the Milwaukee Brewers, but was released again on July 6, 1983 after going 0-6, 6.22 over the first half of the season for the Angels.

Goltz' main teammates were Rod Carew, Roy Smalley, Larry Hisle, Butch Wynegar, Dan Ford and Lyman Bostock.

Since the save became an official statistic, Goltz holds the record for the most runs in a saved game. On June 6, 1973, against the Cleveland Indians, he was charged with 8 runs in a three-inning save; he helped to turn a 9-1 lead into a 13-9 win. In second place is Phil Hennigan with 6 runs, in 1971.

Notable Achievements

• AL Wins Leader (1977)
• 15 Wins Seasons: 2 (1977 & 1978)
• 20 Wins Seasons: 1 (1977)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 5 (1975-1979)
• 300 Innings Pitched Seasons: 1 (1977)
• Won a World Series with the the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1981

Related Sites

• Dave Goltz at the SABR Bio Project