Gary Lavelle

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Gary Robert Lavelle

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Biographical Information[edit]

Lefty reliever Gary Lavelle saved 136 games in a 13-year career spent mostly with the San Francisco Giants.

Selected by the Giants in the 20th round of the 1967 amateur draft, Lavelle was primarily a starter in the minors before joining the San Francisco bullpen late in the 1974 campaign. Splitting closing duties with right-hander Randy Moffitt in 1977, he recorded 20 saves and made the National League All-Star team. After saving 14 in 1978, he again posted 20 saves in 1979. His numbers dropped off the next three years, but alongside righty Greg Minton in 1983, he again saved 20 and once again was an All-Star. It was a rare season in which two different pitchers saved 20 or more games for one team.

After the 1984 season, Lavelle was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for Jim Gott and a pair of minor leaguers. He ended his career back in the Bay Area with the Oakland Athletics in 1987.

Following his playing days, Lavelle served as pitching coach for the Trenton Thunder in 2004. In 2010, Lavelle coached Greenbrier Christian Academy to its third straight state championship. He recorded his 500th victory at the school in 2014 and retired following the 2016 season. He then coached Bryant & Stratton College.

Notable Achievements[edit]

  • 2-time NL All-Star (1977 & 1983)

Related Sites[edit]