Lloyd Merritt

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Lloyd Wesley Merritt

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Biographical Information[edit]

Eighteen-year-old Lloyd Merritt was signed as an amateur free agent by the New York Yankees before the 1951 season. He was farmed out to the Joplin Miners of the Western Association for his first go-round and went 5-5 with a 4.37 ERA. The 6' 0" right-hander stayed in the same ballpark for the 1952 season, improving to a 11-7 mark with a 3.34 ERA. Lloyd had a great season in 1953 with the Norfolk Tars of the Piedmont League, going 20-5 with a 2.44 ERA while pitching 225 innings. His 20 victories were the best in the league and helped the Tars win the not only the pennant but also the league playoffs, and put Lloyd on the All-Star team.

Meritt was at 4-2 in 17 appearances in 1954 when the United States military called him for service during the Korean War. He remained there until 1956, arriving back in time to get go 1-3 for the Birmingham Barons of the Southern Association. As luck goes, on December 3, 1956 he was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals from the Yankees in the 1956 Rule V Draft.

Lloyd was a St. Louis, MO native, having graduated from the University of Missouri, and he spent one busy season working out of the bullpen for his hometown Cardinals in 1957, in which he had a record of 1-2 with a 3.31 ERA, plus 7 saves in 44 appearances. This was Merritt's only shot at the major leagues.

Lloyd came back strong in 1958, going 10-4 with a 3.91 ERA for the Houston Buffaloes of the Texas League, but tailed off in 1959 to a 3-7 record with three clubs. In 1960, he went 4-4 with two teams and ended his active playing career in the minors with a 58-37 record and a 3.52 ERA while appearing in 290 games. Merritt stayed in the game for several years as a minor league pitching instructor and managed in the minors for the Cardinals for four seasons from (1982-1985). He built a cumulative record of 269-297 over the four-year span. Merritt has also scouted for the Philadelphia Phillies (1994-2002) and the Atlanta Braves (2007-2008).

In between baseball Lloyd also worked in sales for the Greenville Tube Company in Pittsburgh, PA and as of last notice he resided in Bowling Green, KY.

See also: Baseball Players of the 1950s

Year-by-Year Managerial Record[edit]

Year Team League Record Finish Organization Playoffs
1982 Gastonia Cardinals South Atlantic League 54-89 9th St. Louis Cardinals
1983 Macon Redbirds South Atlantic League 71-73 6th St. Louis Cardinals
1984 Savannah Cardinals South Atlantic League 78-61 2nd St. Louis Cardinals Lost in 1st round
1985 Springfield (IL) Cardinals Midwest League 66-74 8th (t) St. Louis Cardinals

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