Lloyd Merritt

Lloyd Wesley Merritt

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 189 lb.
• School University of Missouri, Washington University in Saint Louis
• High School Beaumont High School (St. Louis)
• Debut April 22, 1957
• Final Game September 28, 1957
• Born April 8, 1933 in St. Louis, MO USA

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Biographical Information

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

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

Related Sites

• Lloyd Merritt at the SABR Bio Project