Tommy Shimp

Tommy Joe Shimp

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 180 lb.
• School Rose State College
• Born August 29, 1957 in Del City, OK USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Tommy Shimp spent 10 seasons in the minor leagues, playing from 1977 to 1986. He spent part or all of five seasons at Triple-A, but largely struggled in the high minors and never ascended to the majors.

He was originally taken by the Montreal Expos in the 21st round of the 1977 amateur draft. He began with a 3-6 record and a 2.79 ERA between two clubs in 1977, completing 5 of the 10 games he started. In 1978, he was 9-2 with a 2.67 ERA in 17 games (13 starts) for the Jamestown Expos and in 1979, he was 13-8 with 15 complete games and a 2.59 ERA in 27 games (23 starts) for the West Palm Beach Expos. In 1980, with the Memphis Chicks, Shimp went 11-5 with a 3.00 ERA in 25 games (18 starts).

He slipped to 5-6 with a 6.52 ERA in 34 games (8 starts) in 1981, including a 3-3, 6.84 line in his first try at Triple-A. He never again had consistent success over the latter part of his career, which was mostly spent in the mid and high minors. His season ERAs from 1982 to 1986 were 3.84, 4.87, 4.69, 2.67 and 6.43, respectively. Despite a 4.87 ERA in 1983, he managed an 11-8 record between two clubs. The season in which his ERA was 2.67 was his most successful at Triple-A, when he also went 5-5 in 24 games (9 starts) for the Oklahoma City 89ers in the Texas Rangers system.

Overall, Shimp went 70-59 with a 3.90 ERA in 248 games (144 starts). In 1,191 2/3 innings, he allowed 1,186 hits and 498 walks (1.413 WHIP), while striking out more than 740 batters. At Triple-A, he was 16-17 with a 5.38 ERA in 89 games (37 starts).