With so many legends of the game passing away in 2020, the following year is already off to an inauspicious start. Hall of Fame pitcher Don Sutton passed away on Monday at the age of 75.
A 23-year big league veteran, Sutton was one of the game’s all-time great workhorses, as the right-hander piled up 5,282.1 lifetime innings pitched. Throwing more than 200.0 innings in a remarkable twenty different seasons, Sutton came to define the idea of possessing a rubber arm. Over his lengthy career, The Mechanic posted a pristine 3.26 ERA, 3.24 FIP, 1.14 WHIP, and 3,574 punchouts, as well as being a member of the prestigious 300 win club with 324 to his credit.
In addition to incredible stats, Sutton piled up four All-Star berths and an ERA title, and his ultimate achievement came in 1998 when he was enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. After his playing career ended in 1988, Don Sutton went on to have a three-decade long career as a broadcaster, working for the Dodgers, Braves, and Nationals, as well as calling games for TBS.
Don Sutton was one of the true giants in the history of baseball, as his roughly half-century of work in the sport led to his having a profound impact on the lives of millions of fans. Pitching alongside legendary figures like Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale, Sutton still shined as bright as could be. His workhorse mentality proved that the best ability is availability, and that they just don’t make them like they use to anymore.
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