Dave Stewart (baseball)

Dave Stewart
Stewart on August 1, 2009.
Pitcher
Born: February 19, 1957 (1957-02-19) Oakland, California
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 22, 1978 for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Last MLB appearance
July 17, 1995 for the Oakland Athletics
Career statistics
Win–loss record	168–129
Earned run average	3.95
Strikeouts	1,741
Teams
Los Angeles Dodgers (1978, 1981–1983) Texas Rangers (1983–1985) Philadelphia Phillies (1985–1986) Oakland Athletics (1986–1992) Toronto Blue Jays (1993–1994) Oakland Athletics (1995)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star (1989) 3× World Series champion (1981, 1989, 1993) 1989 World Series MVP 2× ALCS MVP (1990, 1993) 1990 Roberto Clemente Award 1989 Babe Ruth Award Pitched no-hitter on June 29, 1990

David Keith Stewart (born February 19, 1957 in Oakland, California) is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball during the late 1980s and early 1990s. A 20-game winner for 4 consecutive years, he was known for his post-season performance and for staring down batters when pitching to them. He currently works as a sports agent in San Diego.

Early life

Stewart attended Saint Elizabeth High School in Oakland, California.

Early career

Dave Stewart signing autographs at Texas Rangers/Eckerd Drug Camera Day at Arlington Stadium on Sunday, April 28, 1985.

Stewart was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 16th round of the 1975 amateur draft as a catcher, but made his major league debut on September 22, 1978 as a pitcher. He did not find his niche in the major leagues until some time later. After returning to the minor leagues, he resurfaced in the Majors again in 1981. Teams were unsure how he would be best utilized, and Stewart split time starting and relieving for the Dodgers, Texas Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies in the early to mid-1980s. His nickname at the time was Dave "Smoke" Stewart. In 1986, the Oakland Athletics signed him after he was released by the Phillies. Stewart successfully converted to a starting role with the A's, posting a 9-5 record.

1987-1990

In 1987 he won 20 games while posting a 3.68 ERA and striking out 205 batters. His new-found stardom would not be short-lived as he won 20 or more games in each of the next three seasons (1988–1990) and led a powerful Athletics club to the World Series each of those years. Remarkably, he pitched over 250 innings in each of those four seasons, frequently posting complete games. In 1989, the Athletics won the World Series championship, with Stewart, who won two of the four games while giving up just three runs, being named World Series MVP. In 1990, the A's won their third straight pennant, beating the Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship Series, and Stewart was named the ALCS MVP. However, Oakland was upset in the World Series with a sweep by a decidedly underdog Cincinnati Reds squad.

On June 29, 1990, Stewart no-hit his future team, the Toronto Blue Jays, at SkyDome, the first no-hitter by an African American since Jim Bibby in 1973 and, the last thrown by an Athletic before Dallas Braden pitched a perfect game on May 9, 2010. In a game that started minutes after Stewart's no-hitter finished, Dodger Fernando Valenzuela no-hit the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium – the first time in Major League history that no-hitters had been thrown in both leagues on the same day. Coincidentally, ESPN broadcast both games back-to-back that night.

1991-1995

Stewart was also a part of the 1992 Oakland team which lost in the ALCS to the Blue Jays. Toronto went on to win the World Series that year, catching Stewart's eye and prompting him to sign with them in 1993. The Blue Jays made it to the ALCS once again, and triumphed over the Chicago White Sox 4 games to 2, with Stewart winning ALCS MVP honors for the second time in his career. The Blue Jays then went on to defeat the Phillies 4 games to 2 in the World Series. Stewart remained with the Blue Jays for the 1994 season, then returned to Oakland to finish his career in 1995.

Over his career, he started 18 games in the postseason, compiling a stellar 2.84 ERA and 10-6 record (although his best numbers were from the League Championship Series, going 8-0.) Including the postseason, Stewart posted a 9-1 career record against Roger Clemens.

Post-playing career

Stewart has served as pitching coach for the San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, and Toronto Blue Jays. He was also assistant general manager for the Blue Jays, and for a time regarded as a candidate for GM. He started a sports agency called Sports Management Partners, and currently represents Major League players such as Matt Kemp and Chad Billingsley.

See also

• List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
• List of Major League Baseball wins champions
• Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all time
• Major League Baseball titles leaders
• List of Major League Baseball no-hitters

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
• http://blog.nbx.com/dave_stewart/index.html Dave Stewart's blog

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Roger Clemens	American League Wins Champion 1987 (with Roger Clemens)	Succeeded by Frank Viola
Preceded by Orel Hershiser	World Series MVP 1989	Succeeded by José Rijo
Preceded by Orel Hershiser	Babe Ruth Award 1989	Succeeded by Billy Hatcher
Preceded by Rickey Henderson Roberto Alomar	American League Championship Series MVP 1990 1993	Succeeded by Kirby Puckett Orel Hershiser
Preceded by Frank Viola	American League All-Star Game Starting Pitcher 1989	Succeeded by Bob Welch
Preceded by Nolan Ryan	No-hitter pitcher June 29, 1990	Succeeded by Fernando Valenzuela