Pat Zachry

Patrick Paul Zachry (born April 24, 1952) is an American former professional baseball pitcher.

The "Big Red Machine" became the first team to sweep the entire post-season since the Championship Series were begun in 1969, en route to winning their second consecutive world championship.

After the season, Zachry had a hernia operation, and was in the process of recovering when he and San Diego Padres closer Butch Metzger were named co-winners of the National League Rookie of the Year Award.

It was the first time in major league history co-winners of the award were named.

Zachry was also the first ever Rookie of the Year Award winning pitcher to start and win a World Series game during his rookie season.

Zachry was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the nineteenth round of the 1970 Major League Baseball draft.

In six seasons in their farm system, he compiled a 54-42 record, even 3.00 earned run average and 619 strikeouts.

While a member of the Tampa Tarpons in 1971, Zachry received notice of his military draft eligibility for the nation's on-going engagement in Vietnam, however, he failed the U.S. Army's physical examination.

The reigning World Series champion Reds dealt starting pitcher Clay Kirby to the Montreal Expos for third baseman Bob Bailey at the 1975 Winter Meetings in order to make room in their rotation for Zachry.

He pitched in Major League Baseball from 1976 to 1985.

Zachry was awarded the Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award for his play in the National League in 1976, but he is likely best remembered as one of the players the Cincinnati Reds sent to the New York Mets for Tom Seaver in one of the infamous Mets trades now referred to as the "Midnight Massacre".

Though he made his debut on April 11, 1976 out of the bullpen, he was moved into the starting rotation shortly afterwards.

On May 28, he shut out the Los Angeles Dodgers to improve to 4-0 with a 1.17 ERA.

For the season, Zachry compiled a 14-7 record, 2.74 ERA, and a team leading 143 strikeouts in 204 innings pitched.

In the post-season, Zachry won game two of the 1976 National League Championship Series against the Philadelphia Phillies in Veterans Stadium, and game three of the 1976 World Series with the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium, both by a final score of 6-2.

The hernia, coupled with a sore elbow, delayed Zachry's 1977 Spring training, and denied him the opening day start.

He did not pitch until the fifth game of the season against the Houston Astros.

He gave up three runs in his first inning of work.

In the month of May, Zachry was 0-4 with a 9.85 ERA.

Following an 8-0 loss to Tom Seaver and the New York Mets at Shea Stadium on June 7, Zachry's record fell to 3-7 with a 5.19 ERA.

Seaver, meanwhile, was in a contract dispute with Mets chairman M. Donald Grant, and had requested a trade.

On June 15, 1977, Zachry, Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson and Dan Norman were traded to the Mets in exchange for Seaver; the Beaver County Times wrote that Zachry was the "principal figure" acquired by the Mets in the deal.

Zachry's poor season continued in New York, as he lost his first two decisions to fall to 3-9 combined.

A four hit gem against the Montreal Expos on July 10 signaled a return to form for Zachry.

Over the rest of the season, Zachry went 7-4 with a 3.53 ERA, and was the only Mets starting pitcher to post a winning record (7-6) besides Seaver (7-3).

Zachry was masterful to start his first full season as a Met.

After defeating his former club on April 30, he finished the first month of the 1978 season with a 3-0 record and 1.85 ERA.

A complete game victory over Tommy Lasorda's Los Angeles Dodgers on June 7 improved his record to 7-1, and convinced Lasorda to add Zachry as the sole Mets representative on the National League All-Star team (he did not appear in the game).

On July 24, the Cincinnati Reds came to Shea Stadium with Pete Rose entering the game with a 36-game hitting streak.

Zachry held Rose hitless in his first three at-bats, but Rose ultimately tied Tommy Holmes' N.L. record 37 game streak with a single to left in the seventh inning.

Four batters later, Zachry was pulled in favor of Kevin Kobel.

Frustrated, Zachry went to kick a batting helmet sitting on the dugout steps, missed, and kicked the step.

He suffered contusions in his left foot, and left on crutches.

He was lost for the remainder of the season.

Despite the fact that his 1979 season was also marred by injuries, Zachry was 5-0 with a 2.89 ERA before suffering his first loss and a season-ending injury on June 8 against the Houston Astros.

He would not return to the mound until May of the following season, but managed to stay healthy over the remainder of the 1980 season.

He logged 164.2 innings pitched, his most as a Met, and pitched well in spite of his 6-10 record.

His 3.01 ERA was tops among Mets starters, however, he suffered from a lack of run support.

The Mets were shut out in each of Zachry's last three decisions, and five times in his 26 starts.

On July 25 and July 30, Zachry shut out his opponent in consecutive starts.