Bob Stanley

Position: Pitcher
Bats: Right • Throws: Right
6-4, 210lb (193cm, 95kg)
Born: November 10, 1954 in Portland, ME
Draft: Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 9th round of the 1973 MLB June Amateur Draft from Kearny HS (Kearny, NJ) and the Boston Red Sox in the 1st round (7th) of the 1974 MLB January Draft-Secondary Phase from Kearny HS (Kearny, NJ).
High School: Kearny HS (Kearny, NJ)
Debut: April 16, 1977 (13,874th in major league history)
vs. CLE 4.0 IP, 4 H, 2 SO, 1 BB, 1 ER, Sv
Last Game: September 5, 1989
vs. OAK 0.0 IP, 2 H, 0 SO, 1 BB, 3 ER
Full Name: Robert William Stanley
Nicknames: Stanley Steamer or Bigfoot

View Player Info from the B-R Bullpen
View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject

Nine Players Who Debuted in 1977

Eddie Murray
Lou Whitaker
Alan Trammell
Jack Morris
Lance Parrish
Dale Berra
Bump Wills
Rick Honeycutt
Willie Hernandez

All-Time Teammate Team

Coming Soon

Notable Events and Chronology

May 8, 1978

After a Bernie Carbo walk and a groundout, the Royals intentionally walk Jim Rice to pitch to Carl Yastrzemski, who clouts a three-run homer. The Red Sox, down 5 – 4, beat the Royals, 8 – 4. Bob Stanley is the winner over Dennis Leonard.

October 4, 1980

Boston collects 22 hits but still loses to visiting Toronto‚ 7-6 in 17 innings

April 10, 1981

Carlton Fisk – Fenway Park Debut

September 4, 1981

In the conclusion of the longest game in Fenway Park history, the Mariners beat the Red Sox, 8 – 7, in 20 innings

June 28, 1984

Dwight Evans completes a cycle with a walk-off home run, becoming only the fourth major league player to accomplish the feat

August 29, 1986

Cleveland’s Joe Carter belts three home runs and singles twice as the Indians beat the Red Sox, 7 – 3, at Fenway Park.

October 19, 1986

Steve Crawford is the becomes the first hurler to win a Fall Classic contest after being winless during the regular season

July 30, 1988

John Franco establishes the major league record for the most saves in the month when he records the final two outs in Cincinnati’s 2-0 victory over San Diego at Jack Murphy Stadium. The Reds’ reliever, who retires future Hall of Famers Roberto Alomar and Tony Gwynn to record his 13th save in June, betters the mark he had shared with Sparky Lyle, Bruce Sutter, and Bob Stanley.

July 1, 2009

Jonathan Papelbon passes Bob Stanley for the franchise lead for saves with 133.

Biography

Robert William “Bob” Stanley (born November 10, 1954 in Portland, Maine) is a former Major League Baseball right-handed relief pitcher who played with the Boston Red Sox.

Over his 13-year career, Stanley played only for the Red Sox from 1977-89. Bob was a first-round pick of the Boston Red Sox in 1974.

A sinker ball specialist, Stanley was the club all-time saves leader with 132 until Jonathan Papelbon passed him on July 1, 2009, but to most Red Sox fans, he is simply known as “The Steamer”. He is also the all-time leader in appearances with 637 and is a member of the Red Sox Hall of Fame since 2000. His best season came in 1983 when he led the Sox with 33 saves and posted a 2.45 ERA.

Stanley was a key member of the 1986 Red Sox team that came within one strike of winning the World Series but ultimately fell to the Mets in seven games. In the tenth inning of Game Six, Stanley’s 2-2 wild pitch to Mookie Wilson allowed the Mets to tie the score.

In 1987, working as a starter for the first time since 1979, Stanley was 4-15 with 67 strikeouts and a 5.01 ERA.

On September 25, 1989, Stanley announced his retirement. He compiled a 115-97 career-record with 693 strikeouts, a 3.64 ERA, 21 complete games, seven shutouts, 132 saves, and 1707 innings in 637 games (85 as a starter).

On April 4, 2011 Bob Stanley was named President of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League franchise the Seacoast Mavericks. The Mavs are owned and operated by Bob’s good friend, Dave Hoyt who owns and operates USA Training Center In Portsmouth, New Hampshire where Bob gives lessons on a part-time basis.

To this day, Bob Stanley still lives in the New England area, living in the Seacoast region of southern New Hampshire.

Highlights

Twice All-Star (1979, 1983)
Twice Top 10 Cy Young Award (7th, 1978; 7th, 1982)
3-time led the Major Leagues in relief innings (1981–83)
Set an American League record in relief innings (168.1, 1982)

@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IC0gLSAtIC0gLSAtIC0gIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@

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