Former major league reliever Randy Moffitt passed away on Thursday at age 76, the Giants announced. According to an Associated Press report, Moffitt had battled an extended illness.
The younger brother of tennis legend Billie Jean King, Moffitt was a gifted athlete in his own right. San Francisco drafted him in the first round in 1970 out of Long Beach State. The Giants moved him to the bullpen after one minor league season. He reached the big leagues in 1972 and spent the remainder of the decade pitching towards the back of the San Francisco relief corps.
Moffitt recorded double digit save totals in each season from 1973-78. He had a pair of sub-3.00 ERA showings. Moffitt struck out 65 hitters with a 2.42 mark across 100 1/3 innings in 1973. He tossed a personal-high 103 frames of 2.27 ERA ball three seasons later. The 6’3″ righty remained in San Francisco until he was released in 1981. He finished his big league career with lone seasons for the Astros and Blue Jays.
Over a career spanning parts of 12 seasons, Moffitt turned in a 3.65 earned run average. He finished 306 of his 534 appearances, including 96 saves. Moffitt won 43 games and tallied 455 strikeouts. He made 459 appearances in a San Francisco uniform. Moffitt is sixth in franchise history in appearances, fifth in games finished, and ninth in saves. He’s a member of the organization’s Wall of Fame. MLBTR joins others around the game in sending condolences to his family, friends, loved ones and former teammates.
RIP to a terrific SF Giant
RIPRandy
RIP Dirtbag.
Fascinating life story.
How was he a dirtbag?
Long Beach State. That’s what they’re called!
That make sense. I did not know that was their nickname. Thanks!
I not a Giants fan but sounds like a nickname. OP’s tenor is complimentary as well.
RIP Randy, you live on in many card collections and memories.
Long Beach State’s baseball team is known as The Dirtbags. That’s all they are called down here.
This was in no way a comment on his character.
Kurt shilling I’d understand but I don’t get it on this guy?
Long Beach State’s baseball team is known as the Dirtbags. It’s a point of honor of playing the game the right way and getting dirty.
My comment in no way is an atta k in his character.
lol thanks for clearing that first part up.
Why a specific side swipe of Curt Schilling?
RIP RM!!!
Why did he stop playing? He was not bad in 1983, 3.77 ERA, 115 ERA+, perhaps those numbers were not valued in 1983, but it was his best year in years.
In 1979 he caught Cryptosporidiosis and it didn’t number on his body.
It isn’t like today. Back then players often bowed out in their mid-30s. They were content with what they had accomplished and moved on.
Dude it’s the same as today what are you talking about
Niekro Perry Ryan Franco and this list of 40+year old pitchers from the 70s/80s is LOOOOOONNNG. Sorry, kinda clueless post
Or put on enough time to become vested on Team and Union levels.
RIP
Baseball reference shows that he made 700k in his career. But they also leave out his first 6 years and last year in the league. I wonder if he had to work after his baseball career.
I remember Randy Moffitt well and his sister. Seems too young these days to go over the rainbow. RIP and condolences to his family and friends.
Yes, it does seem too young.
A TRUE FOREVER GIANT !!!
His teammates Marc Hill passed away on 8/24 a 14 year veteran and not one mentiom on MLBTR.
Remember Moffitt and Gary Lavelle as very reliable relievers for the Giants.
God bless him…condolences to all of his family, especially Billie Jean, and others who mourn,from this lifelong Dodger fan
He was a local guy from Long Beach, as others have noted. We had his baseball cards–I can still picture cards like it was yesterday.
Great childhood memories…feeling nostalgic…..
Players from your youth often blur together in time. When I saw the news I thought he might only be in his 60s, way too young, but then realized he was well into his 70s. Good pitcher. Condolences to family, friends and fans.
I was thinking the same thing. I will never remember him taking on an aging Bobby Riggs in a tennis match!