Gil Patterson

Gilbert Thomas Patterson (born September 5, 1955) is an American Minor League pitching coordinator and former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees in its 1977 season. Listed at 6' 1", 185 lb., Patterson batted and threw right handed.

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Patterson grew up in Miami, Florida. He was a highly touted prospect until a devastating right shoulder injury cut his promising playing career short. Nevertheless, he developed into one of the most respected Minor League pitching coaches and instructors in baseball.

Playing career The Yankees selected Patterson in the first round (7th pick) of the 1975 MLB draft out of Miami Dade Community College in Miami, FL. A 19-year-old rookie, he was immediately assigned to Class Low-A Oneonta Yankees, where he posted an 8–4 record with a 1.95 ERA and one shutout in 14 games (13 starts), while his 97 strikeouts in 106.0 innings pitched led the New York-Penn League.

In 1976, Patterson was impressive, going 9–2 with a 2.44 ERA at Double-A West Haven Yankees, He gained a promotion to Triple-A Syracuse Chiefs, where he was 7–2 with a 2.92 ERA. Overall, he went 16–4 with a 2.44 ERA in the two stints, including two shutouts and 12 complete games over 23 starts in 177.0 innings.

In 10 starts, Patterson went 5–3 with a 4.56 ERA in 71.0 innings,

Coaching career Patterson was out of baseball by 1983, though he held out hope for a comeback. He took a job parking cars at a restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in which he threw left-handed against the outside walls after closing. The Yankees made their spring training in town, and its owner George Steinbrenner went to the restaurant one night and recognized Patterson. Steinbrenner offered him a coaching job, but it did not last long. As a result, Patterson began his coaching career in 1984 with his first team, the Oneonta Yankees, but would not let history repeat. He then was dismissed after the season for refusing to let the then 19-year-old prospect Al Leiter pitch with a sore arm. Pitching development has been the backbone of the Athletics since the franchise moved to Oakland, while Patterson is one of the men who helped to build that program in the early 1990s.