Larry Andersen

Larry Eugene Andersen (born May 6, 1953) is an American former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball and current radio color commentator for the Philadelphia Phillies. From through , Andersen played for the Cleveland Indians (1975, , ), Seattle Mariners (–), Philadelphia Phillies (–, –1994), Houston Astros (–), Boston Red Sox, and San Diego Padres (–).

Playing and coaching career Andersen possessed an average fastball and outstanding slider. He was drafted out of high school in the seventh round (157th overall) of the 1971 Major League Baseball draft by the Cleveland Indians. Andersen made his professional debut that year, posting a record of 1–3 with a 5.31 ERA in 11 games (five starts) with the Gulf Coast League Indians and the Single-A Reno Silver Sox of the California League. He pitched in his first full season for Single-A Reno in 1972, going 4–14 with a 6.53 ERA in 124 innings, with a 1.80 WHIP in 27 games (19 starts). In parts of three seasons with Cleveland, he appeared in a combined 22 games, and was 0–1 with a 5.40 ERA.

On December 21, 1979, Andersen was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for John Burden and Larry Littleton.

Andersen spent most of the 1983 season with Triple-A Portland, going 7–8 with 22 saves and a 2.05 ERA in 52 appearances. He was immediately added to the Phillies' roster, and remained with the team for the rest of the season. In 17 games, Andersen was 1–0 with a 2.39 ERA. He pitched in Game 2 and 4 of the 1983 World Series (while Philadelphia lost in five games), pitching two innings each; he allowed a run in Game 2.

Three days after he was released by the Phillies, Andersen was signed as a free agent by the Houston Astros. Andersen appeared in 38 games to end the season, finishing 2–1 with one save and a 2.78 ERA. In , Andersen arguably had his best season in the majors up to that point. He finished with a record of 9–5, a 3.45 ERA, 94 strikeouts, and 101 innings pitched in 67 games. He set career highs in wins, innings pitched and strikeouts.

On August 30, 1990, Andersen was traded to the Boston Red Sox for minor league prospect Jeff Bagwell. He made 15 relief appearances for the Red Sox in September, recording one save and a 1.23 ERA. In the 1990 American League Championship Series, he pitched an inning each in Game 1, 2, and 4. In Game 1, he was summoned in the seventh with the Sox leading 1-0. He gave up a walk and a hit before a flyball to center was deep enough for a sacrifice fly to tie the game. In the eighth, he gave up a leadoff single to José Canseco and was immediately pulled. The next two pitchers (Tom Bolton and Jeff Gray) proceeded to give up the run in the eighth and then seven more in the ninth as the Red Sox lost 9-1 that marked Andersen with the loss. The Athletics won the series in a sweep.

On December 21, 1990, Andersen signed a two-year, $4.35 million contract with the San Diego Padres. In 1991, he was 3–4 with a career-high 13 saves and a 2.30 ERA in 38 relief appearances. In 1992, Andersen was 1–1 with two saves and a 3.34 ERA in 34 relief appearances. He enjoyed a productive season out of the Phillies bullpen, going 3–2 with a 2.92 ERA in 64 relief appearances. However, Andersen struggled in the postseason, recording a 15.43 ERA in the 1993 NLCS and a 9.82 ERA in the 1993 World Series. In his final major league season, Andersen went 1–2 with a 4.41 ERA in 29 relief appearances.