Charlie Kerfeld | |||
---|---|---|---|
Pitcher | |||
Born: Knob Noster, Missouri |
September 28, 1963 |||
|
|||
MLB debut | |||
September 28, 1985, for the Houston Astros | |||
Last MLB appearance | |||
July 23, 1990, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Win–loss record | 18-9 | ||
Strikeouts | 155 | ||
Earned run average | 4.24 | ||
Teams | |||
Charles Patrick Kerfeld (born September 28, 1963 in Knob Noster, Missouri) is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) relief pitcher. Almost all of his career was spent with the Houston Astros. With the Astros, Kerfeld became known for a quirky sense of humor. He pitched for the Houston organization between 1985 and 1990, winning a division title with the Astros in 1986. He was in the minor leagues in 1988 and 1989 before briefly returning to the major leagues with the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves in 1990. After his retirement, Kerfeld entered minor league baseball as a coach. He holds a front office position for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Kerfeld was the Astros' first pick (5th overall) in the secondary phase of 1982 draft, and fared well his first year at Asheville, and his second at Columbus, with sub 3.00 ERAs and 30 wins. He led the 1983 Sally League in wins, complete games, and innings pitched, while finishing second in strikeouts, earning Pitcher of the Year honors. Though he struggled initially at the triple-A level, he eventually found his bearings and even earned a July 1985 call-up to the major league club at the age of 21.
Kerfeld made the big league roster out of spring training in 1986, and had a career year posting an 11-2 record and a 2.59ERA as the setup man for closer Dave Smith. His unexpected performance that year was a key reason the Astros won the National League Western Division title that season. He led the National League in won-loss percentage and finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year balloting. Kerfeld capped his season by pitching four innings and giving up a run in the NLCS. He took the loss in Game 5 when Gary Carter slapped Kerfeld's twelfth-inning pitch for a single, scoring Wally Backman.