Jim Rooker
| Jim Rooker | |||
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| Pitcher | |||
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Born: September 23, 1942 Lakeview, Oregon |
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| MLB debut | |||
| June 30, 1968, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| Last MLB appearance | |||
| May 2, 1980, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 103–109 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.46 | ||
| Strikeouts | 976 | ||
| Teams | |||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
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James Phillip Rooker (born September 23, 1942 in Lakeview, Oregon) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and broadcaster.
A left-hander, Rooker pitched for the Detroit Tigers (1968), Kansas City Royals (1969–1973) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1974–1980).
Signed as an amateur free agent by the Detroit Tigers, Rooker spent seven years in the Detroit farm system until he debuted in 1968, pitching 4 2⁄3 innings in two games in relief. After being selected by the Kansas City Royals in the October 1968 expansion draft he made the starting rotation. In 1969 he won only four games against 16 losses; however, in one of the losses, on July 7 against the Minnesota Twins, he became the first Royal to hit two home runs in one game. Both home runs were off Jim Kaat.
Rooker improved his record to 10-15 in 1970; one of the losses came in a 12-inning game against the New York Yankees on June 4 after Horace Clarke broke up Rooker's bid for a no-hitter leading off the ninth with a single then came around to score after a Bobby Murcer double. After winning only seven games against 13 losses over the next two seasons Rooker was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Gene Garber.
Rooker enjoyed his best seasons in Pittsburgh, posting a 10-6 record in 1973 and a 15-11 record with a 2.78 earned run average in 1974. The wins and ERA were a career best, as was his strikeout total (139). The Pirates won the National League East title the latter year, and Rooker pitched in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He gave up two runs in 7 innings but was not involved in the decision; the Dodgers won the game, then went on to win the Series. In 1975 Rooker went 13-11 with a 2.97 ERA as the Pirates won the NL East title again; once again, however, the Pirates were defeated in the NLCS, this time by the eventual World Champion Cincinnati Reds. In Game Two of that Series Rooker gave up four runs in as many innings, including a two-run home run to Tony Pérez in the first inning.
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