Kevin Tapani
| Kevin Tapani | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Pitcher | |||
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Born: February 18, 1964 Des Moines, Iowa |
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| MLB debut | |||
| July 4, 1989, for the New York Mets | |||
| Last MLB appearance | |||
| September 27, 2001, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 143–125 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.35 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,482 | ||
| Teams | |||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Kevin Ray Tapani (born February 18, 1964 in Des Moines, Iowa) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, and Chicago Cubs from 1989 to 2001.
Tapani was raised in Escanaba in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He quarterbacked Escanaba High School to the 1981 MHSAA Class A State Football Championship. He then went on to attend Central Michigan University where he was a star pitcher for the Chippewas from 1983 to 1986, finishing with a career record of 23-8, helping the Chippewas to three Mid-American Conference titles, and tossing a no-hitter against Eastern Michigan University in 1986.
Tapani was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 9th round of the 1985 MLB June Amateur Draft, but he did not sign. He was then selected on June 2, 1986 in the second round of the 1986 MLB June Amateur Draft by the Oakland Athletics. He signed five days later and was assigned to Medford A's of the low Single-A Northwest League. However he didn't stay at Medford long as after stops in Modesto and Huntsville, he made his final start of his first season in professional baseball pitching for the Triple-A Tacoma Tigers and finished the year a combined 8-2 with a 2.84 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 85 2/3 Innings. 1987 found Tapani back at Single-A Modesto, despite dominating at the level the previous year, and turned in another good season with a 10-7 record, a 3.76 ERA, and 121 strikouts in 148 1/3 innings. On December 11, a three-team trade was completed that saw Tapani and fellow A's minor league pitcher Wally Whitehurst move to the New York Mets, starter Bob Welch and reliever Matt Young move from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the A's, minor league pitcher Jack Savage go from the Dodgers to the New York Mets, shortstop Alfredo Griffin and closer Jay Howell move from the A's to the Dodgers, and reliever Jesse Orosco go from the Mets to the Dodgers.
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