Butch Metzger

<h2 id="professional-career">Professional career</h2>
<p>After playing high school baseball at <a href="/facts/John_F._Kennedy_High_School_(Sacramento%2c_California)/o391yc9E">John F. Kennedy High School</a> in <a href="/facts/Sacramento%2c_California/L2BulyUg">Sacramento, California</a>, Metzger was drafted in the 2nd round of the <a href="/facts/1970_Major_League_Baseball_draft/2nPTLQxe">1970 amateur draft</a> by the <a href="/facts/San_Francisco_Giants/kClzp1nU">San Francisco Giants</a>.
</p><p>Metzger made his <a href="/facts/Major_League_Baseball/4WW9yef3">major league</a> debut on September 8, 1974 with the <a href="/facts/1974_San_Francisco_Giants_season/hBoXzBI8">Giants</a>. He played limitedly, pitching 12.7 <a href="/facts/Inning/QINt6SBV">innings</a> and posting a 3.55 <a href="/facts/Earned_run_average/vcs2BnI3">ERA</a>.
</p><p>He was dealt along with <a href="/facts/Tito_Fuentes/HyLhj9BM">Tito Fuentes</a> from the Giants to the <a href="/facts/1975_San_Diego_Padres_season/A4GSk3g4">Padres</a> for <a href="/facts/Derrel_Thomas/qs3tMld6">Derrel Thomas</a> at the <a href="/facts/Winter_Meetings/RYUw5TAS">Winter Meetings</a> on December 6, 1974.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> Metzger pitched limitedly again, having control issues (he had walked 16 men in his 17.3 innings of career pitching).
</p><p>In <a href="/facts/1976_in_baseball/kS4uxeVx">1976</a>, Metzger was able to successfully control his pitches, and had a great year for a rookie. He posted a 2.92 ERA, along with an 11-4 record, 89 <a href="/facts/Strikeout/LVyhvjnh">strikeouts</a>, 52 <a href="/facts/Bases_on_balls/4wXWn8VN">walks</a> and 16 <a href="/facts/Save_(baseball)/jRnJLEyv">saves</a> in 123.3 innings of work. He was co-voted <a href="/facts/Major_League_Baseball_Rookie_of_the_Year_Award/yTu385kc">National League Rookie of the Year</a> for <a href="/facts/1976_in_baseball/kS4uxeVx">1976</a> with <a href="/facts/Pat_Zachry/Xpub9jbm">Pat Zachry</a>.
</p><p>With a 0–0 record, a 5.87 ERA and having given up 27 hits in 22+2⁄3 innings in 17 appearances to start the <a href="/facts/1977_in_baseball/lHUL5maY">1977 season</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a> Metzger was traded from the <a href="/facts/1977_San_Diego_Padres_season/EgFuPlRg">Padres</a> to the <a href="/facts/1977_St._Louis_Cardinals_season/mCoBV34R">Cardinals</a> for <a href="/facts/John_D%2527Acquisto/RPehKwQH">John D'Acquisto</a> and <a href="/facts/Pat_Scanlon_(third_baseman)/HABIfj9M">Pat Scanlon</a> on May 17, 1977.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> Metzger posted better numbers with the Cardinals, collecting 7 saves while posting a 3.11 <a href="/facts/Earned_run_average/vcs2BnI3">ERA</a> and a record of 4 <a href="/facts/Win_(baseball)/PRk4tDUz">wins</a> and 2 losses.
</p><p>However, Metzger was placed on waivers by the Cardinals and picked up by the <a href="/facts/New_York_Mets/hYIMH7kG">New York Mets</a> on April 5, 1978. Metzger had a disappointing season, giving concern to the Mets about his control issues. His contract was subsequently purchased by the <a href="/facts/Philadelphia_Phillies/1BBxpBm0">Philadelphia Phillies</a> on July 4, 1978 and he was sent back to the minors. Metzger never made it back to the major league level and was released by the Phillies on March 19, 1979.
</p><p>He works today as a scout.
</p><p>In his five seasons of baseball, Metzger had an 18-9 record with a 3.74 ERA and 23 saves. He pitched 293.1 innings, gave up 289 <a href="/facts/Hit_(baseball)/STnUHCvq">hits</a>, walked 140, and struck out 175.
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<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li>Career statistics from <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/metzgbu01.shtml">Baseball Reference</a> · <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=metzge001cla">Baseball Reference (Minors)</a> · <a href="https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/Pmetzb101.htm">Retrosheet</a>  , or <a href="http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/M/Pmetzb101.htm">Retrosheet</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>Koppett, Leonard. "Baseball Meetings End Amid Detente," The New York Times, Saturday, December 7, 1974. Retrieved January 20, 2023. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1974/12/07/archives/baseball-meetings-end-amid-detente-meetings-end-amid-detente.html" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/1974/12/07/archives/baseball-meetings-end-amid-detente-meetings-end-amid-detente.html</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>Harvin, Al. "People in Sports," The New York Times, Thursday, May 19, 1977. Retrieved January 21, 2023. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1977/05/19/archives/people-in-sports-palmer-gets-medical-pitch-on-arm-to-keep-throwing.html" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/1977/05/19/archives/people-in-sports-palmer-gets-medical-pitch-on-arm-to-keep-throwing.html</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>"Cards swap for Metzger," The Associated Press (AP), Wednesday, May 18, 1977. Retrieved January 21, 2023. <a href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qDAyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4-UFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4329,2574883&dq=john+d-acquisto+butch+metzger&hl=en" target="_blank">https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qDAyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=4-UFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4329,2574883&dq=john+d-acquisto+butch+metzger&hl=en</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Butch Metzger open-in-new

Butch Metzger