Pete Smith (baseball, born 1966) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pete Smith |
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Smith with the Greenville Braves c. 1987
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: February 27, 1966 Abington, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 8, 1987, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 24, 1998, for the Baltimore Orioles | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 47–71 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.55 | ||
| Strikeouts | 640 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Peter John Smith, born on February 27, 1966, is a former American baseball player. He was a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). Pete was born in Abington, Massachusetts. The Philadelphia Phillies chose him in the first round of the 1984 MLB draft. He signed with the Phillies on June 14, 1984. Pete threw and batted with his right hand during his baseball career.
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Growing Up and High School Baseball
Pete Smith grew up in Massachusetts. He finished high school at Burlington High School in 1984. During his senior year, he showed off his pitching skills. He pitched two no-hitters, which means the other team didn't get any hits against him in those games.
Pete Smith's Major League Baseball Career
Starting with the Atlanta Braves
The Philadelphia Phillies traded Pete Smith to the Atlanta Braves. This trade also included player Ozzie Virgil, Jr.. In return, the Phillies received Steve Bedrosian and Milt Thompson. Pete made his first big league appearance on September 8, 1987. He was 21 years old when he debuted with the Atlanta Braves.
In 1988, the year after his first season, Smith pitched three shutouts. A shutout means the pitcher doesn't let the other team score any runs. The Braves hoped Pete would become a top pitcher, like John Smoltz and Tom Glavine were becoming.
Moving to Other Teams
In 1989, Pete's ERA (a stat that shows how many runs a pitcher gives up) was 4.75. This was higher than his 3.69 ERA in 1988. Some people thought injuries might have affected his performance that year.
Pete played for the Atlanta Braves from 1987 to 1993. After that, he was traded to the New York Mets for Dave Gallagher. He played only the 1994 season with the Mets. Then, he became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team he wanted.
On December 1, 1994, Pete signed with the Cincinnati Reds. He played with them for about half of the 1995 season. He was then released on June 27. On July 1, he signed with the Florida Marlins. He spent the rest of 1995 playing in the minor leagues.
Later Career and Retirement
Pete became a free agent again and signed with the San Diego Padres on December 23, 1995. In 1996, he played for the Padres' top minor league team, the Las Vegas Stars.
He returned to the major leagues in 1997 and played for the Padres for a season and a half. On May 31, 1997, Pete earned his only MLB save. A save happens when a pitcher finishes a game and helps their team win. On June 9, 1998, Smith was traded to the Baltimore Orioles. He played his last professional game on September 24, 1998.
Throughout his MLB career, Pete Smith had an ERA of 4.55. He also struck out 640 batters. He pitched a total of four shutouts during his time in the major leagues.
