Bobby Thigpen

Infobox MLB retired
name=Bobby Thigpen


position=Pitcher
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate= birth date and age|1963|7|17
city-state|Tallahassee|Florida
debutdate=August 6
debutyear=by|1986
debutteam=Chicago White Sox
finaldate=April 27
finalyear=by|1994
finalteam=Seattle Mariners
stat1label=Win-Loss record
stat1value=31-36
stat2label=Earned run average
stat2value=3.43
stat3label=Saves
stat3value=201
teams=
* Chicago White Sox (by|1986-by|1993)
* Philadelphia Phillies (by|1993)
* Seattle Mariners (by|1994)
highlights=
* All-Star selection (1990)
* 1990 AL Rolaids Relief Man of the Year

Robert (Bobby) Thomas Thigpen (born July 17, 1963 in Tallahassee, Florida) is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is noted for setting the major league record of 57 saves during the by|1990 season, which has since been broken by Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pitcher Francisco Rodriguez [ [http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=280913103] ] . He is currently the manager of the Bristol White Sox.

After two years at Seminole Community College, Thigpen moved on to pitch and play the outfield for Mississippi State University and coach Ron Polk. Among his teammates were future major-leaguers Will Clark, Rafael Palmeiro and Jeff Brantley. Thigpen was part of MSU's 1985 College World Series team, recording a .305 batting average and saving seven games during the season.

Thigpen was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the fourth round of the 1985 amateur draft. He made the major leagues the next August and moved into the White Sox's closer role. After two straight 30-save seasons, Thigpen had the best season of his career in 1990, setting the then-major league record of 57 saves. He also maintained a 1.83 ERA and was named to the AL All-Star team. He also blew eight saves that season, including two three-run leads.

He later began to battle injuries, starting with a back problem developed after the 1990 season, when some players went on an exhibition tour of Japan. Thigpen's effectiveness waned and he was supplanted in the closer role by Roberto Hernandez.

During the by|1993 season, Thigpen was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for Jose DeLeon, and pitched in the NLCS and World Series for Philadelphia. The following season, he signed with the Seattle Mariners, who released him on April 29. He caught on with the Daiei Hawks and attempted to return to the majors in 1996, only to be derailed by back problems.

Thigpen's 201 career saves rank him 38th on the all-time saves list.

ee also

* List of Major League Baseball saves champions
* List of Major League Baseball all-time saves leaders

External links

*baseballstats |mlb= |espn= |br=t/thigpbo01 |fangraphs=1012958 |cube=T/bobby-thigpen
* [http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/this-annotated-week-in-baseball-history-july 15-july 21-1963/ The Hardball Times' This Week in Annotated Baseball History discusses Thigpen's career]