Bruce Sutter

Athlete

1953-01-08 – 2022-10-13

American Major League Baseball relief pitcher and Hall of Famer, widely credited with popularizing the split-finger fastball. He won the Cy Young Award in 1979 and a World Series with the Cardinals in 1982.

Quotes by Bruce Sutter

Young pitchers don't throw enough in the minor leagues, and when they get to the majors, they don't have the stamina; their arms haven't been built up.
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When I played, I never needed the spotlight, nor did I want it. I simply wanted to play baseball and be respected by my teammates and the opposing players.
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The three most important pitches I threw in my life were all fastballs.
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It just tickles me still when you see Roger Clemens, as great as he is, throw a split-finger and the hitter just swings and misses. They don't see that ball that well. Jack Morris threw an awful good one and Mike Scott. There's a lot of great pitchers over the years that I think that pitch definitely helped their career.
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The Cubs gave me a chance to play. They signed me as a free agent and brought me to the Major Leagues. The first day I walked into Wrigley Field was one of the best days of my life. And I owe them an awful lot.
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It's not good or bad, but closers have changed things. I don't think you are going to win a World Series without one. Where would the Yankees be without Mariano Rivera?
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