Randy Tate (baseball)

Randy Tate
Starting pitcher
Born: (1952-10-23)October 23, 1952
Florence, Alabama, U.S.
Died: March 25, 2021(2021-03-25) (aged 68)
Muscle Shoals, Alabama, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 14, 1975, for the New York Mets
Last MLB appearance
September 27, 1975, for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
Win–loss record5–13
Earned run average4.45
Strikeouts99
Teams

Randall Lee Tate (October 23, 1952 – March 25, 2021) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played for the New York Mets in their 1975 season.

Career

His record that year was 5 wins and 13 losses with an earned run average of 4.45.[1][2] While Tate is noted for never having achieved a Major League hit despite having 41 at bats,[3] he is best known for nearly pitching a no-hitter on August 4, 1975 at Shea Stadium against the Montreal Expos. Despite not allowing a hit through seven and one third innings, Tate ended up losing the game[4][5]—which seems to have been the final straw for Mets management regarding the tenure of manager Yogi Berra, who was fired the next day.

After spending the entire 1975 season in the Mets starting pitching rotation, Tate was sent to the Mets' class AAA minor league affiliate at Tidewater for the 1976 season. He pitched poorly and never made another major league appearance.[6] After 1976, Tate was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates and pitched for their Triple A affiliate. He tore his rotator cuff and was forced out of the league.[6]

Death

Tate died from complications of COVID-19 in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, on March 25, 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Alabama. He was 68.[7]

References

  1. ^ "Randy Tate Statistics and History". baseball-reference.com. sports-reference.com. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
  2. ^ "The Ultimate Mets Database – Randy Tate: Mets Pitching Statistics". ultimatemets.com. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
  3. ^ "The Ultimate Mets Database – Randy Tate: Mets Batting Statistics". ultimatemets.com. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
  4. ^ "Aug 4, 1975, Expos at Mets Play by Play and Box Score". baseball-reference.com. sports-reference.com. August 4, 1975. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
  5. ^ "The Ultimate Mets Database – Randy Tate: Memories of Randy Tate". ultimatemets.com. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
  6. ^ a b "The Ultimate Mets Database – Randy Tate: Minor League Statistics". ultimatemets.com. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
  7. ^ "Obituary: Randy Tate (1952-2021)". ripbaseball.com. March 29, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2023.

External links