Eric Plunk

[Michael Trzinski]

In his 14-year career, Eric Vaughn Plunk never made a major league all-star team. All he did was compile an ERA+ of more than 100 in 10 of these years, signifying a solid pitcher. Early in his career he was a spot starter, but he also notched 35 saves, including a high of 15 in 1993 for the Cleveland Indians.

Plunk was born in 1963 in Wilmington, California and attended Bellflower High School. In 1981, he was drafted by the New York Yankees in the fourth round in the MLB Amateur Draft. Plunk was used mostly as a starter in his first four years in the Yankees organization, but he was involved in a trade with the Oakland Athletics December 1984 that included José Rijo and Rickey Henderson.

After one-plus years in the minors for Oakland, Plunk was called up to the A’s in May 1986 and started out as a reliever, but in his eighth big-league game took the ball for a start and earned the victory over the Texas Rangers, pitching 7.2 innings, giving up three hits, two runs, and five walks while striking out 10 in the 3-2 victory.

Plunk pitched for two-plus years for Oakland and then was traded to the New York Yankees in June 1989. The big (6-foot-5, 210 pound) righty was a key part of the Yankee bullpen for two and ½ years, and then signed as a free agent in April 1992 by the Cleveland Indians. Plunk was a solid member of the Indians bull pen over six-plus seasons, appearing in 373 games and compiling an ERA+ of 140. In July 1998, he was traded to the Brewers.

On the downside of his career, Plunk pitched 94 games for Milwaukee between 1998 and 1999, earning five wins and one save.

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[AKCheesehead]

It's a shame he never once led the league in HBP. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

2 hours ago, AKCheesehead said:

It's a shame he never once led the league in HBP. 

Just didn't live up to the name.