Lew Krausse

Over the last six weeks of Lew Krausse’s high school career at Chester (Pennsylvania) High School, he pitched three no-hitters, a one-hitter, a two-hitter, and a pair of three-hitters. In that span of eight games, Krausse whiffed 114 batters and allowed a total of 17 hits. Krausse finished his high school career with 18 no-hitters.

Hours after his high school graduation, Krausse signed with the Kansas City Athletics for $125,000. Since he was a ‘bonus baby,’ he was required to spend his first year in the majors. Eight days after signing his contract, Krausse made his major league debut on June 16, less than two months after his 18^th birthday. In front of 25,869 fans in Municipal Stadium, the right-hander tossed a complete game shutout, allowing only four hits to the Los Angeles Angels in a 4-0 win.

After that sparkling debut, Krausse got roughed up in his next five starts, losing each game. Manager Hank Bauer pulled his young pitcher from the rotation, and he made only two starts over the last two months of the season. But he ended the year the way he started it, with a complete-game 3-2 win over the Washington Senators. In what would be a struggle throughout his career, Krausse battled control issues, walking batters at a rate of 18.0%.

Krausse spent most of the next four years in the minors before returning to the bigs in 1966. He set career highs with 14 wins and a FIP of 3.33 that year. He pitched three more years with the A’s, the last two in Oakland. Krausse started only 60 games of the 127 he appeared in from 1967-1969, winning 24 times and earning 17 saves in a part-time late inning role, including 1969 when the A's were trying to make a starter out of Rollie Fingers.

In early 1970, Krausse was traded to the expansion Milwaukee Brewers, where he spent two seasons. He led the team with 35 starts that first year, and finished second with 13 wins, 216 innings pitched, and 130 strikeouts. The following year, in 43 appearances (22 starts) he fashioned a career high ERA+ of 117. Krausse was involved in a 10-player mega-deal with Boston after the 1971 season, going to the Red Sox with Tommy Harper, Marty Pattin, and Pat Skrable for Ken Brett, Billy Conigliaro, Joe Lahoud, Jim Lonborg, Don Pavletich, and George Scott.

Krausse only pitched in 24 games (seven starts) for Boston and was released the following spring. He pitched one game with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1973 and then saw some action with the Atlanta Braves in 1974, appearing in 29 games with four starts. His 91 ERA+ was the third best of his career. After a disappointing 1975 season with Oakland’s Triple-A Tucson club, Krausse hung up his spikes.

With his success in high school and his spectacular big-league debut, many experts saw greatness in Krausse’s career, but control problems and some injuries derailed that plan.