Corridor-of-Famer Dave Parker handed away at age 74 right this moment after a protracted battle with Parkinson’s illness, because the Pirates introduced simply previous to the beginning of right this moment’s sport. The unhappy information comes lower than a month earlier than Parker was formally set to be inducted into Cooperstown, as Parker and Dick Allen (like Parker, a former MVP and seven-time All-Star) had been voted into the Corridor by the Period Committee final winter.
A veteran of 19 Main League seasons from 1973-1991, “the Cobra” was one of many sport’s most feared hitters for almost all of his profession. Parker batted .290/.339/.471 over 10184 profession plate appearances and 2466 video games, amassing 339 homers and 2712 profession hits. Alongside together with his seven All-Star nods and the 1978 NL MVP Award, Parker was a two-time batting champion and a three-time Gold Glover. With 154 steals additionally on his resume, Parker was a respectable five-tool menace throughout his prime years, earlier than knee issues sapped Parker’s pace and skill to recurrently play the sphere.
This spectacular profession arose from a modest begin as a 14th-round decide for the Pirates within the 1970 draft. An element-timer in his first two MLB seasons, Parker emerged as an on a regular basis power in 1975, becoming a member of forces with Pittsburgh legend Willie Stargell and different notables of the period like Al Oliver, Invoice Robinson, and Richie Zisk to wreak havoc in the course of the lineup.
The Pirates had a number of excellent groups throughout Parker’s 11 seasons in Pittsburgh, however again within the days when solely the 2 division winners reached the postseason, playoff success was more durable to return by. The Buccos received three division titles throughout Parker’s tenure however didn’t attain the World Sequence till 1979, when the “We Are Household” Pirates overcame a 3-1 sequence deficit to defeat the Orioles and seize the franchise’s most up-to-date championship. Parker naturally performed a giant position within the title run, hitting .341/.396/.415 over 48 postseason PA to assist the Pirates seize the crown.
Parker additionally achieved a notable contractual milestone earlier than the 1979 season even began, as he signed a five-year, $5MM contract with the Pirates that was (on the time) the game’s largest contract. Technically the deal made Parker the primary participant to earn $1MM per season, even when some deferred cash throughout the deal left his precise annual common worth south of the seven-figure mark.
That contract led to elevated expectations, and whereas Parker’s outgoing and bombastic character made him a fan favourite throughout the good occasions, some in Pittsburgh began to view Parker as conceited when the Pirates’ play tailed off after 1979 and Parker’s personal numbers began to decrease. Parker’s knee issues and a cocaine habit had been clearly impacting his efficiency, and he left Pittsburgh to signal with the Reds following the 1983 season.
The second act of Parker’s profession had a number of extra memorable moments, together with a giant comeback yr in 1985 that noticed him lead the NL in complete bases, doubles, and RBI whereas ending second in NL MVP voting. Parker adopted up his 4 seasons in Cincinnati with two seasons with the pennant-winning Athletics in 1988 and 1989. Whereas not fairly the premium bat of his prime years, the Cobra nonetheless helped the A’s win the World Sequence in 1989. The transfer to the American League additionally allowed Parker to grow to be a chosen hitter for the primary time in his profession, and he was basically a DH-only participant with loads of pop nonetheless in his bat from 1989-91 with the A’s, Brewers, Angels, and Blue Jays.
After retirement, Parker had moved into teaching, and spent a very long time ready for his eventual name to Cooperstown. Parker by no means acquired a lot assist from the writers throughout his 15 years on the BBWAA poll, together with his cocaine behavior and his involvement within the 1985 Pittsburgh drug trials usually considered as the important thing cause for the shortage of voter assist. It’s bittersweet that Parker will likely be a posthumous induction at subsequent month’s ceremony in Cooperstown, however he a minimum of acquired the satisfaction of studying final December that he had lastly been correctly minted as a Corridor of Famer.
All of us at MLB Commerce Rumors share our condolences with Parker’s household, mates, and plenty of followers.
