Todd Roland Worrell (born September 28, 1959) is an American former professional baseball
relief pitcher
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...
. He played all or part of eleven seasons for the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
and
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
of
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
, serving as those teams'
closer for most of his seasons from 1985 through 1997. During his playing career, Worrell was a three-time
National League
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
(NL)
All-Star
An all-star team is a group of people all having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and has been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry.
Sports
"All-star" as a sport ...
.
Born and raised in
Arcadia, California
Arcadia is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, located about northeast of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley and at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. It contains a series of adjacent parks consisting of t ...
, Worrell attended
Biola University
Biola University () is a private, nondenominational, evangelical Christian university in La Mirada, California. It was founded in 1908 as the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. It has over 150 programs of study in nine schools offering bachelor' ...
. He seldom pitched until his senior year, but his 94 mile-per-hour
fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch (baseball), pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. Its distinctive feature is its high speed. "Power pitchers," such as former major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, relied on the ...
caught the attention of a scout for the Cardinals, who made him their first round draft pick in
1982
Events
January
* January 1 – In Malaysia and Singapore, clocks are adjusted to the same time zone, UTC+8 (GMT+8.00).
* January 13 – Air Florida Flight 90 crashes shortly after takeoff into the 14th Street Bridge in Washington, D.C. ...
. He was expected to be a starting pitcher, but he was moved to the
bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if ...
in 1985, when the Cardinals called him up for the playoff race. Worrell posted a 2.91
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA) in 17 games at the end of the year. In the
1985 World Series, he tied a World Series record by
striking out
''Striking Out'' is an Television in the Republic of Ireland, Irish television legal drama television series, broadcast on RTÉ, that first aired on 1 January 2017, based on ''The Good Wife'' by Robert King (writer), Robert and Michelle King. Prod ...
six consecutive hitters, but the Cardinals lost to the
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
in seven games. Still considered a
rookie
A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year).
In contrast with a veteran who has experience, a rookie is typically considered needing more tra ...
in 1986, Worrell led the NL with 36
saves, winning the NL
Rookie of the Year Award and the
Rolaids Relief Man Award.
In 1987, he became the first pitcher to start his career with back-to-back 30-save seasons, and he made seven appearances in the playoffs that year, as the Cardinals lost the
1987 World Series
The 1987 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1987 season. The 84th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Minnesota Twins and the Nati ...
to the
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...
in seven games. He was selected to the NL All-Star team in 1988 and finished third in the NL in saves, but he then injured his ulnar nerve in 1989, forcing him to undergo
Tommy John surgery
Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, sometimes referred to as Tommy John surgery is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's body, ...
. The recovery from the operation, as well as a later rotator cuff tear, forced him to miss all of 1990 and 1991.
Lee Smith had been acquired to close in his absence, but Worrell served as his
set-up man in 1992, posting a 2.11 ERA. After the season, Worrell became a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...
.
On December 9, 1992, Worrell signed a three-year contract with the Dodgers. Expected to serve as their closer, he battled injuries his first two years in Los Angeles, prompting the ''
Los Angeles Daily News
The ''Los Angeles Daily News'' is the second-largest-circulating paid daily newspaper of Los Angeles, California, after the unrelated ''Los Angeles Times'', and the flagship newspaper of the Southern California News Group, a branch of Colorado ...
'' to call him "perhaps the biggest free-agent bust in baseball this season" in 1993. However, he was selected to the NL All-Star team back-to-back years in 1995 and 1996, recording 32 saves in 1995 and leading the NL in saves with 44 in 1996. That season, he finished fifth in NL
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (baseball), National League (NL). The award was introduced in 1956 by Commissioner of Baseball ( ...
voting and 21st in NL
Most Valuable Player Award voting, as the Dodgers reached the playoffs before getting swept in the
NL Division Series by the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...
. Worrell pitched one final season, recording 35 saves but posting a 5.28 ERA in 1997 before retiring. He threw a
fastball
The fastball is the most common type of pitch (baseball), pitch thrown by pitchers in baseball and softball. Its distinctive feature is its high speed. "Power pitchers," such as former major leaguers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens, relied on the ...
and a
slider.
Early life
Worrell was born on September 28, 1959, in
Arcadia, California
Arcadia is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, located about northeast of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley and at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. It contains a series of adjacent parks consisting of t ...
. His middle name, Roland, was also his father's first name. Worrell was raised in Arcadia, and his father frequently took him to
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
games at nearby
Dodger Stadium
Dodger Stadium is a ballpark in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Opened in 1962, it was constructed in less than three years at a ...
when he was growing up.
In 1978, he enrolled as a
Bible
The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...
student at
Biola University
Biola University () is a private, nondenominational, evangelical Christian university in La Mirada, California. It was founded in 1908 as the Bible Institute of Los Angeles. It has over 150 programs of study in nine schools offering bachelor' ...
in
La Mirada, California
La Mirada is a city in southeast Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, California United States, and is one of the Gateway Cities, on the border with Orange County, California, Orange County. The population was 48,008 at the 2020 ...
, where he also played
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
.
At Biola, Worrell played a number of different positions. He was used mostly as a
catcher
Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the catc ...
during his junior year, though he also pitched as a
long reliever. As a senior, he was used as a
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...
more often, but he played the outfield on days when he was not pitching. He was throwing up to 94 miles per hour (mph) his senior year, when he caught the attention of Steve Flores, a
scout
Scout may refer to:
Youth movement
*Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement
** Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom
** Scouts BSA, sect ...
for the
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...
who attended a Biola game to watch Tony Woods of
Whittier College
Whittier College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Whittier, California. It is a Hispanic-serving institution, Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and, as of spring 2024, had 815 ...
play. Flores was impressed with how hard Worrell threw, and the Cardinals selected him in the first round of the
1982 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft.
Professional career
Minor leagues
The Cardinals were hoping Worrell would be a
starting pitcher
In baseball (hardball or softball), a starting pitcher or starter is the first pitcher in the game for each team. A pitcher is credited with a game started if they throw the first pitch to the opponent's first batter of a game. Starting pit ...
for them in the future.
He began his professional career in 1982 with the
Erie Cardinals of the
Single-A
Single-A, formerly known as Class A and sometimes as Low-A, is the fourth-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States, below Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A, Double-A (baseball), Double-A, and High-A. There are 30 teams cl ...
short season
New York-Penn League
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
** "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, 1995
* "New" (Daya song), 2017
* "New" (No Doubt song), 1 ...
. In nine
games
A game is a Structure, structured type of play (activity), play usually undertaken for entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an Educational game, educational tool. Many games are also considered to be Work (human activity), work (such as p ...
(eight
starts), he had a 4–1
record, a 3.31
earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...
(ERA), 57
strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It means the batter is out, unless the third strike is not caught by the catcher and the batter reaches first base safe ...
s, 15
walks, and 52
hits allowed in
innings pitched
In baseball, the statistic innings pitched (IP) is the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of Batter (baseball), batters and baserunners that have been put out while the pitcher is on the Baseball field#Pitcher's mou ...
.
By his second professional season, he was already pitching for the
Louisville Redbirds of the
Triple-A American Association.
Manager
Jim Fregosi
James Louis "Jim" Fregosi (April 4, 1942 – February 14, 2014) was an American professional baseball shortstop and manager, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from to , primarily for the Los Angeles / California Angels. He also played ...
was impressed with the prospect, saying he had not seen a pitcher with a better arm since he managed
Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan Jr. (born January 31, 1947), nicknamed "the Ryan Express", is an American former professional baseball pitcher and sports executive. Over a record 27-year playing career in Major League Baseball (MLB), Ryan pitched for the New Yo ...
. Worrell had a 4–2 record in 14 starts for Louisville, but his ERA was 4.74 and he had almost as many walks (42) as strikeouts (46).
He also spent part of the year with the
Arkansas Travelers
The Arkansas Travelers, known informally as The Travs, are a Minor League Baseball team based in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The Travelers are the Double-A (baseball), Double-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners and play in the Texas League.
Hi ...
of the
Double-A Texas League
The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...
, posting a 5–2 record and a 3.07 ERA in 10 starts.
In 1984, Worrell made 18 starts for Arkansas again, posting a 3–10 record, a 4.49 ERA, 88 strikeouts, 67 walks, and 109 hits allowed in innings.
His ERA was lower (2.09) in eight games (seven starts) with the
St. Petersburg Cardinals of the Single-A
Florida State League
The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...
, where he had a 3–2 record, 33 strikeouts, 24 walks, and 41 hits allowed in innings.
By 1985, he was "languishing in the minors," according to
Peter Gammons
Peter Gammons (born April 9, 1945) is an American media personality and recipient of the J. G. Taylor Spink Award for outstanding baseball writing, given by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Early life and education
Gammons was bo ...
of ''
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...
''.
"I'd throw great for three or four innings every start, then something would happen," Worrell said.
He began the season with Louisville as a starter once again, but Fregosi grew tired of waiting for him to improve and moved him to the
bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen (or simply the pen) is the area where relief pitchers warm up before entering a game. A team's roster of relief pitchers is also metonymically referred to as "the bullpen". These pitchers usually wait in the bullpen if ...
in the middle of the season. As a
relief pitcher
In baseball and softball, a relief pitcher or reliever is a pitcher who pitches in the game after the starting pitcher or another relief pitcher has been removed from the game due to fatigue (medical), fatigue, injury, ineffectiveness, ejection ...
, Worrell struck out 43 batters in under 31 innings before being promoted to the majors for the first time on August 27.
St. Louis Cardinals
1985
Worrell joined a Cardinals team that was fighting to make the
playoffs
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
.
He made his MLB debut on August 28, 1985, pitching scoreless innings in relief in a 7–6 loss to the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. The Reds compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Divisi ...
. Though no runs were charged to him, he allowed two
inherited runners to score as the Reds tied the game.
After suffering another
blown save on September 8, he picked up his first
save on September 13 against the
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Division. Th ...
, striking out four in innings and allowing only one run, a
home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...
to
Jody Davis, in a 9–3 victory.
His ERA was 5.68 through September 8, but Worrell posted a 1.76 ERA thereafter, converting five saves in five opportunities through the end of the year as the Cardinals won the
National League (NL) East Division title.
In 17 games (all in relief), he had a 3–0 record, a 2.91 ERA, 17 strikeouts, seven walks, and 17 hits allowed in innings.
1985 playoffs
The Cardinals faced the Dodgers in the
NL Championship Series (NLCS), and Worrell pitched in four of the six games of the series, making scoreless appearances in Games 1, 3, and 5.
Relieving
Joaquin Andujar to begin the seventh inning of Game 6, with the score tied at four, Worrell threw a scoreless seventh inning, then gave up a home run to
Mike Marshall to start the eighth. He retired the next three hitters he faced, then got the win after
Jack Clark hit a three-run home run in the ninth, helping the Cardinals defeat the Dodgers 7–5 and win the series in six games. In Game 1 of the
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball (MLB). It has been contested since between the champion teams of the American League (AL) and the National League (NL). The winning team, determined through a best- ...
against the
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team ...
, Worrell relieved
John Tudor with two outs in the seventh and runners on first and third. After walking
Lonnie Smith, Worrell got
Willie Wilson to pop out to end the inning. In the eighth, he nearly gave up a home run to
George Brett
George Howard Brett (born May 15, 1953) is an American former professional baseball third baseman, designated hitter, and first baseman who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals.
Brett's 3,154 career hit ( ...
, but
Andy Van Slyke caught the ball at the fence, and Worrell earned the save as the Cardinals won 3–1.
In Game 5, he struck out all six batters he faced, but the Cardinals lost the game 6–1. However, he joined
Hod Eller and
Moe Drabowsky as the only pitchers to strike out six hitters in a row in World Series play.
Worrell relieved
Ken Dayley
Kenneth Grant Dayley (born February 25, 1959) is a former professional baseball player. A left-handed pitcher, Dayley played all or part of eleven seasons in Major League Baseball between 1982 and 1993.
Career
Braves
After pitching at the U ...
to start the ninth inning of Game 6, with the Cardinals leading 1–0 and three outs away from clinching a World Series title. The leadoff hitter for Kansas City,
Jorge Orta, hit a ground ball to the mound that first baseman Clark fielded, then threw to Worrell, who had covered first. The throw narrowly beat Orta to the base, but umpire
Don Denkinger mistakenly called him safe. Worrell went on to allow a couple more runners to reach base, then gave up a pinch-hit single to
Dane Iorg that won the game for the Royals by a score of 2–1. The Cardinals went on to lose the World Series in seven games.
1986
By 1986, Worrell was the Cardinals' "ace reliever," according to Mitch Lawrence of the ''
Dallas Morning News
''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation in 2022 of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885, by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the ' ...
''. On April 10, the St. Louis
closer relieved
Rick Ownbey with two runners on in the seventh inning of a game against the Cubs, with the Cardinals leading 3–1. Worrell allowed one of the runners to score but pitched three scoreless innings, earning the save as the Cardinals won 4–2.
Against the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...
on June 21 and 22, he struck out four batters in and four batters in innings, respectively, earning the win in the first game and the save in the second.
He entered another game against the Phillies on July 30 with one out in the seventh, the bases loaded, and the Cardinals only up by two runs. Worrell retired
Mike Schmidt
Michael Jack Schmidt (born September 27, 1949) is an American former professional baseball third baseman who spent his entire 18-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Philadelphia Phillies from 1972 to 1989. Schmidt was a 12-time Al ...
and
Von Hayes on fly balls without any runs scoring, then threw two more scoreless innings for the save when the Cardinals won 6–3. Still considered a
rookie
A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year).
In contrast with a veteran who has experience, a rookie is typically considered needing more tra ...
in 1986, Worrell's 2.08 ERA and league-leading 36 saves netted him that year's NL
Rookie of the Year Award, as well as the NL
Rolaids Relief Man Award.
His 36 saves were a record for MLB rookies at the time, though this has since been surpassed by multiple pitchers.
In 74 games, the third highest-total in the NL, Worrell had a 9–10 record and struck out 73 hitters in innings.
Though he had 36 saves, he also blew 10 save opportunities as well.
1987

Worrell's 1987 season got off to a "poor start," according to the Associated Press; he blew saves in three games in a row from April 29 through May 2 and posted a 10.57 ERA through May 4.
Thereafter, he posted a 1.80 ERA in 18 more games through June 10, at which point he had 14 saves, a total only surpassed in the NL by
Steve Bedrosian's and
Lee Smith's 15.
Against the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...
on August 29, he entered a game in the ninth inning with runners on second and third, two outs, and the Cardinals up 4–2. After intentionally walking
Ken Griffey, Sr., he got
Ted Simmons to fly out to end the inning. On September 19, he relieved
Joe Magrane in a game against the Cubs with one out in the seventh, the bases loaded, the Cardinals up 5–3, and
Ryne Sandberg
Ryne Dee Sandberg (born September 18, 1959), nicknamed "Ryno", is an American former professional baseball player, coach (baseball), coach, and manager (baseball), manager. He played sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a second bas ...
at the plate. Worrell struck out Sandberg and
Andre Dawson to end the inning with no runs scoring, then threw two more scoreless innings for the save.
In the second game of a
doubleheader against the
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos () were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in the National League (baseball), National League ...
on September 29, Worrell relieved
Greg Mathews with no outs in the seventh, runners on first and second, and the Cardinals up 3–0. He did not allow either of the runners to score and pitched three scoreless innings for the save. Worrell finished the year with 33 saves, becoming the first major league pitcher to have at least 30 saves in each of his first two full seasons.
Only Bedrosian (40) and Smith (36) had more saves than Worrell, but he blew 10 saves as well for the second year in a row.
In 75 games, he had an 8–6 record, a 2.66 ERA, 92 strikeouts, 34 walks, and 86 hits allowed in innings pitched.
1987 playoffs
Winners of the NL East in 1987, the Cardinals faced the
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
, whom Worrell had posted a 7.36 ERA against, in the
NLCS
The National League Championship Series (NLCS) is a Playoff format#Best-of-seven playoff, best-of-seven playoff and one of two League Championship Series comprising the penultimate round of Major League Baseball's (MLB) Major League Baseball po ...
. Worrell entered Game 1 in relief of Mathews with one out on the eighth and a runner on first with the Cardinals leading 5–2. He got one out but gave up an RBI double to
Candy Maldonado and left the bases loaded before getting replaced by Dayley, who finished the game without letting any more runs score to earn the save. Worrell gave up one run in the final three innings of Game 3, earning the save in a 6–5 Cardinal victory. In Game 6, Worrell relieved Tudor with one out in the eighth and the Cardinals leading 1–0. He got the last two outs of the inning and the first out of the ninth, then was replaced by Dayley because a left-hander was due up. Thinking he might want to use Worrell later on if right-handed hitters came up later, Cardinals manager
Whitey Herzog left Worrell in the game, moving him to right field. He spent the rest of the game there, as Dayley retired both of the hitters he faced.
The Cardinals won the NLCS in seven games, earning a trip to the
1987 World Series
The 1987 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1987 season. The 84th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Minnesota Twins and the Nati ...
, where they faced the
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...
.
Worrell pitched of an inning in an 8–4 Game 2 loss, then threw two scoreless innings to earn the save in Game 3.
He entered Game 5 in the eighth inning with two outs and the Cardinals up 4–0 but runners on first and second. Worrell gave up a
triple to
Gary Gaetti
Gary Joseph Gaetti (, ; born August 19, 1958), is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins (1981–1990), California Angels (1991–1993), Kansas City Royals (1993– ...
that scored both of the runners, but he got
Tom Brunansky
Thomas Andrew Brunansky (born August 20, 1960), nicknamed "Bruno", is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1981 to 1994 for the California Angels, Minnesota Twins, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox, and Milwaukee Brew ...
to fly out to end the inning, then threw a scoreless ninth to earn the save. In Game 7, Worrell entered in the sixth with the game tied at two, no outs, and runners on first and second. He retired two of the first three hitters he faced, but
Roy Smalley walked to load the bases.
Greg Gagne then hit a sharp ground ball and beat the throw to first base for an RBI single that gave the Twins the lead. That run was not charged to Worrell, but he did allow another run in the eighth as the Twins won 4–2, clinching a World Series championship for Minnesota.
1988
On April 27, 1988, Worrell relieved
Bob Forsch with one out in the seventh inning, runners on second and third base, and the Cardinals clinging to a 2–0 lead over the
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. ...
. He intentionally walked
John Kruk to load the bases, then gave up a
sacrifice fly to
Garry Templeton. However, he struck out
Tim Flannery
Timothy Fridtjof Flannery (born 28 January 1956) is an Australian mammalogist, palaeontologist, environmentalist, conservationist, explorer, author, science communicator
Science communication encompasses a wide range of activities tha ...
to end the inning, then pitched two more scoreless innings for the save. Against the Braves on May 27, he pitched two scoreless innings to pick up the save in a 5–2 victory. He retired all six hitters he faced on June 8, earning the save in a 5–2 victory over the
New York Mets
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National ...
. At midseason, he was a part of the
All-Star Game
An all-star game is an exhibition game that showcases the best players (the "stars") of a sports league. The exhibition is between two teams organized solely for the event, usually representing the league's teams based on region or division, bu ...
for the first time in his career, throwing a scoreless ninth inning in the NL's 2–1 loss to the
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is the younger of two sports leagues, leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western L ...
. He pitched two scoreless innings to earn a save on September 8 in a 1–0 victory over the Phillies. Worrell finished the year with 32 saves in 41 opportunities; the 32 saves helped him rank third in the NL, behind
John Franco
John Anthony Franco (born September 17, 1960) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed relief pitcher between and . Franco established himself as an Major League Baseball All-Star Ga ...
(39) and
Jim Gott (34).
In 68 games, he had a 5–9 record, a 3.00 ERA, 78 strikeouts, 34 walks, and 69 hits allowed in 90 innings.
1989–91
In 1989, Worrell got a "whopping" raise according to the
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City.
Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
, as his salary was increased from $215,000 to $875,000; Worrell had threatened to take the Cardinals to arbitration if they did not offer him at least $862,500.
On April 8, he threw a season-high scoreless innings in an eventual 5–4, 12-inning loss to the Phillies.
He entered a game against the Expos on June 15 with one out in the ninth, runners on first and second, and the Cardinals trailing 3–2. Worrell finished the inning without allowing a run to score, then pitched a scoreless tenth, becoming the winner when
Tom Pagnozzi had an RBI single in the bottom of the tenth to give the Cardinals a 4–3 victory. Through July 14, his ERA was 1.14.
On September 4, Worrell was pitching for his 127th career save, which would have tied him with
Bruce Sutter for the Cardinals' career record.
While making a pitch, he injured his
ulnar nerve
The ulnar nerve is a nerve that runs near the ulna, one of the two long bones in the forearm. The ulnar collateral ligament of elbow joint is in relation with the ulnar nerve. The nerve is the largest in the human body unprotected by muscle or ...
and had to leave the game, ending his season.
Though he only had 20 saves at that point, he had only blown three all season.
In 47 games, he had a 3–5 record, a 2.96 ERA, 41 strikeouts, 26 walks, and 42 hits allowed in innings.
On December 1, he underwent
Tommy John surgery
Ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, sometimes referred to as Tommy John surgery is a surgical graft procedure where the ulnar collateral ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with either a tendon from elsewhere in the patient's body, ...
, performed by Dr.
Frank Jobe
Frank Wilson Jobe (July 16, 1925 – March 6, 2014) was an American Orthopedic surgery, orthopedic surgeon and co-founder of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic. Jobe pioneered both elbow ligament replacement and major reconstructive shoulde ...
, to repair the damage; the recovery kept him out for the entire 1990 season. In 1991, as he was attempting to return, he was diagnosed with a
rotator cuff tear. He had arthroscopic surgery to repair it on July 31, forcing him to miss the rest of that season as well.
1992
By 1992 spring training, Worrell appeared to have recovered; manager
Joe Torre
Joseph Paul Torre Jr. (; born July 18, 1940) is an American professional baseball Senior management, executive and former player, Manager (baseball), manager, and television color commentator. He has served as a special assistant to the Commiss ...
said his fastball and slider were back to their normal speeds.
Worrell came back in 1992 but just as a
set-up man, as the Cardinals had acquired veteran
Lee Smith in his absence; Smith had led the NL in saves in 1991 with 47.
Used 10 times in April, Worrell pitched 11 scoreless innings.
On August 25, he threw a scoreless ninth and tenth inning in an eventual 5–3, 13-inning win over the
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. They are one of two major leag ...
. He had back-to-back saves on September 5 and 6 in consecutive victories over the Giants.
On September 24, he threw a scoreless ninth and tenth innings as well in an eventual 4–3, 14-inning win over the Mets. In 67 games, he had a 5–3 record, a 2.11 ERA, 64 strikeouts, 25 walks, and 45 hits allowed in 64 innings. Though he was not the closer (Smith again led the NL with 43 saves), Worrell had five saves as well.
After the season, he became a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...
.
Torre said of Worrell's performance in 1992, "He's a perfect set-up man for Smith. I'd like to have him back."
Worrell had 129 saves with the Cardinals, briefly the team record until Smith broke it in 1993.
Los Angeles Dodgers
1993
Worrell signed a three-year, $9.5 million contract with the
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
on December 9, 1992.
Because they feared the Braves would sign him, the Dodgers allowed Worrell to skip having a physical examination before signing his contract. Shoulder tendinitis limited him to innings pitched in spring training.
He began the 1993 season as the team's closer but hurt his right elbow in only the second game of the year and went on the
disabled list
In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 Major League Baseball season, 2019 season, it was known as the disabl ...
, losing the closer role to Gott in his absence.
Returning on May 28, Worrell had a 14.40 ERA in five games through June 10 before going on the disabled list again, this time not returning until July 17.
His ERA rose to 10.54 on August 5 before Worrell posted a 2.74 ERA over his next 20 games.
From September 14 through 22, he converted four saves in five opportunities while Gott was resting with an injured shoulder.
Worrell made 35 appearances for the Dodgers in 1993, posting a 1–1 record, a 6.05 ERA, 31 strikeouts, 11 walks, and 46 hits allowed in innings pitched.
He converted five saves but blew three.
A 1993 article by the ''
Los Angeles Daily News
The ''Los Angeles Daily News'' is the second-largest-circulating paid daily newspaper of Los Angeles, California, after the unrelated ''Los Angeles Times'', and the flagship newspaper of the Southern California News Group, a branch of Colorado ...
'' called him "perhaps the biggest free-agent bust in baseball this season."
1994
In 1994, Worrell was set to assume his role as the closer. However, he went on the disabled list in May and missed 17 games with a rib-cage pull. After pitching a scoreless inning in his return on May 24, he blew saves in two straight games, then was pulled from a game on May 29 with one out in the ninth after allowing a walk and a single.
A disappointed Worrell said after the game, "I guess the only way I can respond is to say I've never been taken out of a game before as the stopper. The job of the stopper always has been you win or lose with him. At least, that's the way I've been handled in the past."
After that comment, he stopped talking to reporters for about a month.
On August 8, after pitching in three straight games, Worrell entered a game against the
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are an American professional baseball team based in Denver. The Rockies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Division. Th ...
in the ninth inning with the Dodgers leading 6–3. He allowed three runs before getting removed, and Gott allowed another one of his runners to score, giving him the loss as Colorado won 7–6.
After the game, Worrell finally spoke to reporters again but was critical, saying, "If you knew anything about baseball, you wouldn’t have to hide behind players' quotes."
In 38 games, Worrell had a 6–5 record, a 4.29 ERA, 44 strikeouts, 12 walks, and 37 hits allowed in 42 innings. He converted 11 saves but blew eight as well.
1995
In 1995, Worrell opened the year with a scoreless streak, not allowing a run until July. Counting his final game of the 1994 season, he threw scoreless innings, a streak not broken until he gave up a two-run home run to
Andres Galarraga on July 1.
The Dodger closer again, he had just four saves entering June but saved eight games that month, without blowing an opportunity.
For the first time since 1988, he was selected to the NL
All-Star
An all-star team is a group of people all having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and has been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry.
Sports
"All-star" as a sport ...
team for the second time, though he did not pitch in the game. On July 23, against the
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are an American professional baseball team based in Miami. The Marlins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. The team plays its home games at LoanDepot Park.
The ...
, he entered the game with one out in the eighth, one runner on base, and the Dodgers leading 3–1. Worrell struck out
Jeff Conine
Jeffrey Guy Conine (; born June 27, 1966) is an American former professional baseball left fielder / first baseman and current front office assistant for the Miami Marlins, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 17 seasons, with six teams ...
but then walked the next two hitters to load the bases. However, he struck out
Tommy Gregg to end the inning, then allowed just one run in the ninth, preserving the lead as the Dodgers won 4–2. He threw a scoreless inning on September 25 to pick up the save in a 4–3 victory over Colorado. Worrell converted 32 saves in 36 opportunities, ranking fourth in the NL in saves.
In 59 games, he had a 4–1 record, a 2.02 ERA, 61 strikeouts, 19 walks, and 50 walks in innings.
1996
Worrell enjoyed what reporter Jason Reid called "his best season" in 1996.
Dating back to September 2 of the previous year, he had a streak of 24 scoreless innings that lasted until
Jeff King had an RBI single against him in a 4–2 loss to the
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...
on May 5.
He saved five games from June 13 through June 19.
For the second year in a row, he was selected to the NL
All-Star
An all-star team is a group of people all having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and has been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry.
Sports
"All-star" as a sport ...
team, pitching a scoreless eighth in the NL's 6–0 victory. In August, he had 10 saves, including saves in six straight appearances from August 22 through August 30. After blowing his ninth save of the year on September 1, he converted his remaining seven save opportunities that month as the Dodgers clinched a trip to the playoffs by winning the NL
Wild Card.
Worrell finished the season with a career-high 44 saves, tied with
Jeff Brantley's total for the NL lead and a Dodger single-season record until
Eric Gagne had 52 in 2002. In 72 games, he had a 4–6 record, a 3.03 ERA, 66 strikeouts, 15 walks, and 70 hits allowed in innings pitched.
He finished fifth in NL
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (baseball), National League (NL). The award was introduced in 1956 by Commissioner of Baseball ( ...
voting and finished 21st in NL
Most Valuable Player Award voting.
Worrell threw a scoreless ninth in Game 2 of the
NL Division Series against the Braves, but that was his only appearance of the series as Atlanta swept Los Angeles in three games.
1997
In 1997, Worrell was frequently booed by Dodgers fans.
One of his worst games of the year came in the second game of a doubleheader on September 25, when he entered in the ninth with the Dodgers leading the Pirates by a score of 3–1. After walking
Eddie Williams to lead off the ninth inning, Worrell allowed back-to-back home runs to
Joe Randa and
Mark Smith as the Pirates rallied to win 4–3.
Though he remained in the closer role all year, manager
Bill Russell
William Felton Russell (February 12, 1934 – July 31, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who played Center (basketball), center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1956 to 1969. He was t ...
started bypassing him in favor of
Darren Dreifort or
Scott Radinsky in September. One highlight for Worrell came on September 5, when he got his 126th save for the Dodgers, breaking
Jim Brewer's team record. However, he would only have one more save all season.
In 65 games, he had a 2–6 record, a 5.28 ERA, 61 strikeouts, 23 walks, 60 hits allowed, and a career-high 12 home runs allowed in innings pitched.
Worrell had 35 saves but blew nine, topped only by the 11 blown by
Greg McMichael of the Mets. He retired following the 1997 season, with agent Rich Bry explaining the decision was because of a desire to spend more time with his family.
His 127 saves with the Dodgers were the team's record for a few years, until
Jeff Shaw recorded his 128th with Los Angeles in 2001.
Pitching style
Worrell threw a fastball and slider. A 1986 ''Sports Illustrated'' article said he consistently threw in the 93–94 mph range, but Hal Bock of the Associated Press wrote in 1987 that Worrell's fastball travelled 90 mph.
When he returned from the Tommy John surgery in 1992, the fastball was travelling at 95 mph, and the slider was averaging 90 mph.
Bock wrote that Worrell's fastball dared hitters, as if it were saying, "Hit me if you can."
"When I come in and there are runners on base, I don't think that if they score, they're not credited to me," Worrell said. "You have to take a little pride, take the responsibility. They're yours."
Personal life
Worrell and his wife, Jamie, have three sons and one daughter —Josh, Jeremy, Jacob, and Hannah each of whom played baseball or Softball at
Indiana Wesleyan University in
Marion, Indiana
Marion is a city in and the county seat of Grant County, Indiana, United States, along the Mississinewa River. The population was 28,310 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is named for Francis Marion, a brigadier general from ...
. Josh was drafted in the 30th round of the
2009 MLB draft by the Royals and played three seasons in the low minors. Todd's younger brother,
Tim, played in MLB from 1993 through 2006, serving as a closer himself with the Giants in 2003 and the Phillies in 2004.
On June 13, 1997, they both earned a save, becoming the second pair of brothers to do so on one day. After retiring, Todd served as the pitching coach at
Westminster Christian Academy in St. Louis. One student athlete he coached,
Jacob Turner, went on to be a first-round draft pick by the Tigers in 2009. As of 2020, Worrell's son Jacob is Westminster's pitching coach. Todd also used to be the pitching coach for the
River City Rascals, a former franchise in the independent
Frontier League
The Frontier League (FL; French: ''Ligue Frontière'', LF) is a professional baseball league in North America composed of 18 teams – 15 in the United States and 3 in Canada. The FL is one of the eight independent baseball leagues in North Ame ...
.
For three years, Worrell served as president of the
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) is an international nonprofit Christian sports ministry based in Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas City.
History
FCA was founded in 1954 by Eastern Oklahoma State College, Eastern Oklahoma A&M basketball c ...
; he has been involved in the organization for more than 14 years.
See also
*
List of Major League Baseball annual saves leaders
The following is a list of annual leaders in saves in Major League Baseball (MLB), with separate lists for the American League and the National League. The list includes several professional leagues and associations that were never part of MLB.
...
*
List of St. Louis Cardinals team records
The St. Louis Cardinals, a professional baseball Professional sports league organization#The system developed in baseball, franchise based in St. Louis, Missouri, compete in the National League (baseball), National League (NL) of Major League Base ...
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Worrell, Todd
Major League Baseball pitchers
St. Louis Cardinals players
Los Angeles Dodgers players
Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award winners
National League All-Stars
National League (baseball) saves champions
Erie Cardinals players
Arkansas Travelers players
Louisville Redbirds players
St. Petersburg Cardinals players
Bakersfield Dodgers players
Albuquerque Dukes players
20th-century American sportsmen
Baseball players from Arcadia, California
Biola Eagles baseball players
1959 births
Living people