Groomed from the beginning as a reliever, Quisenberry employed bullseye control and a submarine delivery to keep hitters offstride. His bread-and-butter pitch was a sharp-breaking slider. Only three times in ten years did he issue more than 15 walks in a season despite pitching over 125 innings five times.
In his first full season Quiz won a dozen and saved 33 while appearing in 75 games. He led the American League in saves five times, including a record-setting 45 in 1983 and 44 the following season. Five times The Sporting News awarded him AL Fireman of the Year honors. Quisenberry signed a lifetime guaranteed contract with the Royals worth over $30 million.
His bullpen dominance apparently fading, Kansas City released Quisenberry in July 1988, but he was quickly picked up by the Cardinals and his former manager, Whitey Herzog. He continued to have difficulty retiring lefthanded batters, but was a useful role-player in St. Louis’ “Bullpen by committee.”
