One of three pitchers acquired from the Royals for an aging Vida Blue in 1982, Hammaker seemed headed for stardom in 1983 when he made the NL All-Star team, led the league in ERA (2.25) and fanned 14 Astros on September 11, but has been plagued by arm woes ever since. Hammaker’s troubles seemed to begin in the 1983 All-Star Game. He entered in the third inning and retired only two batters, surrendering a home run to Jim Rice, a grand slam to Fred Lynn, and seven runs altogether as the NL lost for the first time since 1971. He went on the DL for a month later in ’83, and had surgery twice in 1984, once on his shoulder and once on his elbow, limiting him to only six starts. He then missed all of 1986 recovering from a second shoulder operation. Since 1988, Hammaker has been used more often in relief than as a starter.
