Jim Gott

Gott was a pitcher with impressive stuff, but not always the greatest consistency. Drafted by the Blue Jays from the St. Louis organization in December 1991, the 22-year-old rookie won a 10-inning complete-game 1-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers. In his three seasons in Toronto, Gott was shuttled between the bullpen and the starting rotation.

In 1985 he was traded to San Francisco (for Gary Lavelle) where he learned the split-fingered fastball from manager Roger Craig and was used mainly as a starter. In 1987 Gott went to the Pirates in the late-season deal that sent Rick Reuschel and Don Robinson to the Giants.

In Pittsburgh Gott emerged as the Pirates’ late-inning stopper, but missed practically all of 1989 after being injured in the Pirates’ opener. When trying to convince people that Dwight Gooden wasn’t unhittable, Chili Davis remarked, “He ain’t Gott, man.”

The Hollywood native signed with Los Angeles as a free agent in December 1989, and spent the next five seasons in the Dodger bullpen before returning to the Pirates for a last hurrah in 1995. Working mainly in middle relief, Gott saved 25 games in 1993, the only season the Dodgers used him as a closer.