Bob Apodaca
From The Met Wiki
Bob Apodaca was a pitcher for the Mets during the 1970s. He pitched four full seasons as both a starter and a reliever. Apodaca had a 2.86 earned run average with 16 wins and 26 saves with the Mets.
After appearing in one game in 1973, Apodaca played his first full major league season in 1974. He pitched 103 innings in 35 games (8 as a starter) and recorded 6 wins. Bob got his first major league victory in the Mets' 5-3 win at St. Louis on May 13. At Shea Stadium on August 9, he hit a two-run double and got the win as the Mets defeated the Reds, 4-1. Apodaca pitched his first major league complete game with a three-hitter in a 7-2 Mets victory over the Pirates at Shea on September 29.
Bob emerged as the Mets' top relief pitcher in 1975. He led the team with 13 saves in 46 games and posted a 1.49 ERA. Apodaca recorded saves in three consecutive appearances from May 20 to May 24. Against the Giants on August 16, he got the last two outs of the game to preserve Craig Swan's first major league win of the year for a 4-2 Mets victory at Shea. Bob also had three wins in '75 over the Dodgers (June 11), Phillies (September 20) and Cubs (September 23).
In 1976, Apodaca pitched 89 and two-thirds innings in 43 games. He struck out 45 batters for the season with a 2.81 ERA. In an unusual game at St. Louis on April 19, Bob entered as a pinch-hitter in the 15th inning and followed up with three scoreless innings to record the win as the Mets defeated the Cardinals, 4-3, in the 17th. At San Francisco on June 13, Bob pitched three shutout innings with three strikeouts for the save in the Mets' 4-2 win over the Giants. Apodaca also chalked up wins over the Expos on August 3 and against the Pirates on September 20.
Apodaca appeared in a career-high 59 games for the Mets in 1977. He had four wins, five saves and 53 strikeouts for the year. Bob pitched three full innings and got the win in the Mets' 6-5 victory over the Phillies in the first game of a doubleheader on June 5 at Shea. On July 16, he pitched two shutout innings for a save in the Mets' 5-3 win over the Pirates at Shea. Apodaca got the last save of his career against the Expos at Shea on September 6. He recorded his final major league victory in a 5-4 Mets win over the Cubs at Shea on September 17. The next day, Bob pitched in his last major league game.
Bob missed the entire 1978 season with an injured right elbow. In later years, he made an unsuccessful comeback attempt in the minor leagues. Apodaca went on to a career as a pitching coach for the Mets (1996-1999), Brewers (2000-2001) and Rockies (2002-present.)
