Alan George Schmelz (born November 12, 1943) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Mets in 1967.
| Al Schmelz | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born: November 12, 1943 Whittier, California | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 7, 1967, for the New York Mets | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 24, 1967, for the New York Mets | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Record | 0-0 |
| Earned run average | 3.00 |
| Strikeouts | 2 |
| Teams | |
| |
Early life
editPrior to playing professionally, Schmelz attended Arizona State University.
Major league career
editSchmelz made two appearances in the major leagues. His first came on September 7 when the then 23-year-old rookie pitched against the St. Louis Cardinals in relief of Jerry Hinsley. He threw two innings and allowed one run of three hits and a walk. He also struck out two batters, including future Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda.[1]
His next, and final, appearance came on September 24. He came into the game to relieve Don Cardwell and, despite giving up a hit, left the game without surrendering a run.
Overall, he went 0-0 with a 3.00 ERA in his two-game career. In three innings, he allowed four hits, a home run and a walk.
Minor league career
editSchmelz pitched in the minor leagues from 1966 to 1969 in the Mets' (1966–1969), Oakland Athletics (1968) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1969) systems. Overall, he went 29-36 with a 3.13 ERA in 93 games (91 starts).[2]
He showed flashes of excellence at times throughout his career. For example, in his first professional season, he went 15-5 with a 2.97 ERA for the Auburn Mets and Williamsport Mets. The following year, he posted a 2.60 ERA for Williamsport.