Lee Guetterman

American baseball player

Arthur Lee Guetterman (born November 22, 1958), nicknamed "Goot," is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played from to for the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, New York Mets, and St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). A southpaw used primarily in the major leagues as a relief pitcher, he stood 6 feet (2 m) tall. He led the Yankees in wins in 1990 without starting a game. Guetterman attended Liberty University, where he set several school records on the baseball team. Drafted by the Mariners in the fourth round of the 1981 Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft, he made his major league debut in 1984, though he would not return to the major leagues until 1986. After having the highest earned run average (ERA) of any American League (AL) pitcher with at least 75 innings pitched in 1986, he won 11 games as a starter in 1987, posting an 8–1 record at one point before getting moved to the bullpen due to a loss of control of his pitches. He was traded to the Yankees after the season, and after spending much of 1988 in the minor leagues, he emerged as a part time closer for the Yankees in 1989, while Dave Righetti was struggling. He had 13 saves in 1989, then just two the following year, though he would lead the Yankees in wins. In 1991, Guetterman became unhappy with his playing time and requested a trade, which he got in 1992, when he was part of the only Yankees Mets trade between 1987 and 2001. After finishing the 1992 season with the Mets, Guetterman pitched for the Cardinals in 1993, though he was in the minor leagues until June 30 that year. He had a 2.93 ERA for the Cardinals that year but did not return to the major leagues in 1994. After stints with the Mariners again in 1995 and 1996, Guetterman played one year for the Sioux Falls Canaries of the independent Northern League.

Arthur Lee Guetterman was born on November 22, 1958, to Arthur Adam Jr. and Ruth Guetterman. Lee's father was a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy, which Art Jr. served in for 23 years. That same year, the Seattle Mariners selected him in the fourth round of the Major League Baseball (MLB) Draft.

In 1981, Guetterman began his professional career with the Single A short season Bellingham Mariners of the Northwest League. He made 13 starts for the ballclub, accumulating a 6–4 record, a 2.68 ERA, 55 strikeouts, 44 walks, and 85 hits allowed in 84 innings pitched. He joined the Bakersfield Mariners of the Single A California League in 1982, making 26 starts and posting a 7–11 record, a 4.44 ERA, 82 strikeouts, 69 walks, and 172 hits allowed in 154 innings pitched. He made his major league debut as a relief pitcher on September 12, allowing one run in 1 2/3 innings pitched in an 8–1 loss to the Texas Rangers. Guetterman would make three appearances for Seattle in 1984, allowing two runs in 4 1/3 innings. Sixteen of his 41 appearances for Seattle were multiple inning efforts, such as a game on May 11, when he pitched five scoreless innings of relief in a 4–3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. He started the second game of a doubleheader on June 7 and made three starts from June 28 through July 8, allowing two runs in 6 1/3 innings in an 8–5 victory over the Kansas City Royals on July 1, though Guetterman did not get the decision. In 41 games, he had an 0–4 record, 38 strikeouts, 30 walks, and 108 hits allowed in 76 innings pitched. Not even invited to 1987 spring training, Guetterman began the season in the bullpen at Calgary, posting a 5–1 record and a 2.86 ERA in 16 appearances (two starts). Promoted by the Mariners in late May when another starter went on the disabled list, he entered a tie game against the New York Yankees in the beginning of the sixth inning on May 27, throwing two scoreless innings as the Mariners took the lead. He was removed in the eighth after walking Don Mattingly to lead off the inning, and Jerry Reed eventually allowed Mattingly to score, but the Mariners held on to win 6–5, and Guetterman was credited with the victory, his first ever in the major leagues. He then joined the starting rotation, winning his next four decisions for Seattle. In one of those, on June 26 against the Cleveland Indians, he allowed just three hits in his only major league shutout. After a loss, he won three more decisions in a row and had an 8–1 record by the All Star break. After the season, on December 22, he was traded to the New York Yankees with Clay Parker and Wade Taylor for Steve Trout and Henry Cotto.

Entering the 1988 season, Sarah Ballard of Sports Illustrated predicted that Guetterman would be the Yankees' fifth starter. He began the year in the bullpen, posting a 2.45 ERA in eight games. However, after May 6, he was sent to the minor leagues because Yankee manager Billy Martin thought he was not aggressive enough. "It's not my role," Guetterman declared. "I feel like I'm a fill in just because I'm pitching well. Over the long haul, Dave and Lance [McCullers] are going to get the call late in games. That's their forte, what they do best." As Guetterman predicted, Righetti went on to assume the closer role and get 25 saves for the Yankees in 1989 (McCullers would only have three), but Guetterman and Righetti shared the responsibility in the early part of the year; both had eight saves through June 4. Guetterman would be unscored upon for his first 19 games of the year, pitching 29 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings before he gave up five runs to the California Angels on June 4. Against the Rangers on April 13, 1990, Guetterman pitched a scoreless sixth through eighth innings to help preserve a 3–0 victory. He also pitched a scoreless sixth through eighth innings on May 25, helping preserve a 6–3 victory over the Royals. Entering a tie game against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 20, he threw a scoreless eighth and ninth innings, earning the win after Roberto Kelly had hit a home run to give the Yankees the winning margin of victory in the top of the ninth. On July 7, he entered a tie game against the Minnesota Twins in the ninth inning and held the team to one hit in four innings, earning the win as the Yankees scored in the bottom of the 12th. He suffered a strained ribcage on July 18 and was placed on the disabled list the next day. Activated on August 3, he allowed two runs over 3 1/3 innings against the Indians that night but earned the win in a 6–4 victory. Relieving Mark Leiter after four innings against the Baltimore Orioles on September 24, Guetterman pitched five scoreless innings but had a no decision in an eventual 6–3, 10 inning loss. Though he did not start a single game in 1990, Guetterman's 11 wins were the most on the Yankees, more than any of their starters had. In 64 games, he had an 11–7 record, two saves, a 3.39 ERA, 48 strikeouts, 26 walks, and 80 hits allowed in 93 innings pitched. He recorded three saves for the team in May, then achieved saves in back to back appearances July 1 and 4, pitching four shutout innings against the Indians to earn the one on the fourth. On August 28, he told the New York Times that he had requested a trade. "The frustration of not being used has led him to question his long term desire to remain in New York," explained Jeffrey Moorad, the lawyer and agent for Guetterman. "I'm told the Yankees would trade him if the deal was right." In those games, he had a 9.53 ERA. On June 9, he was dealt to the New York Mets for Tim Burke. This was the only Yankees Mets trade between 1987 and 2001. With the Mets, Guetterman posted a 2.38 ERA through July 24, becoming their only dependable left hander other than John Franco, who was their closer. In a series against the San Francisco Giants, he struck out Will Clark with two men on base to end the eighth inning and preserve a 3–0 lead on July 18, then threw two scoreless innings on the July 19 in an 8–4 victory. However, from July 25 through the end of the year, he posted a 9.58 ERA in his final 24 games for the Mets. In 43 games with the Mets, he had a 3–4 record, two saves, a 5.82 ERA, 15 strikeouts, 14 walks, and 57 hits allowed in 43 1/3 innings. His combined totals between the two New York teams were a 4–5 record, two saves, a 7.09 ERA, 20 strikeouts, 27 walks, and 92 hits allowed in 66 innings. After the season, he became a free agent. With the Cardinals leading the Colorado Rockies 5–4 in the 11th inning on June 25, Guetterman entered in the bottom of the inning and gave up a hit and a walk to two of the first three batters he faced. However, he got Pedro Castellano to ground into a double play to end the game, earning him his sole save of the season in the victory. In 40 games for St. Louis, he had a 3–3 record, a 2.93 ERA, 19 strikeouts, 16 walks, and 41 hits allowed in 46 innings of work. After the season, he became a free agent. On May 21, he was designated for assignment to make room for Steve Frey (acquired from the Giants in a trade) on the roster. He joined the Mariners' Triple A affiliate, which was now the Tacoma Rainiers. In 33 games (one start) for Tacoma, he had a 1–2 record, four saves, a 2.95 ERA, 21 strikeouts, nine walks, and 33 hits allowed in 36 2/3 innings. After a scoreless outing on August 18, he gave up four runs in two games on August 20 and 23. Thereafter, he posted a 4.05 ERA in his final 10 games of the season. He became a free agent on November 8, but the Mariners resigned him on December 7. After allowing three earned runs in 2/3 of an inning in his first game on May 28, he had a 1.74 ERA over his next 16. On July 13, he entered a game against the Angels with one out in the fourth inning, Randy Velarde on first base, and the Mariners trailing 4–0. He gave up a single to Jorge Fábregas and a walk to Gary Disarcina, but he got Darin Erstad to hit into a force play without a runner scoring. Blas Minor subsequently relieved him and retired Rex Hudler to end the inning. On July 14, Guetterman was designated for assignment to make room on the roster for Ken Griffey Jr., who was coming off the disabled list. Guetterman would not be called up again all season. He was a tall presence on the mound, standing at 6 feet (2 m). His wife, Drew, is the founder of Crossroads Christian Academy in Lenoir City. Their son, Jamin, became a pitcher for Lenoir City High School. In 2003, he became associated with "Battin' 1000," a Pro Life group composed of several former baseball celebrities. "A devout Baptist," according to Jack O'Connell of the Hartford Courant, Guetterman became a Christian while at Liberty University. Though he had attended church before coming to Liberty, he said that he looked on Christianity more as a "fire insurance" policy. "I came to the realization that I didn't have Jesus as my Lord and Savior," he said, due to the preaching and spiritual study he received while a Liberty student. "I made that commitment at Liberty. He currently attends Canvas Church in Lenoir City, TN with his wife and son.