The fellow native New Yorker out of LaSalle Academy had himself an excellent 19-year career in the Major Leagues, making an impact immediately as a 22-year old in 1976 for Pittsburgh, going 16-7 in his first full season, with a 3.15 earned run average over 32 appearances, with four shutouts.
The following season he had himself the best year of his career, going 20-5 while leading the league in both winning percentage (.800) and earned run average (2.34) over 33 starts, making his only All-Star game appearance while finishing fifth in the N.L. Cy Young voting.
By the time he retired as an active player after the 1993 season at the age of 39, he finished with a record of 177-122, good for a very nice .592 winning percentage, with 11 shutouts over 600 appearances, 356 of them starts, with a 3.33 ERA.
I loved his brief time with the New York Yankees in 1988 and 1989, with his ‘88 season a very good one, going 13-7 over 25 appearances, 24 of those starts.
“The Candy Man”!