Tim Leary
Timothy James Leary (born December 23, 1958) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1981 to 1994, primarily as a starting pitcher, for seven teams: the New York Mets, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, and Texas Rangers.[1][2] A graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in economics, Leary was drafted by the Mets in the first round (second overall pick) of the 1979 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut on April 12, 1981, with the Mets. Leary's most notable season was 1988 with the Dodgers, when he recorded a 17–9 win–loss record, a 2.91 earned run average (ERA), and led the National League with six shutouts, finishing third in Cy Young Award voting. That year, he helped the Dodgers win the World Series. Over his career, Leary appeared in 295 games (210 starts), compiling a 78–98 record, 4.12 ERA, and 621 strikeouts in 1,062+1⁄3 innings pitched.[1][3] After retiring as a player, Leary pursued coaching roles, including as pitching coach at Loyola Marymount University beginning in 2005.[4]Early years
Childhood and family background
Timothy Francis Leary was born on October 22, 1920, in Springfield, Massachusetts, as the only child of an Irish American Catholic family. His father, Timothy J. Leary Sr., was a dentist serving as a captain in the U.S. Army Dental Corps, while his mother, Abigail Ferris Leary, was a teacher.[5][6] Leary's childhood was marked by family challenges; his father, struggling with alcoholism, abandoned the family in 1934 when Leary was 13 years old, later working as a steward in the merchant marine.[7] Raised primarily by his mother in a strict Catholic environment, Leary later reflected on this period as influential in shaping his independent streak and interest in philosophy and psychology.[5]Education
Leary attended Springfield Classical High School, graduating in 1938. He briefly enrolled at the College of the Holy Cross in 1938 but left after one year amid disciplinary issues. In 1940, he entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he lasted about 18 months before being asked to resign due to poor academic performance and rule-breaking, including drinking.[7] He then transferred to the University of Alabama, earning a B.A. in psychology in 1943. During World War II, Leary served in the U.S. Army as a psychologist. He obtained an M.S. in psychology from Washington State University in 1946 and completed a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1950.[5][8]Professional career
New York Mets
Tim Leary made his Major League Baseball debut with the New York Mets on April 12, 1981, against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, where he pitched 2.0 scoreless innings with 3 strikeouts before exiting due to elbow discomfort.[1] Drafted by the Mets as the second overall pick in 1979 out of UCLA, Leary had spent his initial professional seasons in the minors, including time with the Double-A Jackson Mets in 1980, where he posted a 15-8 record and 2.76 ERA over 26 starts.[9] In 1981, he began the year with the Mets' Triple-A affiliate, the Tidewater Tides, appearing in six games with a 1-3 record and 3.71 ERA in 34 innings, but his major league stint was limited to one appearance, resulting in a 0-0 record, 0.00 ERA, and three strikeouts over two innings as injuries derailed his rookie season.[9][1] Following his debut injury, a muscle strain in his right elbow, Leary dealt with ongoing shoulder pain from winter ball in Venezuela, causing him to miss the entire 1982 season while rehabilitating.[10] He returned in 1983, but arm issues persisted, restricting him to two starts for the Mets with a 1-1 record, 3.38 ERA, and nine strikeouts in 10.2 innings.[1] By 1984, Leary saw expanded opportunities in a relief and spot-start role, appearing in 20 games (seven starts) and compiling a 3-3 record with a 4.02 ERA over 53.2 innings, including 31 strikeouts, as he contributed to a Mets rotation hampered by injuries to other pitchers.[1] Persistent arm problems ultimately led to Leary's departure from the Mets. On January 18, 1985, he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers as part of a four-team deal that sent Frank Wills to New York from the Kansas City Royals, marking the end of his initial stint with the organization after showing promise as a highly touted prospect but struggling with durability.[11]Milwaukee Brewers
On January 18, 1985, the New York Mets traded Tim Leary to the Milwaukee Brewers as part of a complex four-team deal that also involved the Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers, with the Mets receiving pitcher Frank Wills in return.[12] This transaction sent Leary, a former first-round draft pick whose early Mets tenure had been hampered by injuries and inconsistency, to the American League for the first time in his career.[1] Assigned to the Brewers' starting rotation upon arrival, Leary faced the challenge of adapting to AL rules, including the designated hitter, while competing in a division stacked with established pitchers. In 1985, Leary's transition proved rocky, as he appeared in only five games for Milwaukee, posting a 1-4 record with a 4.05 ERA over 33.1 innings pitched.[1] Much of the season saw him shuttling between the majors and Triple-A Vancouver, where minor injuries and command issues limited his effectiveness, reflecting ongoing struggles from his Mets days to establish durability. Despite these setbacks, the Brewers viewed his potential as a mid-rotation starter, leveraging his prior experience in the National League as a foundation for growth in the junior circuit. Leary rebounded in 1986, securing a full-time spot in Milwaukee's rotation and delivering a career-best performance with a 12-12 record, 4.21 ERA, and 188.1 innings pitched across 33 appearances, including three complete games and two shutouts.[1] His workload marked a significant step in adapting to AL competition, where he faced tougher lineups without the pitcher's spot in the batting order, contributing steadily to a Brewers staff that finished fourth in the AL East.[13] However, persistent inconsistencies in controlling runners—evidenced by 110 walks—along with minor ailments, tempered his impact, ultimately leading to his inclusion in a December 1986 trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers.[1]Los Angeles Dodgers
Tim Leary joined the Los Angeles Dodgers via trade from the Milwaukee Brewers on December 10, 1986, along with pitcher Tim Crews, in exchange for first baseman Greg Brock.[1] Arriving after a challenging stint with the Brewers, Leary initially struggled in his first season with the Dodgers in 1987, posting a 3-11 record with a 4.76 ERA over 107.2 innings.[1] However, he showed gradual improvement in 1988, refining his split-fingered fastball during spring training and capitalizing on a strong performance in the minor leagues the prior offseason, where he went 9-0 with a 1.24 ERA for the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate.[14] The 1988 season marked Leary's breakout year, as he established himself as a reliable starter in the Dodgers' rotation with a career-high 17 wins against 11 losses, a 2.91 ERA, and 180 strikeouts over 228.2 innings pitched.[1] This resurgence positioned him as a key figure in the National League's comeback narrative that year, contributing significantly to the team's postseason push.[15] In the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets, Leary started Game 6 but took the loss in a 5-1 defeat.[16] He fared better in the World Series against the Oakland Athletics, appearing in relief during Game 1 for three scoreless innings and earning the win in Game 4 after pitching a scoreless eighth inning in a 4-3 Dodgers victory, helping secure the team's championship.[17][18] Leary's time with the Dodgers ended abruptly midway through the 1989 season, when he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds on July 18 along with infielder Mariano Duncan in exchange for outfielder Kal Daniels and infielder Lenny Harris.[1] At the time of the trade, Leary had compiled a 6-7 record with a 3.38 ERA in 117.1 innings for the Dodgers, who were seeking offensive firepower amid a disappointing campaign.[19] The move came shortly after a frustrating outing on July 17, where Leary, pitching in relief, walked in the winning run during a 6-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs, highlighting tensions within the struggling clubhouse.[20]Cincinnati Reds
On July 18, 1989, Tim Leary was traded from the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Cincinnati Reds along with infielder Mariano Duncan in exchange for outfielder Kal Daniels and infielder Lenny Harris, as the Dodgers sought to bolster their offense during a struggling season.[1][11] This move came after Leary had posted a solid 6-7 record with a 3.38 ERA in 17 starts for the Dodgers earlier that year, building on his breakout 1988 campaign where he achieved career highs of 17 wins and a 2.91 ERA.[1] However, his transition to the Reds proved challenging, as he struggled with command and run prevention in the hitter-friendly confines of Riverfront Stadium. Leary made 14 starts for the Reds in the latter half of 1989, compiling a 2-7 record with a 3.71 ERA over 89.2 innings, during which he allowed 98 hits, 8 home runs, and 31 walks while striking out 64 batters.[1] His WHIP rose to 1.439 in Cincinnati, reflecting increased traffic on the bases compared to his Dodgers stint, and he failed to complete any games, contributing to the team's inconsistent rotation amid broader organizational transitions under manager Pete Rose.[1] Despite occasional flashes of effectiveness, such as limiting opponents to three or fewer earned runs in seven of his outings, Leary's overall performance marked a downturn from his pre-trade form, with the Reds finishing third in the National League West at 75-87.[19][21] Following the season, on December 12, 1989, the Reds traded Leary and outfielder Van Snider to the New York Yankees for first baseman Hal Morris and minor league pitcher Rodney Imes, ending his brief tenure in Cincinnati after just five months.[11] This deal allowed Leary to return to the East Coast, closer to his family roots, though the primary motivations appeared tied to roster adjustments for both clubs as the Reds prioritized younger talent in their lineup.[22]New York Yankees
Tim Leary joined the New York Yankees via trade from the Cincinnati Reds on December 12, 1989, in a deal that sent outfielder Hal Morris and minor league pitcher Rod Imes to the Reds in exchange for Leary and outfielder Van Snider.[22] After the 1990 season, he signed a three-year, $5.95 million contract with the team on November 19, 1990, positioning him as a key part of the rotation amid high expectations in the competitive American League East.[23] In 1990, Leary transitioned immediately into a prominent role, making 31 starts and logging a team-high 208 innings pitched despite the Yankees' dismal 67-95 finish.[1] He recorded a 9-19 mark with a 4.11 ERA, 138 strikeouts, and six complete games, though his win total was hampered by the team's anemic offense, which provided minimal run support in many of his outings.[24] The high-pressure New York media and fanbase amplified scrutiny on his performances, contributing to a challenging debut year in pinstripes. The 1991 season under manager Stump Merrill saw Leary continue as a primary starter through the first half, but defensive lapses and his own command issues led to significant struggles.[25] He finished 4-10 with a 6.49 ERA over 18 starts and 120.2 innings, allowing 150 hits and 20 home runs while the Yankees' defense committed 109 errors, one of the highest totals in the majors, exacerbating pitchers' woes.[1] Merrill's steady but unsuccessful tenure, marked by the team's 71-91 record, included frequent adjustments to the pitching staff amid ongoing instability.[26] By mid-July 1991, after going 1-5 with a 9.22 ERA in his previous eight starts, Leary was removed from the rotation, effectively ending his status as a frontline starter for the Yankees.[26] This marked the conclusion of his primary contributions during the 1990-1991 period, as the team shifted focus amid another losing campaign.Seattle Mariners
Leary joined the Seattle Mariners via trade from the New York Yankees on August 22, 1992, in exchange for minor leaguer Sean Twitty, with the Yankees covering most of his remaining $1.3 million contract salary for that year and the next.[1][27] The move came amid Leary's inconsistent season with the Yankees, where he posted a 5-6 record before the trade, prompting his desire for a fresh start on the West Coast away from intense media scrutiny.[1] In 1992, the Mariners, in the midst of a rebuilding phase with a young roster featuring talents like Ken Griffey Jr., acquired Leary as a veteran starter to bolster a rotation hit hard by injuries.[28] He made eight starts down the stretch, going 3-4 with a 4.91 ERA over 44 innings, providing stability but unable to reverse the team's fortunes as they finished 64-98, last in the AL West.[1] Notable outings included a complete game loss to the Minnesota Twins on September 7, where he pitched eight innings and allowed four runs in a 4-2 defeat, and a strong shutout effort on September 24 at Kansas City, tossing 6 2/3 scoreless innings in a 2-0 loss despite limiting the Royals to four hits.[29] Returning for the full 1993 season under the carried-over contract, Leary solidified his role in the Mariners' ongoing youth movement, starting 25 games and finishing 11-9 with a 5.05 ERA in 169 1/3 innings.[1] His experience complemented emerging stars like Griffey, contributing to the team's improvement to 82-80 under new manager Lou Piniella, though they still missed the playoffs. Following the 1993 campaign, the Mariners granted Leary free agency on October 29, leading him to sign with the Texas Rangers for 1994.[11]Texas Rangers
Tim Leary signed with the Texas Rangers as a free agent on June 29, 1994, shortly after being released by the Montreal Expos, where he had posted a 2-4 record with a 5.43 ERA in Triple-A with the Ottawa Lynx.[1] This marked his return to the American League in the later stages of his 13-year Major League Baseball career.[2] In his brief stint with the Rangers, Leary appeared in six games, including three starts, working as a hybrid starter and reliever to bolster the pitching staff amid injuries and roster needs. He compiled a 1-1 record with an 8.14 ERA over 21 innings pitched, allowing 26 hits, 19 earned runs, four home runs, and 11 walks while striking out nine batters.[1] His outings included a win on July 8 against the Cleveland Indians, where he pitched 6.2 innings and allowed three runs, but struggles with control and power hitting limited his effectiveness in subsequent appearances. The 1994 Major League Baseball strike, which began on August 12, interrupted the season and curtailed Leary's opportunities with the Rangers, who were in contention for the AL West title. His final appearance came on August 9, 1994, against the Oakland Athletics, where he pitched 0.1 innings in relief and allowed one run.[1] Following the season, Leary was granted free agency on October 14, 1994, effectively concluding his MLB tenure in Texas.[1]Awards and honors
Major league awards
In 1988, Tim Leary received the National League Silver Slugger Award for pitchers, recognizing his exceptional offensive performance with a .269 batting average, three doubles, and nine RBIs in 67 at-bats, marking the highest batting average among NL pitchers that year.[30] This award, presented annually by Major League Baseball to honor the best offensive players at each position, highlighted Leary's versatility as a right-handed hitter during his standout season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. That same year, Leary was named the Sporting News National League Comeback Player of the Year, an accolade given to the player who demonstrated the most significant improvement after a subpar previous season, based on his 17-11 record, 2.91 ERA, and six shutouts— a dramatic turnaround from his 3.44 ERA and inconsistent output in prior years with the New York Mets and Milwaukee Brewers.[30] The award underscored his resurgence as a reliable starter, contributing to the Dodgers' National League West title. Leary also earned National League Player of the Week honors on July 23, 1988, for his dominant pitching in two starts, including a complete-game shutout, which helped solidify his role in the Dodgers' rotation during a crucial midseason stretch.[2] Regarding Hall of Fame considerations, Leary was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991, celebrated for his collegiate achievements as a two-time All-American pitcher who set school records in strikeouts and earned Academic All-American status, bridging his amateur success to his professional career.[31] He received no formal nominations for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, though his 1988 contributions remain a notable chapter in Dodgers history.Postseason achievements
Leary's postseason experience was limited to the 1988 playoffs with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he played a supporting role in their World Series championship. In the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets, he appeared in two games, starting Game 6 on October 11 and pitching 4 innings while allowing 3 earned runs in a 7-4 defeat; he also made a brief relief outing of 0.1 innings in another game, finishing the series with a 0-1 record and a 6.23 ERA over 4.1 total innings pitched.[16] In the World Series against the Oakland Athletics, Leary excelled in relief, appearing in Games 1 and 4 without recording a decision. On October 15 in Game 1, he threw 3 scoreless innings after starter Orel Hershiser, helping preserve a 5-4 comeback victory highlighted by Kirk Gibson's pinch-hit home run. His most notable contribution came in Game 4 on October 19, where he entered in the seventh inning and pitched 3.2 innings, surrendering 1 earned run on 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3, stabilizing the game as the Dodgers rallied for a 4-3 win to take a 3-1 series lead. Leary's World Series performance yielded a 1.35 ERA over 6.2 innings, allowing 6 hits and 1 run (1 earned).[32][17] Although Leary had joined the Cincinnati Reds via trade from the Dodgers on July 28, 1989, and pitched 13 games for them that season (4-3 record, 4.21 ERA), he signed as a free agent with the New York Yankees in December 1989, missing the Reds' sweep of the 1990 World Series. Injuries hampered his later career, including shoulder issues that limited his effectiveness after 1990, but did not factor into his absence from Cincinnati's postseason.[1] Leary's career postseason statistics reflect his brief but impactful 1988 run:| Year | Series | G | GS | W-L | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | NLCS | 2 | 1 | 0-1 | 4.1 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6.23 |
| 1988 | WS | 2 | 0 | 0-0 | 6.2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1.35 |
| Career | TOT | 4 | 1 | 0-1 | 11.0 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 3.27 |
Post-playing career
Retirement announcement
Tim Leary's professional baseball career concluded after the 1994 season when the Texas Rangers released him following a brief stint in which he appeared in six games, posting a 1-1 record with an 8.14 ERA over 21 innings.[18] He officially retired in early 1995 at age 36, citing chronic arm wear stemming from the heavy workload of his 1988 season with the Dodgers, during which he pitched a career-high 228⅔ innings.[18] Although his overall 13-year MLB record stood at 78 wins against 105 losses—a sub-.500 mark—Leary expressed satisfaction with his accomplishments, particularly his role in the 1988 World Series championship, noting in a 2013 interview that he had no regrets despite feeling he could have achieved more.[18][1] Upon retirement, Leary returned to his native California, settling in the Whittier area, and shifted focus to non-playing opportunities in baseball, including private pitching instruction for young players at $20 per hour and participation in the Dodgers' speakers bureau for alumni events.[18] His final MLB appearance came on August 9, 1994, against the Seattle Mariners, capping a journeyman career that spanned seven teams.[1]Coaching and community roles
Following his retirement from professional baseball in 1995, Tim Leary transitioned into coaching roles at several institutions, beginning with a stint as pitching coach at his alma mater, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), from 1997 to 2000. During this period, he focused on developing young pitchers, drawing on his own experience as a standout Bruin hurler and major league veteran to emphasize mechanics, mental preparation, and game strategy. Leary returned to UCLA in 2004 for an additional season in the same capacity, contributing to the program's ongoing success by mentoring talents who advanced to professional levels.[31][33] In 2005, Leary joined Loyola Marymount University (LMU) as the Lions' pitching coach, a role he held through at least 2006, where he worked to refine the staff's pitching arsenal and foster competitive depth in the West Coast Conference. His tenure at LMU highlighted his ability to adapt professional insights to collegiate athletes, helping to build a foundation for sustained performance. In 2010–2011, he served as pitching coach at California State University, Northridge. Later, Leary took on an assistant coaching position at Brentwood School in Los Angeles, where he continues to instruct varsity and youth players in pitching, hitting, fielding, and fundamental skills, impacting dozens of student-athletes aged 6 to early 20s through personalized development.[4][34][35] Beyond academia, Leary has been an active member of the Los Angeles Dodgers' alumni community relations team since around 2011, participating in youth programs, charitable events, and fan engagements to promote baseball's positive influence. Notable contributions include hosting baseball clinics during the Dodgers' 2015 Community Caravan, which reached underserved communities, and volunteering at events like the 2016 Ocean Park Community Center service day, where he shared stories from the 1988 World Series championship to inspire participants. Through affiliations with the Santa Monica Baseball Academy and his own Tim Leary Baseball Foundation, he has extended mentorship to amateur players via clinics, private lessons, and equipment support initiatives. Leary continues to engage in coaching and community events as of 2024, including assisting with the South All-Star team in the Golden Coast Collegiate League All-Star Game and working with youth at the Santa Monica Baseball Academy.[36][37][38][39][40][41] Leary's legacy in coaching underscores a commitment to mentorship, as evidenced by his 1991 induction into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame, where he has spoken at events to motivate emerging athletes, and his ongoing involvement in Dodgers alumni functions that blend charity with baseball education.[33][42]Career statistics
Regular season performance
Timothy Leary pitched in Major League Baseball for 13 seasons from 1981 to 1994, compiling a career record of 78 wins and 105 losses with a 4.36 earned run average (ERA) over 1,491.1 innings, during which he recorded 888 strikeouts.[1] His regular-season performance reflected a journeyman career marked by inconsistency, with notable peaks driven by improved command rather than overwhelming velocity.[10] Leary's pitching repertoire centered on a right-handed fastball that could reach 95 miles per hour in his prime, complemented by a curveball and slider for breaking pitches, as well as a developing split-fingered fastball and changeup for deception.[43][44] Early in his career, he emphasized power pitching with strikeouts, but injuries and adjustments led to a shift toward finesse, relying more on control, pitch location, and mixing speeds to induce weak contact rather than overpowering hitters.[10][45] This evolution was evident in his declining strikeout rate after 1988, dropping from a career-high 7.07 per nine innings that year to around 5.97 in 1990 and further to 3.61 by 1993, as he prioritized avoiding walks and home runs over swing-and-miss stuff.[1] Leary's regular-season output can be divided into three phases: early promise with limited innings from 1981 to 1984, a peak period of productivity from 1986 to 1988, and a decline marked by higher ERAs and win-loss imbalances from 1990 to 1994. In the early years, he showed flashes of potential in spot duty, posting a 3.76 ERA over 66.1 innings in 1981, 1983, and 1984 after minor-league seasoning.[1] His peak came with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he won 17 games in 1988 with a 2.91 ERA and 1.124 WHIP, anchoring a rotation that reached the World Series.[1] The later phase saw diminished effectiveness, exacerbated by injuries and age, with a combined 33-49 record and 5.09 ERA, though he still logged over 140 innings in three of those seasons.[1] The following table summarizes key regular-season metrics by era, highlighting trends in wins, ERA, and WHIP:| Era | Seasons | Wins-Losses | ERA | WHIP | Innings Pitched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Promise (1981–1984) | 4 | 4-4 | 3.76 | 1.50 | 66.1 |
| Peak (1986–1988) | 3 | 32-34 | 3.78 | 1.31 | 523.2 |
| Decline (1990–1994) | 5 | 33-49 | 5.09 | 1.50 | 659.2 |