Long before he etched his name into Chicago Cubs lore, the ‘Red Baron’ made a name for himself. From the start of his career, Rick Sutcliffe was touted as one of the game’s most formidable pitchers. In his first full season in the Major Leagues, Sutcliffe went 17-10 over 39 games, spanning 242 innings on his way to the National League Rookie of the Year in 1979 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
However, after being cast aside from the Dodgers’ stacked starting rotation that included the likes of Fernando Valenzuela, Jerry Reuss, Bob Welch and an aging Don Sutton, Sutcliffe was relegated to the bullpen as a long reliever and spot starter for his next two seasons in Los Angeles.