Blast From The Past: O'Dell, Sanford and Pierce 1962

The Giants prospect pipeline that started in 1958 produced hitter after hitter, but not so much on the pitching side.  OK, Juan Marichal had an excellent season in 1962 by anyone else's standards at 18-11 with a 3.36 ERA in 262.2 IP, but it was just a shadow of things to come.  Bobby Bolin was a hard thrower who had a wild hair up his nose and Gaylord Perry still had not learned the splitter.  In addition to Marichal, the other three main members of the rotation, Billy O'Dell, Jack Sanford and Billy Pierce were all acquired by trades that all worked spectacularly in the Giants favor.

Billy O'Dell was a LHP who led the 1962 Giants in Starts with 39 and IP with 280.2.  The Giants acquired him after the 1959 season from the Orioles for Jackie Brandt(OF), Gordon Jones(RHP) and Roger McCardell(C).  Brandt went on to have a decent 6 years career with the O's but flags fly forever and the Giants likely would not have won the NL Pennant in 1962 without O'Dell who went 19-14 with an ERA of 3.53.  O'Dell failed to record an out in Game 2 of the NL playoff series against the Dodgers allowing 2 runs in an 8-7 loss.  He also lost Game 1 of the World Series against Whitey Ford but recorded a Save in Game 4.  He recorded a lower ERA in 1963 but failed to get as much run support and finished with a record of 14-10.  His career tailed off after and was traded to the Braves before the 1965 season for catcher Ed Bailey who the Giants had previously traded.

The Giants acquired Jack Sanford(RHP) before the 1959 season from the Phillies for Ruben Gomez(RHP) and Valmy Thomas(C).  That proved to be a great trade for the Giants as Sanford took his career to the next level.  His career year was 1961 in which he went 24-7 with a 3.43 ERA in 265.1 IP.  He was the starting pitcher in the Game 2 loss to the Dodgers in the playoffs, but allowed just 1 ER in 5 IP.  He pitched heroically in the World Series pitching a Complete Game 2-0 shutout over Ralph Terry in Game 2.  He lost Game 5 to Terry 5-3 but after several days of rain delays, came back to duel Terry again in Game 7 which the Giants lost in heartbreaking fashion 1-0 on the famous line drive by Willie McCovey that was caught by Bobby Richardson.

The White Sox thought Billy Pierce(LHP) was washed up after a great career and traded him to the Giants before the 1962 season along with Don Larsen(RHP) for Eddie Fisher(RHP) and 3 other players.  Fisher went on to have a long career as a swingman/reliever but again, flags fly forever and Billy Pierce had one more good season in him going 16-6 with a 3.49 ERA in 162.1 IP.  He beat the Dodgers 8-0 in Game 1 of the playoff series and earned a Save in the clinching game 3 win.  He lost Game 3 of the World Series 3-2 but was the winning pitcher in Game 6 to set up the dramatic finish in Game 7.