Looking at Jesse Jefferson's won-lost records, he would have fit right in with the Mets teams of the early 1960s. He posted marks like 5-11, 9-17, 7-16, 2-10, 5-13, well you get the point. He had a lifetime record of 39-81 with a 4.81 ERA in nine seasons from 1973-1981.
Jefferson was originally drafted by the Baltimore Orioles and pitched for them until early 1975, when he was traded to the White Sox for Tony Muser. Jesse finished the 1975 season by starting 21 games for the White Sox and posting a 5-9, 5.10 record.
Jesse had a tough year in 1976. He went 2-5 with an ERA of 8.52 in 62.1 innings. He was exposed in the expansion draft and was taken by the Toronto Blue Jays. He was one of their main starters in 1977 and 1978 but posted winning percentages of .346 and .304. Jesse then became a swingman in 1979. He pitched for the Jays until his release in late 1980. The Pirates picked him up for the last few weeks of the 1980 season, where he got his only major league at-bat. He pitched for the Angels in 1981. He left as a free agent and tried to sign with the Orioles in 1982, but was released late in spring training and never pitched in the bigs again.
What's that old quote? Something like...he must have been pretty good to be that bad for so many years.
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