1976 Topps #411 - Bill Singer

• Bill Singer was toward the end of his career in 1976. He pitched in the majors from 1964-1977. Singer was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1961. Bill pitched in the minors for five years (1962-1966) and had brief major league stints in 1964 (0-1, 3.21 ERA in 2 starts), 1965 (1 inning in 2 games) and 1966 (4 innings in 3 games).

• Singer was in the majors to stay in 1967. There was no way he could possibly fill Sandy Koufax's shoes, but he had a good season. Bill was 12-8 with an ERA of 2.64 in 29 starts and also gave up the fewest (0.2) home runs per nine innings. The Singer Throwing Machine - June 1967 Baseball Digest. In 1968 Singer was 12-17 with a 2.88 ERA in 36 starts. Bill led the league with 8.0 strikeouts per nine innings.

• Bill made the NL All Star team in 1969 and pitched two perfect innings. Singer went 20-12 with a 2.34 ERA in 40 starts. Singer was ill in 1970 and missed a total of 3 1/2 months of the season. He started three games in April and then didn't come back until late June. He also didn't pitch after mid-August. Bill pitched a no-hitter against the Phillies on July 20. Singer ended up 8-5 with a 3.13 ERA in 16 starts.

• Singer struggled in his last two seasons as a Dodger. In 1971 he went 10-17 with a 4.16 ERA in 31 starts. Bill was 6-16 with a 3.67 ERA in 25 starts in 1972. After the 1972 season he was traded by the Dodgers with Billy Grabarkewitz, Frank Robinson, Mike Strahler and Bobby Valentine to the California Angels for Ken McMullen and Andy Messersmith.

• Bill bounced back in 1973 to make the AL All Star team. He gave up three runs in two innings, including back-to-back home runs to Bobby Bonds and Johnny Bench. Singer went 20-14 with a 3.22 ERA in 40 starts in '73.

• Singer was hurt in 1974 and didn't pitch after June 4. He ended up 7-4 with a 2.98 ERA in 14 starts. In 1975 Bill went 7-15 with a 4.98 ERA in 27 starts. Bill was traded to the Texas Rangers after the 1975 season for Jim Spencer and $100,000.

• Bill had a good start in the 1976 season. He was 4-1 with a 3.48 ERA in 10 starts when he was part of a big trade with the Minnesota Twins that sent Bert Blyleven to the Rangers. Singer started 26 times for the Twins and went 9-9 with a 3.77 ERA. After the 1976 season Bill was picked by the Toronto Blue Jays in the expansion draft.

• Singer started the first game ever for the Blue Jays in 1977. The Blue Jays won the game but Bill didn't go five innings so he didn't get the decision. Singer struggled with the Blue Jays and missed a lot of time due to injury. He started 11 games and then missed six weeks from early June to mid July. Bill pitched in two more games and then shut it down for the season. Singer went 2-8 with a 6.79 ERA in 1977. Singer tried to come back but was unable to do so and Toronto released him after the 1978 season.

• After his playing career Bill was a scout and consultant for the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Florida Marlins, and the Dodgers. Singer took a job as a special assistant with the New York Mets in 2003 but was fired after two weeks after making racially inappropriate remarks to Dodgers assistant general manager Kim Ng. Bill apologized and blamed the Atkins diet and being drunk, but it didn't save his job. He later became a scout for the Arizona Diamondbacks (2005) and now coordinates scouting operations in Asia for the Washington Nationals.
• Liked to face: Jerry Terrell (.000 in 16 AB); Jim Holt (.000 in 15 AB); Frank White/Roger Metzger/Dick Dietz (.050 in 20 AB)
• Hated to face: Fred Lynn (.571 in 21 AB); Rod Carew (.500 in 24 AB); Roberto Clemente (.448 in 29 AB)