1976 Topps #557 - Dan Spillner

• Dan Spillner was drafted by the San Diego Padres in 1970. Spillner was in the minors from 1970-1974 and came up to San Diego in May 1974. Dan went 9-11 with a 4.05 ERA in 25 starts for the Padres in his rookie season.
• Spillner was 5-13 with a 4.27 ERA for the Padres in 1975. He started 25 games and relieved in 12 others. Dan struggled in 1976 (2-11, 5.06 ERA) as a swingman (14 starts, 18 relief appearances). Spillner had back surgery and missed the last two  months of the 1976 season. 
• Dan started three games for AAA Hawaii to begin the 1977 season. He came back to San Diego in May and was used as a reliever by the Padres. Spillner appeared in 76 games and went 7-6 with six saves with a 3.73 ERA.
• Spillner started the 1978 season with the Padres (1-0, 4.56 ERA in 14 games). Dan was traded to the Cleveland Indians for Dennis Kinney on June 14. Spillner pitched in 36 games and went 3-1 with a 3.67 ERA for the Indians to finish the 1978 season.
• Dan was a swingman in 1979 (13 starts, 36 relief appearances) and went 9-5 with a 4.62 ERA. Spillner was put in the Indians' starting rotation in 1980 and went 16-11 with a 5.28 ERA in 30 starts. 
• Spillner returned to a swingman role in 1981. He made five starts and appeared in 27 games in relief. Dan went 4-4 with seven saves and had a 3.14 ERA in 1981.
• Dan's best year was in 1982. He made 65 relief appearances, had 21 saves, and was 12-10 with a 2.49 ERA.
• Spillner wasn't nearly as effective in 1983. His record dropped to 2-9 and his ERA rose to 5.07 in 60 games.  Dan started off poorly in 1984 (0-5, 5.65 in 14 games - 8 starts) and was traded to the  Chicago White Sox for Jim Slwy on June 26. Spillner appeared in 22 games for the White Sox and was 1-0 with a 4.10 ERA.
• Dan pitched better in 1985. He went 4-3 with a 3.44 ERA in 52 games (3 starts). Spillner became a free agent after the 1985 season but didn't receive any offers. Dan later said that he had a couple of years left in him but owner collusion in the free agent market ended his career early.
• Spillner was awarded a $486,000 settlement in 1995 from the collusion case.
• A "where are they now" article from 2003. Dan was working in construction in Washintgon and was working with baseball players at the semi-pro level when this article was written. 
• Liked to face: Harold Baines (.000 in 11 AB); Oscar Gamble (.067 in 15 AB); Buddy Bell (.125 in 24 AB)
• Hated to face: Bob Stinson (.636 in 11 AB); Rennie Stennett (.579 in 19 AB); Rod Carew (.531 in 32 AB)

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