1976 Topps #621 - Tom Hall

• Tom Hall was an unheralded pitcher who had a penchant for striking out batters. Hall's lifetime strikeouts per nine innings average was 8.4 and he struck out an average of over nine batters per nine innings four times in his career.
• Tom Hall was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1966. Hall had dominating stats in the minors from 1966-1968 and first came up to Minnesota in June 1968. Tom pitched in eight games for the Twins and was 2-1 with a 2.43 ERA.
• In 1969 Tom pitched in 31 games (18 starts) and was 8-7 with a 3.33 ERA. Hall pitched two thirds of an inning and got both batters out in one game in the 1969 ALCS.
• Hall had one of his  best years in 1970. Tom struck out 184 batters in 155 innings and was 11-6 with a 2.55 ERA in 52 games (11 starts). Hall started and lost game 2 of the 1970 ALCS.
• Tom's stats dropped off a bit in 1971. Hall was 4-7 with 9 saves and had a 3.33 ERA in 48 games (11 starts). After the 1971 season Hall was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for Wayne Granger.
• Hall had his other really good year in 1972. Tom was 10-1 with 8 saves and had a 2.61 ERA in 47 games (7 starts). It was also Hall's third year in a row of striking out more batters than innings pitched. Tom relieved Jack Billingham in game 2 of the 1972 NLCS and earned the win. Hall had a 1.23 ERA in 7.1 innings in the NLCS. Hall pitched in four games in the 1972 World Series, allowed no runs in 8.1 innings, and earned the save in game 6.
• Tom was 8-5 with 8 saves and had and ERA of 3.47 in 1973. Hall got rocked in three games in the 1973 NLCS -- he pitched 0.2 innings and allowed four runs (54.00 ERA).
• Hall was mostly a reliever in 1974 -- he appeared in 40 games and had one start. Tom went 3-1 with a 4.08 ERA in 1974. 
• Hall started the 1975 season with the Reds but was traded to the New York Mets for Mac Scarce after pitching in two games for the Reds. Tom pitched in 34 games (4 starts) for the Mets in 1975 and was 4-3 with a 4.75 ERA.
• Tom was on the move again in 1976. He started the season with the Mets (1-1, 5.79 ERA in 5 games) and was traded to the Kansas City Royals for a minor leaguer and cash on May 7. Hall was 1-1 with a 4.45 ERA in 31 games for the Royals. Tom wasn't used in the postseason.
• Hall pitched in six games for the Royals in 1977 (0-0, 3.52 ERA) and was released on June 5. Tom was  picked up by the  Twins and pitched in AAA Omaha. Hall retired after the 1977 season at the age of 29 due to injuries.
• Liked to face: Mike Epstein (.000 in 14 AB); Willie Davis (.042 in 24 AB); Jay Johnstone (.041 in 21 AB)
• Hated to face: Mike Andrews (.700 in 10 AB); Rennie Stennett (.571 in 14 AB); Reggie Smith/Roy White (.409 in 22 AB)

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