1976 Topps #638 - Doyle Alexander

• Doyle Alexander pitched for eight teams in a career that lasted from 1971 to 1989. Alexander was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1968. After pitching in the minors for a few years Doyle came up to Los Angeles  in late June 1971.
• Alexander was 6-6 with a 3.80 ERA in 17 games (12 starts) for the Dodgers in 1971. After the 1971 season Doyle was packaged with three other players in a trade to the Baltimore Orioles for Frank Robinson and Pete Richert.
• Alexander pitched for the Orioles from 1972 until the middle of the 1976 season:
• 1972 - 6-8, 2 saves, 2.45 ERA in 35 games (9 starts)
• 1973 - 12-8, 3.86 ERA in 29 games (26 starts); started and lost game 5 of the ALCS
• 1974 - 6-9, 4.01 ERA in 30 games (12 starts); pitched only three times after August 25
• 1975 - 8-8, 3.04 ERA in 32 games (11 starts)
• Doyle started the 1976 season with the Orioles (3-4, 3.50 ERA). Alexander was traded to the New York Yankees after it became apparent that he would leave as a free agent after the season. The trade proved to be a good one for the Orioles, as they got three players (Tippy Martinez, Rudy May, Rick Dempsey) who would be important parts of their 1979 AL Championship team. Alexander was 10-5 with a 3.29 ERA in 19 starts for the Yankees and helped them to the AL East title. Alexander wasn't used in the 1976 ALCS. He started and lost game 1 of the 1976 World Series.
• After the 1976 season Alexander became a free agent and signed with the Texas Rangers for five years at $150,000 a year.
• Doyle had a good year with the Rangers in 1977, going 17-11 with a 3.65 ERA in 35 starts. In 1978 Doyle was 9-10 with a 3.86 ERA in 28 starts.
• Alexander missed five weeks of the 1979 season with an injury. He went 5-7 with a 4.45 ERA in 23 games (18 starts). 
• After the 1979 season Doyle was traded to the Atlanta Braves. In 1980 Alexander was 14-11 with a 4.20 ERA in 35 starts for the Braves. After the 1980 season Alexander demanded to be traded and was traded to the San Francisco Giants for John Montefusco and a minor leaguer.
• Alexander pitched well for the Giants in the 1981 strike season. He was 11-7 with a 2.89 ERA in 24 starts. After the 1981 season Alexander became a free agent and signed with the Yankees.
• Doyle's 1982 season was a rough one. He missed two months of the season with an injury (he broke his finger after he slammed his fist into a dugout wall). Alexander went 1-7 with a 6.08 ERA in 16 games (11 starts) as he had trouble getting along with Yankee management all season.
• Alexander started the 1983 season with the Yankees (0-2, 6.35 ERA) and was released on May 31. Doyle was picked up by the Toronto Blue Jays and went 7-6 with a 3.93 ERA in 15 starts.
• Alexander led the AL with a .739 winning percentage in 1984. He had a 17-6 record with a 3.13 ERA in 1984.
• Doyle had a nice season in 1985, going 17-10 with a 3.45 ERA in 36 starts.  Alexander started two games in the 1985 ALCS. He had no decision in game 3 and took the loss in game 6.
• Alexander was on the move again in 1986. He started the season with the Blue Jays (5-4, 4.46 ERA in 17 starts) and was traded to the Braves for Duane Ward on July 6. Doyle went 6-6 with a 3.84 ERA in 17 starts for the Braves in 1986.
• Doyle wasn't doing all that great for the Braves in 1987 (5-10, 4.13 ERA) but was involved in a classic "short-term vs. long-term" trade with the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers sent John Smoltz to the Braves in exchange for Alexander on August 12. Alexander was great for the Tigers, going 9-0 with a 1.53 ERA in 11 starts. The magic ran out in the ALCS as Doyle started and lost games 1 and 5 of the series.
• Alexander was an AL All Star in 1988 but he didn't get into the game. Doyle was 14-11 with a 4.32 ERA in 34 starts for the Tigers in 1988.
• In his last season Alexander had the misfortune of leading the league in losses. Doyle was 6-18 with a 4.44 ERA in 33 starts in 1989. Alexander wasn't offered a contract and retired after the 1989 season with a lifetime 194-174 record. His all-time post season record was 0-5 with an 8.38 ERA.
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• Liked to face: Ivan DeJesus (.000 in 16 AB); Curt Wilkerson (.063 in 16 AB); Jack Brohamer (.067 in 15 AB)
• Hated to face: Tony Perez (.778 in 9 AB); Kelly Gruber (.558 in 18 AB); Johnny Bench (.500 in 20 AB)

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