Jim Clancy, Dead at 69
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Just last week I recorded an episode devoted to Dave Stieb. Dave Stieb was the Blue Jays ace when I discovered the team in the early 80s, but before Jimmy Key emerged as a stellar starting pitcher, there was a clear #2. His name was Jim Clancy.
I wrote this about Jim Clancy back in 2008.
Throughout the 80s, there were two starters we could rely on. Jimmy Key came around in 1984, but before him there was Dave Stieb and Jim Clancy.
Dave Stieb got most of the glory, but Jim Clancy was consistently great. He was a Jay since day one back in 1977 and an all-star in 1982, but today he's known best as the answer to a trivia question.
The next time you're with a group of baseball fans, ask them to name the losingest pitcher of the 1980s. Despite his decent ERA and pile of wins, the answer is our very own Jim Clancy. The fact is, you have to be pretty good to hold a record like that. Weaker pitchers won't get the starts necessary to reach 119 losses.
I was saddened to learn Jim Clancy passed away at the age of 69. Overshadowed by Stieb, Clancy was often overlooked and is definitely under appreciated. From TSN:
Clancy is second all-time in team history in starts, inning pitched and complete games. He is third all-time in Blue Jays history in wins with 128, trailing only Dave Stieb (175) and Hall of Famer Roy Halladay (148). His 24.8 WAR is fifth all-time among Jays hurlers and his 352 games played is eighth all-time among Jays pitchers.