Calvin Schiraldi: Former Mets First Round Draft Pick (1984 - 1985) & 1986 World Series Losing Pitcher in Games Six & Seven

Calvin Drew Schiraldi was born on June 16, 1962, in Houston, Texas. His father Joseph was a former basketball & track star at Texas A&M before going into the business world. His mother Ramona was a secretary & teacher's aide. Calvin also has a sister named Rhonda.

 

The tall six-foot five right hander was first offered a contract by the Chicago White Sox but chose to go to college instead.

College World Series: Calvin pitched at the University of Texas where he won a College World Series with the Longhorns, with future Red Sox teammates, Spike Owen & Roger Clemens. Calvin was voted the Series' Most Outstanding Player going 2-0 with a 0.63 ERA.

In 1983, Schiraldi was chosen by the New York Mets in the 1st round of the draft, as the 27th pick overall.

In 1984 he went 14-3 with a 2.88 ERA for the AA Jackson Mets, getting named the league's most valuable pitcher. He was promoted to AAA Tidewater where he went 3-1 with a 1.15 ERA. The Mets brought him up that year as a September call up

MLB Debut: On September 1st he got the start in the second game of a double header with the Padres at Shea Stadium. He had a rough start, giving up five runs on eight hits including a HR to catcher, Terry Kennedy exiting in the 4th inning to Tom Gorman getting no decision in the loss.

Later that week he took his first loss getting shut out 2-0 by Rick Rhoden in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Calvin made two relief appearances then one final start, taking a loss in Montreal where he gave up five more runs.

 He ended the year at 0-2 with a 5.71 ERA. The Mets finished second that year winning 90 games (90-72) under new manager Davey Johnson. The team was loaded with young talent & rich with pitching going into the next season.

1985: In 1985 Schiraldi started the year at AAA Tidewater but was called up two weeks into the season. On April 22nd, he made got a start against the Cardinals, allowing five runs over six innings but still earned his first career victory. The Mets put up seven runs behind HRs from Darryl Strawberry & George Foster.

On April 28th, he blew a lead to the Pirates giving up a two run HR to Tony Pena. On May 14th, he broke his toe while trying to field an infield hit by the Braves Claudell Washington. He spent two weeks on the DL returning in June. 

On June 2nd, he gave up three runs in San Diego including a two run HR to Tony Gwynn. but the Mets gave him seven runs helped by HRs from Gary Carter & Danny Heep. On June 9th, in the second game of a double header Calvin gave up four runs & ten hits to the Cardinals taking the 8-2 loss. He made three more appearances thru June, giving up ten more hits in next start then blowing another save opportunity in Montreal.

He was sent back to AAA Tidewater where he went 4-4 with a 3.50 ERA in 17 games. Calvin returned in September making one more relief appearance. He finished the year at 2-1 with an 8.89 ERA allowing 26 earned runs in 26 innings.

Traded: In the off season he married his wife Deborah, while in Bermuda on his Honeymoon he heard of his trade to Boston.

On November 13th, 1985, Schiraldi, Wes Gardner, John Christensen & LaSchelle Tarver were traded to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Bobby Ojeda, John Mitchell, Chris Bayer & Tom McCarthy.

It was a great deal for the Mets, as Ojeda became the winningest pitcher on the Mets Championship staff. The Mets would haunt Schiraldi in that year's World Series.

Post Mets Career: In Spring Training, he faced his old Mets teammates & they got him for six runs. There was talk of a lack of confidence & concern for his sore arm.

He started out the year at AAA Pawtucket, where he was converted to a full-time reliever. Calvin joined the Red Sox bullpen in midsummer. He ended up taking over the Sox closer job, impressing manager John McNamara with some quality outings. In his first month he was 1-0 with six saves posting a 0.63 ERA before taking his first loss.

In September he helped the Red Sox clinch the AL East, ending the year 4-2 with nine saves & a 1.41 ERA in 25 appearances.

1986 Post Season- NLCS: In the 1986 ALCS he appeared in four games, allowing two runs in six innings. In Game #4 at Anaheim, he gave up a walk off HR to the Angels Bobby Grich in the 11th inning, giving the Angels a 3-1 Series lead. 

But the Red Sox came back to win the next three games, with Schiraldi earning the save in the Game #5 victory in California as well.

In the final Game #7 he struck out the side in the 9th inning, getting Gary Pettis & Jack Howell looking & Jerry Narron swinging for the pennant clinching out. 

1986 World Series: It was off to the World Series against his old Mets teammates. The World Series started out well for Schiraldi, as he earned the save in the 1-0 Game #1 Boston win at Shea Stadium. 

In that top of the 9th inning, he gave Darryl Strawberry a leadoff walk. But Ray Knight made the first out on a failed sac attempt. Wally Backman then flew out & pinch hitter Danny Heep struck out looking.

The next time Met fans saw him at Shea Stadium, would be his next appearance in the classic Game Six. 

Trivia: When Calvin was introduced by the Shea Stadium P.A. announcer, Queen's “We Will Rock You” blasted through the Shea sound system. 56,000 Shea Faithful sang along (including centerfieldmaz who was in attendance that night) "We Will We Will Rock You". This was one of the first times in memory the song was played at a baseball game.

Calvin entered Game #6 relieving Roger Clemens with a one run lead in the bottom of the 8th inning. Pinch hitter, Lee Mazzilli led off with a base hit. 

Next, Len Dykstra bunted to Schiraldi & he failed to make the out on the fielder's choice. Wally Backman then bunted the runners over. Keith Hernandez was then intentionally walked. Gary Carter then hit a sac fly scoring Mazzilli to tie the game. 

The Red Sox failed to score in the top of the 9th. In the bottom of the 9th, Calvin issued a leadoff walk to Ray Knight & then Mookie Wilson reached on another fielder's choice, this time it couldn't be handled by catcher Rich Gedman. But Schiraldi struck out Howard Johnson & retired Mazzilli & Dykstra on fly balls to left field.

In the top of the 10th, Boston took the lead on a two-run HR by Dave Henderson, quieting the Shea crowd. Schiraldi came on out to the bottom of the 10th to try to close it out & win the Red Sox their first World Series since 1918.

Schiraldi got the first two outs, retiring Wally Backman on a flyball & Keith Herandez on a deep fly out to centerfield.  

But then things slowly began to happen, the Mets collected three straight singles from Gary Carter, Kevin Mitchell & Ray Knight. Knight's base hit made it a one run game as Gary Carter scored.

Caaalvin- Caaalvin: It was in this classic game; the Shea fans answered the taunts Darryl Strawberry had received in Boston in right field.  Legendary haunting chants of “Caaalvin- Caaalvin” echoed through big Shea Stadium & obviously shook the young pitcher up. 

After Knight's single, he was taken out of the game by manager John Macnamara, exiting to even louder chants of “Caaaalvin” getting relieved by Bob Stanley. The rest is Mets & World Series history, as Stanley threw a game tying wild pitch scoring Kevin Mitchell with the tying run & Mookie Wilson hit a slow roller to first base that got by Bill Buckner scoring the winning run. Schiraldi was the losing pitcher of record.

In Game #7 Calvin came in to start the 7th inning in a 3-3 tie, relieving Bruce Hurst. Ray Knight led off the inning with a dramatic HR giving New York the lead in a madhouse they call Shea, centerfieldmaz was in attendance again. Calvin then allowed gave up a base hit to Lenny Dykstra, then threw a wild pitch, as the chants of Caalvin- Caalvin echoed thru Shea.

 Rafael Santana then singled to right field giving the Mets a 5-3 lead. Schiraldi exited to the chants with his head hung low, getting removed by former Met Joe Sambito. 

Just 48 hours prior the Red Sox were on the verge of winning their first World Series in almost 70 years. Instead, they were going home as runner ups to the Champion Mets. Schiraldi had to go back to Boston as the losing pitcher in both of those two devastating defeats with a 13.50 World Series ERA. 

Quotes- Calvin Schiraldi: "I feel responsible for what happened. I am responsible for what happened. I ought to feel like this".

A True Gentleman: After the game, Schiraldi went to the Mets clubhouse to congratulate his friends & former teammates.

After the Pennant: In 1987 Clavin rebounded to go 8-5 with six saves, although his ERA was high at 4.41. The next year he went back to being a starting pitcher going 9-13 with a 4.38 ERA. 

That winter he was traded to the Chicago Cubs with Al Nipper for closer Lee Smith. 

Calvin would spend parts of the next two seasons with the Cubs going 12-9 with five saves & a 4.19 ERA. He moved on to the San Diego Padres (1990) & the Texas Rangers (1991).

Career Stats: In his eight-year career, Calvin posted a 32-39 record with 21 saves a 4.28 ERA. He struck out 471 batters, walked 267 in 553 innings pitched in 235 appearances making 47 starts.

Retirement: After his playing days Schiraldi became a pitching coach at St. Michael’s Catholic Academy in Austin, Texas.

In 2023 he authored the book "The Arena".

Family: Calvin & his wife Deborah (Murphy) have two children together.