Mitch Williams was born on Tuesday, November 17, 1964, in Santa Ana, California. Williams was 21 years old when he broke into the big leagues on April 9, 1986, with the Texas Rangers. His biographical data, year-by-year hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats (where applicable), career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous items-of-interest are presented by Baseball Almanac on this comprehensive Mitch Williams baseball stats page.
"Mitch (Williams) says that he throws 'like a man with his hair on fire.' And it's true. He lifts his right knee up toward his head as if trying to douse the flames with his leg, curls his 6'4", 205-pound body ostrichlike around his glove and unleashes the ball in one of the most out-of-control-looking explosions of vector forces ever seen in the world of high-level sport. After every pitch he careens off to the right of the mound, catching himself with his glove hand before staggering back to an upright position somewhere near the third base line. Throwing hard is one thing, but Williams looks as though he's trying to destroy his rotator cuff with each fling. The whole wild process scares batters half to death. After narrowly avoiding a Williams scorcher in his ear, Pirate centerfielder Andy Van Slyke said, 'If everyone were like him, I wouldn't play.'" - Telander, Rick. Sports Illustrated: WILD THING.. 28 August 1989.
Mitch WilliamsMitch 'Wild Thing' Williams Autograph on a 2006 Fleer Greats of the Game Baseball Card (#NG-MW) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Biographical Data | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Mitch WilliamsMitch Williams Pitching Stats |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
Year | Age | Team | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD |
1986 | 22 | Rangers | 80 | 0 | 38 | 8 | 6 | .571 | 3.58 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 98.0 | 435 | 69 | 39 | 39 | 8 | 79 | 8 | 90 | 5 | 11 | 5 | - |
1987 | 23 | Rangers | 85 | 1 | 32 | 8 | 6 | .571 | 3.23 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 108.2 | 469 | 63 | 39 | 47 | 9 | 94 | 7 | 129 | 4 | 7 | 2 | - |
1988 | 24 | Rangers | 67 | 0 | 51 | 2 | 7 | .222 | 4.63 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 68.0 | 296 | 48 | 35 | 38 | 4 | 47 | 3 | 61 | 5 | 6 | 6 | - |
1989 | 25 | Cubs | 76 | 0 | 61 | 4 | 4 | .500 | 2.76 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 81.2 | 365 | 71 | 25 | 27 | 6 | 52 | 4 | 67 | 6 | 8 | 4 | - |
1990 | 26 | Cubs | 59 | 2 | 39 | 1 | 8 | .111 | 3.93 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 66.1 | 310 | 60 | 29 | 38 | 4 | 50 | 6 | 55 | 4 | 1 | 2 | - |
1991 | 27 | Phillies | 69 | 0 | 60 | 12 | 5 | .706 | 2.34 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 88.1 | 386 | 56 | 23 | 24 | 4 | 62 | 5 | 84 | 4 | 8 | 1 | - |
1992 | 28 | Phillies | 66 | 0 | 56 | 5 | 8 | .385 | 3.78 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 81.0 | 368 | 69 | 34 | 39 | 4 | 64 | 2 | 74 | 5 | 6 | 3 | - |
1993 | 29 | Phillies | 65 | 0 | 57 | 3 | 7 | .300 | 3.34 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 62.0 | 281 | 56 | 23 | 30 | 3 | 44 | 1 | 60 | 6 | 2 | 0 | - |
1994 | 30 | Astros | 25 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 4 | .200 | 7.65 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 20.0 | 106 | 21 | 17 | 17 | 4 | 24 | 2 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - |
1995 | 31 | Angels | 20 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333 | 6.75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.2 | 65 | 13 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 1 | - |
1997 | 33 | Royals | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 10.80 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.2 | 38 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - |
Career | G | GS | GF | W | L | PCT | ERA | CG | SHO | SV | IP | BFP | H | ER | R | HR | BB | IBB | SO | WP | HB | BK | HLD | ||
11 Years | 619 | 3 | 419 | 45 | 58 | .437 | 3.65 | 0 | 0 | 192 | 691.1 | 3,119 | 537 | 280 | 317 | 49 | 544 | 39 | 660 | 44 | 52 | 24 | - |
Mitch WilliamsMitch Williams Hitting Stats |
|||||||||||||||||||||
Year | Age | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG |
1986 | 22 | Rangers | 80 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
1987 | 23 | Rangers | 85 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
1988 | 24 | Rangers | 67 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
1989 | 25 | Cubs | 76 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .200 | .200 | .800 |
1990 | 26 | Cubs | 59 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
1991 | 27 | Phillies | 69 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .500 | .000 |
1992 | 28 | Phillies | 66 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 | .250 | .250 |
1993 | 29 | Phillies | 65 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 1.000 |
1994 | 30 | Astros | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
1995 | 31 | Angels | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
1997 | 33 | Royals | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Career | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | GRSL | RBI | BB | IBB | SO | SH | SF | HBP | GIDP | AVG | OBP | SLG | ||
11 Years | 619 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .188 | .235 | .375 |
Mitch WilliamsMitch Williams Fielding Stats |
||||||||||||||||
Team | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
1986 Rangers | P | 80 | 0 | 294 | 13 | 0.2 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 1 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .846 | 1.01 |
1987 Rangers | P | 85 | 1 | 326 | 23 | 0.3 | 20 | 5 | 15 | 3 | 3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .870 | 1.66 |
1988 Rangers | P | 67 | 0 | 204 | 14 | 0.2 | 13 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .929 | 1.72 |
1989 Cubs | P | 76 | 0 | 245 | 14 | 0.2 | 11 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .786 | 1.21 |
1990 Cubs | P | 59 | 2 | 199 | 6 | 0.1 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 0.81 |
1991 Phillies | P | 69 | 0 | 265 | 11 | 0.2 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .727 | 0.82 |
1992 Phillies | P | 66 | 0 | 243 | 15 | 0.2 | 12 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .800 | 1.33 |
1993 Phillies | P | 65 | 0 | 186 | 7 | 0.1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .714 | 0.73 |
1994 Astros | P | 25 | 0 | 60 | 1 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 0.45 |
1995 Angels | P | 20 | 0 | 32 | 2 | 0.1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | 1.000 | 1.69 |
1997 Royals | P | 7 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .000 | 0.00 |
Career | POS | G | GS | OUTS | TC | TC/G | CH | PO | A | E | DP | PB | CASB | CACS | FLD% | RF |
P Totals | 619 | 3 | 2,074 | 106 | 0.2 | 89 | 14 | 75 | 17 | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .840 | 1.16 | |
11 Years | 619 | 3 | 2,074 | 106 | 0.2 | 89 | 14 | 75 | 17 | 4 | n/a | n/a | n/a | .840 | 1.16 |
Mitch WilliamsMitch Williams Miscellaneous Stats |
||||||||||||
Baserunning Statistics | Other Positions | Common Hitting Ratios | Common Pitching Ratios | |||||||||
Team | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
1986 Rangers | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.14 | 8.27 | 7.26 |
1987 Rangers | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.37 | 10.68 | 7.79 |
1988 Rangers | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.30 | 8.07 | 6.22 |
1989 Cubs | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 5.0 | 5.0 | 1.7 | 1.29 | 7.38 | 5.73 |
1990 Cubs | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.10 | 7.46 | 6.78 |
1991 Phillies | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.35 | 8.56 | 6.32 |
1992 Phillies | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 1.16 | 8.22 | 7.11 |
1993 Phillies | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.36 | 8.71 | 6.39 |
1994 Astros | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | n/a | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.88 | 9.45 | 10.80 |
1995 Angels | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.43 | 7.59 | 17.72 |
1997 Royals | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.43 | 13.50 | 9.45 |
Career | SB | CS | SB% | PH | PR | DH | AB/HR | AB/K | AB/RBI | K/BB | K/9 | BB/9 |
11 Years | 0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 1.21 | 8.59 | 7.08 |
Mitch WilliamsMitch Williams Miscellaneous Items of Interest |
||||
Team | Roster | Uniform Numbers | Salary | All-Star | World Series |
1986 Texas Rangers | 28 | $60,000.00 | - | - |
1987 Texas Rangers | 28 | $120,000.00 | - | - |
1988 Texas Rangers | 28 | $200,000.00 | - | - |
1989 Chicago Cubs | 28 | $377,500.00 | Stats | - |
1990 Chicago Cubs | 28 | $1,125,000.00 | - | - |
1991 Philadelphia Phillies | 28 | $1,500,000.00 | - | - |
1992 Philadelphia Phillies | 28 | $3,200,000.00 | - | - |
1993 Philadelphia Phillies | 99 | $3,500,000.00 | - | Stats |
1994 Houston Astros | 99 | $2,500,000.00 | - | n/a |
1995 California Angels | 99 | $2,000,000.00 | - | - |
1997 Kansas City Royals | 49 | $1,500,000.00 | - | - |
Mitch Williams Stats by Baseball Almanac |
Mitchell Steven Williams was a Major League Baseball player who pitched for the Texas Rangers (1986-1988), Chicago Cubs (1989-1990), Philadelphia Phillies (1991-1993), Houston Astros (1994), California Angels (1995), and Kansas City Royals (1997). Mitch, his nickname, had an unusual delivery to the plate, a unique wind-up, and after releasing the ball, he would usually end up partially off the mound near the third base dugout. The result; forty-four career wild pitches, five of his eleven seasons he appeared in the top ten for most batters hit, and a legendary nickname — Wild Thing.
Mitch Williams Rookie Card | 1986 Topps Traded Baseball Card (#125T)
Baseball Almanac Collection
Mitch Williams — during his rookie season — took the mound in eighty-games, breaking the Rangers' record for most pitching appearances in a season, set previously by Ron Kline, who appeared in seventy-four games in 1965, when the team was still known as the Washington Senators!
Mitch Williams — during his sophomore season — broke his own record when he took the mound in eighty-five games, a still-standing Rangers' record for most appearances by a pitcher during a single season. Since 1987, only one Texas twirler has even walked out to the mound eighty-or-more times, in 1992. Do you know who it was? [Answer]
Mitch Williams, after getting traded to Chicago in 1989, "only" appeared in seventy-six games, but still broke the Cubs' record for most appearances in a season by a left-handed pitcher, set previously in 1982 by Willie Hernandez (75 games). Today, that record is held by Jeff Fassero, who had eighty-two pitching appearances in 2001.
Mitch Williams, during his record-setting season with the Cubbies, recorded a save during a pickoff play! How did he do it? On April 28, 1989, Wild Thing exited the bullpen, stepped onto the mound in Wrigley Field, and faced Garry Templeton at the plate. The Cubs were winning 3-1, top of the ninth inning, two outs, with a runner (Carmelo Martinez) on second base. Up 1-0 versus Templeton, Mitch quickly spun around, threw the ball to Shawon Dunston (SS), who tagged Martinez for the final out of the game!
AP Wire. The Tennessean. 29 April 1989. Page 6-C
Did you know that when Mitch Williams took the mound on April 6, 1993, he became the first Phillies player to wear #99 in a regular season game? Did you know Wild Thing was also the first Astros player to wear #99 (April 4, 1994) and the first Angels player to wear #99 (April 28, 1995)?
Mitch Williams | Most Iconic Windups in Baseball History | 14 March 2019