Baseball career

Playing career

On August 10, 1980, McCatty pitched a 14 inning game against the Seattle Mariners, only to lose 2-1.

During the 1981 strike-shortened season, McCatty was third in the American League with a 2.32 ERA and was tied with three others with most wins with 14, including 4 shutouts, the last two of which were consecutive starts for McCatty. He finished second for the Cy Young Award, behind Rollie Fingers.

During a 1982 exhibition game against the San Diego Padres, McCatty stepped to the plate wielding a toy 15-inch bat but was refused by umpire Jim Quick to hit. McCatty was instructed by A's manager Billy Martin, who was furious that the designated hitter rule was not allowed in National League ballparks, to use the toy bat as a protest.

Coaching career

After retiring as a player in 1986, he remained in professional baseball working in radio and TV for the Oakland A's and with ESPN Major League Baseball. McCatty later moved on to coach several minor league baseball clubs, and was hired as pitching coach by the Detroit Tigers for the 2002 season. He subsequently coached for the Ottawa Lynx when it was the AAA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. During the offseason, McCatty works with youngsters of all ages to teach pitching mechanics at Jason Thompson Baseball in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

In 2009, McCatty became the second pitching coach in Washington Nationals franchise history, replacing Randy St. Claire, who was fired, and McCatty was called upon to replace him after working at the Nationals' AAA affiliate. The Nationals fired McCatty and the entire coaching staff after the 2015 season.

[ Source: Wikipedia ]