Hall of Fame
Back To Hall of Fame
Back To Hall of Fame
Bob Apodaca parlayed two magnificent years with the Cal State L.A. baseball program into a long-lasting professional baseball career that he still enjoys today.
He earned All-Pacific Coast Athletic Association honors for the Golden Eagles as a pitcher in 1970 and 1971. He still shares the program record for shutouts in a season with three and he was the team Most Valuable Player in 1971.
He compiled a 10-4 record in 1970 with a 1.87 earned run average while throwing a team-high 115 1/3 innings. He followed that up with an 8-8 record and three saves while throwing a team-high 134 innings and leading the team with a 2.55 earned run average.
In his two seasons at Cal State L.A., he had 18 wins, threw 249 1 3/ innings and had 155 strikeouts.
Apodaca was signed by the New York Mets and reached the Major Leagues in 1973. He pitched four full seasons with the Mets from 1974-77 before arm injuries ultimately forced the end of his playing career. He made 184 appearances and picked up 16 wins and 26 saves. His first Major League win came on May 13, 1974 when he beat Bob Gibson and the St. Louis Cardinals in a starting role.
After retiring in 1981, he spent more than a decade in the Mets’ farm system and later became the Mets’ pitching coach from 1996-99. he was the Milwaukee Brewers’ pitching coach in 2000 and 2001 and, after a stint with the Mets’ Class-A St. Lucie team in 2002, was named the Colorado Rockies’ pitching coach on Oct. 31, 2002.
He is entering his 38th year in professional baseball and is beginning his seventh season with the Rockies.
Back To Hall of Fame
