Biographical

Portrait of Don Sutton

Don Sutton PDodgers

Dodgers Player Cards | Dodgers Team Audit | Dodgers Depth Chart

Career Summary
Years G IP W L SV ERA WARP
23 774 5282.3 324 256 5 3.26 118.3
Birth Date4-2-1945
Height6' 1"
Weight185 lbs
Age79 years, 0 months, 17 days
BatsR
ThrowsR
WARP Summary

MLB Statistics

Historical (past-seasons) WARP is now based on DRA..
cFIP and DRA are not available on a by-team basis and display as zeroes(0). See TOT line for season totals of these stats.
Multiple stints are are currently shownClick to hide.
YEAR Team Lg G GS IP W L SV H BB SO HR PPF H/9 BB/9 HR/9 K/9 GB% BABIP WHIP FIP ERA cFIP DRA DRA- WARP
1966 LAN MLB 37 35 225.7 12 12 0 192 52 209 19 91 7.7 2.1 0.8 8.3 0% .273 1.08 2.65 2.99 62 2.16 54.0 7.1
1967 LAN MLB 37 34 232.7 11 15 1 223 57 169 18 92 8.6 2.2 0.7 6.5 0% .288 1.20 3.02 3.95 82 2.90 77.0 4.3
1968 LAN MLB 35 27 207.7 11 15 1 179 59 162 6 85 7.8 2.6 0.3 7.0 0% .280 1.15 2.24 2.60 78 2.17 63.5 5.0
1969 LAN MLB 41 41 293.3 17 18 0 269 91 217 25 95 8.3 2.8 0.8 6.7 0% .274 1.23 3.25 3.47 88 3.15 77.0 5.5
1970 LAN MLB 38 38 260.3 15 13 0 251 78 201 38 94 8.7 2.7 1.3 6.9 0% .272 1.26 4.21 4.08 91 3.29 75.6 5.3
1971 LAN MLB 38 37 265.3 17 12 1 231 55 194 10 94 7.8 1.9 0.3 6.6 0% .278 1.08 2.24 2.54 74 2.45 62.8 6.8
1972 LAN MLB 33 33 272.7 19 9 0 186 63 207 13 93 6.1 2.1 0.4 6.8 0% .224 0.91 2.36 2.08 77 2.14 58.0 7.3
1973 LAN MLB 33 33 256.3 18 10 0 196 56 200 18 96 6.9 2.0 0.6 7.0 0% .245 0.98 2.61 2.42 73 2.44 57.6 7.3
1974 LAN MLB 40 40 276.0 19 9 0 241 80 179 23 95 7.9 2.6 0.8 5.8 0% .253 1.16 3.29 3.23 84 2.83 68.6 6.3
1975 LAN MLB 35 35 254.3 16 13 0 202 62 175 17 95 7.1 2.2 0.6 6.2 0% .239 1.04 2.86 2.87 77 2.33 55.3 7.6
1976 LAN MLB 35 34 267.7 21 10 0 231 82 161 22 96 7.8 2.8 0.7 5.4 0% .253 1.17 3.46 3.06 94 2.90 72.7 5.5
1977 LAN MLB 33 33 240.3 14 8 0 207 69 150 23 97 7.8 2.6 0.9 5.6 0% .251 1.15 3.62 3.18 92 3.08 68.6 5.8
1978 LAN MLB 34 34 238.3 15 11 0 228 54 154 29 99 8.6 2.0 1.1 5.8 0% .266 1.18 3.65 3.55 92 3.14 75.8 4.7
1979 LAN MLB 33 32 226.0 12 15 1 201 61 146 21 101 8.0 2.4 0.8 5.8 0% .258 1.16 3.43 3.82 86 2.85 63.5 6.0
1980 LAN MLB 32 31 212.3 13 5 1 163 47 128 20 98 6.9 2.0 0.8 5.4 0% .225 0.99 3.45 2.20 88 2.57 59.9 6.0
1981 HOU MLB 23 23 158.7 11 9 0 132 29 104 6 95 7.5 1.6 0.3 5.9 0% .260 1.01 2.42 2.61 67 2.20 54.9 4.9
1982 HOU 0 27 27 195.0 13 8 0 169 46 139 10 91 7.8 2.1 0.5 6.4 0% .270 1.10 2.70 3.00 74 2.41 56.1 6.1
1982 MIL 0 7 7 54.7 4 1 0 55 18 36 8 97 9.1 3.0 1.3 5.9 0% .283 1.34 4.25 3.29 97 3.86 89.8 0.8
1983 MIL MLB 31 31 220.3 8 13 0 209 54 134 21 94 8.5 2.2 0.9 5.5 0% .264 1.19 3.64 4.08 93 3.18 73.4 5.0
1984 MIL MLB 33 33 212.7 14 12 0 224 51 143 24 92 9.5 2.2 1.0 6.1 0% .289 1.29 3.62 3.77 96 3.93 91.8 2.8
1985 CAL 0 5 5 31.7 2 2 0 27 8 16 6 96 7.7 2.3 1.7 4.5 0% .223 1.11 4.94 3.69 109 3.83 88.0 0.5
1985 OAK 0 29 29 194.3 13 8 0 194 51 91 19 93 9.0 2.4 0.9 4.2 0% .266 1.26 3.86 3.89 110 3.93 90.3 3.0
1986 CAL MLB 34 34 207.0 15 11 0 192 49 116 31 94 8.3 2.1 1.3 5.0 0% .246 1.16 4.36 3.74 112 4.09 92.4 3.0
1987 CAL MLB 35 34 191.7 11 11 0 199 41 99 38 97 9.3 1.9 1.8 4.6 0% .264 1.25 5.15 4.70 122 5.66 118.8 0.2
1988 LAN MLB 16 16 87.3 3 6 0 91 30 44 7 97 9.4 3.1 0.7 4.5 0% .282 1.39 3.80 3.92 101 3.52 84.7 1.6
1982 TOT MLB 34 34 249.7 17 9 0 224 64 175 18 93 8.1 2.3 0.6 6.3 0% .000 1.15 3.04 3.06 79 2.73 63.4 6.8
1985 TOT MLB 34 34 226.0 15 10 0 221 59 107 25 93 8.8 2.3 1.0 4.3 0% .000 1.24 4.01 3.86 110 3.92 90.0 3.5
CareerMLB7747565282.33242565469213433574472958.02.30.86.147%.2611.143.293.26872.9971.3118.3

Statistics for All Levels

'opp' stats - Quality of opponents faced - have been moved and are available only as OPP_QUAL in the Statistics reports now.
Minor league stats are currently shownClick to hide.
YEAR Team Lg LG G GS IP W L SV H BB SO HR PPF H/9 BB/9 HR/9 K/9 GB% BABIP WHIP FIP ERA cFIP DRA DRA-
1966 LAN MLB NL 37 35 225.7 12 12 0 192 52 209 19 91 7.7 2.1 0.8 8.3 0% .273 1.08 2.65 2.99 62 2.16 54.0
1967 LAN MLB NL 37 34 232.7 11 15 1 223 57 169 18 92 8.6 2.2 0.7 6.5 0% .288 1.20 3.02 3.95 82 2.90 77.0
1968 LAN MLB NL 35 27 207.7 11 15 1 179 59 162 6 85 7.8 2.6 0.3 7.0 0% .280 1.15 2.24 2.60 78 2.17 63.5
1969 LAN MLB NL 41 41 293.3 17 18 0 269 91 217 25 95 8.3 2.8 0.8 6.7 0% .274 1.23 3.25 3.47 88 3.15 77.0
1970 LAN MLB NL 38 38 260.3 15 13 0 251 78 201 38 94 8.7 2.7 1.3 6.9 0% .272 1.26 4.21 4.08 91 3.29 75.6
1971 LAN MLB NL 38 37 265.3 17 12 1 231 55 194 10 94 7.8 1.9 0.3 6.6 0% .278 1.08 2.24 2.54 74 2.45 62.8
1972 LAN MLB NL 33 33 272.7 19 9 0 186 63 207 13 93 6.1 2.1 0.4 6.8 0% .224 0.91 2.36 2.08 77 2.14 58.0
1973 LAN MLB NL 33 33 256.3 18 10 0 196 56 200 18 96 6.9 2.0 0.6 7.0 0% .245 0.98 2.61 2.42 73 2.44 57.6
1974 LAN MLB NL 40 40 276.0 19 9 0 241 80 179 23 95 7.9 2.6 0.8 5.8 0% .253 1.16 3.29 3.23 84 2.83 68.6
1975 LAN MLB NL 35 35 254.3 16 13 0 202 62 175 17 95 7.1 2.2 0.6 6.2 0% .239 1.04 2.86 2.87 77 2.33 55.3
1976 LAN MLB NL 35 34 267.7 21 10 0 231 82 161 22 96 7.8 2.8 0.7 5.4 0% .253 1.17 3.46 3.06 94 2.90 72.7
1977 LAN MLB NL 33 33 240.3 14 8 0 207 69 150 23 97 7.8 2.6 0.9 5.6 0% .251 1.15 3.62 3.18 92 3.08 68.6
1978 LAN MLB NL 34 34 238.3 15 11 0 228 54 154 29 99 8.6 2.0 1.1 5.8 0% .266 1.18 3.65 3.55 92 3.14 75.8
1979 LAN MLB NL 33 32 226.0 12 15 1 201 61 146 21 101 8.0 2.4 0.8 5.8 0% .258 1.16 3.43 3.82 86 2.85 63.5
1980 LAN MLB NL 32 31 212.3 13 5 1 163 47 128 20 98 6.9 2.0 0.8 5.4 0% .225 0.99 3.45 2.20 88 2.57 59.9
1981 HOU MLB NL 23 23 158.7 11 9 0 132 29 104 6 95 7.5 1.6 0.3 5.9 0% .260 1.01 2.42 2.61 67 2.20 54.9
1982 HOU MLB NL 27 27 195.0 13 8 0 169 46 139 10 91 7.8 2.1 0.5 6.4 0% .270 1.10 2.70 3.00 74 2.41 56.1
1982 MIL MLB AL 7 7 54.7 4 1 0 55 18 36 8 97 9.1 3.0 1.3 5.9 0% .283 1.34 4.25 3.29 97 3.86 89.8
1983 MIL MLB AL 31 31 220.3 8 13 0 209 54 134 21 94 8.5 2.2 0.9 5.5 0% .264 1.19 3.64 4.08 93 3.18 73.4
1984 MIL MLB AL 33 33 212.7 14 12 0 224 51 143 24 92 9.5 2.2 1.0 6.1 0% .289 1.29 3.62 3.77 96 3.93 91.8
1985 CAL MLB AL 5 5 31.7 2 2 0 27 8 16 6 96 7.7 2.3 1.7 4.5 0% .223 1.11 4.94 3.69 109 3.83 88.0
1985 OAK MLB AL 29 29 194.3 13 8 0 194 51 91 19 93 9.0 2.4 0.9 4.2 0% .266 1.26 3.86 3.89 110 3.93 90.3
1986 CAL MLB AL 34 34 207.0 15 11 0 192 49 116 31 94 8.3 2.1 1.3 5.0 0% .246 1.16 4.36 3.74 112 4.09 92.4
1987 CAL MLB AL 35 34 191.7 11 11 0 199 41 99 38 97 9.3 1.9 1.8 4.6 0% .264 1.25 5.15 4.70 122 5.66 118.8
1988 LAN MLB NL 16 16 87.3 3 6 0 91 30 44 7 97 9.4 3.1 0.7 4.5 0% .282 1.39 3.80 3.92 101 3.52 84.7
1988 BAK A+ CLF 3 3 15.7 0 1 0 16 3 19 0 9.2 1.7 0.0 10.9 0% .000 1.21 1.24 4.01 0 0.00 0.0

Plate Discipline

YEAR Pits Zone% Swing% Contact% Z-Swing% O-Swing% Z-Contact% O-Contact% SwStr%

Injury History  —  No longer being updated

Last Update: 12/31/2014 23:59 ET

Date On Date Off Transaction Days Games Side Body Part Injury Severity Surgery Date Reaggravation
1988-07-03 - - - Right Shoulder Recovery From Surgery - -
1988-06-29 1988-08-09 41 37 Right Elbow Strain - -

Compensation

Year Team Salary

 

Service TimeAgentContract Status

Details

2019 Preseason Forecast

Last Update: 1/27/2017 12:35 ET

PCT W L SV G GS IP H BB SO HR BABIP WHIP ERA DRA VORP WARP
Weighted Mean?????0.0?00?.0000.000.00?0.00.0

Comparable Players (Similarity Index )

Rank Score Name Year Run Average Trend

BP Annual Player Comments

No BP Book Comments have been found for this player.

BP Articles

Click here to see articles tagged with Don Sutton

BP Chats

DateQuestionAnswer
2013-01-11 14:00:00 (link to chat)Do you think some writers will hold a grudge against Glavine next year due to his imput on the 1994 Major League Baseball strike and drug testing as a players' union representative ?
(19braves77 from Pensacola. FL)
I voiced this opinion last night on Twitter. I think there's something to it, if you go back and look at the low votes for Ted Simmons, Joe Torre and more recently David Cone. Curt Schilling, a JAWS-approved candidate, himself noted that he felt his low vote share (38.8%) in part reflected his activity as a player representative who didn't do enough to combat PEDs during his time. For once, I agree with him.

Will it be enough to keep Glavine out? Possibly on the first ballot given the crowd of candidates, the tenor of the electorate, and the precedent of not all 300-game winners making it on the first try (Gaylord Perry, Don Sutton and Phil Niekro had to wait). He'll get his plaque eventually, though. (Jay Jaffe on the Hall of Fame)
2010-06-28 14:00:00 (link to chat)By happy coincidence, I daydreamed a question for you not more than a day ago, and here you are. Not that I'm trying to sneak in the backdoor, but do consistent players get any sort of boost in the public's estimation of their HoF chances, and should they? I think here of a Jack Morris. Even though his heights were more very good than HoF, his workmanlike consistency--on top of being relatable and making him seem like a good guy--kept Tigers fans from a lot of crappy starts from a more up and down pitcher. I wonder if consistency (if it could be defined) would ever end up having a predictive value on eventual election. Thanks for suffering a long question, Jay.
(Jim Clancy from Exhibition Stadium)
Consistency is pretty difficult to quantify, except perhaps in the way it enables players to accumulate the benchmark stats that most of the public regards as constituting "a good season." I think of Steve Garvey rapping out his 200 hits, 100 RBI and .300 batting average every year and how highly esteemed he was in his day, and yet how far his star has fallen in light of a more modern statistical reckoning. But then I also think of guys like Blyleven and Don Sutton who were pretty consistent on some levels but didn't rack up the 20-win seasons that some of their peers did, and aren't held on the same level as them even if they may have been more valuable.

In the end I suspect peak value holds more sway on the public's estimation of a potential HoFer, because people tend to remember the high points, the outliers, the things that break pattern rather than the pattern itself. (Jay Jaffe)
2009-12-17 13:00:00 (link to chat)Thoughts on Posada's hall worthiness? If he and Damon are marginal, the '09 Yanks seem to have a lot of sure, possible, and potential HOFers on one team--which team had the most?
(Eli from Brooklyn)
I've written about Posada's Hall case more often than just about any active player in recent years; he needs to continue his strong hitting through the life of his contract in order to put himself in range, though winning another ring helped.

I believe that various Yankees of the late '20s and early '30s had as many as nine Hall of Famers plus manager at one point. It's tough to see these Yanks matching that. Jeter and Rivera are locks. A-Rod will need the steroid-related heat to cool off. Posada and Damon have to keep hitting, and Pettitte pitching his way into Don Sutton territory. Teixeira and Sabathia, both much further away, have to make good on their contracts and then some... and you're still a couple players and a manager way from topping that mark, which depeneded on the love from a much different Veterans Committee than we've got now. (Jay Jaffe)
2008-10-24 14:00:00 (link to chat)It seems like there are no players on either team who are already good Hall of Fame candidates (though guys like Utley, Upton, etc. have time to qualify.) Can you ever remember a Series without such an established veteran star?
(oira61 from San Francisco)
Wow, that's a good question, one that pretty much ties into what I was saying a couple of days ago about how rare it is to get two fresh teams facing off in the series for the first time in awhile. Add to that the fact that both teams are dominated by younger guys whose best days may still be ahead of them and you wind up with a situation like this. I'm jogging my memory and looking back over the WS matchups and thinking that we've hit a real stumper. At the time, people wondered aloud if the 1998 Yankees would yield a Hall of Famer, but now it's apparent that Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter will make it if nobody else does, to say nothing of Tony Gwynn from the opposite dugout.

The 1982 matchup maybe - at the time it certainly wasn't apparent that Ozzie Smith, Robin Yount, Paul Molitor or Don Sutton would make it (Sutton would win 60-something more games in the majors), adn Rollie Fingers was sidelined too. Definitely a question to sock away for future pondering. (Jay Jaffe)


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