100 Greatest Phillies: 90 – Kent Tekulve
Relief Pitcher
1985-1988
Career w/Phillies: 367.1 IP / 24-26 / 3.01 ERA / 196 K
For four years, the bespectacled Tekulve dazzled hitters with his submarine swagger. Durable as heck, Tekulve came to the Phils in a trade for Al Holland in 1985, and quickly established himself as the bullpen horse. He threw 110 innings for the Phils in 1986, recording a 11-5 mark with a fine 2.54 ERA. His ERA grew in his next two seasons, but remained below 4.00 while still throwing 80 or more innings. In 1987 he threw in an MLB-best 90 games. At age 40. After retiring, he joined the Phils as a commentator. Remember that?
Comment: What a cool pitcher. A throwback. Those awesome glasses. That cool sub style. A great pitcher for his entire career — easily one of the game’s greatest relievers. I’ll always see him in a black Pirates jersey, wearing that crude square yellow cap with the black lines, but for a while, he was a great Phillie.
