That Balls Outta Here
FanSided

Phillies All-Decade Team 1970s: Homegrown Talent at the Forefront

By Kerry Kauffman

PHILADELPHIA, PA - CIRCA 1980: Pitcher Steve Carlton #32 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during an Major League Baseball game circa 1980 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Carlton played for the Phillies from 1972-86. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - CIRCA 1980: Pitcher Steve Carlton #32 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during an Major League Baseball game circa 1980 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Carlton played for the Phillies from 1972-86. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – CIRCA 1977: Jim Lonborg #41 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during an Major League baseball game circa 1977 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Lonborg played for the Phillies from 1973-79. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – CIRCA 1977: Jim Lonborg #41 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during an Major League baseball game circa 1977 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Lonborg played for the Phillies from 1973-79. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

Jim Lonborg

Lonborg was an eight-year veteran when the Phillies acquired him along with Ken Sanders, Ken Brett, and Earl Stephenson for John Vukovich, Bill Champion, and Don Money on October 31, 1972.

In his first season with the Phillies, Lonborg went 13-16 with a 4.66 ERA. He proceeded to win 17 in 1974 with 16 complete games and 283 innings pitched.  Lonborg’s 1975 season was limited to 27 games, compiling an 8-6 record with a 4.12 ERA.

Lonborg’s best overall season with the Phillies and best since he went 22-9 for the 1967 Red Sox was in 1976. In 32 starts, he went 18-10 with eight complete games with one shutout. His 3.08 ERA was lowest of his career and his 222 innings pitched was fourth-most.

At the age of 35 in 1977, Lonborg’s production started to decline, but he still managed an 11-7 mark in 25 games with a decent ERA of 4.11. Clearly near the end during the 1978 season, Lonborg went 8-10 with his ERA above five for the first time in his career.

Lonborg was released by the Phillies on June 16, 1979 after going 0-1 with an 11.05 ERA in four games.  He never pitched another game in the Major Leagues, retiring with 157 wins and a 3.86 ERA.

During his time in Philadelphia, Lonborg posted a respectable 75-60 record with an ERA of 3.98.

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