View source for Jimmy Key

{{short description|American baseball player (born 1961)}}
{{about|the baseball player|other people named James Key|James Key (disambiguation)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{BLP sources|date=March 2010}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Jimmy Key
|image=Jimmy Key (Taps 1983).png
|caption=Key pitching for Clemson in 1983
|position=[[Pitcher]]
|bats=Right
|throws=Left
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1961|4|22}}
|birth_place=[[Huntsville, Alabama]], U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=April 6
|debutyear=1984
|debutteam=Toronto Blue Jays
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=September 20
|finalyear=1998
|finalteam=Baltimore Orioles
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Win–loss record (pitching)|Win–loss record]]
|stat1value=186–117
|stat2label=[[Earned run average]]
|stat2value=3.51
|stat3label=[[Strikeout]]s
|stat3value=1,538
|teams=
* [[Toronto Blue Jays]] ({{mlby|1984}}–{{mlby|1992}})
* [[New York Yankees]] ({{mlby|1993}}–{{mlby|1996}})
* [[Baltimore Orioles]] ({{mlby|1997}}–{{mlby|1998}})
|highlights=
* 5× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1985 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1985]], [[1991 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1991]], [[1993 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1993]], [[1994 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1994]], [[1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1997]])
* 2× [[World Series champion]] ({{wsy|1992}}, {{wsy|1996}})
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders|MLB wins leader]] (1994)
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders|MLB ERA leader]] (1987)
| hofcolor= #EC1C40
| hoflink= Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
| hoftype= Canadian 
| hofdate= 2024
}}
'''James Edward Key''' (born April 22, 1961) is an American former left-handed starting [[pitcher]] in [[Major League Baseball]] who played for the [[Toronto Blue Jays]] (1984–1992), [[New York Yankees]] (1993–1996), and [[Baltimore Orioles]] (1997–1998). His best personal years were in 1987, when he posted a 17–8 record with a league-leading 2.76 ERA, and in 1993, when he went 18–6 with a 3.00 ERA and 173 [[strikeout]]s. With the Blue Jays, he won the [[1992 World Series]] and with the Yankees, he won the [[1996 World Series]], both over the [[Atlanta Braves]].

==Career==

===Amateur career===
Key attended [[S. R. Butler High School]] in [[Huntsville, Alabama]].<ref name="Felts">{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4E4eAAAAIBAJ&sjid=TMcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4377,2626345|title=Huntsville native gets good news|last=Felts|first=Jerry|date=18 October 1982|work=Times Daily|page=6B|access-date=1 June 2010}}</ref> For the school's baseball team, he compiled a 10–0 [[win–loss record (pitching)|win–loss record]] with nine [[shutout (baseball)|shutouts]] and a 0.30 [[earned run average]] (ERA) in his senior year. Key also [[batting average (baseball)|batted]] .410 with 11 [[home run]]s and 35 [[runs batted in]] in his high school career.

Key attended [[Clemson University]], where he played [[college baseball]] for the [[Clemson Tigers baseball]] team in the [[Atlantic Coast Conference]] (ACC). At Clemson, Key posted a 9–3 record and 2.79 ERA on the mound, and batted .300 with 21 doubles. Key is the only Clemson player to be a member of the first-team All-ACC in two positions (pitcher and DH) in 1982. He pitched the opening game of the 1980 [[College World Series]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://clemsontigers.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/key_jimmy00.html |title=Baseball :: Clemson Tigers - Official Athletic Site |access-date=2010-03-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081016024245/http://clemsontigers.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/key_jimmy00.html |archive-date=2008-10-16 }} Clemson bio</ref>

===Toronto Blue Jays===
The [[Toronto Blue Jays]] selected Key in the third round of the [[1982 MLB draft]].<ref name="baseball-reference.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/keyji01.shtml|title = Jimmy Key Stats}}</ref> He worked his way up the Blue Jays' minor league system during 1982 and 1983, putting up respectable numbers with the [[Florence Blue Jays]] ([[South Atlantic League]]), the [[Medicine Hat Blue Jays]] ([[Pioneer League (baseball)|Pioneer League]]), the [[Knoxville Smokies|Knoxville Blue Jays]] ([[Southern League (1964–2020)|Southern League]]), and the [[Syracuse Chiefs]] ([[International League]]) before heading to Toronto.

Key made his Major League debut on April 6, 1984, and was utilized in relief situations through his inaugural year, notching 10 [[save (baseball)|saves]] and a 4.65 [[earned run average|ERA]].<ref name="DigestNov85p50">{{cite journal|last=Sorci|first=Rick|date=November 1985|title=Jimmy Key Helped Open the Door of Opportunity for Blue Jays|journal=Baseball Digest|publisher=Lakeside Publishing|volume=4|issue=11|page=50|issn=0005-609X|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jzQDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA48|access-date=1 June 2010}}</ref> He wore number 27 in his first season and 22 for the duration of his Blue Jays career.

Key moved into the starting rotation in 1985 and quickly became a cornerstone in the rotation, leading the Blue Jays to their first postseason appearance that year. In 1987, Key led the major leagues with a 2.76 earned run average and finished second behind [[Roger Clemens]] in voting for the American League [[Cy Young Award]].

In Game 4 of the [[1992 World Series]], Key made his final start for the Blue Jays,<ref name="Felts" /> surrendering one run over {{frac|7|2|3}} innings to earn a 2-1 [[win (baseball)|win]] and put the Jays up 3 games to 1. He left the game to a tremendous ovation. Key would appear once more in the series, as a reliever in the 10th and 11th innings of the 6th and deciding game, earning another winning decision in the series.<ref>http://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2009/5/11/872139/top-50-all-time-jays-7-jimmy-key Birdbanter</ref>

===New York Yankees===
As a [[free agent]], Key signed a four-year contract worth $17&nbsp;million with the [[New York Yankees]] on December 10, 1992.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/12/11/sports/baseball-yankees-finally-get-it-right-and-land-a-lefty.html|newspaper=The New York Times | first=Jack|last=Curry|title=BASEBALL; Yankees Finally Get It Right and Land a Lefty | date=December 11, 1992|author-link=Jack Curry}}</ref> He posted a 49–23 record in 94 games over three seasons with the Yankees. He had his career high of 173 strikeouts in the first year with the Yankees in 1993, and he led the majors with 17 wins in the [[1994–95 Major League Baseball strike|strike]]-shortened season of 1994.<ref name="baseball-reference.com"/>

He spent time with the [[Gulf Coast Yankees]] (1–0 and 0.00 ERA) and Tampa (0–0 and 2.77 ERA) of the Florida State League during rehab assignments during his last season with New York in 1996. In his final start as a Yankee, he outdueled [[Greg Maddux]] of the Atlanta Braves in the deciding game of the [[1996 World Series]].<ref name="baseball-reference.com"/>

Jimmy Key wore the number 22 while with the Yankees.

===Baltimore Orioles===
Key signed as a free agent with the [[Baltimore Orioles]] on December 10, 1996,<ref name="baseball-reference.com"/> and posted a 22–13 record in 59 appearances over two seasons. A free agent in his final season, Key retired from the game after the 1998 season largely due to injuries. He made US$7.73 million with the Orioles over 2 seasons. He wore the number 21 with the Orioles (22 having been retired by Baltimore in honor of hall-of-famer [[Jim Palmer]]).<ref name="baseball-reference.com"/>
He was assigned to Fredrick of the Carolina League in 1998 (1–0 3.00 ERA) during his final rehab stint. Key was granted free agency for the last time on October 27, 1998, by Orioles GM [[Pat Gillick]], the same GM who granted him the same conditions in [[Toronto Blue Jays|Toronto]] in 1992.

==Strengths and weaknesses==
Key was one of the premiere [[control pitcher]]s in the game with a good [[strikeout-to-walk ratio]] over most of his career. His [[fastball]] was not particularly speedy, but was often effective as he could spot it on both corners of the plate—although when his pitch went high, opponents fared well. He also possessed a fine backdoor [[Slider (baseball)|slider]]. He had a very good [[pickoff]] move to first base, which he notably demonstrated in Game 4 of the [[1992 World Series]] by picking off [[Otis Nixon]], one of the game's premiere base stealers at the time. (During his windup his right knee was bent so that his right foot did not cross the rubber and he could throw to first base without incurring a balk).

Key tended to give up more than his share of [[home run]]s even while holding his opponents' [[on-base percentage]] to a low level. He was injury-prone with significant down time in 1988, 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996 and 1998. Contrary to some reports, Key never underwent [[Tommy John surgery]]. Instead, noted surgeon [[James Andrews (physician)|James Andrews]] removed bone chips, costing Key several months in the middle of the 1988 season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mlb.si.com/2014/03/07/best-pitchers-after-tommy-john-surgery-frank-jobe/ |title=Thanks, Frank Jobe: The five best pitchers after Tommy John surgery &#124; the Strike Zone - SI.com |access-date=2014-03-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310232902/http://mlb.si.com/2014/03/07/best-pitchers-after-tommy-john-surgery-frank-jobe/ |archive-date=2014-03-10 }}</ref>

==Post-career==
Following his retirement from baseball, Key became an amateur [[golf]]er. Now living in [[Palm Beach Gardens]], he has become prominent in the local golfing community.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2008/09/20/a9b_golfru_0921.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306022832/https://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2008/09/20/a9b_golfru_0921.html|archive-date=March 6, 2012|title=Rules violation hands lead to Palm Beach Gardens resident Turnesa|date=September 20, 2008|work=Palm Beach Post|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of Major League Baseball annual ERA leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball annual wins leaders]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Baseballstats|mlb=117032|espn=1477|br=k/keyji01|fangraphs=1006885|brm=key---001jam|retro=K/Pkey-j001}}
*[https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=keyji01 Baseball-almanac]
*[http://static.espn.go.com/mlb/profiles/profile/3490.html ESPN]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070227222129/http://clemsontigers.cstv.com/genrel/091099aaa.html Nine Former Greats To Be Inducted Into Clemson Hall Of Fame]
:

{{S-start}}
{{Succession box| before = [[Mark Langston]]| title = [[American League]] [[All-Star Game]] Starting Pitcher| years = [[1994 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1994]]| after = [[Randy Johnson (pitcher)|Randy Johnson]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{1992 Toronto Blue Jays}}
{{1996 New York Yankees}}
{{AL wins champions}}
{{AL ERA champions}}
{{Sporting News AL Pitcher of the Year Award}}
{{Toronto Blue Jays Opening Day starting pitchers}}
{{New York Yankees Opening Day starting pitchers}}
{{Baltimore Orioles Opening Day starting pitchers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Key, Jimmy}}
[[Category:1961 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American League All-Stars]]
[[Category:Baltimore Orioles players]]
[[Category:Major League Baseball pitchers]]
[[Category:New York Yankees players]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Huntsville, Alabama]]
[[Category:Toronto Blue Jays players]]
[[Category:American expatriate baseball players in Canada]]
[[Category:American League ERA champions]]
[[Category:American League wins champions]]
[[Category:Medicine Hat Blue Jays players]]
[[Category:Florence Blue Jays players]]
[[Category:Knoxville Blue Jays players]]
[[Category:Syracuse Chiefs players]]
[[Category:Dunedin Blue Jays players]]
[[Category:Gulf Coast Yankees players]]
[[Category:Tampa Yankees players]]
[[Category:Frederick Keys players]]
[[Category:Clemson Tigers baseball players]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Palm Beach County, Florida]]
[[Category:Peninsula Oilers players]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]