Tom Gordon

Thomas Flynn Gordon (born November 18, 1967), nicknamed "Flash", is an American former professional baseball right-handed pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals (1988–1995), Boston Red Sox (1996–1999), Chicago Cubs (2001–02), Houston Astros (2002), Chicago White Sox (2003), New York Yankees (2004–05), Philadelphia Phillies (2006–2008), and Arizona Diamondbacks (2009). In 1998, he won the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award and led the American League (AL) in saves and games finished. In 1998-99, Gordon set a then-MLB record with 54 consecutive saves.

Gordon was one of several children born to Annie and Thomas Gordon. He was raised in abject poverty and his parents could not afford a telephone. Gordon attended Avon Park High School in Avon Park, Florida, and was a letterman in baseball. He was selected in the sixth round of the 1986 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals. He received a $38,000 signing bonus.

Early career

Gordon began his career as a starting pitcher with the Kansas City Royals, first appearing in five games at the age of 20 late in the 1988 season.He became an immediate sensation in Kansas City the following year, posting a 17-9 record and a 3.64 ERA in his first full season, and he finished second in the 1989 Rookie of the Year balloting.Gordon also recorded 153 strikeouts in 1989, the tenth highest total in the American League, which earned him the nickname "Flash."

Gordon continued to post top-10 strikeout totals during the 1990 and 1991 seasons, but his number of wins dropped each year while his ERA crept upwards.Finally, in 1992 Gordon had one of the worst season of his career, posting a 6-10 record and a 4.59 ERA.He bounced back with seasons of 11 or 12 wins from 1993 to 1995, but he never quite regained his rookie form.Prior to the 1996 season, Gordon left Kansas City and signed as a free agent with the Boston Red Sox.

In his first season in Boston, Gordon had a 12-9 record and a 5.59 ERA – the highest ERA of his career to that point. Over the next two years, however, the Red Sox converted Gordon from a starting pitcher to a closer and his career reignited. In 1998, Gordon set the club's single-season record for saves (46), with 43 of them in a row, and was named to his first All-Star Team. His success continued in 1999 setting a major league record with his 54th consecutive save in June, but a nagging elbow injury limited him to just 21 appearances, which required ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (or UCL) also known as Tommy John surgery, that forced him to spend all of 2000 on the disabled list. His popularity in Boston at this point led New England-based writer and Red Sox fan Stephen King to reference him as the object of infatuation for the young protagonist of the 1999 novel The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. After subsequent stops in Houston and both sides of Chicago, Gordon landed in New York. He was an invaluable addition to the Yankees bullpen, serving as a set-up for closer Mariano Rivera, or as a middle reliever in tough situations.

2006-07

At this point, Gordon had compiled a career 122-111 record with 1733 strikeouts, a 3.99 ERA, 114 saves, and 1,896.2 innings in 671 games (203 as a starter).

He signed a three-year deal worth $18 million with the Phillies before the 2006 season. Gordon debuted in Philadelphia as a closer during the 2006 season, replacing Billy Wagner, who signed with the Mets after the 2005 season. On May 2, 2007, Gordon was placed on the disabled list due to a rotator cuff inflammation, at which time he was replaced in the closer slot by former starting pitcher Brett Myers. Following both pitchers' return from the DL, Myers retained the closer position, while Gordon was shifted to a late-inning reliever. Flash was named to the 2006 NL All Star Team as the leading vote getter from the players.

2008

Gordon had fully rehabilitated his arm and was prepared for the '08 season.

However, on July 6, 2008, Gordon was placed on the 15-day disabled list for tenderness in his right elbow.Fellow reliever Brad Lidge praised Gordon calling him "a stud" and said that the Phils were hoping for him to return to the team after his 15-day stint.Prior to being placed on the disabled list, Gordon recorded a 13.45 earned run average giving up six runs in four total innings since June 11. He eventually was ruled out for the season but was able to earn his only World Series ring on the bench in the 2008 World Series.

2009

On February 6, 2009, Gordon signed a one-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. After spending most of the season on the disabled list, he was released on August 11.

2010

On August 9, Gordon said that he still thinks he has what it takes to compete, but that he's "fine" with retirement.

• Rolaids Relief Man of the Year Award (1998)
• Led AL in saves (1998)
• Led AL in games finished (69, 1998)
• Set an MLB record with 54 consecutive saves (1998–99)
• Led AL in Holds (36) 2004
• Three-time All-Star (1998, 2004, 2006)
• Only pitcher in MLB history with 100 wins, saves, and holds.
• World Series Champion (2008)

Gordon has five children with four different women, none of whom he married. He is the father of Tamasha, Devaris, Thomas, Thomana, and Nicholas.

His oldest son, Dee, plays for the Seattle Mariners. His youngest son, Nick, was drafted fifth overall by the Minnesota Twins in the 2014 Major League Baseball draft and currently plays for their Class AA affiliate Chattanooga Lookouts. Gordon is the guardian of Cleveland Indians minor league pitcher Juan Hillman.

Two of Gordon's brothers, Anthony Gordon and Pork Chop Pough, played professional baseball. Anthony was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 26th round of the 1987 draft and played 7 minor league seasons. Pough was drafted in the third round by the Cleveland Indians a year later and played 7 seasons in MiLB followed by one season in the Mexican League and five in the Atlantic League.

Gordon is mentioned by name in the title, and frequently referred to in the Stephen King novel The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon.