Sterling Hitchcock was the 9th-round pick of the New York Yankees in the 1989 draft. He would spend 13 seasons in the big leagues, his prime from 1995 to 1999 when he was in the Yankees and Padres rotation. During that period he would go 55-51 with a 4.65 ERA/1.391 WHIP/ 93 ERA+. While not the most stunning numbers, he was one of the best Padres pitchers during their 1998 World Series run. He would go 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA during the NLCS, taking home the series MVP award.
He spent the tail end of his career bouncing between teams as a pen arm and was normally something a little less than league average, and would retire following the 2004 season.
I was happy to grab this card–I never like to pass up on a 2001 Bowman Heritage if I can help it. I love this set as much now as when it came out in 2001.
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | W | L | ERA | G | GS | GF | IP | H | BB | SO | ERA+ | FIP | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | 21 | NYY | AL | 0 | 2 | 8.31 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13.0 | 23 | 6 | 6 | 48 | 5.48 | 2.231 |
| 1993 | 22 | NYY | AL | 1 | 2 | 4.65 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 31.0 | 32 | 14 | 26 | 91 | 4.44 | 1.484 |
| 1994 | 23 | NYY | AL | 4 | 1 | 4.20 | 23 | 5 | 4 | 49.1 | 48 | 29 | 37 | 110 | 4.19 | 1.561 |
| 1995 | 24 | NYY | AL | 11 | 10 | 4.70 | 27 | 27 | 0 | 168.1 | 155 | 68 | 121 | 99 | 4.67 | 1.325 |
| 1996 | 25 | SEA | AL | 13 | 9 | 5.35 | 35 | 35 | 0 | 196.2 | 245 | 73 | 132 | 93 | 4.83 | 1.617 |
| 1997 | 26 | SDP | NL | 10 | 11 | 5.20 | 32 | 28 | 1 | 161.0 | 172 | 55 | 106 | 75 | 4.83 | 1.410 |
| 1998 | 27 | SDP | NL | 9 | 7 | 3.93 | 39 | 27 | 3 | 176.1 | 169 | 48 | 158 | 99 | 4.45 | 1.231 |
| 1999 | 28 | SDP | NL | 12 | 14 | 4.11 | 33 | 33 | 0 | 205.2 | 202 | 76 | 194 | 102 | 4.26 | 1.352 |
| 2000 | 29 | SDP | NL | 1 | 6 | 4.93 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 65.2 | 69 | 26 | 61 | 87 | 5.07 | 1.447 |
| 2001 | 30 | TOT | MLB | 6 | 5 | 5.63 | 13 | 12 | 0 | 70.1 | 89 | 21 | 43 | 78 | 3.96 | 1.564 |
| 2001 | 30 | SDP | NL | 2 | 1 | 3.32 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 19.0 | 22 | 3 | 15 | 122 | 2.79 | 1.316 |
| 2001 | 30 | NYY | AL | 4 | 4 | 6.49 | 10 | 9 | 0 | 51.1 | 67 | 18 | 28 | 70 | 4.39 | 1.656 |
| 2002 | 31 | NYY | AL | 1 | 2 | 5.49 | 20 | 2 | 11 | 39.1 | 57 | 15 | 31 | 81 | 3.93 | 1.831 |
| 2003 | 32 | TOT | MLB | 6 | 4 | 4.72 | 35 | 7 | 8 | 87.2 | 91 | 32 | 68 | 91 | 4.68 | 1.403 |
| 2003 | 32 | NYY | AL | 1 | 3 | 5.44 | 27 | 1 | 8 | 49.2 | 57 | 18 | 36 | 81 | 4.24 | 1.510 |
| 2003 | 32 | STL | NL | 5 | 1 | 3.79 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 38.0 | 34 | 14 | 32 | 110 | 5.27 | 1.263 |
| 2004 | 33 | SDP | NL | 0 | 3 | 6.33 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 21.1 | 22 | 8 | 14 | 62 | 5.91 | 1.406 |
| 13 Y | 13 Y | 13 Y | 13 Y | 74 | 76 | 4.80 | 281 | 200 | 27 | 1285.2 | 1374 | 471 | 997 | 90 | 4.58 | 1.435 |
| 162 | 162 | 162 | 162 | 10 | 11 | 4.80 | 40 | 28 | 4 | 182 | 194 | 67 | 141 | 90 | 4.58 | 1.435 |
| W | L | ERA | G | GS | GF | IP | H | BB | SO | ERA+ | FIP | WHIP | ||||
| NYY | NYY | NYY | NYY | 22 | 24 | 5.15 | 116 | 53 | 23 | 402.0 | 439 | 168 | 285 | 88 | 4.46 | 1.510 |
| SDP | SDP | SDP | SDP | 34 | 42 | 4.47 | 122 | 106 | 4 | 649.0 | 656 | 216 | 548 | 91 | 4.55 | 1.344 |
| STL | STL | STL | STL | 5 | 1 | 3.79 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 38.0 | 34 | 14 | 32 | 110 | 5.27 | 1.263 |
| SEA | SEA | SEA | SEA | 13 | 9 | 5.35 | 35 | 35 | 0 | 196.2 | 245 | 73 | 132 | 93 | 4.83 | 1.617 |
| AL ( | AL ( | AL ( | AL ( | 35 | 33 | 5.22 | 151 | 88 | 23 | 598.2 | 684 | 241 | 417 | 89 | 4.58 | 1.545 |
| NL ( | NL ( | NL ( | NL ( | 39 | 43 | 4.43 | 130 | 112 | 4 | 687.0 | 690 | 230 | 580 | 92 | 4.59 | 1.339 |