Bill Sudakis

Who is Bill Sudakis?

William Paul Sudakis was a power-hitting third baseman whom the Dodgers tried at catcher in 1970-1971.

Dogged by bad knees, he was finally waived by the Dodgers during Spring Training of 1972. He was selected off waivers by the New York Mets but appeared in only 18 games for the Mets. With the introduction of the designated hitter in the American League in 1973, the Texas Rangers coveted Sudakis as their DH and acquired him from the Mets. Suds responded with his best season at .255 and 15 HRs in only 82 games. Even though freed from defensive chores, Sudakis' aching knees kept him off the field and held his numbers down. Partly because of his versatility, he was given shots by the New York Yankees, California Angels, and Cleveland Indians. In 1976, he played for the Omaha Royals of the American Association in the Kansas City Royals system but could not make it back to the major leagues.

1968 MVP Texas League playing for the Albuquerque Dodgers