Heathcliff Slocumb

Who is Heathcliff Slocumb?

Heath "Heathcliff" Slocumb is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He batted and threw right-handed.

In a 10-year career, Slocumb played with the Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres.

An All-Star selection in 1995, Slocumb compiled a career 28-37 record with 513 strikeouts and a 4.08 ERA in 631 innings. He collected 98 saves, including 32 for the Phillies in 1995 and 31 with Boston in 1996.

Slocumb was traded in mid-1997 from Boston to Seattle for pitcher Derek Lowe and catcher Jason Varitek, in what is often cited in retrospect as one of the most one-sided trades in recent baseball history. At the time, Lowe had pitched in only 12 Major League games with an ERA of nearly 7, and Varitek had never played in the Major Leagues. However, Lowe and Varitek both went on to make multiple All-Star teams and contribute heavily to the 2004 World Champion Red Sox. In 2005, Varitek was named the captain of the Red Sox. Although Slocumb helped the Mariners make the playoffs in 1997, his career had dissipated significantly by 1998 and he was never especially effective again.