L-L. Had an 18-16, 3.44 mark for Sacramento (PCL) in 1955, his fifth minor league season. Previous year: 13-8, 2.80. Finished 31 of 54 starts in the two years. First camp look.
Irishman from Orange, California. Home, Long Beach. Married, has son.
Scouting Report: "Has excellent control and know-how but mediocre stuff. Relies chiefly on curve and knuckleball."
-Baseball Digest, March 1956
L-L. Won 11 out of 12 at Indianapolis (AAA) second half of '56 after relieving 14 times- and winning once- for Cleveland first half. His 2.31 ERA was second best in the American Association for hurlers appearing in ten or more games. Had an 18-16, 3.44 mark for Sacramento (PCL) in '55. Led Three-I League (Class B) with 198 strikeouts for Cedar Rapids, 1952.
Irishman from Orange, California. Home, Long Beach. Married, one son.
Scouting Report: "Pitches in manner reminiscent of soft-balling Ed Lopat, but not nearly as much stuff. Excellent control. Relies chiefly on curve and knuckler."
-Baseball Digest, March 1957
KANSAS CITY FINDS DALEY DEAL WASN'T ROBBERY AFTER ALL
Portocarrero's Poor Year Reverses Early Verdict
"It was just a year ago that authorities in Kansas City were accusing the Baltimore Orioles of pulling the biggest stick-up since the Brinks job in Boston.
The trade of Arnold Portocarrero for Leo (Bud) Daley had to be a case of armed robbery. There was evidence, too, and fingerprints resembling those of a notorious Baltimore gang led by Paul Richards were picked up at the scene of the crime.
Richards and Coach Harry Brecheen, alias 'The Cat,' had their pictures posted in Kansas City and other Western post offices. They were wanted on a series of charges ranging from horse stealing to shoplifting. And all had grown out of what looked like a strictly one-way deal- Portocarrero for Daley.
Portocarrero won 15 games and lost only 11 for Baltimore last year.
Daley, who had gone to Kansas City, had lingered a while and then was shuffled off to Buffalo. He won four and lost six, but had an exceptional earned run average.
That effectiveness angle earned him a later summons back from Buffalo and he completed the year in K.C. by posting a so-so record of three and two.
But Daley's modest three and two alongside Portocarrero's impressive 15 and 11 didn't make for much of a comparison- at least not the way Kansas City figured it. And you couldn't blame the A's for feeling they'd been 'taken.'
The Baltimore 'bandits' would have been found guilty had they been hauled into a baseball court. Getting Portocarrero for Daley was tantamount to trading a peach for an orchard.
Richards and Brecheen were hailed for the recovery and rescue of Portocarrero from the land of nothing. Fifteen victories couldn't be laughed at. And all he cost Baltimore was the exchange of a pitcher many people couldn't even recall and wouldn't have wanted to if they could have.
Portocarrero for Daley? Sure, Portocarrero, but who's Daley?
Well, as of late summer, he was the best thing to happen to Kansas City since the porterhouse steak. He had won more games than any other member of the pitching staff. He was picked on the American All-Star team and gave a sparkling performance in relief at Pittsburgh.
In August, when Daley was 12 and 6, Portocarrero was 1 and 6. Accumulative totals of the two men since they switched uniforms on April 18, 1958, showed Portocarrero with 16 and 17 in Baltimore and Daley with 15 and 8 in Kansas City.
The strange part of the Oriole story, concerning Daley, was that he never pitched in an official league game while wearing a Baltimore suit. He came to the Orioles in another trade.
Cleveland sent Daley, Gene Woodling and Dick Williams to the Orioles for Don Ferrarese and Larry Doby. Seventeen days later Bud was gone to K.C. for Portocarrero.
During the interim he got into two exhibition games, against Cleveland on April 4 and Cincinnati on April 13. He gave up five hits in five innings but allowed no runs and had one strikeout, one bases on balls.
You might think that Daley went away mad. He didn't. He just went away.
'He helped me an awful lot,' said Daley in discussing Paul Richards. 'In that game against Cincinnati, which was played here in Baltimore, he ordered me to make my first pitch to each batter the knuckler. If I got it over for a strike then I was to throw it again and again.
'It worked out just that way. I got the knuckler over for three innings and then he told me to pitch in my normal pattern. By then the hitters were looking for my knuckler and getting my fast ball and curve. Right there I learned how important it is to have a batter setting himself for one pitch and getting something else. Besides, I gained faith in the knuckler and it has been my big pitch this year.'
So Richards comes for a share of the credit for Daley's success as a major league pitcher. Of course, Richards wasn't around to hold Bud's hand so Daley should keep a little of the applause for himself.
He also credits his own manager, Harry Craft, for giving him a chance this season to pitch; Eddie Lopat, for giving him some instructional advice last season when they met in Buffalo; Johnny Sain, his own coach, for imparting a proper pitching pattern; Hank Greenberg, who always encouraged him when he was working at Cleveland, and last- but certainly no means least- the little woman at home.
Mrs. Daley, Bud says, kept him from quitting when he became discouraged in traveling from Bakersfield, Cedar Rapids, Reading, Indianapolis, Sacramento, Cleveland, San Diego, Baltimore, Buffalo and Kansas City.
Daley was on the go so much that Mrs. Daley thought the jazz song, 'Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home,' was something that had been specially written for her boy, Bud, and the songsters were getting Bailey out of Daley.
But, be that as it may, Bud is in K.C. now getting the job done like few ever thought possible. Daley still doesn't have an overpowering fast ball, more the 'sneaky' type, but goes in for variety- the knuckler, curve, slider and an occasional screwball.
Yes, this is 'Daley's year.' Last summer, Portocarrero was commanding attention far and wide.
But the widest smile will be reserved for Baltimore or Kansas City- depending on which one 'laughs last.' "
-John F. Steadman, Baltimore News-Post (Baseball Digest, October 1959)
"First of the 1959 Athletics' pitchers was knuckleballer Buddy Leo Daley, a crafty southpaw who had a 16-13 mark and a 3.17 ERA. An Orange, California, native, Bud became a left-hander after a childhood injury, and has a most puzzling assortment of slow curves to go with his knuckler.
He was with the Indians from '55 through '57 before going to the A's. Used mostly in relief, he proved his durability as a starter and made an appearance in the '59 All-Star Game."
-Don Schiffer, 1960 Mutual Baseball Annual
"A fine lefty knuckleballer who had a mysterious slump in the second stage of 1960, Daley closed with a 16-16 standard and 4.52 ERA after blazing to the top of the league in both departments during the first part of the campaign.
Born in Orange California, Daley was five years in the minors before going to the Indians in 1955. He won three games in parts of three years in Cleveland, serving as a reliever. Traded to the Athletics in '58 after first pitching for Buffalo, he finally convinced people that he had enough equipment to win in the majors and proved it by clicking for 16 triumphs in '59, his first full season.
A fine competitor, Daley is an agile fielder and a steady hitter."
-Don Schiffer, Major League Baseball Handbook 1961
1960
May 15: Shuts out Tigers, 5-0, on 3-hitter.
May 24: Downs Red Sox, 6-2, on 8-hitter.
June 12: Fans 11 in 5-hit win over Orioles.
June 16: Halts Yankees, 9-1, on 4-hitter.
July 6: Named to American League All-Star squad.
July 15: Loses 8-hitter to Red Sox, 2-1.
August 7: Stops Yankees, 13-3, on 8-hitter.
September 13: Stops Yankees, 12-3, on 8-hitter.
September 26: Checks Indians, 6-1, on 4-hitter.
Comment: "Daley matched his 1959 victory total but was not quite as sharp all-around."
-Joe Sheehan, Dell Sports Magazine Baseball, April 1961
"The Yankees opened the 1961 season with a bench weakness and with a possible pitching shortage. Both problems now have been solved. The addition of Bob Cerv, Billy Gardner and Earl Torgeson helped the bench, and Bud Daley was the experienced starting pitcher Manager Ralph Houk wanted so badly.
The clever southpaw had won 16 games in each of his last two seasons with the Kansas City Athletics. But he got off poorly in 1961 and the Athletics General Manager Frank Lane finally got to make his first trade with the Yankees when he dealt Daley to Yankee G.M. Roy Hamey for Art Ditmar and young Deron Johnson.
Daley had to become acclimated to pitching for a contender. This he has done. He won his fourth start in six decisions in mid-July against the contending Orioles to secure his position as a vital Yankee starter."
-The New York Yankees Official 1961 Yearbook
Leavitt Leo Daley (P) #28
Born October 7, 1932 in Orange, California, resides in Garden Grove, California. Height: 6-1, weight: 185. Bats left, throws left.
Married and father of two boys, Eddie (8) and Jeff (2), and two girls, Debbie (6) and Laurie (4).
-The New York Yankees Official 1961 Yearbook
"Bud Daley, 6-1, 185-pound southpaw pitcher, had won 16 games in each of his last two seasons with the Kansas City Athletics but got off poorly in 1961 and was a June trading deadline acquisition by the New York Yankees for Art Ditmar and young Deron Johnson.
Daley, 28 years old, broke into pro ball with Bakersfield in 1951 and moved up to the majors with the Cleveland Indians briefly in 1955 and part of 1956 and 1957. He moved to Kansas City for part of the '58 season and spent entire seasons with the Kansas City in 1959 and '60.
A clever pitcher, Daley figures to improve as a Yankee in the years ahead. He won some important starts this summer and will probably be in the 'Big Four' a year hence. He has pitched well, but has received rather shabby support on occasions this season.
Bud pitched in two American League All-Star Games. He lives with his wife and two sons and two daughters in Garden Grove, California."
-1961 World Series Official Souvenir Program
