Countdown to Spring Training - 40 Days

Jim Clancy had a 12 year run with the Blue Jays, beginning in the inaugural 1977 season. In his 12 years he made 352 appearances as a member of the pitching staff, including 345 starts, second most of all time. A good chunk of those 345 starts came in the 1982 season when Clancy set a Blue Jays single season record by starting 40 games. That record still stands to this day.

Clancy won 128 games in his tenure with Toronto, with 16 coming in that 1982 season in which he started 40 games. He finished his Blue Jays career with a 4.10 ERA, 73 complete games, 11 complete game shutouts, and 1,237 strikeouts in 2204.2 innings pitched, second most in franchise history. He also holds the dubious record of most losses in team history with 140, six more than Dave Stieb's 134. It should be noted, however, that that statistic says more about his longevity and durability than it does about his performance. He also had the misfortune of playing on three 100 loss teams early in his career.

The 1982 season was the only one in which Clancy made the All-Star game, and it also featured the most innings pitched in a single season in his career - a whopping 266.2. He finished the year with a 16-14 record, a 3.71 ERA, and 11 complete games.

Following the 1988 season, Clancy spent three years in the National League between the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves. He was primarily used as a starter in 1989, and he finished his career in the bullpen, pitching his final game on October 6, 1991.

Other "40" Tidbits
40 was the number worn by Mike Timlin, the man on the mound when the Blue Jays closed out the first World Series title in team history on October 24, 1992.

40 was also the number of comeback wins by the Blue Jays in 2011.

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