Bill James finishes his series on Big Game pitchers (subscription require) by detailing Jack Morris‘s regular season big game starts. Jack did not pitch well in big games overall. Two starts stood out, however:

Next big start is September 5, 1983. Tigers are now 4 and a half games back with 26 to play. Morris starts against Cleveland. He leads 2-0 going into the 7th, gives up a run in the 7th and 2 in the 8th, loses the game 3-2; Detroit misses a chance to gain ground.

September 9, 1983; Tigers now 5 and a half behind with 23 to play. Morris starts in Milwaukee against Moose Haas; loses the game, 2-1.

One of the excuses for Jack’s high career ERA is that he pitched to the score. He would win games 6-5 because he could bear down when needed. These two games argue against that, especially given their importance at the time. In addition, during the 1987 pennant race, Morris went 3-4 with a 3.09 ERA in big games. It was Doyle Alexander that stepped up in that one.

So Morris gets credit for the 1991 post-season, but that really was his only Big Game claim to fame.