1979 West Haven Yankees Roster
Team Record: 83-56
Finished 1st in the EL
Manager: Stump Merrill (83-56)
Affiliation: New York Yankees
Location: West Haven, Connecticut
Ballpark: Quigley Stadium
Attendance: 71,302, Avg. 1,026
The West Haven Yankees of the Eastern League ended the 1979 season with a record of 83 wins and 56 losses, finishing first in the EL.
The Yankees tallied 679 runs and conceded 578 runs. Joe Lefebvre paced West Haven with 21 home runs, while Mark Johnston walloped 20 or more, too. Joe Lefebvre drove in 107 runs. Kenny Baker led all qualifying hitters on the roster by connecting at a .303 clip. Tom Filer topped the squad with 12 wins, and Mike Griffin recorded a 2.95 ERA, leading hurlers with significant time on the mound.
Members of the 1979 West Haven Yankees who played in Major League Baseball during their careers were Dave Righetti, Willie McGee, Tim Lollar, Joe Lefebvre, Dennis Sherrill, Pat Tabler, Andy McGaffigan, Don Cooper, Mike Griffin, Brian Dayett, Tom Filer and Juan Espino.
Stump Merrill served as manager.Click on column headings to sort.
| Player | Bats | Throws | Birth Date | Height | Weight | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenny Baker | L | L | March 5, 1955 | 6'0" | 185 | Newport News, VA US |
| Ricky Burdette | L | L | February 23, 1957 | 6'2" | 195 | Albany, GA US |
| Pat Callahan | R | R | August 29, 1955 | 6'1" | 190 | Chicago, IL US |
| Nate Chapman | L | L | October 2, 1953 | 5'9" | 160 | Mobile, AL US |
| Greg Cochran | R | R | November 15, 1953 | 6'2" | 195 | Whittier, CA US |
| Don Cooper | R | R | January 15, 1956 | 6'1" | 185 | New York, NY US |
| Brian Dayett | R | R | January 22, 1957 | 5'10" | 180 | New London, CT US |
| Juan Espino | R | R | March 16, 1956 | 6'1" | 190 | Bonao, Monsenor Nouel DO |
| Tom Filer | R | R | December 1, 1956 | 6'1" | 195 | Philadelphia, PA US |
| Mike Griffin | R | R | June 26, 1957 | 6'4" | 195 | Colusa, CA US |
| Wayne Harer | S | L | May 28, 1952 | 5'11" | 185 | Evanston, IL US |
| Mark Harris | S | R | February 11, 1958 | 5'10" | 160 | Bristol, VA US |
| Dennis Irwin | R | R | January 11, 1954 | 6'0" | 170 | Tulare, CA US |
| Greg Jemison | L | R | July 15, 1954 | 6'0" | 165 | Coatesville, PA US |
| Mark Johnston | L | R | February 10, 1957 | 6'0" | 175 | Detroit, MI US |
| Dan Ledduke | R | R | August 8, 1957 | 6'3" | 190 | Albany, NY US |
| Joe Lefebvre | L | R | February 22, 1956 | 5'10" | 170 | Concord, NH US |
| Tim Lewis | L | L | 6'5" | 206 | Philadelphia, PA US | |
| Tim Lollar | L | L | March 17, 1956 | 6'3" | 200 | Poplar Bluff, MO US |
| Jim Lysgaard | R | R | June 11, 1954 | 6'1" | 185 | , CA |
| Jim McDonald | L | L | October 20, 1957 | 6'2" | 190 | Lynwood, CA US |
| Andy McGaffigan | R | R | October 25, 1956 | 6'3" | 185 | West Palm Beach, FL US |
| Willie McGee | S | R | November 2, 1958 | 6'1" | 175 | San Francisco, CA US |
| Neal Mersch | R | R | October 27, 1951 | 6'3" | 185 | Covington, KY US |
| Bob Polinsky | R | R | June 21, 1951 | 6'4" | 202 | Coaldale, PA US |
| Dave Righetti | L | L | November 28, 1958 | 6'4" | 195 | San Jose, CA US |
| Dan Schmitz | L | R | March 1, 1955 | 5'7" | 150 | Detroit, MI US |
| Dennis Sherrill | R | R | May 3, 1956 | 6'0" | 165 | Miami, FL US |
| Buck Showalter | L | L | May 23, 1956 | 5'9" | 195 | DeFuniak Springs, FL US |
| Mark Softy | R | R | 6'6" | 195 | Rockville Centre, NY US | |
| Rick Stenholm | L | L | March 29, 1952 | 6'0" | 185 | Brooksville, FL US |
| Pat Tabler | R | R | February 2, 1958 | 6'3" | 175 | Hamilton, OH US |
| Steve Taylor | R | R | February 9, 1956 | 6'4" | 200 | Wilmington, DE US |
Average attendance is based upon the number of actual home dates where known (most leagues from 1992 and later). Where the number of home dates is not known, the average is calculated using half the team's total games.
