Alan Foster – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Alan Foster spent almost a decade pitching in Major League Baseball, but his journey wrapped up in the 1976 season with the San Diego Padres. Born Alan Benton Foster on December 8, 1946, in Pasadena, California, this right-handed pitcher built a solid career, even though he faced the kind of challenges that so many journeyman players run into in pro baseball.

Foster called it quits after the 1976 season, finishing up his last two years with the Padres. Over ten years, he played for five different teams.

He made his final appearance on August 13, 1976, in a game against the Montreal Expos. That marked the end of a career that had started with a lot of promise when he debuted for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1967, and he was just 20.

During his time in the majors, Foster showed the resilience and adaptability that so many players from his era needed. He bounced between teams, but he kept his spot as a reliable pitcher.

His story touches on the amateur draft system, the struggle to carve out a place in the majors, and some memorable moments—like being part of one of baseball’s most famous home runs. He also got swept up in a few big trades that shaped his career.

Early Life and Amateur Career

Alan Benton Foster came into the world on December 8, 1946, in Pasadena, California.

He went to Los Altos High School in nearby Hacienda Heights. That’s where his pitching talent really started to show during his teenage years.

Birth and Family Background

Alan Benton Foster was born in Pasadena, California, right in the heart of the San Gabriel Valley. His family lived in Los Angeles County, and he grew up during the post-World War II boom.

Pasadena was a great place for young athletes back in the 1950s and early ’60s. The city had a strong baseball tradition and plenty of youth leagues.

Foster’s family encouraged his love for sports from the start. Thanks to the warm Southern California weather, he played baseball pretty much all year. That definitely helped him get ahead compared to kids in colder places.

Education at Los Altos High School

Foster spent his high school years at Los Altos High in Hacienda Heights, about 20 miles from Pasadena.

The school’s baseball program was competitive and helped Foster hone his pitching. They played against other tough teams in the area.

Back then, Foster stood 6 feet tall and weighed 180 pounds—pretty much ideal for a pitcher. He threw and batted right-handed.

The coaches at Los Altos noticed his potential early on. They worked with him to fine-tune his mechanics and helped him develop a solid mix of pitches.

Development as a Baseball Player

Foster’s pitching improved a lot during high school. His right-handed delivery and natural athleticism caught the eyes of pro scouts.

By his junior and senior years, Major League scouts were showing up at his games. His high school performances made it clear he could handle tougher competition.

The Los Angeles Dodgers took a special interest in Foster. They watched him closely during his last year at Los Altos.

After he graduated, the Dodgers picked Foster in the second round of the 1965 Major League Baseball Draft. That was a huge moment, showing just how much his hard work in Southern California’s tough high school baseball world had paid off.

Entry into Professional Baseball

Alan Foster kicked off his pro career after the Dodgers drafted him in 1965. He moved up the minor league ladder quickly, showing off his pitching skills at every stop.

1965 Major League Baseball Draft

The Dodgers picked Foster in the second round of the 1965 MLB June Amateur Draft. He was just 18 then, having only recently left Los Altos High.

That draft pick was a big deal. It started Foster’s ten-year run in professional baseball.

Scouts liked what they saw in Foster as a right-handed pitcher. The Dodgers’ investment in him paid off as he worked his way through their farm system over the next couple of years.

Minor League Experience

Foster jumped into minor league ball right after the draft in 1965, starting out in the California League. He got to work developing his game.

In 1966, he moved up to the Texas League, making steady progress in the Dodgers’ system. His performance there proved he was ready for tougher competition.

His real breakthrough came in 1967 with the Spokane Indians. That year, he threw two no-hitters—pretty impressive stuff. Those games showed everyone he was ready for the majors.

Those no-hitters led straight to his big league debut on April 25, 1967. He was just 20.

Major League Baseball Career Overview

Alan Foster played for five different MLB teams between 1967 and 1976. His best season happened with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1973, when he went 13-9 and pitched over 200 innings.

Los Angeles Dodgers Years

Foster started out with the Los Angeles Dodgers after they grabbed him in the 1965 draft. He made his big league debut on April 25, 1967, at age 20.

He showed a lot of promise in his first two seasons. In 1967, he racked up a 2.16 ERA in four games. The next year, he did even better, posting a 1.72 ERA in three appearances.

At first, Foster mostly came out of the bullpen. He had great control and handled pressure well, which made him a solid reliever for the Dodgers. But things got tougher in 1969 and 1970 when the team tried him as a starter.

After the 1970 season, the Dodgers traded Foster to Cleveland. He was part of the deal that brought Duke Sims to Los Angeles. Foster spent four years with the Dodgers, learning from veteran pitchers and refining his skills.

Cleveland Indians Tenure

Foster only spent one season with the Cleveland Indians in 1971. The trade gave him a fresh start, and he hoped to prove himself as a dependable starter.

While in Cleveland, Foster worked hard to tweak his pitching mechanics. He had to adjust to the American League after starting out in the National League.

The Indians used him in different roles during the 1971 season. He started some games and came out of the bullpen in others as they tried to figure out his best fit. His performance was decent, but nothing special.

After just one year, Cleveland moved him in a trade for veteran outfielder Vada Pinson. Pinson went to the California Angels, and Cleveland got Alex Johnson.

California Angels Period

The California Angels picked up Foster in 1972 as part of the trade involving Vada Pinson and Alex Johnson. This was another chance for Foster to find his place in the majors.

He spent just one season with the Angels, mostly working as a reliever and occasional starter. The coaching staff focused on helping him develop his secondary pitches.

Foster’s time in California was short but useful. He got experience pitching in different ballparks and facing American League hitters more often. That made him a more complete pitcher.

Eventually, the Angels sold his contract to the St. Louis Cardinals. That move turned out to be the most important of his career.

St. Louis Cardinals Highlights

Foster’s time with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973 to 1974 was the high point of his career. Manager Red Schoendienst gave him the stability and role he needed to thrive as a starter.

1973 was Foster’s breakout year. He went 13-9 for the Cardinals, who finished at .500. That season, he pitched over 200 innings—his only year hitting that mark.

He succeeded in St. Louis thanks to better command and more confidence. He worked well with the Cardinals’ catchers and got a boost from the team’s strong defense. Being able to pitch deep into games made him a key part of the rotation.

The Cardinals used Foster as a steady middle-rotation starter. He gave them plenty of innings and kept the team in most games. That 1973 season really was the best of his career.

San Diego Padres and Final Playing Years

Foster joined the San Diego Padres in 1975 as part of a three-team trade. He put up a strong 2.42 ERA in 17 games that first season. His time with the Padres turned out to be the last chapter of his ten-year MLB career.

Trade to the Padres

The San Diego Padres brought Foster in through a three-team trade. After leaving the Cardinals, he landed back in Southern California as part of a complicated deal.

Foster arrived in San Diego with almost a decade of big-league experience. The Padres, still a young franchise since starting in 1969, needed veteran pitchers to help steady their staff.

For Foster, it was another new opportunity. By then, he’d already played for four teams. Joining San Diego gave him the chance to help a developing franchise.

Notable Season Performances

Foster’s 1975 season with the Padres was one of his best. He pitched in 17 games and posted a sharp 2.42 ERA.

That ERA was much better than average, proving he could still get hitters out. His experience was a real asset for the young Padres.

He worked both as a starter and reliever, adjusting his approach to fit whatever the team needed. Foster’s leadership helped out a lot of the younger players on the roster.

Transition Toward Retirement

Foster’s 1976 season ended up being his last in pro baseball. He played his final big league game on August 13, 1976. That closed out a ten-season run in the majors.

He retired at age 29, which is pretty young for a pitcher. Foster faced plenty of challenges along the way, and those might have played a part in his decision to walk away.

Looking back, Foster’s career started when the Dodgers picked him in the second round of the 1965 draft. He finished with a 48-63 record across 225 games.

Pivotal Moments and Memorable Games

Alan Foster’s career had a few defining moments that really shaped his legacy. Willie Stargell‘s historic home run at Dodger Stadium is probably the most famous moment tied to Foster, while his own achievements with the Cardinals showed his peak as a pro.

Willie Stargell’s Home Run at Dodger Stadium

In 1969, Willie Stargell made history by hitting the first home run ever to clear Dodger Stadium. Alan Foster was the pitcher on the mound.

Stargell crushed Foster’s curveball over 500 feet, sending it right over the pavilion roof and out into the parking lot.

The Los Angeles Times said the home run looked “like Apollo 12,” comparing it to the space mission. That gives you an idea of how epic the blast really was.

For Foster, that moment became one of the most talked-about plays of his career. It also showed some of the tough spots he ran into during his time with the Dodgers.

Stargell pretty much always gave Foster trouble. The Pirates slugger put up big numbers against him, proving he could handle whatever Foster threw his way.

Personal Bests and Milestones

Foster hit his stride in 1973 with the St. Louis Cardinals. That year, he put up a 13-9 record—it was his first and only winning season in the big leagues.

That season really stood out for him, with career highs in several stats:

• 13 wins (he’d never reached more than 10 before)
• 203.2 innings pitched
• 106 strikeouts

Foster managed six complete games and tossed two shutouts in 1973. He even chipped in at the plate, picking up hits in some important games.

One of his best outings actually came in a loss back in 1969, facing the Cardinals. He allowed just one run and three hits over eight innings.

But Steve Carlton shut the door with a 1-0 shutout, leaving Foster frustrated. Afterward, Foster said, “I guess I’m not very lucky. That’s the best I’ve ever pitched in the major leagues.”

His success in 1973 felt like the payoff for years of grinding through pro baseball.

Notable Opponents Faced

Foster went up against some of the game’s greatest hitters during his ten years on the mound. He made his debut in 1967, facing none other than Hank Aaron.

As a nervous rookie, he almost hit Aaron with his first two pitches. Somehow, he got Aaron to ground out to short despite the shaky start.

Aaron always seemed to give Foster trouble. The Braves legend batted .366 off Foster, racking up 15 hits and two home runs.

Foster also pitched to other stars like Willie Stargell, along with plenty of National League standouts. Those matchups really tested him.

He spent time with several teams, so he faced pretty much the whole range of NL talent. Those experiences against top hitters definitely shaped him as a pitcher.

Career Achievements and Statistics

Alan Foster put together a 48-63 record with a 3.74 ERA over 1,025.1 innings from 1967 to 1976. His top season was 1973 with the Cardinals, when he won 13 games and posted a 3.14 ERA.

Wins, Losses, and ERA

Foster’s career totals—48 wins and 63 losses—show he was a steady mid-rotation guy during his best years. In 1973, he had his best winning percentage, going 13-9 (.591) and helping anchor the Cardinals’ rotation.

His career earned run average of 3.74 put him just a bit below league average for that era. In 1968 with the Dodgers, he posted a sharp 1.72 ERA, though that came in only 15.2 innings.

The 1973 season really stands out. He notched 13 wins, took nine losses, and kept a 3.14 ERA over 203.2 innings. That run came under manager Red Schoendienst in St. Louis.

Foster struggled to find consistency, ending up with losing records in six out of his ten seasons. His roughest year came in 1970 with Los Angeles, where he went 10-13 with a 4.26 ERA, even though he nearly reached 200 innings.

Complete Games and Shutouts

Foster showed he could go deep into games, racking up 26 complete games in his career. In 1970, he finished seven of his 33 starts for the Dodgers, which says a lot about his durability.

He threw six shutouts overall, with two each in 1969 and 1973. When he had his command working, he could really keep hitters guessing.

In 1973, Foster finished six starts and tossed two shutouts. That kind of reliability made him a key piece for Red Schoendienst and the Cardinals.

His complete game numbers remind you just how different pitching was back then. Starters were expected to finish what they started, and Foster did that 26 times in 148 starts.

Strikeouts and Innings Pitched

Foster struck out 501 batters in his career and logged 1,025.1 innings pitched. His strikeout rate—about 4.4 per nine innings—might seem low now, but it was pretty standard in the late ’60s and early ’70s.

He set his single-season strikeout best in 1973 with 106, which lined up with his 13-win year. That season, he averaged around 4.7 strikeouts per nine innings, showing a bit more command.

His heaviest workload came in 1970 for Los Angeles, when he pitched 198.2 innings. He followed that up with 181.2 innings in 1971 for Cleveland, showing teams could count on him to eat innings.

Foster’s strikeout-to-walk ratio was 1.31, so his control was decent, not dazzling. He finished with 383 walks against 501 strikeouts, which was pretty typical for pitchers of his time.

Reputation and Legacy

People respected Foster as a dependable rotation guy who could chew up quality innings—at least when he stayed healthy. That 1973 season with St. Louis? It really marked the peak of what he managed to do in the majors, and it put him on the map as a legit starter.

Baseball historians often talk about Foster as a journeyman pitcher. He squeezed everything he could out of his talent while bouncing around five different organizations.

He didn’t shy away from any role. Foster took on whatever the team asked, whether it meant starting or coming out of the bullpen now and then. That flexibility probably kept his career going longer than most expected.

Coming from California, he brought a steady, professional attitude everywhere he went. Clubs leaned on his experience, and he was the kind of guy who’d help out younger teammates, especially when he landed in San Diego toward the end.

His career WAR (Wins Above Replacement) hit 6.1, which points to decent value over a replacement-level pitcher. Maybe he didn’t wow anyone, but Foster’s steady presence helped keep his teams in the mix while he played.