Jeff Innis Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles

Jeff Innis
This article was written by Rory Costello and is presented in part, courtesy of the Society for American Baseball Research

With his low sidearm/semi-submarine delivery, Jeff Innis provided an effective contrast in the New York Mets bullpen from 1987 through 1993. The righty was typical of his breed of pitcher. He had a good sinker and so kept the ball in the park, giving up just 22 home runs in 360 career innings pitched. He was also more effective against righty hitters (.227 opponents’ batting average, .314 slugging percentage) than lefties (.290 and .407). Innis could work frequently, too, averaging 71 appearances a year from 1991 through 1993.

“I-Man” wasn’t a zany reliever in the mold of Tug McGraw – he was more subtle. Journalists called him “pensive” and “self-effacing,” but also observed that he was bright, with a dry, quirky wit.i As Mets beat writers Bob Klapisch and John Harper observed, “Armed with a degree in psychology from the University of Illinois, Innis can disarm players and writers alike with his impersonations of anyone in the clubhouse.”ii Perhaps his best and funniest imitation was of Mets general manager Frank Cashen, who provided a rich target with his bowtie and distinctive, lawyerly manner of speech.

Jeffrey David Innis was born on July 5, 1962 in Decatur, Illinois. This small Midwestern city is in the central part of the “Land of Lincoln,” about 45 miles east of Springfield, the state capital. His father, Peter Innis – “one of the best athletes to ever come through Decatur” – was a star receiver in football and a baseball player at Millikin University there.iii The New Jersey native then became a teacher and coach at Eisenhower and MacArthur High Schools.iv