He went 19–10 with a 3.21 earned run average as a starting pitcher his first professional season with the Florida State League's Sanford Greyhounds. He split his time between starts and relief appearances until 1964,when he was converted to a full-time reliever with the Birmingham Barons. He made his major league debut against the New York Yankees later that season,pitching 1.2 innings without giving up a run.[1] For the season,Sanders went 0–2 with a 3.67 ERA and one save.
The Brewers lost 97 games their first season in Milwaukee (after having spent one season in Seattle as the Pilots). One of the few bright spots on the team was Sanders' emergence as a legitimate major league closer. Sanders set a club record with 13 saves to go along with a 5–2 record and 1.75 ERA. His 1971 season was even more impressive as he led Major League Baseball with 83 appearances on the mound (his closest competitor was Cincinnati RedspitcherWayne Granger with 70),and set a major league record by finishing 77 of them.[5] He also led the major leagues with 31 saves. Coupled with his seven wins,Sanders figured in 38 of the Brewers' 69 wins. He was the Sporting News Reliever of the Year for the American League in 1971.[6]
Sanders earned eight saves for the Twins by the end of May 1973 despite a relatively high 5.60 ERA. He lost the closer's job to Ray Corbin,and was placed on waivers. He was soon claimed by the Cleveland Indians,and pitched far more respectably with his new club,going 5–1 with a 1.65 ERA and five saves. Back-to-back poor performances against the Boston Red Sox[9] and Baltimore Orioles[10] led to his release in 1974.
He soon signed a minor league deal with the California Angels,and was promoted to the big league club after 19 games at triple A. He appeared in nine games with the Angels,earning one save. During the off season,he was traded to the New York Mets for catcherIke Hampton.
Though the Mets finished in third in the National League East in 1975,it was not out of a lack of pitching. Sanders,along with former Brewers teammate Skip Lockwood and Bob Apodaca,gave the Mets one of the more formidable bullpens in the division. For his part,Sanders went 1–1 with a 2.30 ERA and five saves. Toward the end of the 1976 season,his contract was sold to the Kansas City Royals,for whom he made three appearances,making him one of four players (along with Dave Wickersham,Moe Drabowsky,and Aurelio Monteagudo) to have played for both the Kansas City Athletics and Royals.[11] He started the 1977 season playing minor league ball for the Brewers before retiring,[12] and moving into real estate.[13]
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