New York – Aaron Small achieved one of baseball’s rarest feats in 2005, going 10-0 for the New York Yankees in a season that defied all odds. Twenty years later, the journeyman pitcher’s perfect record remains one of only four 10-win seasons without a loss in MLB history. Small joined Tom Zachary (12-0, 1929), Dennis Lamp (11-0, 1985), and Howie Krist (10-0, 1941) in an exclusive club that represents just 0.003% of all major league pitchers since 1871.
The 2005 New York Yankees desperately needed pitching help when they called up the 33-year-old Small on July 17. Injuries to Carl Pavano, Kevin Brown, and Jaret Wright had decimated their rotation. Small became their 11th different starter in 20 days during a season that started poorly with the Yankees sitting 30-32 by mid-June.
From retirement decision to Yankees magic
Small was literally hours from quitting baseball when the Yankees called. “I was ready to come home,” he recalled in a 2023 interview. “Some people would say I’m crazy because of the pension and all that garbage. But to have 2005 play out the way it did was a dream.”
His first start came July 20 against Texas, ending a nine-year gap since his last MLB start on September 29, 1996. Small went on to post a 3.20 ERA across 76 innings in 15 appearances. His September performance proved crucial, going 5-0 during the Yankees’ pennant race with Boston.
The highlight came September 3 against Oakland when Small threw his first career complete game shutout. The Yankees won 7-0, with Small receiving the game ball from catcher Jorge Posada. Five of Small’s 10 wins came in September as New York battled Boston for the AL East title.
Yankees’ 2005 playoff push relied on Small’s consistency
The New York Yankees finished 95-67, identical to Boston’s record but won the division on their 10-9 head-to-head advantage. Small’s perfect record directly contributed to the Yankees’ late-season surge from six games behind to division champions.
Manager Joe Torre called Small “a big part of the team’s late success.” Yankees pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre advised Small: “Don’t try to add on. When I get in trouble, I have to take off.” The philosophy worked perfectly for Small’s sinker-heavy approach.
Small’s magic ended in the ALDS against the Angels when he took his only loss of 2005 in Game 3 relief. The Yankees fell to Los Angeles 3-2 in the series, but Small’s regular season remained unblemished at 10-0.
A journeyman’s unlikely path to Yankees glory
Small’s road to 2005 exemplified baseball’s second-chance culture. Drafted in the 22nd round by Toronto in 1989, he played for six MLB teams and nine organizations before joining the Yankees. His pre-2005 career showed minimal impact across multiple teams with a 4.94 FIP.
The West Covina, California native played high school baseball alongside future MLB stars Jason Giambi, Jeremy Giambi, Cory Lidle, and Shawn Wooten at South Hills High School. Small idolized Nolan Ryan, recording TV broadcasts through a video camera to study his mechanics.
His minor league journey included stops with Medicine Hat, Myrtle Beach, Dunedin, Knoxville, and Syracuse before reaching the majors with Toronto in 1994. Small’s MLB debut ironically came against the Yankees on June 11, 1994, when he allowed a home run to Paul O’Neill.
Historic achievement places Small among baseball legends
Small’s 10-0 record ranks as the second-best perfect season in Yankees franchise history behind Tom Zachary’s 12-0 mark in 1929. His achievement spans both starting and relief roles with nine starts and six relief appearances.
The statistical improbability made Small’s success more remarkable. His 8.8% strikeout rate was well below the league average, yet he posted a 133 ERA+ that was 33% better than average. Small relied on ground balls and pitch placement rather than overpowering stuff.
Baseball historians note Small’s story fits the sport’s tradition of unlikely heroes. His faith-based perspective added depth to the narrative, crediting divine intervention for his success after years of struggle.
Current life focuses on youth development and family
Small now operates Aaron Small’s Baseball Barn in Loudon, Tennessee, where he’s instructed youth players for 18 years since retiring. The facility opened in 2007-2008 on his property, offering individual instruction and team rentals.
The 53-year-old survived a serious health battle in 2008 when encephalitis put him in a medically induced coma for eight days. The experience occurred just six weeks before his appearance at Yankees Old-Timers’ Day, where fans gave him standing ovations.
Small and wife Macy recently became grandparents, adding to their family that includes daughter Mariah, 25, and son Mason, 23. Both children work in Tennessee – Mariah as a teacher and Mason as an electrician.
Legacy endures in Yankees history and baseball folklore
Small remains active as a speaker at Fellowship of Christian Athletes conferences and youth rallies. He serves at Fairview Baptist Tabernacle in Sweetwater, Tennessee, where he and Macy previously directed youth programs for 11 years.
“I still have to step back at times and say, ‘Wow. I went 10-0 for the Yankees,'” Small reflected in 2023. “It was such a blessing to do that for that team and that city.”
Twenty years later, Aaron Small’s perfect season stands as testament to baseball’s capacity for redemption and second chances. His 2005 achievement remains unmatched in Yankees history since 1929, representing one of sports’ greatest underdog stories when a journeyman became a hero during a championship run.
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