Career
Listed at 6 ft 0 in (183 m), 175 pounds (79 kg), he batted and threw right-handed. Munninghoff was drafted by the Phillies in the first round of the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft (22 overall) out of Purcell Marian High School. His professional career started off poorly, as he went 0–5 with a 5.52 earned run average for the New York–Penn League"s Auburn Phillies in 1977.
However, he improved to 17–7 with a 2.30 European Research Area in 26 starts for the 1978 Spartanburg Phillies.
He debuted with the Philadelphia Phillies on April 13, 1980, pitching two scoreless innings out of the bullpen against the Montreal Expos. These players share the MLB record of a 3.000 career slugging percentage.
After a poor outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers, in which he gave up a single, wild pitch and walked two (one of which occurred with the bases loaded) Munninghoff was reassigned to the triple A Oklahoma City 89ers. In four relief appearances, Munninghoff posted a 4.50 European Research Area and did not have a decision or save, giving up three earned runs on eight hits and five walks while striking out two in 6.0 innings of work.
Munninghoff spent the remainder of the 1980 season and all of 1981 with Oklahoma.
On December 9, 1981, he was sent to the Cleveland Indians in completion of an earlier deal made on November 20, 1981 in which the Phillies sent a player to be named later to the Indians. The Indians sent catcher Bo Díaz to the Phillies. The Phillies sent Lonnie Smith to the Saint Louis Cardinals, and the Cardinals sent Silvio Martinez and Lary Sorensen to the Indians.
He spent one season in the Indians" organization, and pitched several seasons of independent ball before becoming a coach at Purcell Marian.
