It’s time again for Baseball Roundtable’s Trivia(l) Tidbit Tuesday. I hope you are enjoying this weekly presentation of baseball occurrences that for some reason caught The Roundtable’s eye. (I’m particularly fond of unexpected performances and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. I’m also drawn to baseball “unicorns,” one-of-a-kind MLB accomplishments or statistics. (Keep in mind the usual disclaimer that Negro League game-by-game records from 1920-48 are not fully incorporated into MLB records.)
Now, in the spirit of the Baseball Roundtable mantra of “one thing always seems to lead to another,” this post started out to be a look at moundsmen who faced only one batter in their MLB career and struck that batter out. (Kind of in line with the recent Tidbit on batters who had just one plate appearance and were hit by a pitch.) Turns out only four moundsmen can look back on an MLB career with one batter faced and one strikeout – and they were all position players called on to take to the hill (Kevin Seitzer, 1993 Athletics; Scott Sheldon, 2000 Rangers; Danny Valencia, 2018 Orioles; Romy Gonzalez, 2021 White Sox).
What caught my interest about this group is that Sheldon’s lone strikeout came in a game in which he played all nine defensive positions – a feat which has been documented just five times in MLB history. Of further interest was the fact that Sheldon is the only player to achieve the nine-position feat in a game he did not start. In fact, he didn’t come into the game until the fourth inning. And that’s how I was sent off on another statistical (for me) adventure. Here’s a bit of what I found.
There have only been two “pure” (in my opinion) nine-position games, which I define as a game in which the player makes the circuit of nine defensive positions while playing at least one full inning at each defensive spot. Those belong to the Athletics’ Bert Campaneris (1965) and the Twins’ Cesar Tovar (1968). A full inning on the mound seems the biggest obstacle, as in the other three nine-position games the “traveling” player has faced just one batter from the bump.
Campaneris – the first player to play all nine defensive positions in a game – is the only one of the five qualifiers who would not be described as a “utility player.” He appeared at SS in 2,097 of his 2,328 games and no more than 77 (3B) at any other position. His nine-position game marked his only career appearance at P, C 1B or RF. In 13 of his 19 MLB seasons, the only defensive position he played was SS.
More Campy Tidbits
While Campaneris’ Athletics lost his nine-position game 5-3 to the Angels in 13 innings, Campaneris was not around to see the finish. He moved to catcher (from pitcher) to open the top of the ninth (with the Angels leading his Athletics 3-1). The catcher position completed his circuit of all nine fielding spots. On the final play of the inning, Campaneris was injured (knocked from the game) in a collision at the plate. The Athletics tied it up in the bottom of the inning, before losing in the thirteenth.
A few other tidbits:
- The team with the nine-position player has won three of the five games;
- The nine-position player has played for the home team in three of the five games;
- All the nine-position games have been low-impact games played late in the season – all of the teams that have seen a player take all nine positions in a game had losing records and three of the five were in last place;
- The most players used in a nine-position game are 24 (1965 Athletics), but that game did go 13 innings. In that game the A’s had the fewest players (five) play multiple defensive positions in a nine-position game;
- The fewest players used in a nine-position game are 13 (1968 Twins) and, as you might expect, the Twins also had the most players to assume multiple defensive positions in nine-position game (seven);
- In his nine-position game, Scott Sheldon played left field, pitcher and third base in the eighth inning (his Rangers’ final inning in the field);
- The last two nine-position games have been delivered by Tigers’ players, both times against the Twins;
- The Twins have been involved in the most nine-position games (three – two against them, one by them).
Side Note: I know these Tidbits may be getting a little deep into the statistical woods, but after more than 1,100 posts, you need to look a little deeper to avoid repetitiveness.
So, let’s get a little deeper into the details. Here’s more about those five nine-position games.
Bert Campaneris, Athletics, September 8, 1965 … versus the Angels (in Kansas City)
Bert Campaneris was the first MLB player to field his way through all nine positions in a single game – and he did it in his first full MLB season. (He did play 67 games in 1964 after a late July call up to the Athletics.)
Campaneris started the game at SS, which was his primary position during his 19-season MLB career (1964-81, 1983 … Athletics, Rangers, Angels, Yankees).
In his tour around the field, Campaneris played the first inning at SS; the second at 2B; the third at 3B; the fourth in LF; the fifth in CF; The sixth in RF; the seventh at 1B; the eighth on the mound; and the ninth at C. To facilitate Campaneris’ feat, four additional Athletics players played more than one position during the game, including Jim Landis and Jose Tartabull, who each played all three outfield positions. The Athletics used a total of 24 players in the game (eight pitchers, including Campaneris).
There was a certain symmetry to Campaneris’ nine-position game. He played one full inning at each position (no mid-inning switches).
For the game, Campaneris, batting leadoff, went zero-for-three (with one walk, one stolen base and one run scored) in four plate appearances. In his one inning of mound work, he gave up one run on two hits and a walk and fanned one batter. In the field, he recorded one putout and four assists with one error (made in RF).
Campaneris was a six-time All Star and put up a .259-79-646 line, with 1,181 runs scored and 649 steals (14th all time). He led the league in steals six times and in hits and triples once each. He also led the league in sacrifice bunts three times (a career-high of 40 in 1977.) Side note: We’re not likely to see 40 SH in a season again. The last time we saw at least 20 was 2007 and the last time we saw at least 40 – other than Campaneris in 1977 – was 1929. For those who like to know such things, the single-season record is 67, by Ray Chapman in 1917.
Cesar Tovar, Twins, September 22, 1968 … versus the Athletics (in Minnesota)
The first player to record a nine-position game (Bert Campaneris, above) was on the field when MLB’s second nine-position game went into the books. The Twins’ Cesar Tovar played all nine defensive positions, as the Twins edged Campaneris and the Athletics 2-1 in Minnesota. Unlike Campaneris (primarily a shortstop), Tovar was a true utility man. During his career he appeared in more than 200 games at five different positions (2B, 3B, LF, CF, RF). Over his 12-season MLB career, he had only one season in which he played just one defensive position (1976, his final season, when he played 13 games for the Yankees three at 2B and ten at PH/DH). Distracting coincidence: Campaneris and Tovar both played their final MLB game in a Yankee uniform, despite each playing just one season with the Bronx Bombers.
In his nine-position game, Tovar started on the mound and pitched a scoreless top of the first inning (a walk and a balk, two foul pop outs and one strikeout). The strikeout victim was RF Reggie Jackson. Tovar then played the second inning at C; the third at 1B; the fourth at 2B; the fifth at SS; the sixth at 3B; the seventh in LF; the eighth in CF; and the ninth in RF. (No mid-inning switches.) I kind of wish Tovar had gone to 3B the inning before shortstop. Then he would have completed his circuit in scorekeeper’s numerical order.
In the field, he recorded five putouts and one assist, with no errors. At the plate, he went one-for-three, with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored. The Twins used just 13 players (three pitchers, including Tovar) in Tovar’s nine-position game. Seven players, including Tovar, played multiple positions.
In his 12 MLB seasons (1965-76 … Twins, Rangers, Athletics, Phillies, Yankees), Tovar went .278-46-435, with 834 runs scored and 226 steals. He led the AL in hits with 204 in 1971; in 1970 topped the AL in doubles (36) and triples (13); and, in 1972, led the league in HBP (14). Tovar’s nine-position game was the only time he ever appeared at 1B, C or P.
Scott Sheldon, Rangers September 6, 2000 … versus the White Sox (in Chicago)
Okay, now we get to the player whose nine-position game spurred this post. (We’ll go into a little more detail here.) Scott Sheldon was in the fourth of his five MLB seasons (1997-2001 … Athletics, Rangers) when he became the third player to notch a nine-position game –– and the utility infielder wasn’t even in the starting lineup. In fact, he didn’t enter the game until the bottom of the fourth inning, when he replaced Bill Hasselman behind the plate. The position-by-position merry-go-round was conjured up by Sheldon and manager Johnny Oates after the White Sox fell behind 7-0 in the first inning and were down 10-1 in the fourth frame of a less than critical game (the Rangers were out of the race and in last place with a 62-76 record at the time). The Rangers eventually lost 13-1.
Sheldon’s Rangers used 18 players (five pitchers, including Sheldon) in the contest and six players, including Sheldon, played multiple positions. Sheldon’s game was less “pure” than the previous two nine-position games in that Sheldon did not play a full inning at each position. He played two positions each in the sixth and seventh innings and three positions in the eighth.
Sheldon’s day went like this:
Bottom of the Fourth: Sheldon replaces Bill Hasselman behind the plate to open the inning and plays the entire frame at backstop.
Bottom of the Fifth: Sheldon plays the inning at 1B, as B.J. Waszgis comes in at C and 1B Rafael Palmeiro leaves the game.
Bottom of the Sixth: Sheldon (who had been at 1B) changes positions with 2B Frank Catalanotto.
One out in the Sixth: Sheldon (then at 2B) changes positions with shortstop Kelly Dransfeldt.
Bottom of the Seventh: A true Merry-Go-Round, as the inning opens, Sheldon moves from SS to RF – a move made possible as LF Chad Curtis leaves the game, Ricky Ledee moves from RF to LF, Dransfeldt moves from 2B to SS; Catalanotto moves from 1B to 2B; Waszgis moves from C to 1B; Randy Knorr comes in to C; and Matt Perisho replaces Darwin Cubillan on the mound.
One out in the Seventh: Sheldon (then in RF) changes positions with CF Gabe Kapler.
Bottom of the Eighth: Sheldon (then in CF) changes positions with LF Ricky Ledee.
One out in the Eighth: Sheldon moves from LF to pitcher, Perisho leaves the game. Sheldon faces just one batter – Jeff Liefer – and strikes him out on five pitches.
Two out in the eighth: Sheldon moves from pitcher to 3B, Francisco Cordero replaces Sheldon on the mound and 3B Mike Lamb leaves the game.
Sheldon went one-for-two at the plate in the game and had just one chance in the field (not exactly in the field, he recorded a putout as P Brian Sikorski fanned White Sox’ RF Magglio Ordonez. The game marked the only time Sheldon appeared in an MLB game at pitcher or CF.
Sheldon played five MLB seasons (1997-2001 … Athletics, Rangers). He hit .235-8-33, with 34 runs scored and one steal in 141 total games. He made the bulk of his appearances at 3B (59) and SS (52), appearing in no more than 13 games at any other position. His nine posistino game was his only MLB contest at P or CF.
Shane Halter, Tigers, October 1, 2000 …. versus the Twins (in Detroit)
Shane Halter started the his nine-position game at 1B, batting eighth, in a contest that saw his Tigers top the Twins 12-11 in Detroit. He was at 3B in the second inning; RF in the third; CF in the fourth; LF in the fifth; SS in the sixth; and C in the seventh.
The eighth inning was a little more complicated. Halter (who had ended the seventh at C) moved to the mound replacing Nelson Cruz; Javier Cardona came in to play C; 2B Damion Easley left the game; Brad Ausmus moved from 3B to 2B; Dusty Allen moved from LF to 3B; and Buddy Higginson moved from DH to LF. Halter pitched to just one batter (Twins’ C Matt LeCroy) and walked him. Then Matt Anderson came in to pitch (1B Robert Fick left the game); Ausmus moved from 2B to 1B; and Halter moved from P to 2B).
The only change in the ninth as saw Todd Jones relieve Anderson with two out and a runner on second.
The Tigers used 23 players in the slugfest (eight pitchers including Halter) and six players (including Halter) played multiple defensive positions.
Shane Halter had the best game of the plate of any player in a nine-position game. He went four-for-five, with two runs scored and three RBI. In the field, he recorded one putout and four assists, with no errors.
Halter played in eight MLB seasons (1987-2004 … Royals, Mets, Tigers, Angels), going .246-45-197, with 201 runs scored in 690 games. He played primarily at 3B and SS, but played at least two games at each of the nine positions. (He appeared in 262 games each at 3B and SS, 68 at 2B, 55 at 1B, 61 in the various OF spots, and two each at C and P.) His best season was 2001, when he went .284-12-65 in 136 games for the Tigers.
Andrew Romine, Tigers, September 30, 2017 … versus the Twins (in Minnesota)
Andrew Romine was in his eighth of 11 MLB seasons (2010-2018, 2020-21 … Angels, Tigers, Mariners, Rangers, Cubs) when he had his nine-position game – part of a 3-2 win over the Twins in Minnesota.
Romine started the game in LF, batting seventh. He moved to CF for the second inning; to RF for the third (getting the last of the OF spots off his dance card). He was at 3B for the fourth frame; SS for the fifth; and 2B for the sixth.
The seventh and eighth were a bit more complicated.
To open the bottom of seventh, Romine previously at 2B, traded positions with C Bryan Holaday and Blaine Hardy replaced Chad Bell on the mound. Then, with one out and one run in and two on base, Romine moved back to 2B, Holaday left the game, James McCann moved from DH to C (with the Tigers losing the DH) and Hardy was placed in the sixth spot (Holaday’s) in the batting order. Note: Romine’s move from 2B to C and then from C back to 2B is the only instance in the five games when the nine-position player returned to a position he had previously played and vacated. Might be a good, but tough, trivia question.
To open the bottom of the eighth, Romine moved from 2B to P (replacing Hardy) and Ian Kinsler took over at 2B. After Romine pitched to one batter (Miguel Sano) and retired him on a groundout, Romine moved to 1B, Daniel Stumpf came in to pitch and starting 1B Efren Navarro left the game.
In the ninth, Shane Greene replaced Stumpf on the mound, but everyone else stayed put.
The Tigers used 16 players in the game (six pitchers including Romine) and six players (including Romine) played multiple positions.
Romine went one-for-three, with a walk in the game and recorded six putouts and one assist. His only miscure was a passed ball.
In his 11 MLB seasons, Romine hit .233-11-86, with 157 runs scored and 40 steals (609 games). His nine-position game marked his only appearance at C (he actually pitched in eight games). In his MLB career, he played in 75 or more games at 1B (75), 2B (89), 3B (160); and SS (205). He appeared in a total of 83 games in the OF, more than half of those in CF (48).
Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball-Almanac.com; September 8, 1965: Bert Campaneris plays all Nine Positions for the Athletics, by Mike Huber, Society for American Baseball Research
Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.
Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs. For the full list click here.
I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT. Follow me there for post notifications and links.
Follow Baseball Roundtable’s Facebook Page here.
Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; The Baseball Reliquary.
P 1148
