Once again, it’s time for 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 or statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. This week, we focus on what The Roundtable sees as MLB’s best-ever debut.
Lots to consider here (let’s alternate pitchers and position players);
- Charles “Bumpus” Jones who tossed a no-hitter for the Reds in his first-ever MLB appearance (October 15, 1892).
- Left fielder Fred Clarke of the 1884 Louisville Colonels, who had the only nine-inning, five -hit MLB debut game. (Clarke stroked four singles and a triple).
- The Dodgers’ Karl Spooner and Astros’ J.R. Richard each fanned MLB-debut record 15 batters in their first appearance. Spooner in a September 22, 1954, 3-0 win over the rival Giants. Richard tied the record on September 4, 1971, in a 5-3 win over the Giants. (So, the Giants are the only team to ever fan 15 times against a pitcher making his MLB debut – and they did it twice.)
- Cubs’ SS Starlin Castro who – on May 7, 2010 MLB debut – drove in am MLB-debut record six runs in a Cubs 14-7 win over the Reds.
- Yankee pitcher Russ Van Atta who not only pitched a five-hit shutout his MLB debut game, but also had four singles in four at bats, as the Yankees topped topped the Senators 16-0 (April 25, 1933).
- Giants’ 1B Willie McCovey, who wet four- for-four with two triples in his July 30, 1959 debut – a 7-2 win over the Phillies (three runs scored, two RBI).
And I could go on. (For a 2021 post on my top-25 MLB debuts , click here ). My choice, this Tuesday, for the top MLB debut, however, is Jason Jennings, RHP, Colorado Rockies.
Jennings, a 22-year-old right-hander (who batted left – you’ll see the significance in a bit), was called up by the Rockies in late August after going 9-8, 4.42 in 26 starts at Double-A and Triple A. Jennings made his MLB debut on August 23 against the Mets in New York. He proceeded to throw a nine-inning, complete-game shutout – five hits, four walks, eight strikeouts. At that point, he had thrown three complete games and one shutout in 68 minor-league starts (three seasons).
As a bonus, Jennings also went three-for-five at the plate, with a home run, one run scored and two RBI – becoming the first MLB player to pitch a shutout and hit a home run in his first MLB appearance. Jenning’s day included a pop out to third base in the first inning; a single to left in the third; a ground out to first in the fifth; an RBI single to right-center in the seventh; and a homer to right in the top of the ninth. (The Rockies won the contest 10-0).
Collegiate Star
Jason Jennings was a first-round draft pick (Rockies, 16th overall) in 1999 (out of Baylor University). In his three years at Baylor (1997-99), he was a three-time All American and, in 1999, won both the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy. He posted a three-year pitching record of 27-11, 3.56 and a .344 batting average with 39 home runs in 172 games.
Jennings went 4-1, 4.58 in seven 2001 starts; hitting .267 (four-for-fifteen). He followed up by winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award in 2002, with a 16-8, 4.52 record for the Rox – and a .306-0-11 batting line (in 68 plate appearances). That proved to be his best season, as he appeared to succumb to command and injury issues and went 42-65, 5.06 over his final seven MLB seasons. He retired as an active player after the 2012 season, when he went 10-2, 3.58 for the (Independent) American Association Grand Prairie Ground Hogs. His final MLB line (2001-2009 … Rockies, Astros, Rangers) was 62-74, 4.95. As a hitter, he went 68-for-329 (.207), with two home runs and 26 RBI.
NEXT WEEK: The Roundtable’s choice for worst MLB debut – Hint: It was a two-player tie and represented the only MLB appearance for each player.
Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball-Almanac.com
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