Want a little relief from all the Collective Bargaining Agreement banter?  How about a look at some of the best – or most unique – relief pitching accomplishments/events?   That’s one way Baseball Roundtable is passing the time, while I wait to see if – and when – players take the field in 2022.

Greatest Relief Performance Ever

Ernie Shore – Photo: Library of Congress. Harris & Ewing Collection

When talking about great relief performances, the first that usually comes to mind first is Ernie Shore’s relief outing (taking over for Babe Ruth) on June 23, 1917. Ruth, carrying a 12-4, 2.35 record (with 14 complete games in 16 starts) started on the hill for the Red Sox (in Boston.) against the Senators.  Ruth, however, did not last long. He walked Senators’ lead-off batter 2B Ray Morgan and, to put it mildly, did not agree with umpire Brick Owens’ strike zone. An argument and melee ensued during which landed a punch to the side of Owens’ head. Ruth was tossed after the one batter (and later fined $100 and suspended for ten games).

In came Ernie Shore (8-7, 2.63, with nine complete games in 18 starts). Along with Shore came catcher Sam Agnew, replacing starting backstop Pinch Thomas.  The Agnew-for-Thomas switch paid off quickly. Morgan attempted to steal second and was gunned down by Agnew.  Shore went on to prove himself masterful in relief, retiring the next 26 batters in order, completing a perfect outing that – due to that opening walk by Ruth – is now on the books as a combined no-hitter. The Red Sox topped the Senators 4-0.

Shore ended the season 13-10, 2.22 – with 27 starts and just two relief appearances. Ruth finished the year, 24-13, 2.01, with a league-leading 35 complete games. Shore played six MLB seasons (1912, 1914-17 and 1919-20 … Giants, Red Sox, Yankees), going 65-43, 2.47 (121 starts and 39 relief outings).

Staying Pretty Darn Close to the Shore

Now, Shore’s  perfect outing deserves the top spot here, but 38-seasons later,  Hal  Brown of the Orioles came pretty darn close.  On August 31, 1955, the Orioles faced the Indians in Cleveland. Starting for Baltimore was Bill Wright (3-5, 2.53 at the time, with 28 appearances and four complete games in eight starts). On the mound for Cleveland was rookie sensation Herb Score, 13-10, 3.21,  with eight complete games in 27 starts. (The 22-year-old Score would go 16-10 and lead the American League in strikeouts with 245 that season, taking AL Rookie of the Year honors.)

It was not to be Wright’s day. In  the bottom of the first, he faced seven batters, giving  up five runs on  three singles, two doubles and two walks – failing to record a single out.  Hal Brown came on in relief  and proceeded to throw eight no-hit innings (the Indians, with a 5-1 lead, did not bat in the bottom of the ninth). In his no-hit relief outing, Brown walked five and fanned ten. I rate Brown’s performance close to Shore since the Indians clearly  came in with their hitting shoes on – and Brown quickly “tied those shoes up.”  Those ten whiffs were also impressive, as the average strikeouts per nine innings in MLB that season was 4.4 (compared to 8.9 in 2021).

Brown finished the season, 1-4, 3.98 in seventeen games (five starts). He  had a 14-season MLB career (1951-64 …. Orioles, Red Sox, Colt .45s, White Sox , Yankees – going 85-92. 3.81 (11 saves) in 211 starts and 147 relief appearances.

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So, there you have a couple of the all-time great relief performances.  Let’s take a look at a few others that stand out for Baseball Roundtable – in no particular order.

Record-Setting Whiffs … Not so Long Ago

On August 2, 2020, the Tigers faced the Reds in Detroit in one of those short-season, seven-inning doubleheader matchups. Game One saw The Tigers’ Rony Garcia starting against the Reds’ Anthony DeSclafani. Garcia gave up a two-run home run to Reds’ RF Nick Castellanos in the first inning and a solo shot to Castellanos to open the top of the third.  That brought Tyler Alexander in from the pen – and he did his job, fanning the first nine hitters he faced, setting an MLB record for consecutive strikeouts in a game by a reliever and tying the MLB record for most consecutive strikeouts from the first batter faced in an appearance.   His whiff streak went like this:

• 2B Mike Moustakas, striking out swinging on a 2-2. Foul tip.
• 3B Eugenio Suarez, strikeout on an 0-2 pitch, taking all three strikes.
• DH Jesse Winker, strikeout an 0-2 pitch, swinging at all three strikes… ending the third.
• CF Nick Senzel, strikeout swinging on a 1-2 pitch to open the fourth inning.
• 1B Josh VanMeter, strikeout looking on an 0-2 pitch.
• SS Freddy Galvis, strikeout swinging on a 3-2 offering … an 8-pitch at bat that ended the inning.
• C Tucker Barnhart, strikeout looking on a 1-2 pitch to open the fifth inning.
• LF Shogo Akiyama, strikeout looking on a 1-2 pitch
• RF Nick Castellanos, strikeout swinging on a 2-2 pitch to end the inning.

Alexander was now in position to tie all-time record for consecutive strikeouts in a game (10 – held by Tom Seaver, Aaron Nola and Corbin Burnes) in the top of the sixth.  And, it looked like he might do just that, as he had Moustakas down one-ball/two-strikes before hitting him with a pitch to end the streak.  What did the next batter do? Saurez went down swinging on a 1-2 pitch.   Travis Jankowski, running for Moustakas, was caught stealing during pinch hitter Matt Davidson’s at bat (Alexander to 1B C.J. Cron to 2B Jeimer Candelario).  Davidson eventually walked and Carson Fulmer replaced Alexander on the mound.  In his outing, Alexander three 38 strikes in 55 pitches (69/1 percent).

Alexander went 2-3, 3.96 in 14 appearances in 2020, fanning 34 batters in 36 1/3 innings.  At the close of the 2021 season, the 26-year-old southpaw was 5-11, 4.13 in 68  MLB appearances over three seasons.

As a high school senior (Carroll Senior High in Southlake, Texas), Tyler Alexander was 12-1, with a 0.66 ERA. Then, in two seasons as Texas Christian University, he went 16-6, 2.71. He was a 23^rd round draft pick in 2013.

Making a Good First Impression

They say you only get once chance to make a first  impression. Well, when it comes to taking the major-league mound, Pete Richert did just that.

Richert was signed right out of high school (Sewanhaka High School, Floral Park, Florida), where – despite his small statue – he was noted for an impressive fastball. (Adam Ulrey’s Society for American Baseball Research bio on Richert indicates Richert was 5’7” and 150 pounds in high school and 5’11”/165-pounds when he made it to the major leagues as a 22-year-old).

Richert made his MLB debut on April 12, 1962 – with the Dodgers facing the Reds in Los Angeles. Stan Williams started for the Dodgers versus Joey Jay (one of my favorite baseball names) for the Reds. With two outs in the top of the second, the Dodgers already trailed 4-0 and the Reds had another runner in scoring position.  Williams was clearly not on his game having already  given up two hits and four walks – and committed a balk.  Dodger Manager Walt Alston called  to the pen and Richert came to the mound. History was about to be made.

The first batter Richert faced was the number-three hitter in the Reds’ lineup – CF Vada Pinson. Rookie jitters? No problem.  Richert fanned Pinson  on three pitches.

Things didn’t get any easier for the rookie in the top of the third.  First up was future Hall of  Famer RF Frank Robinson.  Richert struck him out on four pitches. Then came 1B Gordy Coleman – another three-pitch strikeout (but Coleman reached first on a passed ball).  So, now Richert had thrown just ten MLB pitches, facing the three-four-five hitters in the Reds’ lineup and had recorded three whiffs.  But he wasn’t done yet. Next up was LF Wally Post – another four-pitch strikeout. Post was followed by C Johnny Edwards.  Perhaps, Richert was tiring. It took him five pitches to fan Edwards and end the inning.

Third baseman Tommy Harper led off the top of the fourth and Richert recorded another three-pitch strikeout.  So, now his MLB career consisted  of 22 pitches, 18 strikes, four balls and six strikeouts – and he had the MLB record for the most consecutive strikeouts at the start of an MLB career. Ironically, Reds’ starting pitcher Joey Jay (who would hit .114 for his 13-season MLB career and strikeout in 42.7% of his at bats) broke the whiff string, grounding out to first base on an 0-1 offering.  Richert went 3 1/3 innings in the contest, giving up no hits, no walks and fanning seven. The Dodgers came back for an 11-7 win and Richert got the victory.  Overall, Richert threw 41 pitches – 33 strikes (including balls put in play) and just eight balls.

Pete Richert is the only major leaguer with a four-strikeout inning in his MLB debut.

Richert finished his rookie season at 5-4, 3.87 (19 games, 12 starts), with 75 strikeouts in 81 1/3 innings. The two-time All Star enjoyed a 13-season MLB career (1962-74 … Dodgers, Senators, Orioles, Cardinals, Phillies) – going 80-73, 3.19 with 51 saves (429 games/122 starts).

Working Overtime … NO, Really Working Overtime

Zip Zabel. Photo: Bain News Service, Public Domain

On June 17, 1915, the Cubs faced off against the Brooklyn Robins (Dodgers) in Chicago, with Bert Humphries (3-2, 0.59) starting for the Cubs and Jeff Pfeffer (5-4, 2.61) on the mound for the Robins. With two out and one-run across in the top of the first inning, George Washington “Zip” Zabel was called on to relieve Humphries, who had been hit on the pitching hand by a line drive

To make a lo-o-o-ng story short – Zip Zabel was still on the mounds in the 19^th inning, with the score knotted at 3-3. His 18 1/3 innings (nine hits, two runs, one walk, six strikeouts) remains the longest relief effort in MLB history. The Robins pushed across a run in the bottom of the nineteenth to give Zabel the win.   Notably, Pfeffer (Cubs’ starter) tossed a complete game in the loss.

Zabel finished the season at 7-10, 3.20 in 36 games/17 starts. His MLB career lasted just three seasons (1913-15), all with the Cubs, and he went 12-14, 2.71, (It was reported that Zabel came up with a sore arm after his 18 1/3 inning relief stint.     Zabel was 5-4, 2.25 on the season through June 17 and was 2-6, 4.15 after the outing.  It was his final major-league season, although he did pitch two more season in the minors.)

Tomorrow, Tomorrow … It’s only a Day Away

Randy Johnson. Photo by SD Dirk

On June 18, 2001, the Diamondbacks were facing the Padres in San Diego, with the Diamondbacks starting Curt Schilling on the mound against the Padres’ Woody Williams.  The game was suspended in the top of the third inning, with Arizona up 1-0 – after an electrical malfunction knocked out part of the outfield lighting.  The suspended game was to be completed before the following day’s regularly schedule game.  Southpaw Randy Johnson was slated to start the regularly scheduled contest, but D-back’s manager Bob Brenly (with the Padres’ lineup in the resuming game set for righty Schilling) moved Johnson up to begin the suspended game. Williams returned to the mound for the Padres.  Johnson pitched seven scoreless, one-hit innings for the win (3-0). More important for the record books, he fanned 16 batters, still the record for strikeouts in a single relief appearance. Notably, it was Johnson’s only relief appearance of the season and his first relief assignment since September 27, 1997.

Johnson finished the 2001 season 21-6, 2.49, with 372 strikeouts in 249 2/3 innings. The Hall of Famer enjoyed a 22-season MLB career (1988-2009 … Expos, Mariners, Astros, Diamondbacks, Yankees and Giants). He went 303-166, 3.29 and fanned 4,875 batters in 4,135 1/3 innings. In 22 seasons, he made just 15 relief appearances (603 starts).

Walter Johnson. Photo by pingnews.com

If you want to know the strikeout record for an AL relief appearance (and for a relief appearance that took place on the same day the game started), that would go to  another Johnson: Hall of Famer Walter Johnson. The St, Louis Browns were facing the Washington Senators in Washington on July 25, 1913. George Baumgardner(7-11, 2,47) was on the mound for St. Louis, Joe Engel (8-13, 3.67) for the Senators. Neither was around for long. Baumgardner lasted just 1/3 of an inning, giving up two runs on three hits (two home runs).  Engel fared a bit better, lasting three frames and giving up four runs (three earned). Tom Hughes followed Engel, but lasted just two-thirds of an inning, before Johnson was called in with the Senators trailing 7-6. Washington tied it in the fifth, but St. Louis scored a run off Johnson to take an 8-7 lead in the seventh, only to have Washington retie then score in the eighth.  The game ended in an 8-8 tie and Johnson had gone 11 1/3 innings, giving up seven hits, two runs (one earned), walking two and fanning an AL still single-game record for relief pitchers 15 batters.

One that Stands Out

Walter Johnson led the League in strikeouts an MLB-record 12 times.  Ironically, despite working primarily as a starter (666 career starts/136 relief appearance). His highest single-game strikeout total came (15) came in the above noted  July 25, 1913 relief appearance

Walter Johnson pitched 21 MLB seasons (1907-1927), going 417-279, 2.17. He won 20 or more games in 11 seasons ( 30+ in two of those) and led the AL in wins six times, ERA five times, strikeouts 12 times, complete games six times and shutouts seven times.

Let’s Keep that Plate Clean

The longest scoreless relief outing was fourteen innings – by the Cubs’ Bob Osborn on May 17, 1927, facing the Boston Braves (in Boston). Surprisingly, Osborn did not come into the game until ninth inning.  At that point, the game was knotted 3-3. Osborn went on to pitch 14 scoreless frames, giving up just six hits (all singles), while walking two and fanning just one. The Cubs scored on a walk, sacrifice and single in the top of the 22^nd inning to give Osborn a well-earned win.  Braves’ starter Bob Smith went the distance – giving up four runs (three earned) in 22 innings – on 20 hits and nine walks (that was one tough day at the office).  Osborn finished the season at 5-5, 4.18 in 24 appearances (12 starts). He pitched in six MLB seasons (1925-27, 1930-31 … Cubs, Pirates), going 27-17, 4.32 in 121 games (43 starts).

Shortest-ever Relief Appearance … and It Lasted an Entire MLB Career

Larry Yount, brother of Hall of Famer Robin Yount, made his MLB debut on September 15, 1971 – coming on in the top of the ninth to replace Skip Guinn (who had been pinch hit for in the previous half inning).   The score was 4-1 and, if all worked out, Yount would face LF Ralph Garr, 1B Hank Aaron and C Earl Williams.  All did not work out. Yount had experienced a bit of elbow pain in the bullpen warming up  and, as he continued to warm up on the mound, it only got worse. He called the trainer to the mound and, after a bit of discussion, Yount walked off the field – officially registering an MLB appearance, but not tossing s single pitch. Yount pitched two more season in the minors, but never came to the major-league mound again.

Another Short Relief Appearance that Didn’t End a Career, but Did End a Game

On July 15, 2005, Mike Stanton of the Nationals was called into a game in a tough spot. It was the bottom of the tenth inning, the Nationals and Brewers were tied at 3-3 and the Brewers had runners on first and third with one out when Stanton came to the mound to take over from Luis Ayala.  Conventional wisdom? Intentionally  walk Lyle Overbay to load the bases and set up a possible double play. Unconventional outcome. The game resumes after Stanton’s warmup and, before tossing a pitch, Stanton balks in the winning run.  Game over, without Stanton throwing a single pitch.

Stanton, for those who like to know such things, pitched 19 years in the major leagues (1989-2007 …. Braves, Yankees, Red Sox, Mets, Nationals, Giants, Rangers, Reds), appearing in 1,178 games, picking up 69 wins (63 losses), with 84 saves and a 3.92 ERA. He made one start in his career.  On May 9, 1999 – for the Yankees against the Mariners – going four innings (two hits, no runs, one walk, three strikeouts) and leaving with a 4-0 lead (but getting no decision).

A Few More Short Stories

Disappointed with the major-leagues bargaining this off-season? Think about how Oliver Perez must have felt on June 29, 2018.  With the Indians down 2-0 to the Athletics in the bottom of the seventh, and the Athletics threatening to break the game open (runners on second and third and two out), Indians’ manager Terry Francona brought in southpaw Perez to face left-handed (leadoff) hitter CF Dustin Fowler.   Athletics’ Manager Bob Melvin countered by pinch hitting with  right-handed hitter Mark Canha (who would be followed by left-handed hitting LF Matt Joyce).  Now, the managerial wheels were turning. Francona had Perez intentionally walk Canha to load the bases and get to lefty Joyce. (Remember, this was with the new “wave ‘em to first” intentional walk rule, so Perez had yet to throw a pitch.)  Melvin made another managerial move, having righty Chad Pinder hit for Joyce.  Francona countered by pulling Perez and bringing in righty Zach McAllister. So, Perez was out of the game without tossing a pitch. He was also credited with a walk and, if that runner on third scored, it would go against his ERA.  Ouch!   Fortunately, McAllister fanned Pinder on four pitchers and Perez was off the hook.

There are also a few instances of pitcher actually getting a decision (win or save) without throwing a pitch.  Keeping in mind that batter counts pre-1980 are not readily available, here are three such instances I could document (baseball-reference.com).  I’d welcome info on any other such instances.

On April 28, 1989, The Cubs were leading the Padres 3-0 going into the bottom of the ninth – with Paul Kilgus on the mound for the Cubs and the 3-4-5 hitters due up for San Diego.  Kilgus got CF Tony Gwynn on a fly to deep left, but then 1B Jack Clark doubled to right; C Benito Santiago reached on an error (Clark going to third); LF Carmello Martinez reached on a fielder’s choice (as Clark was cut down at the plate – third-baseman Curt Wilkerson to catcher Rick Wrona); and RF Luis Salazar singled Santiago home, with Martinez going to third. Manager Don Zimmer brought in Mitch Williams to face SS Garry Templeton. Before tossing a pitch to Templeton, Williams picked Martinez off second (SS Shawon Dunston covering) ending the inning and the game – and giving William a “save” without a pitch. Williams ended the season 4-4, 2.76 with 36 saves and a league-leading 76 appearances.  Williams pitched in 11 MLB seasons (1986-95, 1997 … Rangers, Cubs, Phillies, Astros, Angels, Royals) going 45-58, 3.65 with 192 saves. (He had three seasons of 30 or more saves, a high of 43 in 1993).

On May 1, 2003, the Orioles faced off against the Tigers in Detroit. The game was tied at 1-1 in the bottom  of the seventh, when the Tigers scored the go-ahead run off Pat Hentgen (in his fifth inning of relief).  With two out and a runner (Omar Infante) on first , Orioles’ manager Mike Hargrove brought B.J . Ryan in to face Tigers’ RF Bobby Higginson. Before tossing a pitch, Ryan caught Infante off base and he was retired Ryan to 1B  Jeff Conine to shortstop Deivi Cruz.  The Orioles scored three in the top of the eighth to take the lead. Ryan was replaced by Buddy Groom to open the bottom of the eighth. The Orioles went on to win 5-2 and  Ryan picked up an MLB victory without tossing a pitch. Ryan finished the season 4-1, 3.40 in 76 appearances. He pitched in 11 MLB seasons (1999-2009 … Reds, Orioles, Blue Jays), going 21-28, 3,37, with 117 saves in 560 appearances (all in relief). Ryan was an All Star in 2005 and 2006, saving 36 and 38 games in those two seasons, respectively,

On July 7, 2009, the Rockies took on the Nationals in Denver. The two teams went into the eighth innings tied at four apiece, with Joel Peralta (the Rockies’ fourth pitcher of the ay) on the mound for the Rox. With two outs, a runner (Austin Kearns) on first base and Washington’s leadoff hitter, lefty CF Nyjer Morgan, due up, Rockies’ manager Clint Hurdle called in southpaw Alan Embree. Before tossing a pitch, Embree caught Kearns off first and he was retired in a rundown (Embree to 1B Todd Helton to SS Troy Tulowitzki and back to Embree for the putout). Seth Smith pinch hit for Embree as The Rockies scored the winning run in the bottom of the inning,. Huston Street came in to toss a 1-2-3 ninth and Embree had a win without throwing a pitch.

Now, let’s move on to some “longer” relief accomplishments.

We’ll Never See This Again

In 1974, the Dodgers’ Mike Marshall put up the grand-daddy of all relief seasons – becoming the first reliever to win the Cy Young Award and setting the still-standing record for appearances with 106 and relief innings pitched in a season at 208 1/3. He finished the season 15-12, with a league-topping 21 saves and a 2.42 ERA.  Marshall was called on to go more than one inning in 74 games (68.5 percent of the time) and toiled three or more innings 22 times.  Marshall’s longest stint came on August 19, when he came on in the seventh inning of a 7-7 game against the Cubs – and went six innings, earning the win as the Dodgers topped the Cubs 8-7 in twelve innings.

In 1974, Mike Marshall took the mound every day from May 17 through May 24 (8 days) … pitching 14 2/3 innings and giving up just one earned run.

Lucky  Number 13

Just two relievers have pitched in 13 consecutive games:

Mike Marshall appeared in 13 consecutive games for the Dodgers from June 18 through July 3, 1974 – going 6-0, 1.69 with two saves.

In his rookie season (1986), the Rangers’ Dale Mohorcic appeared in 13 consecutive games from August 6 through August 20  – going 0-1, 3.86 with two saves. He finished the season 2-4, 2.51, with seven saves in 58 appearances. Mohorcic played five MLB seasons (1986-90 … Rangers, Yankees, Expos), going 16-21, 3.49 with 33 saves. His best season was 1987, when he went 7-6, 2.99, with 16 saves for the Rangers.

Dale Mohorcic, who played college baseball at Cleveland State University, made his professional debut at age 22, with the low-A Victoria Mussels. He made his MLB debut in his ninth pro season, at age 30. After minor-league stops at Victoria, Dunedin (Blue Jays), Salem (Pirates), Portland (Beavers), Buffalo (Bisons), Hawaii (Islanders), Lynn (Sailors), Nashua (Pirates) and Oklahoma City (89ers).

84 Straight Saves

Eric Gagne. Photo: OctopusHat, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

From August 28, 2002 through July 3, 2004  the Dodgers’ Eric Gagne converted a record 84 consecutive save opportunities, during that stretch he appeared in 123 games, going 6-3 (the three losses did not come in “save” situations), with a  1.98 earned run average and 207 strikeouts in 132 innings.

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Bookends

The Blown Save that preceded the start of Eric Gagne’s 84-saves streak came against the Diamondbacks on August 26, 2002.  Gagne came into the game in the ninth to protect a 3-2 Dodger lead, but a single by Steve Finley and a double by David Dellucci tied the game (the Dodgers lost 6-3 in twelve frames). The Blown Save the ended the string came on July 5, 2005 – again versus the Diamondbacks. Gagne came on in the top of the ninth to protect a 5-3 lead, but gave up two runs on a Shea Hillenbrand single, Louis Gonzalez double and Chad Tracy single.

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Gagne pitched in 10 MLB seasons, going 33-26, 3.47 with 187 saves. He was a three-time All Star and won the 2003 NL Cy Young Award when he went 2-3, 1.20 with 55 saves in 55 save opportunities.

A What Might Have Been Story

Eric Gagne made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 1999,  as a 23-year-old starting pitcher. In his first three seasons with LA, he was a middling 11-14, 4.61 in 56 appearances (48 starts) at the back of the Dodger rotation.  Then, in 2002, Dodgers’ closer Jeff Shaw retired and Gagne was one of the arms the Dodgers took a look at for the role.  The rest is history. From 2002 through 2004, he was the best in the business – earning  the nickname Eric “Game Over” Gagne.   In those three seasons, Gagne went 13-7, 1.79, saved 152 games in 158 opportunities and fanned 365 batters in 247  innings – making three All Star teams and picking up the 2003 NL Cy Young Award along the way.  Finishing the 2004 season at 28-years-old, the sky seemed the limit.  However, it was not to be. Over the next four seasons (2005-08), Gagne went 9-5, 4.28, with just 35 saves and 114 strikeouts in 113 2/3 innings.

What happened? The frailties of the human arm.  First, you need to know that Gagne had Tommy John surgery (elbow) in 1997.  He had elbow surgery again in 2005 and 2006 – and also had back surgery (herniated disc) in 2006. (He appeared in only 16 games in 2005-06.) Gagne also suffered a shoulder injury in 2008 (his final MLB season … Brewers).

Baseball Roundtable Obligatory Chart

The MLB record holder in relief appearances is Jesse Orosco, who came out of the bullpen 1,248 times. Orosco, however, had four starts early in his 24-season MLB career.  All-time saves leader (652) Mariano Rivera had ten starts in his first year with the Yankees and all-time leader in career wins in relief Hoyt Wilhelm made 52 starts over his 21-season MLB career.   As starters, Orosco was 0-2, 6.38; Rivera was 3-3, 5.94; and Wilhelm was 19-19, 2.68 (with 20 complete games and five shutouts).

Roy for the Win

In 1959, the Pirates’ Roy Face set the (still-standing) MLB record for relief wins in a season – going 18-1, 2.70 with 10 saves. In that season, Face pitched two or more innings in 24 of his 57 relief appearances.  Ten of his 18 victories came in extra-inning games; four wins came in games in which he also recorded a blown save (retroactively); his longest outing was five innings; and his lone loss came on September 11, after 17 wins to start the season.

Face began his professional career as a starting pitcher, going 69-27 in four minor-league seasons (1949-52), earning a spot on the Pirates in 1953.  At the time, the  Face relied on a fastball and curveball, but at about 5’8” and 160 pounds, he was not your classic fastball/curve power pitcher. And major league hitters made that clear.  In 1953, Face was 6-8, 6.58 – and in 1954 he was sent back down to Double-A, where he developed the forkball that eventually defined his career.

He was back with the Pirates in 1955, working primarily as a reliever and going 5-7, 3.58 with five saves in 42 games (ten starts).  From there his career as a reliever took off, and he appeared in 50 or more games in 11 of the next 12 seasons (twice leading the league in games and three times in saves).

Face ultimately played 16 MLB seasons (1953, 1955-69 …Pirates, Tigers, Expos) going 104-95, 3.48, with 191 saves.

Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball-Almanac.com; Gagne to have back surgery, miss rest of season, Associated Press, July 7, 2008.

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Today, December 14, marks the 61st Anniversary of the 1960 MLB Expansion Draft – which officially launched what we now often hear referred to as “The Expansion Era.”  With that in mind, I’d like to use this post to look at MLB Expansion Drafts since that time – rating (totally subjectively) what Baseball Roundtable believes are the top Top Five Expansion Picks all-time (well, since 1960), as well as commenting on each expansion team’s first and most interesting picks. Note:  The first and most interesting picks section is  updated and expanded from a 2016 Baseball Roundtable post on this topic.)

This post is indeed a labor of love. Expansion drafts have fascinated me since I was just a kid – drafting Strat-O-Matic or baseball card teams with my baseball buddies.  That interest was re-energized as an adult, when I began annually drafting fantasy teams.

Notably, first-pick selections in MLB’s seven Expansion Drafts ranged from a utility player with only 13 MLB at bats (Bob Bailor) to a former AL MVP (Bobby Shantz). And, when you further examine Expansion Draft first picks, you also find a pitcher who had started Game Four of the previous season’s World Series (Tony Saunders) and a veteran outfielder with a .292 career average (over seven seasons) who would go on to a 20-season MLB career (Manny Mota). But enough teasers, let’s get started with a look at Baseball Roundtable’s choices for top expansion picks all-time,

———TOP MLB EXPANSION DRAFT PICKS ALL-TIME——–

One caveat here, these players are chosen on the basis of what they did while playing for the teams that drafted them.  For example, Bobby Abreu, drafted by the Devil Rays (from the Astros) with the sixth pick in the 1997 draft may have had the best offensive post-draft career of any Expansion Draft player.  Prior to the 1997 Expansion Draft, the 23-year-old had played in 620 minor-league games and 74 games for the Astros (1996-97), with a .248-3-27 MLB stat line. (Abreu was signed out of Venezuela and began his pro career as a 17-year-old.) Post-draft, Abreu played another 16 seasons, hitting .292, with 285 home runs, 1,336 RBI, 1,430 runs scored and 393 stolen bases (bringing his career line to .291-288-1,363 with 400 steals). However, not one bit of that offense was recorded for the team that drafted him.  After being drafted he was quickly traded to the Philllies for SS Kevin Stocker.  Oops!  Or there is Hoyt Wilhelm, drafted by the Royals (from the White Sox) with the 49th pick in the 1968 Expansion Draft.  The 45-year-old Wilhelm was already on his way to the Hall of Fame – with 17 MLB seasons, 937 appearances, 130 wins and 197 saves under his belt. Before their inaugural season, the Royals traded Wilhelm to the Angels.   He played four more seasons, adding 133 appearances, 13 wins and 31 saves to his career totals.  These are just a couple of examples of players with notable career achievements who did not make the best picks list because they had little (and sometimes no) direct impact on the expansion teams that drafted them.

So, here’s Baseball Roundtable’s Top-Five Expansion Draft picks.

NUMBER ONE – Jim Fregosi, SS … drafted by Angels (from Red Sox) with the 35th pick of the 1960 Expansion Draft.

Fregosi was signed by the Red Sox right out of high school and, at 19-years-old, had just one minor-league season to his credit (.267-6-58 in 112 games at Class-D) when the Angels snatched him from the Red Sox. In is first two seasons in the Angels’ system, he got in 214 games at Triple-A Dallas Fort Worth (.263-7-64). He was called  up to the Angels briefly in 1961 (11 Sept./Oct. games). In 1962,  he was called up in July and went .291-3-23 in 58 games. Fregosi was with the Angels through 1971, playing in 1,429 games (.268-115-546, with 691 runs scored). The six-time All Star and one-time Gold Glover provided solid leadership and a steadying presence in the Angels’ infield and line up. Fregosi received MVP votes in eight Angels’ seasons. He ultimately played in 18 MLB seasons, going .265-151-706).

After the Fact

Although, these factors did not play a role in  this ranking, Jim Fregosi did have an impact on the Angels well past his days on the field with the team. In 1961, the Angels traded Fregosi to the Mets for four players – one of whom was Nolan Ryan. (That worked out pretty well.)  Then, in 1978, he came back to the manage the Angels (1978-81). 

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NUMBER TWO – Vinny Castilla, SS/3B … drafted by the ROCKIES (from the Braves) with the 40th pick in the 1992 Expansion draft.

Castilla showed modest power potential in the Braves’ minor-league system – 31 home runs in 399 games (primarily as a shortstop) before the Rockies picked him in the 1992 Expansion Draft.  Odds are, the Rox got even more than they expected – as a switch to third base and the “Rocky Mountain Air” seemed to agree with Castilla. From 1993-99, Castillo hit .299 for Colorado, with 203 home runs and 610 RBI. He made two All Star teams, hit 40 or more home runs in three seasons and drove in 100+in four (a high of 144 RBI in 1998). In 1999, after a .275-33-102 season, he was traded to the Rays for Rolando Arrojo and Aaron Ledesma.  Castilla came back for a couple of stints with the Rox, including a .271-35-131 season in 2004. In 16 MLB seasons, Castilla hit .276, with 320 home runs and 1,105 RBI.

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NUMBER THREE – Nate Colbert, 1B/OF… drafted by the Padres (from the Astros)  with the 18th pick in the 1968 Expansion Draft. 

While Colbert had a .133 average in 39 games with the Astros (1966 & 1968), he had shown potential in the minors (including a .289-28-67 season at Double-A/Triple-A in 1967). Colbert immediately began delivering on that potential with the Padres. The 23-year-old hit .255 with 24 home runs and 66 RBI in his first season in San Diego, went on to earn three All Star berths and hit 163 home runs in six seasons for the team (still the record for carer homers in a Padres’ uniform). His best season was 1972, when he went .250-38-111 for the Padres. Colbert gained further fame on August 1, 1972, when he hit a record-tying five home runs in a double header.

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NUMBER FOUR- Turk Farrell, RHP … drafted by the Colt .45s (from the Dodgers) with the fourth pick (premium phase) of the 1961 Expansion Draft.

The 26-year-old righty had a five-season MLB record of 37-31, 3.70 and one All Star selection on his MLB resume (1958 Phillies) when the Colt .45s selected him in the 1961 Expansion draft. It turned out to be a pretty good move.  Farrell was with Houston through May of 1967.  During those six seasons, he was a three-time All Star –  and went 53-64, 3.45 (during that time, Houston went 402-568.).  In 1963, Farrell put up a 14-13, 3.02 stat line for a team that finished 30 games under .500.  Farrell started 132 games for Houston (completing 41) and relieved in 49 (eight saves). Farrell pitched in 14 MLB seasons, going 106-111, 3.45

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NUMBER FIVE – Jim Clancy, RHP … drafted by the Blue Jays  (from the Rangers) with the sixth pick in the 1976 Expansion Draft.

Jim Clancy had four minor-league seasons on his professional resume when the Blue Jays drafted him, but they were far from attention gathering results – a 20-37 record, with a 5.30 earned run average.  His first three seasons with the Blue Jays were marginally better, 16-28, 4,58.   Then in 1980 – as a 24-year-old – he seemed to progress (13-16, but with a 3.30 ERA for the 67-95 Blue Jays.)  Clancy get this spot  partially on the basis of longevity. He stayed with the Blue Jays for 12 seasons – putting up a 128-140 record, with a 4.10 ERA. He gave the Blue Jays double-digit wins in eight seasons and twice led the AL in games started. In 1982, he was an ll Star and put up a 16-14, 3.,71 record.  He pitched in 15 MLB seasons, going 140-167, 4.23.

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HONORABLE   – Tommy Harper, OF …  drafted by the Seattle Pilots (from the Indians) with the third pick in the 1968 Expansion Draft.  

Harper deserves a mention for providing a lot of thrills for fans, early in an expansion club’s existence. He had appeared in 778 MLB games (Reds & Indians) by the time the Pilots selected him in the 1968 Expansion Draft.  He had a .251 career average, with 50 home runs, 203 RBI, 492 runs scored and 135 stolen bases. In 1965, he had hit .257 for the Reds and led the National League in runs scored with 126. The best, it seems,was yet to come.

In his first year as a Pilot, Harper may have hit only .235, but he led MLB with 73 stolen bases. But, the best was yet to come.

In 1969, the Pilots moved to Milwaukee and became the Brewers – and Tommy Harper became an All Star, a Brewers fan favorite and a 30-30 player.  For the Brewers, he hit .296, with 31 home runs, 38 stolen bases, 82 RBI and 104 runs scored. The following season (1971), he regressed, hitting .258-14-52, with 25 steals. After the season, he was traded to the Red Sox in a multi-player deal.  The Brewers sent Pat Skrable, Lew Krausse and Marty Pattin to the BoSox for Ken Brett, Billy Conigliaro, Joe Lahoud, Jim Lonborg, Don Pavletich and George Scott. (You can figure that one out.)  Harper played 15 MLB seasons (1962-76), going .257-146-567, with 408 steals.  Clearly the Pilots/Brewers got Harper’s best.

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Now let’s look at each expansion team’s first and, in Baseball Roundtable’s view, most interesting picks.

——1960 EXPANSION DRAFT – For 1961 Season——

Eli Grba – RHP – First pick of the Angels, taken from the Yankees.

Eli Grba – first player taken in MLB’s first expansion draft.

Eli Grba was the first-ever Expansion Draft selection (the Angels had first pick). The 25-year-old Grba had appeared in a total of 43 games (15 starts) and 131 major-league innings for the Yankees in the 1959-60 seasons – going 8-9 with a 4.74 ERA and one save. He was considered a solid prospect (who already had some seasoning), coming off a 1960 season in which he went 7-1, 1.80 at Triple-A before putting up a 6-4, 3.68 line for the Yankees.  Grba had a good season for the Angels in 1961 – winning 11 and losing 13, with a 4.25 ERA in 211 2/3 innings pitched.  Grba, however, was out of the major leagues by 1964, finishing with a 28-33, 4.67 (4 saves) record over five seasons.

Angels’ most interesting pick – 20-year-old RHP Dean Chance, taken from the Orioles … kind of .

The 1960 expansion draft had a complex set of rules- among them that no existing team could lose more than seven players and no expansion team could take more than four players from any one existing team. As the draft unfolded, these rules were not followed to the letter – particularly the restriction on how many players from any one team any one expansion team could draft.  As a result, AL President Joe Cronin had to step in and mandate trades to bring teams into compliance.   And, that’s where Dean Chance becomes an interesting pick. One of the mandated trades sent Joe Hicks, originally drafted by the Angels to the Senators for Chance (originally drafted by Washington).  Chance was clearly a “prospect pick.” Just 20, he already had two minor-league seasons behind him (in which he had gone 22-12, with a 3.06 ERA). Chance spent most of 1961 at Triple-A, getting into just five games with the Angels at the end of the season (0-2, 6.87 in 18 1/3 innings). In 1962, he was a 14-game winner for the Angels and, by 1964, he was an All Star and AL Cy Young Award winner (20-9, 1.65 with 11 complete-game shutouts).  A nice pick who had an 11-year MLB career, six seasons with the Angels (74-66, 2.83).  If it hadn’t been for that “interesting” draft-day trade, Chance would have made my five best picks list.  His career stat line was 128-115, 2.92.

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Bobby Shantz – LHP – First pick of the Senators, taken from the Yankees.

The expansion Senators appeared to go for experience in their first pick – selecting 35-year-old left-hander Bobby Shantz; a 12-year MLB veteran, three-time All Star and 1952 AL MVP.  Shantz, however, never played for the Senators. He was quickly traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for RHP Bennie Daniels, 3B Harry Bright and 1B R.C. Stevens. The players the Senators received for Shantz did provide some value. Daniels led the Senators in wins in 1961, going 12-11, 3.44. He stayed with the team four more seasons, picking up 25 more victories. Harry Bright hit .240-4-21 in 72 games for Washington in 1961, then set career highs at .273-17-67 for the team the following year (after which he was traded to the Reds). R.C. Stevens played in only 33 games for the Senators – hitting .129 in his last of four MLB season.

Senators’ most interesting pick – LHP Bobby Shantz (see the full Shantz story below).

Bobby Shantz – The Most Interesting Player in TWO MLB Expansion Drafts

Bobby Shantz – Boyhood Hero.

Like the Dos Equis beer campaign’s “most interesting man in the world,”  Bobby Shantz was the most interesting player in not one, but two, MLB Expansion drafts – at least in BBRT’s estimation.

First, a disclaimer. As a youngster, I had a personal interest in the 5’ 6 “ Shantz.  My Dad was just 5’ 1” and it looked like I might follow in his (short stride and) footsteps.  Luckily, a growth spurt in my teens got me past my Dad’s mark to a more average 5′ 9″. Before that growth spurt, however, Shantz was my assurance that the vertically challenged could succeed in the national pastime.

Let’s take a look at this most interesting of Expansion Draft picks (actually one of the more interesting MLB players period). Shantz – who was still under five-feet tall when he graduated from high school – was a natural athlete, excelling in everything from baseball to diving to gymnastics to ping-pong. Still, when it came to professional opportunities, he was considered too small. Fortunately, a late growth spurt (some of which occurred during his military service) pushed Shantz up to 5’ 6″ and just shy of 140 pounds. After his discharge, some excellent results in sandlot ball earned Shantz a contract with the Philadelphia Athletics (most teams passed on Shantz due to his size).  In his first season of pro-ball (1948 … for the Class A Lincoln A’s), Shantz went 18-7, with a 2.82 ERA and 212 strikeouts in 214 innings – showing great control and a baffling curve ball. Shantz was on his way. By 1951, he was an All Star for the Athletics, finishing the season 18-10, with a 3.94 ERA. The following season, he reached his peak. While the Athletics finished barely above .500 (79-75, fourth place), Shantz went 24-7, 2.48 – leading the league in wins and winning percentage and throwing 27 complete games in 33 starts.  The campaign was topped off when Shantz was named the AL MVP.

The following season, however, Shantz fell victim to a shoulder injury that would create problems for him on-and-off for the remainder of his career. In 1957, Shantz was included in a 13-player trade (Athletics and Yankees). He proved a valuable addition to the Bronx Bombers, going 11-5, with a league-low 2.45 ERA (30 games, 21 starts). That year, he made his third and final All Star squad. He also started Game Two of the 1957 World Series, taking the loss in a 4-2 Braves victory.

In addition to making it to the World Series, Shantz also started an enviable streak in 1957.  Remember the earlier note that Shantz was a natural athlete? Well, in 1957, the first Gold Gloves were awarded. In that initial year, one Gold Glove was awarded for each position (not one for each position in each league) and Shantz was the first pitcher to earn a Gold Glove. The following season, Gold Gloves were awarded by league and Shantz won the AL Gold Glove for pitchers in each of the next three seasons. He moved to the NL in 1961, and won four more consecutive Gold Gloves (1961-64).

So, as we look to the 1960 Expansion Draft, we find Shantz – at the time a former MVP, three-time All Star and four-time Gold Glover – left unprotected by the Yankees. Shantz was the first pick of the Senators, who – two days later – traded him to the Pirates. As a reliever and spot starter for Pittsburgh, Shantz went 6-3, 3.32, with two saves (43 games, six starts).

Then came the 1961 draft. The Pirates did not protect Shantz and the former MVP was again a “draftee,”  selected by the Houston Colt .45’s with the number-21 pick.  Shantz started the first-ever game for Houston (April 10, 1962), beating the Cubs 11-2 on a complete game five-hitter.  He got three starts for Houston (1-1, 1.31) before a May 7 trade to the Cardinals (for OF Carl Warwick and P John Anderson). Shantz had a solid season as a reliever for Saint Louis – 5-3, 2.18 with four saves, and finished out his career as a reliever with the Cardinals, Cubs and Phillies He retired after the 1964 season with a 119-99, 3.38 record (48 saves) in 16 seasons – and BBRT’s vote as the most interesting player in the first – and second – Expansion Drafts.

 

——1961 MLB EXPANSION DRAFT——

Eddie  Bressoud – SS/2B/3B – First pick of the Colt. .45s, taken from the Giants.

The 29-year-old Bressoud had been utility infielder with the Giants (1956-61) – versatile and capable in the field, with a .239 career batting average. Like Bobby Shantz (see above), Bressoud was not to play a single game for the team that made him their first draft pick.  He was traded to the Boston Red Sox for shortstop Don Buddin – which proved an unproductive move.  Buddin played in 40 games for the 1962 Colt .45s, hitting just .163 in 80 at bats before being moved to the Detroit Tigers for cash in mid-season. The slick-fielding Bressoud remained in the major leagues for six more seasons, making the AL All Star team in 1964, when he hit .293 in 158 games as the regular shortstop for the Red Sox. Bressoud closed out his MLB career as a member of the 1967 World Champion Cardinals.

Colt .45’s most interesting pick – Bobby Shantz, taken from the Pirates (see full story in box above).

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Hobie Landrith – C – First pick of the Mets, taken from the Giants.

Hobie Landrith had a dozen MLB seasons under his belt (primarily as a backup catcher, although he did play in 100+ games in 1956 and 1959) when the Mets made him their first Expansion Draft pick.  When asked about the reasoning behind this first pick, Met’s manager Casey Stengel is famously said to have replied, “You have to have catchers or you’re going to have a lot of passed balls.”  Like so many of these first expansion picks, Landrith was not long for his new team.  He played in just 23 games for the Mets (.289-1-7) before being traded to the Orioles to complete a trade that brought the Mets future team “legend” Marvelous Marv Throneberry. Landrith only played one more season in the big leagues. Throneberry was with the Mets in 1962 and 1963 (his last MLB season) – hitting .240 with 16 home runs and 50 RBI in 130 games. Marvelous Marv later gained fame as a spokesperson for Miller Lite beer.

Mets’ most interesting pick – 1B Gil Hodges, taken from the Dodgers. 

The Mets took 37-year-old veteran 1B Gil Hodges from the Dodgers with the 14^th pick of the 1961 draft – bringing a Brooklyn Dodgers’ fan favorite back to New York. Hodges was an eight-time All Star, all with Brooklyn. He was also a three-time Gold Glover – one with Brooklyn, two with Los Angeles.  At the time he was drafted, Hodges had a .276 career average, 361 home runs and 1,254 RBI.  Hodges got in just 65 games in two seasons with the Mets, hitting .248, with nine homers and 20 RBI.  Hodges, appropriately, did hit the first home run in Mets’ history – on April 11, 1962. He was traded to the Washington Senators (for OF Jimmy Piersall) on May 23, 1963 – immediately retiring as a player to take over as the Senators’ manager (the purpose of the trade.)

——1968 EXPANSION DRAFT——

Ollie Brown – OF – First pick of the Padres, taken from the Giants.

Ollie “Downtown” Brown, a plus defender with a strong arm, was the first pick of the expansion Padres – and it worked out well for Brown and the team.  A part-timer with the Giants (181 games from 1965-68), Brown became a staple in the outfield for the Padres.  In 1969, he played in 151 games for San Diego, hitting .264, with 20 HR’s and 61 RBI.  He did even better the following season – .292-23-89 in 139 games. He was a regular in the Padres’ OF until he was traded to Oakland in 1972. Brown stayed in the majors through 1977 (13 seasons), putting up a career average of .265, with 102 home runs and 454 RBI.

Padres’ most interesting pick – 1B Nate Colbert, taken from the Houston Astros.

You can read more about Colbert in the “Best Picks” section at the top of this post. Adding to the “interest factor” for BBRT is the fact that on August 1, 1972, Nate Colbert hit five home runs in a double header (remember those).  The only other time this feat has been accomplished (by Stan Musial on May 2, 1954), Colbert (then 8-years-old) was a fan in the stands.

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Manny Mota – OF – First pick of the  Expos, taken from the Pirates.

Manny Mota, the Expos’ first-pick in the 1968 draft, played only 31 games for the team before being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Mota and Expos’ SS Maury Wills were traded to the Dodgers for OF/1B Ron Fairly and IF Paul Popovich in mid-June of the 1969 season. Mota was with the Dodgers until 1982 (an All Star in 1973), becoming one MLB’s most adept pinch hitters; while Wills (who started his career with the Dodgers) stayed with LA through the 1972 season. Fairly was a Montreal regular (and a 1973 All Star). In six seasons with the Expos, he hit .276, with 86 home runs and 331 RBI. Popovich was immediately traded to the Cubs for OF Adolfe Phillips and RHP Jack Lamabe. (Phillips hit .216 in 58 games for the Expos that season, Lamabe spent the season in the minors and never pitched in the major again.)

Expos’ most interesting pick – SS Maury Wills, taken from the Pirates.

The Expos selected Dodger SS Maury Wills with the 21^st pick of the NL Expansion Draft.  The 36-year-old Wills was a five-time All Star, two-time Gold Glover, 1962 NL MVP and had led the NL in stolen bases six times. He’d spent most of his career with the Dodgers, but in the year preceding the Expansion Draft, he had hit .278, with 52 steals for the Pirates – who did not protect him in the draft. (Wills was traded by the Dodgers to the Pirates after the 1966 season, reportedly over a disagreement over payment for a team post-season tour of Japan.)  The 36-year-old Wills got into 47 games for the Expos (.222, 15 steals), before being traded back to his original team (the Dodgers), where he hit .297 with 25 more steals. Wills retired as a Dodger in 1972, with a .281 average and 586 stolen bases.

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Roger Nelson – RHP – First pick of the Royals, taken from the Orioles.

Roger Nelson had gone 4-3, 2.41 in 19 games (six starts) for the Royals in 1968 – after starting the season 3-0, 1.29 at AAA Rochester. At 24-years-old, he already had 6 years of professional experience when the Mariners made him their first choice.  Nelson started 29 games for the Royals, going 7-13, 3.31. He was with the team for three more seasons, his best being 1972, when he went 11-6, 2.08 at a starter and reliever. After the 1972 season, he was traded (along with OF Richie Scheinblum) to the Reds for OF Hal McRae and RHP Wayne Simpson. McRae would spend 15 seasons with Kansas City, compiling a .293 average for the team, earning three All Star selections and leading the  AL in doubles twice (54 in 1977 and 46 in 1982) and RBI once (133 in 1982).

Royals’ most interesting pick – RHP Hoyt Wilhelm from the Chicago White Sox.

Future Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm was already 45-years-old, a four-time All Star and had appeared in more than 900 games when the Royals made him the 49th pick in the AL Expansion Draft. Who would have thought the ageless knuckleballer still had four seasons (including one All Star campaign) left in his arm. Apparently not the Royals, who quickly traded Wilhelm to the California Angels for a pair of catchers – Ed Kirkpatrick and Dennis Paepke. Kirkpatrick hit .248 with 56 home runs in six seasons with the Royals, while Paepke got in just 80 games (.183 average) in four Royals’ seasons. Wilhelm split the 1969 season with the Angels and Cubs, going 7-7, 2.19 (14 saves) in 52 appearances. In 1970, he split time with the Braves and Cubs, going 6-5, 3.40 with 13 saves and making his final All Star game. Wilhelm retired after the 1972 season (his 21^st MLB campaign) having appeared in 1,070 games (none for the Royals), with a 143-122 record, 228 saves and a 2.52 career ERA.

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Don Mincher – 1B – First pick of the Pilots, taken from the Angels.

Don Mincher had established himself as a steady source of power when the Seattle Pilots made him their first choice in the 1968 Expansion Draft. In nine MLB seasons (Washington/Minnesota/California), Mincher had hit .248, with 130 home runs (despite averaging just 98 games per season), topping 20 homers in a season three times. The 31-year-old played in 140 games for Seattle in 1969, hitting .246, with a team-leading 25 home runs and 78 RBI (second on the Pilots to Tommy Davis’ 80). The Pilots, of course, moved to Milwaukee (to become the Brewers) in 1970 – but Mincher did not make the trip. The Pilots’ leading source of power was traded (along with infielder Ron Clark) to the Oakland A’s for pitchers Lew Krausse and Ken sanders, OF Mike Hershberger and C Phil Roof.

Pilots’ most interesting pick –OF Lou Piniella taken from the Indians. 

Wow, the Pilots had several interesting picks – Mike Marshall, who would go on to set records for relief appearances in a season in both the NL and AL; two-time batting champ Tommy Davis; and a 28-year-old outfielder named Tommy Harper, who would lead the AL in stolen bases for the Pilots with 73 in 1969 and join the 30-30 (HR/SB) club in 1970.

For BBRT, their most interesting pick was a 25-year-old outfielder named Lou Piniella, taken from the Indians with the 28^th pick. The Pilots traded Piniella to the Royals (appropriately on April Fool’s Day) before the season opened (for RHP John Gelnar and OF Steve Whitaker).  The Pilots looked a bit foolish when Piniella went on to earn Rookie of the Year honors with the Royals – and then enjoyed an 18-season MLB career (.291 average, 102 home runs, 766 RBI), as well as a long career as an MLB manager.

——1976 EXPANSION DRAFT——

Ruppert Jones – OF –  First pick of Mariners, taken from the Royals.

Ruppert Jones began his professional career at age 18 (1973), hitting .301 in 61 games for the Royals’ rookie-level Billings (Montana) Mustangs. The next season – at Class A – he hit .320 with 21 home runs and 24 stolen bases.  In 1975 and 1976, he held his own at AAA (.243-13-54, with 12 steals; .262-19-73, with 16 steals). In 1976, he was called up to the Royals and made his MLB debut in August, but hit just .216 in 28 games.  The Mariners, however, recognized Jones’ potential and made him their first choice.  In his initial season with Seattle, Jones got in 160 games, hitting .263, with 24 home runs, 76 RBI and 13 steals – earning his first of two All Star selections (he was also an All Star with the 1982 Padres). Jones was with the Mariners for three seasons, before being traded to the Yankees in a six-player deal in November of 1979. Jones hit.250 with 147 home runs and stole 143 bases in a 12-year MLB career.

Mariners’ most interesting pick – OF Dave Collins, taken from the Angels.  

The Mariners used their number-14 pick in the 1976 Expansion Draft to add some speed to their roster – in the form of 24-year-old, switch-hitting outfielder Dave Collins. Collins had spent a good portion of the 1975-76 seasons with the Angels, getting into 192 games and hitting .265 with 56 stolen bases. In 1977, he hit .239 (120 games) for the Mariners, and swiped 25 bags.  After the season, the Mariners traded Collins to the Reds for LHP Shane Rawley. Collins went on to a 16-year MLB career in which he hit .272, with 395 steals (a high of 79 for the Red in 1980.)  Collins hit over .300 thee times, with 1980 his best overall season – .303 average, 79 steals, 94 runs scored.) What makes Collins most “interesting” to BBRT is that he is one of a handful of players who played in the short-lived Senior Professional Baseball Association (for retired and released players over age 35) and made it back to the major leagues.  (For the story on the SPBA, click here.)

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Bob Bailor – Utility – First pick of the Blue Jays, taken from the Orioles.

In 1975 and 1976, Bob Bailor got the proverbial ”cup of coffee” in the big leagues – 14 games and 13 at bats with the Orioles. The versatile player had put up some pretty good minor-league numbers – with a solid average and plenty of speed.  (In 1975, he hit .293 and swiped 21 bases at AAA.) Toronto made Bailor their first choice in the 1976 Expansion Draft and he responded with arguably his best MLB season, In 1977, Bailor put up a .310 average, with 5 home runs and 15 steals in 122 games; while playing all three OF spots and shortstop. Bailor hit.264 over an 11-year MLB career (four seasons with the Blue Jays) in which he spent time at every position except pitcher, catcher and first base.

Blue Jays’ most interesting pick – DH Rico Carty, taken from the Indians.  

While the Blue Jays went with diversity (of positions) with their first pick, their most interesting pick might have been a more limited player taken at number ten – Designated Hitter and former batting champ (.366 for the Braves in 1970) Rico Carty. Now here’s where (and why), it gets interesting – and yo-yo like.  The 37-year-old Carty was traded by the Blue Jays TO the Indians (for OF John Lowenstein and C Rick Cerone). Carty went on to a .280-15-80 season as the Indians’ primary DH. Then, during Spring Training 1978, the Blue Jays traded LHP Dennis DeBarr to the Indians FOR Carty.  The DH hit .284-20-68 for Toronto in 104 games before being traded TO the Oakland A’s (for DH Willie Horton and RHP Phil Huffman) in August.  In 41 games for Oakland, Carty hit .277 and added another 11 round trippers. That gave the DH a respectable .282-31-99 season. Then, in October 1978, the Blue Jays again ACQUIRED Carty (for cash this time). In 1979, with Toronto – his last MLB season –  Carty hit .256-12-55.  Carty probably should have retired one year earlier. In his 15-season MLB career, Carty hit .299 (204 home runs, 890 RBI). a .300 average would have been nice.

——1992 EXPANSION DRAFT——

David Nied – RHP – First pick of the Rockies, taken from the Braves.

By the time of the 1992 draft, David Nied looked like a true prospect. In 1992, he had gone 14-9, 2.84 at Triple-A and then 3-0, 1.17 in a call up to the Braves.  (In five minor-league seasons, Nied had a 57-36 record, with a 3.26 ERA). The Rockies couldn’t resist and made Nied their number-one choice in the Expansion Draft. That first season, the 24-year-old Nied went 5-9, 5.17.He did start the first-ever Rockies’ game and pitch Colorado’s first-ever complete game and shutout.  The following year, he improved to 9-7, 4.80. Then in 1995, an elbow injury proved the first step in shortening his career (he was out of baseball by age 28).  In parts of four seasons with the high-air Rockies, Nied went 14-18, 5.47.

Rockies’ most interesting pick –  SS/3B Vinny Castilla, taken from the Braves.

You can read about Castilla in the “Best Picks” section at the top of this post. 

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Nigel Wilson – OF – First pick of the  Marlins, taken from the Blue Jays.

Being the Mariners’ first choice in the 1992 Expansion Draft was one of the highlights of Nigel Wilson’s MLB career – which was comprised of 22 games and 36 plate appearances, over three seasons (1993-95-96) with three teams (Marlins, Reds, Indians). That’s not to say Wilson had not shown promise.  In 1992, he hit .274, with 26 home runs and 13 stolen bases at Double-A Knoxville.  This after a .301 season (12 homers, 27 steals) at High-A Dunedin in 1991.  In 1993, Wilson got in only seven games for the Marlins, going zero-for-sixteen – although he did hit .293 with 17 home runs and eight steals for the Marlins’ AAA farm club.  Somehow, that minor-league success never translated to the majors. Wilson’s final MLB line shows a .086 average (3-for-35) with two home runs and five RBI. Wilson did go on to have three seasons of 30+ home runs in Japan.

Marlins’ most interesting pick – RHP Trevor Hoffman, taken from the Reds.

Yes indeed, the Reds left Trevor Hoffman (who would go on  to log 601 MLB saves) unprotected in the 1992 draft – and the Marlins grabbed him with the number-eight pick. Hoffman had not yet pitched in the major leagues and, in 1992, he had gone 7-6, 3.41 as a starter and reliever at Double-A and Triple-A. While the Reds didn’t protect him, the Marlins didn’t keep him. (Two wrongs don’t make a right.) Hoffman got in 28 games for the Marlins (2-2, 3.28, 2 saves) before being traded to the Padres (along with two minor-league pitchers) for Gary Sheffield and relief pitcher Rich Rodriguez. The rest is history, 601 career saves (552 with San Diego), seven All Star selections, 14 seasons of over 30 saves, with a high of 53 in 1998. 

——1997 EXPANSION DRAFT——

Tony Saunders – LHP – First Pick of the Devil Rays, taken from the Marlins.

Signed by the Marlins in 1992, Tony Saunders made it t0 the major leagues in 1997 – after several strong minor-league seasons. Between 199 and 1996, Saunders went 34-15, with a 2.85 ERA in nearly 400 minor league innings.  In 1997, he went 4-6, 4.61 in 22 games (21 starts) for the Marlins – and got a start in both the National League Championship Series and World Series. In his first season with the Devil Rays, Saunders went 6-15, 4.12 in 31 starts. The following year, his last in the major leagues, he went 3-3, 6.43 – before a broken arm (May 26) cut his season (and eventually his career) short. (In 2000, he broke the arm again during a rehab assignment.)

Devil Rays’ most interesting pick – UT Brooks Kieschnick, taken from the Cubs.

Okay, I thought of going with Saunders – based on his pitching in the World Series shortly before being given up in the draft. However, I was afraid you’d think I was getting lazy (this is a pretty long post), so I went with Kieschnick.  You’d be right to ask why, particularly since Kieschnick spent all his time with the Devil Rays in their minor-league system. Kieschnick piqued my interest because he was a bit of a jack of all trades.  In 2003, while with the Brewers, Kieschnick became the first player to hit home runs as a pitcher, designated hitter and pinch hitter in the same season. For his MLB career, Kieschnick played 784 games at pitcher, 50 in the outfield, four at DH and two at 1B – and none for the Devil Rays.

____________________________________________________

Brian Anderson – LHP – First pick of the Diamondbacks, taken  from the Indians.

Twenty-five-year-old southpaw Brian Anderson already had 58 major-league appearances (20-16, 5.25 ERA) under his belt when the Diamondbacks made him their first choice in the 1997 draft. Like Devil Rays’ first pick Tony Saunders, Anderson pitched in the 1997 post season – making a combined six appearances in relief in the American League Championship Series and World Series. He pitched well in both, going 1-0 with a 1.80 ERA in ten innings. Still, like Saunders, he was left unprotected. The southpaw had a solid season for the expansion team in 1998, going 12-13, 4.33 in 32 starts. He stayed with Arizona for four more seasons ending his Diamondbacks’ tenure with a 41-32 record and 4.52 ERA. Anderson pitched for four teams in 13-season MLB career, going 82-83, 4.74.

Diamondback’s most interesting pick –  LHP Brian Anderson.

This is based on his World Series’ performance (see above) – just weeks before he was left unprotected in the draft.  Kind of a cop out, but I did need to recognize that the 1997 draft included two pitchers who, just weeks before, had been on the mound in the World Series.

Primary Resource:  Baseball-Reference.com

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It was 1968 and, in the major leagues, pitching was dominant.  So much so, that season became forever known as “The Year of the Pitcher.”  In fact, pitchers appeared to have such an “upper” hand that MLB went into the 1969 season with a lower mound (10 inches) and a smaller strike zone.  Consider, in 1968:

• The MLB earned run average was 2.98.
• Six qualifying pitchers put up ERAs under 2.00.
• Bob Gibson’s 1.12 ERA was (and still is) the fourth-lowest in MLB history (and was the lowest since 1914).
• Only six qualifying hitters hit .300 or better.
• Carl Yastrzemski won the AL batting title with a .301 average, and a .274 average was good enough for the AL top ten.
• Denny McLain won 31 games, becoming the first 30-game winner since 1934 (Dizzy Dean).
• Pitchers Denny McLain (Tigers) and Bob Gibson (Cardinals) won the AL and NL Cy Young and MVP awards, respectively.

.

In 1968, there were 339 shutouts in MLB – with 20.9  of the season’s losses (or victories,   depending on which side you are on) coming in whitewashings.

I could go on, but you get the idea.

Yet, somehow – in the midst of all this pitching dominance – the Washington Senators’ big (6’8” – 260-lb.) OF/1B Frank Howard put together one of the most explosive offensive weeks in MLB history. From Sunday May 12 through Saturday May 18, in just 25 plate appearances (in six games), Howard banged out thirteen hits – including ten home runs and one double – and drew one walk (for a .542 average).  He also scored ten times and drove in 17 tallies. Side note: Surprisingly, the Senators went 3-3 over Howard’s streak.  Howard’s ten home runs remain MLB’s record for home runs in a week.  

Howard’s game lines during the streak looked like this:

• May 12 … two-for-four, two runs scored, two RBI, two home runs.
• May 14 … three-for-four, two runs scored, three RBI, two home runs.
• May 15 … two-for-four, one run scored, two RBI, one double, one home run.
• May 16 .… two-for-four, two runs scored, four RBI, two home runs.
• May 17 … one-for-four, one run scored, two RBI, one home run.
• May 18 … three-for-five, two runs scored, four RBI, two home runs.

Howard picked on some pretty good hurlers during his streak.  Three of the long balls came off the Tigers’ Mickey Lolich,  who went 17-9, 3.19 on the season and won three games in the 1968 World Series. Another pair of the record-setting round trippers came off “Sudden” Sam McDowell, who – while he only went 15-14 that season – put up a 1.81 earned run average and led the AL with 283 strikeouts.   Howard also showed he could “hit ‘em anywhere.” Only two of the ten long balls came at home – and his streak also included home runs in Boston, Cleveland and Detroit.

Howard came into the streak with a.300 average on the season (which he raised to .347 during the six games). Notably, he didn’t “come in hot,” he had  just three hits (.130 average) over his previous six games.

All-Around Athlete

Frank Howard was All American in both baseball and basketball for Ohio State University – and still holds the Ohio State record for rebounds in a game at 32.

Howard was signed out of Ohio State University by the Dodgers. The 21-year-old began his professional career in 1958 – with the Class B Green Bay Blue Jays, where he hit .333, with 37 home runs and 119 RBI in 129 games, was named the  Three-I League MVP and began building his reputation for hitting the ball hard and far.  (Today’s exit-velocity fans would have loved him.)  That performance earned him a September call up to the Dodgers, where he hit .241, with one long ball in eight games.

His early career did feature a few “ups and downs.”

In 1959, Howard began his season with the Double-A Victoria Rosebuds (Texas League), where he raked at a .371-27-79 pace over 63 games – earning a mid-June call up to Los Angeles. That stay lasted only about a week, during which Howard went 2-for-19 (.105).  He was sent down to Triple-A Spokane, where he continued to dominate minor-league pitching, with a .319-16-47 line in 76 games. That earned him another call up and he went one-for-two (with a home run) in two September pinch-hitting appearances.

Howard again started the season at Spokane in 1960, hitting .371-4-24 in 26 games and earning a May call up.  For LA, he hit .268-23-77 in 117 games, earning National League Rookie of the Year honors. (For those who like to know such things, the Phillies’ Poncho Herrera finished second in the ROY balloting and  Howard’s teammate Tommy Davis finished fifth.)

That One’s Outta Here

In the fourth game of the 1963 World Series, Frank Howard became the first player to hit a home run into Dodger Stadium’s loge level (upper deck) in left field – a feat that wouldn’t be matched for four decades.

Howard stayed with the Dodgers through the 1964 season, showing solid, but not spectacular power (.271-98-297 in four seasons … 1961-64). His best campaign for LA came in 1962, when he hit .296, with 31 home runs and 119 RBI (going .297-20-71 in 76 games after the All Star break). In December of 1964, he was sent to the Washington Senators as part of a seven-player trade.

Frank Howard Knocks Out Duke Snider

In the fifth inning of a September 16, 1958 game against the Reds, with Duke Snider leading off third base, Frank Howard hit a rocket (foul) down the third base line.  The ball hit Snider on the shoulder and ricocheted the bottom his helmet – knocking Snider out and ending his season.

It was in Washington that Howard seemed to refine his uppercut swing and  his bating eye  (he often credited Gil Hodges, Jim Lemon and Ted Williams for the tutelage) and finally reach his “big man” potential. The 1967-1971 seasons (ages 30-34) were clearly Howard’s best in the majors.  In that five-season span, he made four All Star teams and hit .278, with 198 home runs and 515 RBI. He topped 40 home runs in three straight seasons (1968-70) and also topped 100-RBI in each of those campaigns. Howard led the AL in long balls in 1968 and 1970, as well as in RBI in 1970.

In Washington, “Hondo” Howard became known as “The  Washington Monument” and the “Capitol Punisher” – one of the game’s most powerful hitters and a true second-deck threat.  He also continued his reputation as one of the game’s  most popular, humble, gracious and accommodating  stars.

He’ s the most pleasant giant of a man I know.

Dusty Baker about Frank Howard

Howard ultimately played in 16 MLB seasons (1958-73 … Dodgers, Senators, Rangers, Tigers).  He put up a .273-382-1,119 stat line. Howard hit 30 or more home runs in five seasons and drove in 100+ runs in four.  The four-time All Star also led his league in total bases twice, slugging percentage once, walks once, intentional walks twice and, as noted earlier, home runs twice and RBI once.

“No one hit the ball harder than Frank Howard. He was the strongest I ever saw.  I saw him hit a line drive off Whitey Ford at the (Yankee) Stadium that Whitey actually jumped for, it was hit that low.  It ended up hitting the speakers behind the monuments in dead center.

                                                                                  Mickey Mantle about Frank Howard

No one pitcher took more punishment from Howard then the Orioles’ three-time All Star Dave McNally. In 35 games over nine seasons, Howard hit .336 against McNally with 13 home runs and 24 RBI (his most HR and RBI versus any MLB pitcher).  Still, he seemed to have an even greater affinity for the offerings of Bob Hendley (Brewers/Giants).  In just 16 games against Hendley, Howard hit eight home runs and drove in 16 tallies (with a .366 average).

Sam McDowell seemed most prone to pitch around the big guy. In 28 games (95 plate appearances), McDowell walked Howard 25 times (26.3 percent of those plate appearances). That figure includes  nine intentional passes – the most any pitcher awarded to Howard. (The 25 total walks were also Howard’s high against any pitcher.)

Howard’s lowest batting average (minimum 25 at bats) versus any pitcher came against the Orioles’ Tom Phoebus  at .083 (3-for-36, although two of the three were home runs). Notably, Jim Maloney, Reds and Angels, held Howard to a .118 average over 12 games and fanned him in 50 percent of  the times he faced him (17 whiffs in 34 plate appearances).

Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; “Frank Hondo Howard – The Gentle Giant,”  LADodgerTalk.com, August 21, 2020; “The Dodgers Troubled Giant.”  Sports Illustrated, May 25, 1964;  “IT’S OUTTA HEEERRE!!: A New Generation of Sluggers Invites Tape-Measure Comparisons,” Los Angeles Times, June 21, 1986.

STILL TIME TO VOTE IN BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE’S HALL OF FAME FAN BALLOT.

The Baseball Roundtable (unofficial) Baseball Hall of Fame Fan Ballot is open until December 28, still plenty of time to vote.  To access the ballot click here. For a look at the thirty candidates (and some Roundtable predictions), click here (there are also links to the ballot the bio/prediction post.) For a report on early voting, click here. 

Baseball Roundtable is on the Feedspot list of the Top 100 Baseball Blogs.  To see the full list, click here.

I tweet baseball @DavidBBRT

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