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 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,” those one-of-a-kind accomplishment or statistics.  Today, we are looking at one of those unicorns, pitcher Esteban Yan, who gained unicorn status in the batter’s box and not on the mound.

Over his 11-season MLB career, Yan only came to the plate bat-in-hand, three times and he saw only five pitches.  Yet, he has the distinction the only player in MLB history to retire with a 1.000 batting average in both the National and American Leagues.  Side note:  He is also one of just 32 players to homer on the first pitch they ever saw in the majors, one of just seven whose first-pitch-ever dinger was their only career home run and one of nine pitchers (or eight, depending on how you count – more on that later) who hit the first MLB pitch they saw as a hitter for a home run.  

Yan’s MLB career as a batsman went like this:

June 4, 2000

Yan started on the mound for the Devil Rays versus the Mets in New York. He came to the plate in the top of the second (versus Mets’ starter Bobby Jones) with a 2-0 lead.  Yan blasted the first pitch from Jones (and the first MLB pitch he ever saw as a batter) to left field for a home run.  He next came to the plate in the top of the fifth inning, with one on and one out and the game knotted at three apiece. Yan dropped down a successful sacrifice bunt on n 0-1 pitch (off Jones).  His spot in the order came up again in the top of the sixth (Devil Rays up 5-4, bases loaded and one out).   Jose Guillen pinch hit for Yan and grounded out (with a run scoring on the play.)

June 30, 2003

Now a Cardinal, Yan came on in relief (to open the seventh inning) in this one – with the Redbirds trailing the Giants 4-0. He gave up a run in the seventh, pitched a scoreless eighth and came to the plate in the bottom of eighth (his first plate appearance since that June 4, 2000 game) with the Cardinals down 5-0, two outs and no one on base. He dropped down a bunt single on a 1-0 pitch from Jason Schmidt.  The fact that he was bunting for a base hit (rather than just lucky on a sacrifice attempt) makes this all the more meaningful (at least to me). Yan then pitched a scoreless ninth, but did not come to the plate again as the Cardinals lost 5-0. Yan, in fact, appeared in 447 more major-league games and never again came to the plate.

For his MLB career, Yan was (two-for-two) 1.000-1-1.  On the mound, in eleven seasons (1996-2006 … Orioles, Devil Rays, Rangers, Cardinals, Tigers, Angels, Reds), he was 33-59, 5.14, with 51 saves.

Yan was signed (at the age of 15) by the Braves in 1990, as an amateur free agent out of the Dominican Republic.   He pitched for the Dominican Summer League Braves in 1991-92, going 16-4.  He came to the U.S. to play in 1993 – and played in the minors until a 1997 call up. (He was an Orioles farmhand by that time.)

Now, in the Baseball Roundtable spirit of one thing seems to lead to another, let’s look at the other pitchers who homered on the first pitch they ever saw as hitter.

Adam Wainwright, RHP, Cardinals … May 24, 2006

Adam Wainwright’s long ball came in his second MLB season, 17^th appearance (all in relief). On May 24, 2006, he took the mound (for the Cardinals)  to open the bottom of the fourth inning in relief of Tyler Johnson) of a 2-2 tie with the Giants, He gave up two runs on four hits before getting out of the inning (with a potential third run thrown out at the plate).Wainwright then led off he top of the fifth, belting the first pitch from Noah Lowry to left field for a first-pitch-ever home run. Wainwright threw a pair of scoreless innings after that and got the win in an 8-4 Cardinal’s victory. He came to the plate once more in the game and grounded out third-to-first.

A New Role … and It Stuck

In his first full MLB season, Wainwright made 61 appearance (all in the relief) – going 2-1, 3.12 with three saves.  He also saved four games that post-season, including the seventh and final Game of the NLCS and the fifth and final game of the World Series. Starting from the opening of the next season (2007) through April 25, 2015, he made he made 221 appearances (all starts). He missed the 2011 season (Tommy John Surgery) and suffered a serious Achilles injury in early 2015.

Wainwright pitched in 18 MLB seasons (2005-10, 2012-23) all for the Cardinals. He went 200-123, 3.53 in 478 games (411 starts).  He was a three-time All Star and two-time 20-game winner. He led the NL in wins twice, starts twice, innings pitched twice, complete games three times and shutouts twice. As a hitter, he went 143-for-744 (.192), with 10 homers and 75 RBI.

Wainwright was a first-round selection (Braves), 29^th overall, in the 2000 MLB draft – right out of high school, where he was the 2000 Georgia (High School Baseball) Gatorade Player of the Year, as well as an all-stater in football.  He showed his potential right away, going 6-2, 2.35 in Rookie-Level ball as an 18-year-old. Over the next three minor-league seasons, Wainwright worked his way up to Double-A, going a combined 29-24, 3.30.  Then came a trade, in December 2003, to the Cardinals, a late 2005 call up (just two games) to the Redbirds in 2005, a full-time bullpen role in 2006 and a spot in the starting rotation in 2007.  The rest, as they say, is history.  Wainwright went on to the 18-season MLB career described above.

Tommy Milone, LHP, Nationals … September 3, 2001

Tommy Milone made his MLB debut (with the Nationals) on September 3, 2011 (called up after a 12-6, 3.22 season in 24 Triple-A).  His debut game was a start against the Mets.  The highlight was not his pitching (4 1/3 innings, four runs on six hits, no decision), but rather the results of his first swing of a bat in the major leagues. Milone came up in the bottom of the second inning, with the game tied 1-1, two men on and one out.  He knocked the first MLB pitch he ever saw (off Dillon Gee) over the RF fence for a three-run homer.  Milone started four more games for the Nationals that September and the team won all five of his starts (although Milone went just 1-0, 3.81 and pitched into the sixth inning just once).

Milone went on to pitch in the major leagues for 13 seasons (2011-23 … Nationals, A’s Twins, Brewers, Mets, Mariners, Orioles, Blue Jays), going 53-53, 4.58 in 198 appearances (148 starts).  His best season was 2012, when he went 13-10, 3.74 for the A’s. He pitched in the Mexican League in 2024.  As a major-league hitter, he went .156 (7-for-45), with one home run seven RBI.

Milone was signed in the tenth round of the 2008 MLB draft – out of the University of Southern California, where he had gone 16-17, 4.78 over three seasons (6-6, 3.51 in his final year). He worked his way quickly to the majors (1-6, 3.51 at Class-A in 2008; 12-5, 2.91 at High-A in 2009; 12-5, 2.85 at Double-A in 2010; 12-6, 3.22 at Triple-A in 2011; and the September 2011 call up to the Nationals that led to his first-pitch-ever home run).

Gene Stechschulte, RHP, Cardinals … April 17, 2001

Gene Stechschulte (How would you like to get that one in a spelling bee?) made his first MLB plate appearance in his second MLB season (26^th game). He’s unique on the list in that he didn’t appear in the game as a pitcher, but rather as a pinch hitter (which is why you can make the case for either eight or nine pitchers to be on this list). It came in the fifth inning of a Cardinals’ game against the Diamondbacks – with Stechschulte’s Redbirds trailing 15-1.  With two out and one on, Stechschulte pinch hit for pitcher Mike James and hit the first offering from Armando Reynoso for a two-run homer to left-center.  (Stechschulte did not stay in the game to pitch.)

Stechschulte played in three MLB seasons (2000-02), all for the Cardinals. He went 8-7, 4.58, with six saves in 116 appearances (no starts). As an MLB hitter, he went two-for-five, with one home run and three RBI.

Stechschulte was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cardinals in 1996.  He had played college ball for Ashland University, where as a Junior, playing shortstop, he hit .391-15-58 in 58 games.  His path to the majors, however, was as a pitcher. (He had starred on the mound in high school.) From 1998 through 2000, he saved a total of 78 games at A, Double-A and Triple-A).

Jim Bullinger, RHP, Cubs … June 8, 1992

The Cubs’ Jim Bullinger was in his first MLB season, fourth appearance (all in relief) in the first game of a June 8, 1992 doubleheader (remember those) against the Cardinals, when he got his first MLB plate appearance. He came to the mound (in relief of Shawn Boskie) in the top of the fifth, with the Cubs and Cardinals in a scoreless tie.  Bullinger worked around a harmless walk to preserve the tie and then led off the top of the sixth against Rheal Cornier). He broke the tie on the first pitch, with a home run to left.  Bullinger pitched three innings – one hit, three walks, one strikeout, one run in the Cubs’ 13-inning 5-2 win. He got just the one at -bat.

Let’s Get This Party Started

In Jim Bullinger’s first week in the major leagues, he not only hit a first-pitch-ever homer, he also picked up four saves and was named National League Player of the Week.

Bullinger pitched in seven MLB seasons (1992-98 … Cubs, Expos, Mariners), going 34-41, 5.06, with 11 saves in 186 games (89 starts). As a hitter, he averaged .188 (31-for-165), with four home runs and 19 RBI.

Bullinger was drafted by the in the ninth round of the 1986 draft (out of The University of New Orleans, where he played shortstop and pitched). He was drafted as a shortstop, but quickly converted to the mound.

Don Rose, RHP, Angels … May 24, 1972

Don Rose started for the Angels, against the A’s in Oakland, on May 24, 1972.  It was his second MLB season (one game in 1971), fifth MLB game and first MLB start.  He got his first MLB plate appearance with one out, and no one on in the top of the third inning – and took Diego Segui deep on his first pitch to break the scoreless tie. Rose went on to give up five runs in six innings (and got the win in a 6-5 game).  He got to the plate twice more, reaching on an error in the fourth and popping out on a bunt attempt in the sixth.

Rose pitched in three MLB seasons (1971-72, 1974 … Mets, Angels, Giants), going 1-4, 4.14. As a hitter, he went two-for-ten (.200, with the one homer and RBI).

Bill LeFebvre, LHP … June 10, 1938

On June 10, 1938, Bill LeFebvre came in to pitch for the Red Sox – making his MLB debut – in the top of the sixth, with the Red Sox trailing the White Sox 9-5. He had a tough day on the mound, going four innings and surrendering six runs on eight hits (two homers).  He did better at the plate, rapping the first MLB pitch he ever saw for a solo homer to left center in the bottom of the eighth (off Mike Kreevich). It would be LeFebvre’s sole MLB appearance that season. (He was sent down to the Minneapolis Millers, where he finished the season 8-8, 4.25.)

Lefebvre pitched in four MLB seasons (1938-39, 1943-44 … Red Sox, Nationals), going 5-5, 5.03 in 36 games (10 starts). As a hitter, he hit .276 (24-for-87), with the one home run and 11 RBI. He appeared in 36 games as a pitcher, 42 as a pinch hitter and two at first base.

Not Gonna Waste Any time

Lefebvre was signed by the Red Sox – out of the College of Holy Cross, where he played outfield and pitched – in 1938. He graduated from Holy Cross on June 8, 1938; the next day he was in uniform in Boston; and the day after that he made his MLB debut.

Clise Dudley, RHP … April 27, 1929

So glad, he’s in here.  Gotta love that name.  Clise Dudley was in his first MLB season, third game (all in relief) when his Brooklyn Robins faced the Phillies on April 27, 1929 (in Philadelphia). Dudley took to the mound with two out in the third inning, two men on and the Robins trailing 4-0. Despite a wild pitch, he got out of the jam and came to the plate in the bottom of the frame with one out and no one on. He hit the first offering from Claude Willoughby for a home run to right. He got two more at bats in the game – strikeout, pop up. On the mound, he gave up four runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Dudley pitched in five MLB seasons (1929-33 … Robins, Phillies), going 17-33, 5.03 in 100 games (51 starts). As a hitter, he went .185 (32-for-173, with three home runs and 11 RBI.

Billy Gumbert, RHP, Pittsburgh Alleghenys … June 19,1890

There is not a lot of detail here, but Society for American Baseball Research members (see Primary Resources) have provided enough documentation to qualify Gumber for this list. Billy Gumbert made his MLB debut on June 19, 1890 in the first game of a Pittsburgh Alleghenys’ doubleheader against the Cleveland Spiders. Gumbert pitched a three-hitter and poked a two-run homer (on the first pitch he saw) in a 9-2 win. He went on to a three-season MLB career (1890, 1892-93 … Alleghenys, Colonels), going 7-89, 4.06 as a pitcher and .214-1-10 at the plate.

Anyone Else Want to Give This a Try?

In 1890 the Pittsburgh Allegheny’s went a dismal 23-113-2. They used 20 different starting pitchers and Billy Gumbert at 4-6, 5.22 led the team in wins and winning parentage.

Primary Resources: Statehead.com; Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball Almanac.com; Gene Stechschulte SABR bio, by Brian Batt; Dazzling Debuts: First At Bats Home run Highlights, SABR, by Giselle Stanic; Bill LeFebvre SABR bio, by Bill Nowlin; Jim Bullinger, Greater New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame, allstatesugarbowl.org; Billy Gumbert, SABR Bio, by Bill Lamb.

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P 1087

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 and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention. Regular readers know much The Roundtable likes MLB unicorns, those one-of-a-kind occurrences. This week, that unicorn is Hoyt Wilhelm – the only MLB pitcher to win a regular-season ERA title without starting a single game.

Baseball Roundtable is presenting an abbreviated version of this week’s post here – concentrating on Wilhelm. At the Baseball Roundtable blog site, you can find a longer post, looking at all the MLB pitchers who won an ERA title in a season in which their relief appearances outnumbered their starts – pitchers like Hall of Famer Phil Niekro (the last pitcher to win 20 or more and lose 20 or more in the same season); Danny Darwin (who pitched in 21 MLB seasons and never made an All Star team); Mike Garcia and Wilcy Moore (who – like Wilhelm – won ERA titles as rookies; Sal Maglie (who “jumped “ to the Mexican League, got banned and was able to  jump back to MLB);  Bob Friend (the first pitcher to win an ERA title with a last-place team); Diego Segui, the only player to play for both Seattle expansion teams);  and more. (There are 14 pitchers on the list.)

Side Note; Saves did not become an official stat until 1969. Saves noted here before that season were calculated retroactively.  

Photo: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm was less than 100 days shy of his thirtieth birthday when he made his major-league debut.  Yet, he still fashioned a 21-season, 1,070-appearance MLB pitching career – making his last MLB appearance (two scoreless innings in relief) just 16 days shy of his fiftieth birthday.

Wilhelm’s unicorn season came in his 1952 rookie campaign, when he went 15-3, 2.43 for the Giants, leading the NL in earned run average, winning percentage (.833) and appearances (71). He was the first – and still only – pitcher to win an ERA title without making a single start.  Seven seasons later (1959), Wilhelm would win a second ERA title – this one in a year when his starts outnumbered his relief appearances 27-to-5. Only three other pitchers have won ERA titles both when their relief appearances outnumbered their starts and vice versa (Luis Tiant, Mike Garcia and Cherokee Fisher).

A little background on Wilhelm

At a time when the knuckleball was primarily used by pitchers who had “aged out” of effective curves and heaters, Wilhelm began using the pitch (actually a fingertip-ball in his case) as his mainstay as a teenager. In 1942, after high school, Wilhelm signed with the Class-D North Carolina State League Mooresville Moors, near his home town of Huntersville, North Carolina. He went 10-3 for Mooresville before being drafted into the Army. He spent three prime years in the military, seeing plenty of combat and receiving a Purple Heart for wounds he suffered in the Battle of the Bulge.

Hoyt Wilhelm pitched his entire MLB career with a piece of shrapnel (from the Battle of the Bulge) lodged in his back.

After his release from the service, Wilhelm returned to Mooresville, where he went 41-15 over two seasons and, in 1947, he was signed by the New York Giants.  And, the rest, as they say, is history. Working primarily as a starter, he worked his way up from Class-B to Triple-A between 1948 and 1951 – going 56-46 and pitching to a 3.68 earned run average over 813 innings.

In 1952, Wilhelm stuck with the Giants and had that stellar (unicorn) rookie season that prompted this post.

Wilhelm and his knuckler stayed in the big leagues through 1972.  He pitched in 1,070 games (52 starts, more than half of them in 1959).  His final stat line was 143-122, 2.52, with 228 saves.

How Much Did Hoyt Wilhelm’s Knuckleball Flutter?

In his first 16 years in the major leagues, the teams Wilhelm suited up for led their league in passed balls in 15 campaigns. A couple of other indicators:

• In 1958, with Wilhelm on the staff, Indians’ catchers committed a league-topping 35 passed balls. In 1959, without Wilhelm in the fold, that number dropped to six.
• In 1959, Orioles’ catcher Gus Triandos had 28 passed balls – 24 of them came with Wilhelm on the mound.

THE OTHERS ON THE LIST

Sammy Stewart, RHP, Orioles …. 1981

Stewart put up a league-leading 2.32 earned run average while appearing in 29 games for the Orioles in 1981 (his fourth MLB and age-26 season).  He made just three starts that season, with his 26 relief outings making up 89.7 percent of his total appearances.  In his three starts, he went 0-3, 6.89.  He put up a 1.58 earned run average in relief. His final line for the season was 4-8, 2.32 with four saves in 112 1/3 innings. Long relief was clearly his role, as Stewart averaged 3.7 innings pitched per relief stint over the course of the season.

Stewart pitched in 10 MLB seasons (1978-87 … Orioles, Red Sox, Indians) and went 59-48, 3.59, with 45 saves.  He made just 25 starts in 359 total appearances. – or just seven percent of his total appearances.  Notably, pitching primarily in relief, he pitched 100+ innings in six of his ten MLB campaigns.

Stewart was a 28^th Round pick in the 1974 MLB Draft (Royals), but did not sign. He signed as an amateur free agent with the Orioles. He made his MLB debut, with the Orioles, September 1, 1978 – after a 13-10, 3.80 season (27 starts) at Triple-A. In his debut game, versus the White Sox, he went 5 1/3 innings (six hits, two runs, no walks, nine strikeouts) in a 9-3 win.  At one point in the game, he fanned seven consecutive hitters.

Sammy Stewart’s Best Season:  1984 Orioles … 7-4, 3.29, with 13 saves in 60 appearances (all in relief).

Wilcy Moore, RHP, Yankees …. 1927

Photo: Healdsburg Tribune, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

As 30-year-old rookie with the vaunted 1927 Yankees, Wilcy Moore went 19-7, with league-topping 13 saves and a league-leading 2.28 earned run average in season in which he made 12 starts and 38 (67 percent) relief appearances and pitched 206 innings. Moore was effective as both a starter 6-2, 2.61 in 93 innings and reliever 13-3, 2.11 in 119 2/3 innings. He averaged just over three innings per outing in his relief role.

Moore pitched in the minor leagues from 1922-25, when a “break” changed his trajectory. He suffered a broken arm when hit by a batted ball in the 1925 season and, when he returned to the field, found that it was too painful to throw overhand – so he became a side-armer and that signed his ticket to the Yankees. The new motion led to a devastating “low-in-the-zone” sinker and, in 1926, he went 30-4, 2.86 for the Class-B Greenville Spinners team.  (Not that Moore was a slouch before 1926. From 1922 through 1925, as he worked is way up the minor-league ladder, Moore was a combined 56-24. In 1927, he was a Yankee.)

The 1927 World Series

Wilcy Moore pitched in two games of the Yankees four-game sweep of the Pirates in the 1927 Fall Classic.  He got a save in Game One with 1 2/3 innings of scoreless, one-hit relief.  He started and got the win in the Yankee’s Game Four 4-3 victory with a complete game (10 hits, three runs, one earned).

A non-baseball-related arm injury cut into Moore’s effectiveness in 1928-29.  While he went 10-8 with 12 saves over those two seasons, his earned run average was 4.15 – and he spent time on the voluntary retired list.  In 1930, he was back in the minors (St. Paul Saints), his arm issue (pain) had subsided and he righted the ship (22-9, 4.07 with a league-leading 272 innings pitched).  From 1931-33, he pitched in the majors (Red Sox/Yankees), but never as spectacularly as in his rookie season.

Moore’s final MLB line was 51-44, 3.70 with 49 saves. He pitched in 261 games (just 32 starts).

Wilcy Moore’s Best Season:  1927 Yankees … 19-7, league-leading 2.28 ERA, league-leading 13 saves in 50 appearances (12 starts).

Sal Maglie, RHP, Giants …. 1950

Photo: Bowman Gum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Sal Maglie got his first taste of the major leagues in 1945 and put up a 5-4, 2.35 record with the Giants.   Then, in 1946, he was among the major leaguers who “jumped” to the Mexican League (which was offering lucrative contracts) – where he played for two seasons. That decision, the Mexican leagues’ decline and Baseball Commissioner Happy Chandler’s five-year ban on the players who made the jump from resulted in Maglie not pitching in the major leagues again until 1950 – his age-33 season.  But he was ready. Note: Between 1947 and 1950 (when Chandler cleared the way for the jumpers to return), Maglie ran a gas station and also played with a barnstorming team and in Canada.

In 1950, as a reliever and spot starter, Maglie went 18-4, 2.71, with one save.  He led he National league in ERA, winning percentage and shutouts (while making 66 percent of his appearances coming in from the pen, averaging 2.1 innings per relief outing). That season marked another turning point in Maglie’s career – the shift to a starting role. While he made 31 appearances relief in 1950, he made just 47 relief appearances over his next eight MLB seasons (versus 206 starts).  From 1950-52, Maglie went 59-18 (18-4, 23-6, 18-8), with a 2.86 earned run average.  Then back issues (and perhaps a bit of age) seemed to take a toll, as he picked up just 55 more wins over the next six seasons.

Maglie pitched in ten MLB seasons (1945, 1950-58 … Giants, Indians, Dodgers, Yankees, Cardinals) going 119-62, 3.15. He had an ERA under 3.00 in six of his ten MLB seasons. Who knows what he might have done if he hadn’t lost those five prime years to the Mexican League and the Chandler ban.

Sal Maglie’s Best Season: 1952 Giants … 23-6, 2.93, 22 complete games, four shutouts in 42 games (37 starts). You can also make a case for the 1950 season, already discussed.

Danny Darwin, RHP, Astros … 1990

Darwin was in his 13^th (and age-34) MLB season when he led the National League in ERA at 2.21 – to go with 11 wins (four losses) and two saves.  That season Dawin made 48 appearances, 31 (64.6 percent) in relief. He averages 1.5 innings per relief stint and 6.9 innings per start.

What impressed me most about Darwin was his willing versatility (21 seasons, 371 starts, 345 relief appearances). He had seven seasons of 25 or more starts and four of 35 or more relief appearances. In 1985, he appeared in 68 games – all in relief.  A few years later, in 1993, he started 34 games and did not appear even once in relief. Overall, He had 13 seasons when his starts outnumbered his relief roles and eight where his relief appearances outnumbered his starts. You might get an idea of how his career went when you consider that in 1982, he went 10-8, 3.44 in 56 appearances for the Rangers – 55 of those in relief.  The very next season, he went 9-9, 3.44 in 28 (26 of them starts) appearances for those same Rangers.

Over his 21 seasons (1978-98 … Rangers, Brewers, Astros, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Pirates, White Sox, Giants), Darwin went 171-182, 3.84 with 32 saves.

Darwin signed with the Rangers as an undrafted amateur free agent in 1976 and almost immediately showed potential – going 13-4, 2.51 in 23 starts for the Double-A Tulsa Drillers. Although he struggled in 1978 (8-9. 6.26 at Triple-A), he did get a September call up went 1-0, 4.15 in three games for the Rangers. In 1979, he improved (6-6, 3.60 at Triple-A) and was called up to the Rangers to stay in June. He finished that season at 4-4, 4.04. From 1980 through 1998, he appeared in 693 MLB games and just one minor-league contest.

Danny Darwin’s Best Season: 1989 Astros or 1993 Red Sox …  His best season as a starter was 1993, when he went 15-11, 3.26 in 34 appearances (all starts) for Boston. It marked his most wins, starts and innings pitched in any season. As a reliever, his top campaign was probably 1988 for the Astros (11-4, 2.36, with seven saves in 68 appearances – no starts).

William “Cherokee” Fisher, RHP … Athletics (National Association) 1873

The National Association Philadelphia Athletics played a 51-game schedule in 1873 and Cherokee Fisher went 3-4, 1.81 with two saves in 13 appearances (five starts).  It was the second consecutive season that Fisher led the Association in ERA. In 1872, with the Baltimore Canaries, he had gone 10-11.80 in 19 appearances (eight starts).

Fisher pitched in seven MLB seasons (1871-76, 1878   … Rockford Forest Citys, Baltimore Canaries, Philadelphia Athletics, Hartford Dark Blues, Philadelphia Whites, Cincinnati Reds, Providence Grays) going 56-84, 2.61 in 165 appearances (141 starts).

Cherokee Fisher’s Best Season: 1872 Canaries (National Association) … In 1872, Fisher went 10-1, 1.80 for the Canaries, leading the National Association in winning percentage (.909) and ERA. That season, he appeared in 19 of the Canaries’ 58 games (11 starts).

Diego Segui, RHP, Oakland Athletics … 1970

Diego Segui started his MLB career with the Kansas City Athletics in 1962.  From 1962 through 1966, he was primarily a starter going 33-50, 4.33 in 176 appearances/109 starts. Then from 1967-1977, he made 401 relief appearances and just 62 starts.  In 1970, he split his time between starting and relief – 19 starts and 28 relief appearances (59.6 percent). He went 10-10, with a league-leading 2.56 earned run average. That season, he was slightly more effective as a starter (8-6, 2.33 than as a reliever (2-4, 3.11). In 1962, he averaged 1.5 innings per relief role and 6.1 frames per start.

The Ancient Mariner

Diego Segui pitched in the first-ever regular season game for the expansion Seattle Pilots (April 8, 1969 at California), as well as in the first-ever regular-season game for the Seattle Mariners (April 6, 1977).  He is the only player to have played for both Seattle expansion teams. Segui was the oldest player on the 1977 Mariners’ squad (he turned forty during the season, earning him the nickname “The Ancient Mariner.”)

Segui’s final MLB stat line (1962-75, 1977 … Athletics, Pilots, Cardinals, Reds Sox, Mariners) was 92-111, 3.81, with 71 saves.

Diego Segui’s Best Season:  1969 Pilots … Given the 1969 Pilots 64-98-1 record, Segui’s 12-6, 3.35, 12-save season stands out (66 appearances/8 starts). He was on the mound in 35 percent of the Pilots’ wins.  He was second on the team in wins (Gene Brabender was 13-15); first in saves; first in appearances; third in innings pitched (142 1/3).

Rudy May, LHP, Yankees …. 1980

Rudy May was in his 13^th MLB season (age-35 season) when he had his ERA-leading campaign.  In a season in which he made 17 starts and 24 relief appearances (58.5 percent) for the Yankees, May went 15-5, 2.46 with three saves.  As a starter, he went 10-3, 3.52 in 117 2/3 innings (averaging 6.9 innings per start).  As a reliever, he was 5-2, 2.34, with three saves in 57 2/3 frames (2.4 frames per appearance).  May was primarily a starter throughout his 16-season MLB career. In fact, his starts outnumbered his relief appearances in 12 of his 16 MLB seasons.

In his 16 MLB campaigns (1965, 1969-83 … Angels, Yankees, Orioles, Expos, ) May went 152-156, 3.46, with 12 saves in 535 appearances (360 starts) – 105 of his 175 relief appearances came in his final six MLB seasons.

Rudy May’s Best Season: 1980 Yankees … I’ve got to go with the season that got him on this list: 15-5, 2.46 with three saves deserve recognition. It was May’s second-most wins in a season (He went 18-14 in 1977.); lowest qualifying ERA; and second-highest winning percentage (.750). You could also make a case for his 1979 Yankees/Expos season (10-3, 2.31 in 33 games/7 starts).

Frank Baumann, LHP, White Sox … 1960

Over his 11 MLB seasons, Frank Bauman was primarily a reliever.  In fact, 43 of his 78 career starts came over two seasons (1960-61, White Sox). In 1960, he went 13-6, with a league-leading 2.67 ERA for the White Sox in 47 appearances – 27 in relief (57.4 percent). In his 1960 dual role, Baumann was equally effective as a starter and reliever – 7-3, 2.74 as a starter and 6-3, 2.49 in relief roles. He averaged 6.7 innings per start and 1.9 innings per relief appearance.

Baumann was in the majors from 1955-65 (Red Sox, White Sox, Cubs), going 45-48, 4.11, with 14 saves in 244 games (78 starts).

Baumann was a highly regarded high school prospect and signed with the Red Sox as a teenager in 1952.  In two seasons at Triple-A (as an 18- and 19-year-old, he went 14-7, 3.25.  He lost the 1954 season to military service and was up and down (minors and majors) with the Red Sox from 1955 through 1958.  He stuck with Boston in 1959, going 6-4, 4.05 in 26 games (10 starts) before being traded to the White Sox – where in 1960, he turned in the season that go him on this list.

Frank Baumann’s Best Season: 1960 White Sox … 13-6, 2.67, with four saves.

Phil Niekro, RHP, Braves … 1967 Braves (Member BBHOF)

Phil Niekro made his way into the Hall of Fame as a starter.  Of his 318 victories, 302 came as a starter and 82.9 percent of his 864 appearances came in a starting role. In fact, in his 24 MLB seasons, 104 of his 148 relief appearances came in his first four seasons. It was in his fourth MLB seasons (his age-28 season) that Niekro won his only ERA title going 11-9, 1.87, with nine saves for the Braves in a season of 20 starts and 26 relief appearances. He went 10-7, 1.96 in 20 starts (averaging 8.0 innings per start) and 1-2, 1.54, with nine saves as a reliever (1.8 innings per appearance.)

It was not, however, the only time, Niekro would lead the league in a pitching category. He would go on to lead his league in wins twice (losses four times – consecutively 1977-80), winning percentage once, starts four times, complete games four times, innings pitched four times and strikeouts once. He would become a five-time All Star and five-time Gold Glover.

Niekro pitched in 24 MLB seasons (1964-87 …. Braves, Yankees, Indians, Blue Jays), going 318-274, 3.35 with 29 saves. He is in MLB’s overall career top 20 in wins (318 – 16^th); innings pitched (5,404 – fourth); strikeouts (3,342 – 13^th); games started (716 – fifth);

You Win Some/You Lose some

Phil Niekro is the last pitcher to record 20 wins and 20 losses in the same season. In 1979, he led the National League in wins and losses, with a 21-20, 3.39 record. That season, he made 44 starts and got a decision in 41.  He threw a league-leading 23 complete games and pitched a league-topping 342 innings.   The only other pitcher with a “20-20” season since 1916 is Wilbur Wood (another knuckleballer), who went 24-20 for the White Sox in 1973. There have been a total of 152 20-20 seasons, just 11 in the Modern ERA (post-1900).

Niekro signed with the Braves as an amateur free agent in July of 1958. He didn’t get a lot of traction early in his pro career and, in fact, did not make his MLB debut until 1964 (a call up after an 11-5, 3.45 season at Triple-A).  His first full MLB season was the 1967 season that put him on this list.

Phil Niekro’s Best Season: Tied: 1969 Braves/1982 Braves … In 1969, Niekro went 23-13, 2.56, with one save.  Forty appearances, 35 starts, 21 complete games. In 1982, his age-43 season, he went 17-4, 3.61 in 35 starts.

Luis Tiant, RHP, Red Sox … 1992 

Like Wilhelm, Luis Tiant captured an ERA title in a year when he made more appearances in relief than as a starter and in a year when he made more starts than relief appearances.   In 1968, with the Indians, Tiant went 21-9, 1.60 (winning the ERA crown) in a season in which he made 32 starts among his 34 games appearances.  Then in 1972, with the Red Sox, he went 15-6, with three saves and a league-topping 1.91 ERA. That season he made 43 appearances – 19 as a starter and 24 (55.8 percent) in relief.  He went 12-5, 1.88 as a starter and 3-1, with three saves and a 2.05 ERA as a reliever. He averaged 7.8 innings per start and 1.3 innings per relief appearance.

Tiant pitched in 19 MLB seasons (1964-1982 … Indians, Twins, Red Sox, Yankees, Pirate, Angels), going 229-172, 3.30. He made 484 starts and came on in relief in another 89 games. Tiant was a three-time All Star. He won 20 or more games in four seasons and led the league in shutouts three times.

A Dazzling Debut

Luis Tiant made his MLB debut (as a 23-year-old) with the Cleveland Indians on July 19, 1964. It was the second game of a doubleheader against the Yankees In New York. The Yankees, defending AL Champions, were on their way to a 99-63 season and another AL pennant – and had their ace Whitey Ford on the mound (Ford was 12-2, 2.04 at the time). In that debut game, Tiant dazzled, tossing a four-hit (all singles) shutout and fanning 11 Bombers, as Cleveland prevailed 3-0.

Tiant’s contract was purchased by the Cleveland Indians (from the Mexico City Tigers) in 1962. Just 21-years-old, he had three Mexican-League seasons under his belt. In the Cleveland system, he went 7-8, 3.60 at A/Triple-A in 1962; 14-9, 2.56 at A-Level in 1963; and 15-1, 2.04 at Triple-A in 1964 before a July call up. (He went 10-4 2.83 for the Indians in is rookie season.)

Luis Tiant’s Best Season: As already noted, in 1968, Tiant went 21-9, with a league-low 1.60 ERA. He threw 19 complete games in 32 starts and led the American League with nine shutouts.

Bob Friend, RHP, Pirates … 1955

Bob Friend was in his fifth (and age-24) MLB season when he won his only ERA title.  That season, Friend went 14-9, 2.83, with one save in 44 appearances – 20 starts and 24 relief outings (54.5 percent).  It was, notably, Friend’s first winning MLB season. In his first four seasons, he had gone 28-50, 4.61. In 1955, The last-place Pirates had gone 60-94 and Friend was their only pitcher with a winning record.  That season, Friend went 9-8, 3.21 as a starter and 5-1, 1.95 with two saves as a reliever. He averaged 7 innings per start and 2.5 innings per relief appearance.

May the Last Be First

In 1955, Bob Friend became the first pitcher to lead his league in ERA while pitching for a last-place team..

Friend pitched in 16 MLB seasons (1951-66 … Pirates, Yankees, Mets), going 197-230, 3.58.  He made 497 starts and 105 trips in from the bullpen. He was a three-time All Star and logged eight seasons of 14 or more victories.

Friend was signed by the Pirates as a 19-year-old in 1949 and spent just one year in the minor leagues (14-13, 3.62 in Class-B and Triple-A) before making it to the Pirates (6-10, 4.27 in 1951).

Education is Important

Bob Friend attended Purdue University in 1949 (signed with the Pirates that same year) and then attended Purdue in the off-season for eight consecutive years – earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics in 1957,  

Bob Friend’s Best Season:  1958 Pirates … In 1958, Friend led the NL with 22 wins (14 losses) and put up a 3.68 ERA, finishing third in the Cy Young Award voting.

Fred Anderson, RHP, Giants … 1917

In 1917, Fred Anderson went 8-8, with league-best 1.44 ERA for the Giants. He made 18 starts and came out of the pen 20 times (52.6 percent). Anderson went 6-7, 1.45 as a starter and 2-1, 1.51 in relief. He averaged 6.5 frames per start and 2.1 innings per relief appearance.

Anderson pitched in seven MLB seasons (1909, 1913-18 … Red Sox, the Federal League Bufalo Buffeds/Blues, Giants), going 53-57, 2.86, with eight saves.  He made 114 starts and came on in relief in 64 times.

Fred Anderson’s Best Season: 1915 Federal League Buffalo Blues … 19-13, 2.51 with 14 complete games in 28 starts (36 total appearances).

Steve Ontiveros, RHP, Athletics …. 1994

In 1984, Steve Ontiveros went 6-4, with a league-leading 2.65 earned run average for the Athletics in 13 starts and 14 relief outings (51.9 percent).  It was his ninth MLB season (his age-33 season).  He was much more effective as a starter than a reliever that season – 5-2, 1.59 as a starter and 102, 5.58 as a reliever. He went 6.5 innings per start and 2.2 innings per relief appearance.

Ontiveros started his MLB career as a reliever. In his first two MLB seasons (1985-86), he went 3-5, 3.30 with 18 saves in 85 appearances for the A’s – all out of the pen. Then, from 1987 through 1989 (A’s/ Phillies), he went 15-13, 4.12 in 51 games, starting in 37 (72.5 percent).  He next had two MLB seasons (1990 and 1993 … Phillies/Mariners) in which he made just 29 appearances – all in relief.   The, of course, came 1994, nearly evenly split between starting and relieving, before a final two seasons 1995 and 2000 (A’s/Red Sox) in which he made 22 starts in 25 appearances,

It all added up to a career MLB record of 34-31. 3.67 over ten seasons (73 starts and 134 relief appearances). Ontiveros made one All Star team (1995, with the A’s.) Side note:  Ontiveros’ MLB career was interrupted more once than by arm issues.

Ontiveros was a second-round pick (Athletics) in the 1982 MLB Draft – out of the University of Michigan. He went 18-8, 3,78 in four minor-league seasons before his 1985 call up.

Steve Ontiveros’ Best Season: 1994 Athletics … It would have to be that 1994 season, with the league-low 2.65 ERA in 27 games (6-4 won-lost). A close second would be his one All Star campaign (1995 A’s), when he went 9-6, 4.37 in 22 games (all starts).

Mike Garcia, RHP, Indians … 1949

Mike Garcia was a rookie for the Indians in 1949 (he pitched in one game, two innings in 1948). In 1949 (his age-25 season), he went 14-5, with a league-best 2.39 ERA over 20 starts and 21 relief appearances.  Yep, he barely made this list. He started the season in the bullpen, appearing in relief in his 12 of his first 14 outings.  A 4-2 (1 save), 3.12 record earned him a regular starting spot. For the season, he was 11-4, 2.36 as a starter and 3-1, 2.33 (two saves) in relief. He averaged 6.9 innings per start and 1.4 innings per relief appearances.

Garica captured a second ERA title in 1954, when he went 19-8, 264 in 45 games (34 starts) for the Indians.

Garcia pitched in 14 MLB seasons (1947-1961 … Indians, White Sox, Senators), going 142-97, 3.27 in 281 starts and 147 relief appearances.  In his four prime years (1951-54), he went 79-41, 2.84, twice winning 20 or more games and making three All Star squads.

Garcia began his professional career (as an 18-year-old) in in the Indians’ farm system in 1942. (He had been spotted playing semi-pro ball in California.)  That first season, he put up a 10-10, 3.94 at Class-D.  He then spent three years in the military before returning to pro-ball in 1946 (22-9, 2.56 at Class-C.)  Two more solid minor-league seasons (17-10, 3.24 at A-Level and 19-16, 3.09 at Double-A) punched his ticket to the majors.

Mike Garcia’s Best Season:  1952 Indians … In 1952, Garcia went 22-11, 2.37, with 19 complete games in 36 starts (he also made ten relief appearances – four saves) and pitched six shutouts.

Stu Miller RHP, Giants … 1958   

In 1958, Stu Miller, in his sixth (age-30) MLB season went 6-9, with a league-leading 2.47 ERA in 20 starts and 21 relief appearances (51.2 percent). He went 6-7, 3.01 as a starter and 0-2, 0.81 in relief. He went 6.9 innings per start and 2.1 innings per relief appearance.

Miller pitched in 16 MLB seasons (1952-54, 1956-68 … Cardinals, Phillies, Giants, Orioles, Braves) making his mark primarily as a reliever. (He went 105-103, 3.24, with 153 saves in 93 starts and 611 relief appearances. He twice led his league in saves (for the Giants in the NL in 1961 with 17 and for the Orioles in the AL in 1963 with 27). He was an All Star in 1961, when he went 14-5, 2.66 with 17 saves in 63 relief outings.

Miller was signed out of a Cardinals tryout camp in 1949 and worked his way up to the Cardinals by 1952 (age-24-season). That season, he was 11-5, 2.34 at Triple-A before an August call up. He went 6-3, 2.05 for the Redbirds in 12 appearances (11 starts).

Stu Miller’s Best Season:  1965 Orioles … In 1965, Miller went 14-7, 1.89, with 24 saves in in 67 appearances (all in relief.)

Primary Resources: Stathead.com; Baseball-Reference.com; Hoyt Wilhelm SABR bio, by Mark Armour;  Sal Maglie SABR Bio by Judith Testa; Bob Friend, SABR bio, by Clifton Parker.

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P 1086

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 and statistical coincidences.) These won’t necessarily be momentous occurrences, just events, statistics or coincidences that grabbed my attention.

This week we’re looking at players with the most games with four or more hits in a season – specifically players with ten or more four-hit games a single campaign.  There have been a thirteen such seasons in the Modern Era (post-1900), fashioned by 11 different players.  In this post, I’ll focus primarily on the only player with multiple such seasons – the Browns’ George Sisler with three. Sisler is also the only Modern Era player with a season of 12 games with four or more hits (two). But before we get into Sisler’s accomplishments, a few observations about the players with ten or more four-hit games in a campaign.

• Zero players joined this list between 1948 (Stan Musial) and 2004 (Ichiro Suzuki).
• Seven of the 13 such seasons occurred in the 1920’s – the early “Live Ball” years.
• Saint Louis appears the place to be for such campaigns. The Browns (five) and Cardinals (2) account for seven of the thirteen.
• Eight of the players on the list are in the Hall of Fame (and Ichiro Suzuki is a good bet to join them in 2025).

If You’re Interested

The Modern Era record for games in a season with five or more hits is four, shared by Ty Cobb (1922 Tigers); Stan Musial (1948 Cardinals); Tony Gwynn (1993 Padres); and Ichiro Suzuki (2004 Mariners). Move it up to six or more and you find more than 100 players tied at one such game in a season.

 

George Sisler – King of the Four-Hit Games

Photo: National Photo Company Collection, Public domain, via Wikimedia Common

We don’t talk about George Sisler enough.  The man was a hitting machine.  He finished his career with a .340 average (19^th all-time among players with at least 3.000 plate appearances).  In his 15-season MLB career, he hit over .300 13 times, twice topping .400.

In the 1920 season, his first with 12 four-hit games, Sisler hit .407 (257-for-631) – the seventh-highest qualifying MLB batting average in the Modern Era. He led the league in games (154), at bats (631), hits (257), average (.407) and total bases (399).  He finished second in runs scored (137), doubles (49), triples (18), home runs (19), runs batted in (122) and stolen bases (42).

Well, that Lasted Awhile

In 1920, George Sisler set an MLB single-season record for base hits that stood for 84 years – until Ichiro Suzuki’s 262 hits in 2004. Before Sisler, the record was held by Ty Cobb (248 hits in 1911).

In Sisler’s 1922 season, his second with 12 four-hit games, he hit .420 (246-for-586), the third-highest qualifying average in the Modern Era.  That season, he won the batting title and led the league in hits, runs scored (134), triples (18) and stolen bases (51).  He finished second in total bases (348), third in doubles (42); and fourth in RBI (105).

Another Broken Record

In 1922, George Sisler had a 41-game hitting streak (July 27-September 17), during which he hit .454 (79-for-174). MLB.com lists it as the fifth-longest streak in MLB history. Sisler’s 1922 streak gave him possession of the American League’s longest hitting streak. He held the American League record until Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game streak in 1941. In 1922, Sisler hit .400+ in every month except July.

 A Little More By George

Sisler was a multi-sport athlete at Akron (Ohio) High School – an end in football, a forward in basketball and a lights-out southpaw on the baseball mound. His next stop was the University of Michigan, where he earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering and starred as a pitcher and hitter/outfielder on the baseball squad. The University Michigan Hall of Honor reports that Sisler went 13-3 as a pitcher and hit north of .400 at a hitter.  His exploits earned him All American honors and, eventually a sport in the College Baseball Hall of fame.

After Michigan, Sisler’s baseball journey took him to the St. Louis Browns, where (in 1915) as a 22-year-old rookie, Sisler pitched in 15 games (eight starts, six complete games) and went 4-4, 2.83. That same season, he also appeared in 67 games at 1B or OF and hit .285-3-29, with ten steals. His bat and speed made an impression.  Sisler appeared on the mound in only nine more games after his rookie season.

In 1916, now primarily a first baseman, Sisler hit .305-4-76, with 83 runs scored and 34 steals.  It was the first of nine consecutive .300+ seasons for Sisler who proved not only a superior hitter, but also an accomplished fielder and a leading base stealer. Between 1917 and 1922, Sisler won two batting titles, three times led the AL in steals, twice led the league in hits, once led in runs and twice led in triples.

Prime Numbers

Over the 1920, 1921 and 1922 seasons, George Sisler averaged .400 over 434 games. During that span, he averaged 43 doubles, 18 triples, 13 home runs, 110 RBI, 132 runs scored and 43 steals per season.

Looking at where Sisler stood in 1922 makes the 1923 season, which he lost to illness, seem even more significant.   Who knows what kind of carer numbers Sisler might have put up had it not been for a severe sinus infection that hit him with chronic headaches and double vision and cost him the entire 1923 season. Although he came back to play another seven seasons (1924-30), his numbers (while still very good) were not the same. There are indications the double vision plagued him for a time.  In a March 1924 St. Louis Post Dispatch article, Yankee pitcher Bob Shawkey is quoted as saying “When he (Sisler) came back we soon learned something. When he was up to the plate, he could watch you for only so long, and then have to look down and get his eyes focused again.  So, we would keep him waiting up there until he he’d have to look down and then pitch.  He was never the same hitter after that.”

Later, in a 1929 Baseball Magazine article, Sisler was quoted as indicating “The injury to my eyes which occurred some years ago was real and serious. But is seems unnecessary, as well as unjust, that the memory of that injury should overshadow the remainder of my career. As a matter of fact, my eyes are alright, have been perfectly normal for some time.”2

The facts may be lie somewhere in between. It seem likely the vision issue did bother Sisler for a period of time after the missed 1923 season, but we may never know for exactly how long.

We do know that in his eight seasons prior to 1923, he hit .361-60-612, with 732 runs scored, 242 doubles, 100 triples, 60 home runs and 282 steals.  In the seven seasons after 1923, Sisler hit (a still respectable, but less spectacular) .320-42-566, with 552 runs, 42 home runs, 183 doubles, 64 triples 42 homers, 566 RBI and 93 steals.  And, remember, he was in his prime and coming off a .420 season when the illness hit him.

For his 15-season MLB career (1915-22, 1924-30, Sisler hit .340-102-1,178, with 1,284 runs scored and 375 stolen bases. He won two batting crowns and the 1922 American League MVP Award. He led the league in runs scored once (four times scoring 100 or more), hits twice (six-times notching 200+ hits), triples twice, total bases once and stolen bases four times.

A Diversion … But I do Like Numbers

Some of the articles I came across while researching for this post suggested that Sisler’s accomplishments should be considered in light of the times (generally higher batting averages).  I decided to do a little math.  Taking Sisler’s three prime seasons (1920-22), over which he hit .400 (before his illness-lost 2023 campaign), we find the MLB overall batting average during that period was .282. That puts Sisler’s .400 average over that period 41.8 percent above the overall MLB average.  Then I looked at the most recent three MLB seasons (2022-24), and found the overall MLB average over those seasons was .245. Finishing 41.8 percent above that average would require a .347 average. The six AL/NL batting champions from 2022-24 (looking at the seasons they won the batting title) had a combined average .323 and only one (Luis Arreaz at .354 in 2023) reached that .347 equivalency.  (The others ranged from .314 to .332 in their title-capturing seasons.)

Footnotes: 1) “George Sisler: A Close Look at the Vision Problems that Derailed Him,” by David A. Gross, Jim Provenzale and Rick Huhn, 2008 Baseball Research Journal; 2) Excerpt from a June 1929 Baseball Magazine article by F.C. Lane as reported in Baseball History … Did the American League Blunder?” at stevensteinberg.net.

Primary Resources: Stathead.com; Baseball-Reference.com; George Sisler (@SABR.org), by Bill Lamberty (originally in Deadball Stars of the American League, Potomac Books, Inc, 2006);  University of Michigan Hall of Honor, @mgoblue.com

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P 1085

Today seems like a pretty good day to reflect on the professional baseball career of former major leaguer Steve Christmas – a tale that intersects a couple of times with my hometown Minnesota Twins.

Photo: Indianapolis Indians, Public Domain via Wikicommons

Christmas’ first brush with professional baseball came – on a less than happy note – with the Twins, who selected him in the 33^rd round of the 1975 MLB Draft (out of Colonial High School in Orlando). The Twins made an offer (reportedly a $2,500 bonus and $500 monthly salary) that Christmas found unacceptable (and maybe even a bit insulting).

So, it was on to Oklahoma City Southwestern College and Southwestern Oklahoma State University before a 1977 tryout with the Reds earned him an acceptable offer.  Converted from a corner infielder to a catcher, the 19-year-old Christmas got off to a merry start – hitting .306-6-30 for the A-Level Eugene Emeralds.

By 1982, he had honed his catching skills and worked his way up to the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians, were he hit .306-7-37 in 85 games. In 1983, having another solid year at Triple-A (.271-6-38) earned him a September call up to the Reds, where he went 1-for 17 in nine games. Following the season, he was traded to the White Sox and, in 1984, he spent most of the season with the Triple-A Denver Zephyrs (.278-4-29 in 74 games). He did get into a dozen MLB games for the ChiSox (three in June and nine in September) and went four-for-eleven (.364), with a home run and four RBI. Ironically, Christmas’ first (and only) MLB home run came against the Twins. (Remember those intersections I mentioned earlier?)

n a September 19 game in Minnesota, Christmas was called on to pinch hit for C Marc Hill with the game tied at three, two outs and two men on base.  Christmas delivered a three-run home run and the ChiSox went on to a 7-3 win. Ah, sweet payback for those 1975 negotiations. It was not only his only MLB home run, but accounted for three of his seven MLB career RBI.

In December of 1984, Christmas was granted free agency by the White Sox – and then resigned by Chicago as a free agent month later.  The White Sox sent him back to the minors for 1985, where he hit .298-16-56 in 127 games for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. He was released in October and signed with the Cubs, where he went one-for-nine in three April 1986 games and .300-4-25 in 62 games for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.  It was his final professional season.

Christmas’ professional career: ten minor-league seasons (.274-72-401 in 942 games); three MLB seasons (.162-1-7 in 24 games). The key fact – Christmas was gifted enough and gritty enough to reach the major leagues.

Primary Resources:  Stathead.com; Baseball-Reference.com; “Off the Rubber; The Almost Unbelievable True Story of Steve Christmas,” by Roger Cormier, BaseballProspectus.com

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P 1084

Ten Quick Strikeouts – Not Always the Sign of a Good Mound Outing

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’re looking at outings in which a pitcher was on the mound for four or fewer innings, but notched ten or more strikeouts.

A few notes before we look more deeply at what The Roundtable sees as clearly the best of these outings and arguably the worst.

• There have been just a dozen outings of four or fewer innings and ten or more strikeouts in the Modern Era.
• Eleven of the twelve have taken place since 2013.
• The team with the double-digit/four-or-fewer innings strikeout pitcher won just two of the twelve games. Going forward, let’s save space by just calling them “10/4 outings.”
• The twelve pitchers went 1-8 in those games.
• Ten of the 12 pitchers started the game in which they produced a 10/4 outing.
• The 12 pitchers on this list gave up an average of 3.4 runs in these appearances, putting up an ERA north of 7.50.  (It is unclear whether the one run given up in the first of these 10/4 outings was earned.)
• The most batters faced by the pitchers on the list was 22 (three different pitchers), the fewest was 12.

A few other tidbits before we look at the easily the best performance on the list and arguably the worst.

• The Red Sox’ Smokey Joe Wood was the first pitcher (and also the youngest at 19) to reach ten whiffs in four or fewer innings. He did it (in relief) in a July 17, 1909 Red Sox 6-4 win over the Naps. He got the victory, after giving up five hits and one run (no walks/10 strikeouts) over four innings. He remained the only MLB pitcher to fan ten or more batters in an appearance of four or fewer innings for more than a century (2013).
• In his ten-strikeout, 3 2/3 inning appearance, Tigers’ reliever Tyler Alexander (per Baseball-Almanac.com) tied the American League record for consecutive batters struck out in a single game (nine). He’s also the only pitcher on this list to not surrender at least one run in his qualifying appearance.

Brief Diversion

The most strikeouts consecutively in a nine-inning MLB game is ten (a record shared by three National Leaguers: Mets’ Tom Seaver; Phillies’ Aaron Nola; Brewers’ Corbin Burnes). Seaver‘s is the most unique among these record-sharers. His ten whiffs were the final ten hitters in a nine-inning, two-hitter (a tight 2-1 Mets’ win). When he started the string, he had already thrown 90 pitches. (He ended up throwing 135 in what was a 19-strikeout game.)  

• The Mets’ Noah Syndergaard gave up the highest run total in a 10/4 outing at seven, as well as the most hits (10).
• In his qualifying 10/4 appearance, The Mariners’ Felix Hernandez walked four, hit one and tossed one wild pitch (yet only gave up one run). The Cardinals’ Micheal Wacha tied Hernandez’ five gift runners (all walks) in his 10/4 game.
• Seven of the 12 pitchers gave up at least one home run in their 10/4 game, six gave up at least two dingers and the Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka gave up a list-topping three long balls in his 10/4 appearance.

Now, let’s look at a couple of 10/4 outings that stand out.

Easily The Best

Tyler Alexander, Tigers … August 2, 2020 … 3 2/3 innings, ten strikeouts.

Alexander, in his second MLB season, came into the game in the top of the third inning., with no one out and no one on – and the Tigers trailing 3-0.  At the time, his record on the season was 1-0, 2.25 in three appearances. This was the Covid-shortened season, which opened in late July, hence the small number of appearances.) Also unique were the facts that this was a scheduled seven-inning game – first of a doubleheader – and, of course, there were zero fans in attendance.

In that August 2 game (versus the Reds), Alexander came on in the top of the third (in relief of Rony Garcia) with none out, no one on and the Tigers Trailing 3-0. The southpaw made his presence known in a hurry – and, in fact, struck out every batter in the Reds’ lineup his first time through. Here’s how his 3 2/-inning outing went:

Third Inning:

• 2B Mike Moustakas – strikeout swinging (2-2 pitch);
• 3B Eugenio Suarez – three-pitch strikeout (looking);
• DH Jesse Winker – three-pitch strikeout (swinging);

Fourth Inning:

• CF Nick Senzel – fans (swinging) on a 1-2 pitch:
• 1B Josh VanMeter – three-pitch strikeout (looking):
• SS Freddy Galvis – strikeout swinging on a 3-2 pitch (8-pitch at bat).

Fifth Inning:

• C Tucker Barnhardt – strikeout looking on a 1-2 pitch;
• LF Shogo Akiyama – strikeout looking on a 1-2 pitch;
• RF Nick Castellanos – strikeout on a 2-2 pitch.

Sixth Inning;

• Moustakas – hit-by-pitch on a 1-2 count;

Note: Tom Jankowski pinch runs for Moustakas.

• Suarez – strikeout swinging on a 1-2 pitch;
• PH – Matt Davidson six-pitch walk.

Jankowski thrown out (P-1B-2B) before first pitch of Davidson at bat.  

Alexander relieved by Carson Fulmer.

In the outing, Alexander threw 55 pitches 38 (69%) for strikes/foul balls.

Alexander finished 2020 at 2-3, 3.96, with 34 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings. He, (still active) has pitched in six MLB seasons (2019-24 … Tigers, Rays), going 17-28, 4.55 in 143 games (52 starts) He has recorded 363 strikeouts in 449 innings pitched. To date, he has had just the one double-digit strikeout outing.

Arguably the Worst

Noah Syndergaard, Mets … June 2, 2015 … ten strikeouts, four innings pitched.

Photo: Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Syndergaard’s four-inning/ten-strikeout game came in his rookie season and just his fifth MLB appearance (all starts). He came into the game (against the Padres) with a 2-2, 1.82 record with five walks and 22 strikeouts in 24 2/3 innings. It was not to be his day. Among the pitchers on the 10/4 list, Syndergaard gave up the most hits (10), most runs (7) and tied for the most batters faced (22). Bright side – he was also one of two pitchers on the list who didn’t give up a walk.

First Inning:

• CF Will Venable – strikeout (swinging) on a 2-2 pitch;
• C Derek Norris – infield single on a 3-1 pitch;
• LF Justin Upton – strikeout (swinging on a 1-2 pitch);
• RF Matt Kemp – groundout on a 1-2 pitch.

Not a bad start: 18 pitches, just seven balls, nothing hit out of the infield, only one baserunner and two strikeouts.  But things were about to change in a hurry.

Second Inning:

• 1B Yonder Alonso – single to left on a 1-0 pitch;
• 3B Will Middlebrooks – single to center on a 2-2 pitch;
• 2B Cory Spangenberg – bunt single on first pitch;
• SS Alexi Amarista – two-run single to short RF on a 1-2 pitch;
• P Ian Kennedy – sacrifice bunt on first pitch;
• Venable – two-run triple to right on a 1-2 pitch;
• Norris – strikeout swinging on an 0-2 pitch;
• Upton – strikeout swinging on a 3-2 pitch.

Twenty-seven pitches in this frame, just four balls, still no walks, two more strikeouts, but five hits and four runs.

Third Inning:

• Kemp – strikeout swinging on a 1-2 pitch;
• Alonso – ground ball single to left on first pitch;
• Middlebrooks – strikeout swinging on a 1-2 pitch;
• Spangenberg – RBI triple to left on an 0-1 pitch;
• Amarista – strikeout looking on a 1-2 pitch.

Still in the zone … 15 pitches,  just three balls – two more hits, one more run.

Fourth Inning:

• Kennedy – strikeout swinging on a 2-2 pitch;
• Venable – single to right on a 2-0 pitch;
• Norris – two-run homer to left on a 1-2 pitch;
• Upton – strikeout looking on a 3-2 pitch;
• Kemp – strikeout looking on a 1-2 pitch.

Twenty-three pitches, nine balls.  Two hits, Two runs.

At this point, Syndergaard had thrown 84 pitches with just 27 balls (no walks, only three three-ball counts among 22 batters faced.   While a lot of his pitches in the zone were swung at or taken for strikes (hence the ten strikeouts in four innings), too many were hit well.  As a result, Syndergaard, pulled for a pinch hitter in the top of the fifth, left after four innings pitched with the Mets down 7-1.

Syndergaard, a first-round draft pick in 2010, finished the season at 9-7. 3.24 with 166 strikeouts and just 31 walks in 150 innings. He went on to pitch in eight MLB seasons (2015-19, 2021-23 … Mets, Angels, Phillies, Dodgers Indians) going 59-47, 3.71 in 164 games (162) starts). He was an All Star in 2016, when he went 14-9, 2.60 for the Mets.

Primary Resources: Stathead.com; Baseball-Almanac.com

THERE IS STILL TIME TO VOTE IN BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE’S  READER/FAN BASEBALL HALL OF FAME BALLOTING (and we want to hear your opinions)

For a post on this year’s candidates, as well as The Roundtable’s predictions and preferences, click here. To skip the post and go directly to the fan ballot, click here.

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

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P 1083

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.

Last Tuesday, I focused on disappointing MLB pitching debuts, with emphasis on pitchers who gave up four or  more runs without recording a single out. This week it’s disappointing offensive debuts (with special emphasis on – but not limited to – players who struck out at least four times in their MLB debut.)  Side note: Individual game details for the Negro Leagues from 1920-48 have not been fully documented and incorporated into the MLB record books, so the included lists could change in the future.

At the top of the disappointing MLB offensive debuts list, we have a tie.

Ron Wright, DH, 2002 Seattle Mariners … April 14, 2002

Three plate appearances … nine pitches, six outs

Wright was a seventh-round pick (Braves), out of high school, in the 1994 MLB Draft. He didn’t make his MLB debut until his ninth professional season – despite being a legitimate prospect and a three-time minor-league all-star.  Wright hit 32 home runs for the Macon Braves as a 19-year-old. He added another 36 minor-league dingers for the Durham Bulls and Greenville Braves the next year. Wright was traded to the Pirates in 1996, and would later play in the Cincinnati, Tampa Bay and Seattle systems.  Injuries, however, took him off track.  Wright missed most of the 1998 and 1999 seasons with a back injury (surgery, ultimately left him with ongoing numbness in his right leg), but worked hard to regain his prospect status.

In 2001, playing for the Durham Bills, he hit .262 with 20 home runs and was considered one of the International League’s top fielding first-sackers.  The following season, an injury to Seattle DH Edgar Martinez led to an April call-up to the Mariners. On April 14, he started (and ended) his MLB career in a game won (at Texas) by Seattle 9-7, with Seattle getting 18 hits.  Wright’s day went like this:

• Second Inning; With Ruben Sierra on second and John Olerud on first and no outs, Wright struck out on three pitches from Rangers’ starter Kenny Rogers;
• Fourth Inning; With Sierra on third and Olerud on first, Wright hit a grounder to Rogers (on a 2-2 pitch), who threw to SS Alex Rodriguez at second for the force. Sierra, who had broken for home, was caught in a SS-C-3B-P rundown for a second out, and Wright, who tried to take second during the rundown, was thrown out P-2B.  An unusual triple play.
• Sixth inning; Again, up with both Sierra and Olerud on base (second and first, respectively), Wright hit Rogers’ first-offering into a more traditional short-to-second-to first double play.
• Seventh Inning; Up again with Sierra and Olerud on base (first and third) with one out, Mike McLemore pinch hit for Wright (ending Wright’s Day).  McLemore, by the way, struck out.

Wright went back down to the minors before getting another MLB at bat and never made it back to “The Show.”  So, his major-league career consisted of three at bats (with a total of six runners on base) and six outs – strikeout, triple play, double play.  And, as for that fielding expertise, Wright’s spent his short MLB career as a DH.  Still, in all his interviews since then, Wright had indicated he cherishes the game and the fact that he is one of the rare few who did make it to the major leagues.

Ed Cermak, RF, Cleveland Blues … September 9, 1901

One (or maybe four) And Done

Ed Cermak came to the plate four times in his MLB debut – and struck out four times. Now, there have been 11 players (seven non-pitchers) who fanned a Modern-Era record four times in their major-league debuts, but Cermak stands out for me for a number of reasons:

• He was the first and youngest player in the Modern Era to do it;
• He is the only player whose four debut-game whiffs were the only strikeouts his squad suffered in the contest;
• He did it in a season which the average strikeout per nine innings was just 3.2 and Bill Bernhard (Athletics), who fanned Cermak four times, averaged just 2.0 strikeouts per nine frames.

To add further legitimacy to my selection, he is one of just two players whose four-strikeouts (in four plate appearances) represented their entire MLB career – and there is reason to discount the other instance.  (More on that a bit later in the “He took one for the Team” section.

The 19-Year-old Cermak was considered somewhat of a prospect. He drew attention playing for an amateur squad known as the O’Connor Baseball Team in Cleveland and played well enough to be given a late-season tryout with the major-league Blues. Cleveland was 49-68 at the time, and looking for some help. Like Ron Wright (above) Cermak’s first MLB game was his final game.  However, there was a difference.  Cermak continued his baseball life by going on to play in the minor-leagues from 1903-08 and later becoming a minor-league umpire.

Close to the Top two

Urbane Pickering, 3B, Red sox … April 18, 1931

Pickering holds the MLB Modern-Era record for most at bats in a debut game without a hit (but it probably deserves an asterisk). On April 18, 1931, in a Red Sox’ 15-inning win over the Yankees in New York, Pickering (who started at 3B, batting fifth, went zero-for seven, with two strikeouts. (He did pick up an RBI).

As for that suggested asterisk. As we look through the description of Pickering’s day at the plate, we see that MLB rules contributed to his chart-topping seven hitless at bats in a debut. Going into the 1931 season, the sacrifice fly rule was eliminated. (For a bit of background, the sacrifice fly rule was restored in 1939.  Then, in 1940, the sac fly rule was again dropped. Finally, beginning in the 1953 season, the rule was restored – and remains unchanged). Long story short, one of Pickering’s “at bats” was a run-scoring fly out to right field.  I thought of leaving him out of this post, but I just couldn’t deny myself the opportunity to write about a player with a name like Urbane Pickering.

Here’s how his MLB debut went:

Second Inning – Strikeout, leading off the frame;

Third inning – Up with two men on and two outs, strikeout;

Sixth Inning- No one on, two out, flyout to right field;

Eighth Inning – One out, runners on second and third – flyout to right field (one run scores);

Tenth Inning – One on, one out, pop out to second;

Thirteenth Inning – leading off, flyout to center;

Fifteenth Inning – One on, one out, flyout to right.

Pickering played in 235 MLB games over two seasons (1931-32, Red Sox), hitting .257-11-92).

If we give Pickering retroactive benefit of the Sacrifice Fly rule, he would join the list below.

Honorable Mention

Ray Jarvis, Red Sox, April 20, 1969

Five Strikeouts in his first game as a hitter (but not his MLB debut)

Jarvis was a right-handed pitcher for the Red Sox who fanned five times in five plate appearances in the first game in which he appeared as a hitter.  (It was not, however, his MLB debut game. He had pitched three times in relief before the April 20, 1969 contest.)

In the April 20 game, he came on in relief of one of MLB’s better hitting pitchers (Ken Brett) in the top of the first inning. Brett had surrendered three runs and given up two singles, a double and three walks (plus a balk) while recording just one out.  Jarvis came in with the bases loaded and promptly fanned the first two hitters he faced to end the threat. He then pitched a great game in relief – 8 2/3 innings, two hits, one run, three walks and eight whiffs.  At the plate, not so much.

Jarvis came to the plate five times and struck out five times. – tying the MLB nine-inning game record for strikeouts.

Jarvis pitched in two MLB seasons (1969-70 … Red Sox), going 5-7, 4.64 in 44 games (12 starts).  As a hitter, he was 2-for-29 (.069) with 19 strikeouts.

At the Roundtable … One thing always seems to lead to another.

In 1973, Ken Brett set an MLB record (for pitchers) by hitting a home run in four consecutive games (starts) between June 9 and June 23. Over his MLB career (1967,1969-81 … Red Sox, Brewers, Phillies, Pirates, Yankees, White Sox, Angels, Twins, Dodgers, Royals), Brett hit .262-10-44 in 347 at bats. As a pitcher, he went 83-85, 3.93 in 349 games (184 starts).

Final Thought: He Took One – actually four – For The Team

Jim McGarr, Tigers, is one of two players whose MLB career (in his case his entire professional baseball career) consisted of four strikeouts in four plate appearances. His came on May 18, 1912 – as the Tigers faced the Athletics in Philadelphia. Tigers players were, at the time, refusing to play in protest to the suspension of star Ty Cobb for attacking a fan (on May 15 in New York). To avoid a fine and forfeit, the Tigers recruited a team of amateurs to take on the Athletics. The 23-year-old McGarr (a machinist, who played on his company’s amateur team) led off and played second base in the Athletics/Tigers lopsided affair (Athletics 24-Tigers 2) and went zero-for-four with four strikeouts in four plate appearances. After the contest, Cobb urged his professional teammates to return to the field – and McGarr’s professional baseball career was over.

Primary Resources:  Stathead.com; Baseball-Almanac.com; ClevelandBaseballHistory.com.

THERE IS STILL TIME TO VOTE IN BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE’S  READER/FAN BASEBALL HALL OF FAME BALLOTING (and we want to hear your opinions)

For a post on this year’s candidates, as well as The Roundtable’s predictions and preferences, click here. To skip the post and go directly to the fan ballot, click here.

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P 1082

Reader votes are coming in for the Baseball Roundtable Reader/Fan (unofficial) 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame Balloting.  There is still time to vote. You’ll find a link to the ballot at the end of this post.) Here’s is a look at (and observations on) early results.

I would note that, as of December 16, readers were a bit “stingier” with their votes than the baseball writers (at least those who have made their official ballot public). Comparing with publicly released official votes (using the BBHOFtracker.com website … a great resource, with lots of information on balloting):

• The top five among the BBWAA official ballots and the top five on the Roundtable unofficial balloting are the same (not in the same order). In reader balloting, the order is Ichiro Suzuki, Carlos Beltran, Billy Wagner, Andruw Jones, CC Sabathia. The public official ballot top five (in order) are Suzuki, Sabathia, Wagner, Beltran, Jones.
• Only two players have the necessary 75% (to date) on the Baseball Roundtable balloting (Suzuki and Beltran). On the public official ballots, three have the necessary 75% (Suzuki, Sabathia, Wagner).
• Suzuki is still at 100% on the public official ballots. He stands and 95.2% among readers.
• On the public official ballots, 13 players are under the 5% necessary to stay on the ballot. Among Roundtable voters that number is 12.
• Ten players have zero votes on the among the official ballots made public. In the Roundtable polling, that number is seven.

Baseball Roundtable (unofficial) Reader Baseball Hall of Fame Balloting

(as of December 16)

Ichiro Suzuki                     95.2

Carlos Beltrán                   76.2

Billy Wagner                      71.5

Andruw Jones                   61.8

CC Sabathia                       57.1

Felix Hernandez                57.1

Andy Pettitte                     47.6

Torii Hunter                       33.3

Bobby Abreu                     33.3

Alex Rodriguez                  33.3

Dustin Pedroia                  28.6

Manny Ramirez                 23.8

Francisco Rodriguez        19.0

Fernando Rodney              14.3

Omar Vizquel                       9.5

Jimmy Rollins                       9.5

Mark Buehrle                       4.8

Carlos Gonzalez                   4.8

Ian Kinsler                            4.8

Troy Tulowitzki                    4.8

David Wright                        4.8

Curtis Granderson                 0

Adam Jones                            o

Russell Matin                        0

Brian McCann                       0

Hanley Ramirez                    0

Chase Utley                            0

Ben Zobrist                             0

THERE IS STILL TIME TO VOTE IN BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE’S  READER/FAN BASEBALL HALL OF FAME BALLOTING

For a post on this year’s candidates, as well as The Roundtable’s predictions and preferences, click here. To skip the post and go directly to the fan ballot, click here.

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

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P 1081

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

THERE IS STILL TIME TO VOTE IN BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE’S  READER/FAN BASEBALL HALL OF FAME BALLOTING

For a post on this year’s candidates, as well as The Roundtable’s predictions and preferences, click here. To skip the post and go directly to the fan ballot, click here.

Baseball Roundtable – Blogging Baseball Since 2012.

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

I tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT

Follow Baseball Roundtable’s Facebook Page here.  More baseball commentary; blog post notifications; PRIZES.

Member: Society for American Baseball Research (SABR); Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; The Baseball Reliquary.

P 1079

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.  I recently posted (on the Baseball Roundtable blog/website) an article on the 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot which  included  The Roundtable’s predictions and preferences, bios of the candidates and a link to The Baseball Roundtable 2025 (unofficial) Fan/Reader Hall of Fame Ballot.  (We’d love to count your vote.) For that post, click here. To go directly to the ballot and cast your vote, click here.   N0w, staying with the HOF theme, this Tuesday’s Tidbit focuses on the Hall of Fame.

As you are all probably aware, the first BBHOF “class” was inducted in 1936 – and included MLB icons Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Babe Ruth and Honus Wagner. By virtue of it being the Hall’s first year of existence, all five were “first-ballot” electees.

Today’s Tidbit focuses on that first-ballot honor and addresses the question: “Who were the first players, after the initial Hall of Fame Class in 1936, to be elected in their first year on the ballot?  I would take two answers.

1. Lou Gehrig in 1939.

Photo by rchdj10

Gehrig, suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, was elected and added to the Hall of Fame following a December, 1939 special election (waiving the five-year post-retirement waiting period for eligibility).  Gehrig would clearly have been a first-ballot inductee (five-years later) even without the special election. In a 17-season career (1923-39, all Yankees), he hit .340-493-1,995, with 1,888 runs scored. He was a seven-time All Star (remember the first All Star Game was played in 1933) and a two-time AL Most Valuable Player. Gehrig led the AL in hits once (collecting 200 or more hits in eight seasons); doubles twice, triples once; home runs three times; RBI five times, batting average once and total bases four times.   He ranks among MLB’s top 25 players all time in batting average; runs scored; total bases; on-base percentage; slugging percentage: runs batted in; extra base hits; and walks.  Note: Batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage among players with at least 3,000 career plate appearances.

Your answer: Bob Feller and Jackie Robinson in 1962. (Elected on the traditional competitive ballot.)

Bob Feller, who made it to the majors as a 17-year-old: played 18 MLB seasons (1936-41, 1945-56 … Indians); went 266-162, 3.25; and recorded 279 complete games and 44 shutouts (570 appearances/484 starts). Feller (an eight-time All Star) led the AL in wins six times (a high of 27 in 1940); strikeouts seven times (a high of 348 in 1946); complete games three times; innings pitched five times; shutouts four times; ERA once. And, his numbers would have been even more impressive if he hadn’t lost three-plus seasons to military service in World War II. Notably, Feller led the AL in wins the three seasons before entering the military (1939-41) – and then led the league in wins in his first two full seasons after his return (1946-47).  (He got nine starts in late 1945.) Feller’s resume also includes three no-hitters (1940-1946-1951) and the pitcher’s Triple Crown (wins, ERA, strikeouts) in 1940.

Bonus Trivia(l) Tidbit

What future Hall of Famer batted second and manned centerfield in Bob Feller’s April 30, 1946 no-hitter (a 1-0 win) versus the Yankees in New York? It was rookie Bob Lemon, who started his MLB career as a 3B/OF, but made the Hall of Fame as a pitcher (207-128, 3.23).

Jackie Robinson, who of course, broke MLB’s long-standing “color line,” was a seven-time All Star, the 1947 NL Rookie of the year (.297-12-48, with a league- topping 29 steals) and the 1949 NL Most Valuable player (a league-leading .342 average and a league-topping 37 steals, with 203 hits, 16 home runs, 124 RBI and 122 runs scored).

This Could Be the Start of Something Big

Jackie Robinson was MLB’s first official Rookie of the Year – and, in 1987, the award was renamed the Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award.

Over his MLB career (1945) Kansas City Monarchs; 1947-56 Brooklyn Dodgers), Robinson hit .313-141-761, with 972 runs scored and 200 stolen bases in 1,416 games. He scored 100+ runs in six seasons, had 200+ hits once; hit 35+ doubles three times; and stole 20+ bases five times (twice leading the league).  He also hit .300 or better in seven seasons (including .375 in 34 games for the Monarchs in 1945.   A man of character and courage, Robinson delivered the performance under considerable pressure and scrutiny.

___________________________________

A Letter “Four” Me?

Jackie Robinson was the first UCLA athlete to letter in four sports –

baseball, basketball, football and track.

____________________________________

First Ballot Baseball Hall of Famers (percent of vote in parentheses)

1936   Ty Cobb (98.2), Walter Johnson (83.6), Christy Mathewson (90.7), Babe Ruth (95.1), Honus Wagner (95.1)

1939    Lou Gehrig (special election)

1962   Bob Feller (93.8), Jackie Robinson (77.5)

1966   Ted Williams (93.4)

1969   Stan Musial (93.2)

1972   Sandy Koufax (86.9)

1973   Warren Spahn (83.2); Roberto Clemente (special election)

1974   Mickey Mantle (88.2)

1977   Ernie Banks (83.8)

1979   Willie Mays (94.7)

1980   Al Kaline (88.3)

1981   Bob Gibson (84.0)

1982   Hank Aaron (97.8), Frank Robinson (89.2)

1983   Brooks Robinson (92.0)

1985   Lou Brock (79.8)

1986   Willie McCovey (81.4)

1988   Willie Stargell (82.4)

1989   Johnny Bench (96.4), Carl Yastrzemski (94.6)

1990   Joe Morgan (81.8), Jim Palmer (92.6)

1991   Rod Carew (90.5)

1992   Tom Seaver (98.8)

1993   Reggie Jackson (93.6)

1994   Steve Carlton (95.6)

1995   Mike Schmidt (96.5)

1999   George Brett (98.2), Nolan Ryan (98.8), Robin Yount (77.5)

2001   Kirby Puckett (82.1), Dave Winfield 84.5)

2002   Ozzie Smith (91.7)

2003   Eddie Murray (85.3)

2004   Dennis Eckersley (83.2), Paul Molitor (85.2)

2005   Wade Boggs (91.9)

2006   Tony Gwynn (97.6), Cal Ripken, Jr. (98.5)

2009   Rickey Henderson (94.8)

2014   Tom Glavine (91.9), Greg Maddux (97.2), Frank Thomas (83.7)

2015   Pedro Martinez (91.1), John Smoltz (82.9)

2016   Ken Griffey, Jr. (99.3)

2017   Ivan Rodriguez (76.0)

2018   Chipper Jones (97.2), Jim Thome (89.8)

2019   Roy Halladay (85.4), Mariano Rivera (100)

2020   Derek Jeter (99.7)

2022   David Ortiz (77.9)

2024   Adrian Beltre (95.1), Joe Mauer (76.1)

Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; BaseballHall.org

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