Yesterday, Baseball Roundtable took a look at a handful of MLB rookies who got their careers off to a bang over the past few days – Steven Kwan, Hunter Greene, Seiya Suzuki, Jeremy Pena and Jhoan Duran. For that post, click here. Well, as always in The Roundtable, one thing leads to another and this post will look at some past sparkling debuts.
Ted Cox, DH, Red Sox … 1977
On September 18, 1977, the Red Sox started rookie 22-year-old Ted Cox at DH, batting second. Cox, a 1973 first-round draft pick right out of high school, had hit .334-14-81 in in 95 games for the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox to earn his trip to “The Show.” Cox’ first day at the plate, as Boston topped Baltimore 10-4, went like this:
- First inning, single to left field , later scored;
- Third inning, walk, later scored;
- Fifth inning, single to left, later scored;
- Sixth inning, single to center;
- Ninth inning, double to right, later scored.
Not bad for Day One one in the big-leagues, but he wasn’t done yet. The very next day, against the Yankees (in Boston), Cox rapped a single to right and a single to center in his first two at bats. He finally grounded out to first base in the fifth inning to end his streak – but he had, in hand, the record for base hits in the most consecutive at bats (six) to start an MLB career.
Side note: Unlike many of today’s players, Cox used the whole field. Of his six hits, two were to left, two to center and two to right.
Cox got in a total of 13 games for the Red Sox that season, hitting .362-1-6, with three doubles, one triple, one home run, and 11 runs scored. He played four MLB seasons (1977-81 … Red Sox, Indians, Mariners, Blue Jays) and hit .245-10-79 in 272 games.
So Close
Last season, White Sox rookie Yermin Mercedes started the season with base hits in his first eight at bats – five-for-five, with one double, one run scored and four RBI on April 2; followed by a solo home run, a single and an RBI double in his first three at bats the following day. The streak ended with a flyout to center on his ninth at bat of the season. Mercedes, however, had one at bat for the White Sox in 2020 (August 2), grounding out to second as a pinch hitter, so he missed a chance to break Cox’ record.
Karl Spooner, LHP, Dodgers … 1955
On September 22, 1954, Dodgers’ rookie southpaw Karl Spooner set the MLB record for the most strikeouts in a debut MLB appearance (15) – a mark tied by the Astros’ J.R. Richard on September 5, 1974. In his record-setting game, the 23- year-old Spooner shutout the New York Giants (in Brooklyn) on three hits (three walks). Four days later, he got his second career start, against the Pirates in Brooklyn, and twirled a four-hit shutout with 12 whiffs (three walks). So, first 18 MLB innings – two complete-game shutouts and 27 strikeouts in 18 innings. I should also note here in that in 1954, the average number of strikeouts per nine innings in MLB was 4.2.
Spooner truly looked like he was going to be a “pitching phenom” for the Brooklyn Dodgers. In 1954, Spooner went 21-9, 3.14 at Fort Worth (Double-A Texas League), fanning 262 batters in 238 innings – despite missing a month of the season with a knee injury. That performance earned him that late-season call up to the “show.” Unfortunately, Spooner suffered a shoulder injury in Spring Training the following year – finishing his first (and last) full MLB season with an 8-6, 3.65 record in 29 appearances (14 starts). He made 28 minor-league appearances between 1956 and 1958, but never returned to the majors.
Note: In J.R. Richard’s 15-whiff debut, he picked up a 5-3 win (Astros over Giants) giving up seven hits, and three runs (two earned), while walking three. In his next appearance, a start against the Reds, he went five innings and gave up two-hits, and one run, with six walks and five strikeouts.
Pete Richert, LHP, Dodgers …. 1962
On April 12, 1962, Dodgers’ rookie Pete Richert came to the mound in the top of the second inning (in relief of starter Stan Williams) with the Dodgers trailing 4-0 and the Reds’ SS Eddie Kasko on second base, CF Vada Pinson at the plate and two out. He brought with him a reputation as a left-hander who could bring some heat. In four full minor-league seasons, Richert had gone 44-40, 3.71, with 742 strikeouts in 721 innings.
Richert did not disappoint. He proceeded to fan Pinson to end the inning. Richert came out for the third inning and fanned the next four MLB batters he faced. (Richert remains the only pitcher with a four-strikeout inning in his MLB debut.) It went like this: Reds’ RF Frank Robinson goes down swinging; 1B Gordy Coleman fans swinging, but reaches first on a passed ball; CF Wally Post strikes out swinging; C Johnny Edwards ends the inning by swinging at strike three. But, Richert wasn’t done yet.
In the top of the fourth, Richert got the sixth major leaguer to step in against him – Reds’ 3B Tommy Harper – on a called third strike. Ironically, it was Reds’ pitcher Joey Jay who ended Reichert’s career-opening, MLB-record six straight strikeouts by grounding out to first base. Richert got the final out of the inning on another grounder, 2B Don Blasingame retired second to first. Reichert’s final line for his debut game was – 3 1/3 innings pitched, no hits, no walks, no runs.
Reichert’s final line for his debut game was – 3 1/3 innings pitched, no hits, no walks, no runs and seven strikeouts. He faced 12 batters, with two getting on via a passed ball and an error. He threw 40 pitches – 33 strikes.
Richert finished the season 5-4, 3.87 (19 appearances, 12 starts), with 75 strikeouts in 81 1/3 innings. He went on to a 13-season MLB career (1962-74 … Dodgers, Senators, Orioles, Cardinals, Phillies) – 80-73, 3.19, 51 saves and 925 whiffs in 1,165 2/3 innings.
Primary Resources: Baseball-Reference.com; Baseball-Almanac.com
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