![\"JPA2\"](\"https:\/\/baseballroundtable.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/JPA2-2.jpg\")
<\/a>In 2014, BRT launched its own baseball recognition \u2013 The John Paciorek Award<\/strong> <\/span>(JPA). The JPA recognizes players who have had short, most often very short<\/em>, major league careers, but whose accomplishments, nonetheless, deserve recognition.\u00a0 (Note: Information on John Paciorek\u2019s career \u2013 the inspiration for the JPA \u2013 can be found at the end of this post. Paciorek’s day in the sun constitutes arguably the best one-game MLB career ever.)<\/em><\/p>\n________________ 2<\/strong>0<\/span>17 JPA Winner \u2013 Chris Saenz<\/strong> <\/span>_______________<\/p>\n Saenz \u2013 a Brewers top-30 prospect in his fourth pro season \u2013 was called up from Double A Huntsville (where he was 1-1, 3.86) to make a spot start against the Saint Louis Cardinals, whose powerful lineup included the likes of Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen, Jim Edmonds<\/strong> and Reggie Sanders<\/strong>. \u00a0(The Cardinals would lead the NL in runs scored, batting average and finish second in home runs that season, while making it to the World Series.)<\/em> Let\u2019s look at how things went for Saenz, before we examine how the 6\u20193\u201d, 200-pound righty worked his way to the mound that day \u2013 and the factors that made it his only MLB appearance. \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n The first MLB batter Saenz faced was Cardinal second baseman Bo Hart<\/strong> and the Milwaukee pitcher got his MLB career of to a good start, fanning Hart (swinging) on three pitches. (No surprise there, Saenz consistently struck out more than a batter per inning in the minors.)<\/em> Saenz then seemed to pick up a minor case of MLB-debut jitters, sandwiching a single and a pair of walks around a foul pop out, before getting Redbirds\u2019 SS Edgar Renteria<\/strong> to fly out \u2013 ending a shaky, but scoreless, first big league inning.<\/p>\n When he came out for the second, Saenz seemed to have settled down and found his proverbial groove. He recorded a 1-2-3 second, with two strikeouts.\u00a0 In the third, the only batter to reach was Pujols (hit by pitch) and Saenz picked up a fourth strikeout. The Cardinals went down in order in the fourth and fifth innings, with \u00a0Saenz notching two more strikeouts.\u00a0 Pujols managed a single off Saenz in the sixth, but was the only base runner in the inning. Saenz walked Renteria (on a 3-2 pitch) to open the seventh \u2013 and his first day (and career) in the majors was done.<\/p>\n Not a bad day\u2019s work (yes, it was a day game) for a raw rookie: six innings pitched, two hits, three walks, no runs and seven strikeouts.\u00a0 For those who track such things, Bo Hart faced Saenz three times that day (first, third and fifth innings) and struck out swinging all three times. \u00a0Two was a lucky number for Saenz, as the Brewers scored two times (on two hits) in the first inning to ensure Saenz the win (Milwaukee 3 \u2013 St, Louis 1); Hart, Saenz’ most frequent strikeout victim was playing at the two-bag for the Cardinals; and the game was played in front of an announced attendance of 22,222 fans.<\/p>\n A ONE-OF-A-KIND … \u00a0SINGLE-GAME CAREER … \u00a0PERFORMANCE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n While statistics before 1900 can be sketchy, baseball-reference.com shows that Saenz is the only pitcher to complete a one-game MLB career of at least five innings pitched, without giving up a single run (earned or unearned). Five pitchers before 1900 had one-game careers of at least five innings that resulted in a 0.00 ERA, but they all (Jack Keenan, Frank Kreeger, Clay Fauver, George Snyder and George Stultz) gave up unearned tallies in those efforts.<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n There was some speculation (primarily among sportswriter and fans) that Saenz’ performance might earn him another start or two, but two days after his debut, he was on his way back to Huntsville.\u00a0 For the year at Huntsville, he went 5-5, 4.15 with 84 strikeouts in 84 2\/3 innings. Unfortunately, his season included a September elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery and set his career back (eventually ending it.)<\/p>\n So, how did Saenz earn his day in the major leagues? He was signed by the Brewers (28th<\/sup> round of the 2001 Major League Draft) out of Pima Community College in Tucson Arizona.<\/p>\n Saenz started his pro career (at age 19) with the Pioneer (rookie) League Ogden Raptors.\u00a0 He showed solid potential, appearing in 21 games (four starts) and going 3-1, 4.24 with 14 walks and 48 strikeouts in 46 2\/3 innings.\u00a0 His ability to fan at least a batter an inning would be a trademark of his professional career. In 2003, Saenz moved up to the Low A Beloit Snappers of the Midwest League \u2013 where he pitched 37 games (all in relief) and went 3-5, with eight saves and a respectable 3.51 ERA. He did walk 32 batters in 74 1\/3 innings, but his 99 strikeouts (12 per nine innings) were impressive. The following season (2003) saw Saenz work primarily as a starter (26 starts in 27 appearances) mostly with the High A High Desert Mavericks of the California League \u2013 although he did get in one game with the Double A Huntsville Stars of the Southern League. Saenz went 9-9, 5.04, working on command issues (59 walks in 134 innings), but maintained his bat-missing stuff (142 strikeouts).<\/p>\n Then came 2004, his early season call up to the Brewers, his return to Huntsville and his Tommy John surgery.\u00a0 After missing the 2005 and 2006 seasons, Saenz attempted a comeback,\u00a0 signing with the Angels in 2007 and playing with the \u00a0Arkansas Travelers of the Double A Texas League – where things did not go well (1-7, with an 8.41 ERA and 31 walks versus 24 strikeouts in 46 innings). The Angels released Saenz and he finished the season with the Reno Silver Sox of the Independent Golden Baseball League, where he found more frustration \u2013 0-4, 8.10 with 16 walks and 22 strikeouts in 26 2\/3 innings. \u00a0Saenz gave it one last try in 2008, with the independent Northern League Schaumburg Flyers, where he went 1-1, 8.42, with 15 walks and 18 whiffs in 25 2\/3 innings.\u00a0 He retired from professional baseball at the age of 26.\u00a0 Still, Saenz is one of the fortunate few to have their day in the major league sun \u2013 and to have proven on that day that he truly belonged.<\/p>\n ________________________________________________________<\/p>\n PAST JOHN PACIOREK AWARD WINNERS:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n 2014 \u2013 Brian Scott Dallimore<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n In his first start (not his first game) for the 2004 Giants, Dallimore had two singles, a Grand Slam (his first MLB hit and only MLB home run), a walk and a hit by pitch.\u00a0 For the full JPA take on Dallimore\u2019s 27- game MLB career, click here.<\/p>\n 2015 \u2013 Roy Gleason<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Gleason played in just eight MLB games, had a double in his only MLB at bat \u2013 but also earned a World Series ring (1963) and a Purple Heart. Ultimately, he was the only ballplayer with MLB experience to serve on the front lines in Vietnam. For the full JPA take on Gleason, click here.<\/a> Note: Gleason\u2019s life is detailed in the book \u201cLost in the Sun \u2013 Roy Gleason\u2019s Odyssey from the Outfield to the Battlefield.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n 2016 \u2013 John Allen Miller<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Miller played just 32 MLB games (during the 1966 and 1969), taking the field (at 1B\/LF\/3B\/2B) for the Yankees and Dodgers. Miller collected ten hits in 61 MLB at bats (.164 average) and hit just two home runs \u2013 but he made those long balls count. \u00a0Miller made his MLB debut with the Yankees on September 11, 1966 and hit a two-run homer in his first big league at bat – \u00a0making him (surprisingly) the first Yankee ever to homer in his first MLB at bat. (Little did Miller know he would not get another home run or RBI until the final at bat of his MLB career.)\u00a0 Miller\u2019s final at bat came as a Dodger (September 23, 1969) and he stroked a solo home run.\u00a0 That narrow \u201cbody of work\u201d made Miller one of just two players in MLB history to homer in their first and final official appearances in a major league batter\u2019s box. For more on Miller, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n INSPIRATION FOR THE JPA<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n A final note. John Paciorek’s insight into the national pastime should come as no surprise. Paciorek comes from a true \u201cbaseball family.\u201d\u00a0 He was the first born of eight siblings and was followed to the big leagues by younger brothers Jim and Tom Paciorek.\u00a0 (Like John, Jim\u2019s MLB career was short \u2013 48 games for the Brewers in 1987. Brother Tom, however, achieved a .282 average over an 18-season MLB career.)<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n For more baseball – and notification of new blog posts – Follow and Like the Baseball Roundtable Facebook page; link here.<\/a> \u00a0Also, bobblehead giveaways soon to come.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n Member: Society for American Baseball Research; The Baseball Reliquary; The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; Baseball Bloggers Alliance.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In 2014, BRT launched its own baseball recognition \u2013 The John Paciorek Award (JPA). The JPA recognizes players who have had short, most often very short, major league careers, but whose accomplishments, nonetheless, deserve recognition.\u00a0 (Note: Information on John Paciorek\u2019s career \u2013 the inspiration for the JPA \u2013 can be found at the end of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11,9],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n<\/a>This year, BBRT honors right-handed pitcher Chris Saenz<\/strong><\/span> with the JPA \u2013 for making his one-game stint on the MLB pitcher\u2019s mound truly memorable. Saenz\u2019 big day came on April 24, 2004 and was made possible by a combination of an injury to Brewers\u2019 starting pitcher Chris Capauno, an overworked Brewers\u2019 bullpen and the fact that Saenz had started at Double A five days earlier, so a spot start for the Brewers would keep him on his pitching schedule. It was, in a way, the perfect storm for an unexpected MLB debut.<\/p>\n<\/a>John Paciorek – signed out of Saint Ladislaus High School in Hamtramck, Michigan (where he had starred in football, basketball and baseball) – appeared in his first major league game on the final day of the 1963 season (September 29) at the age of 18.\u00a0 The 6\u2019 1\u201d, 200-pound outfielder had spent the 1963 season with Class A Modesto Colts. The Colts\u2019 parent club, the Houston Colt .45s (that was the current Astros\u2019 franchise name back then), was suffering through a difficult season. The team was 65-96 going into that final game.\u00a0 Looking to the future, Houston had, in fact, fielded an all-rookie lineup (average age 19) on September 27. Youth was still being served two days later when John Paciorek started his first MLB game. The results were surprising \u2013 and worthy of recognition.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/a>Paciorek, by the way, went on to become a high school teacher and multi-sport coach and is the author of two books (Plato and Socrates \u2013 Baseball\u2019s Wisest Fans<\/em> and The Principles of Baseball: And All There Is To Know About Hitting.<\/em>) You also can enjoy Paciorek’s prose (and expertise) directly at his blog \u201cPaciorek\u2019s Principles of Perfect Practice\u201d by clicking here<\/a>. You can find out even more about Paciorek in Steven Wagner\u2019s 2015 book \u201cPerfect: The Rise and Fall of John Paciorek, Baseball\u2019s Greatest One-Game Wonder.<\/a>\u201d\u00a0<\/em> (See the review of “Perfect” by clicking here<\/a>.)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\nI tweet (on X) baseball @DavidBaseballRT<\/h3>\n