Most Minimal Big League "Cups of Coffee"

[Brownieand45sfan]

As an 11-y.o. Cardinal fan, I was focused on the tale of frustration that was Bart Zeller, a minor-league journeyman catcher in the Cards' organization, stuck behind Tim McCarver, Joe Torre, Ted Simmons and bullpen catcher extraordinaire Dave Ricketts (and later bullpen coach). In 1970, Zeller would finally appear in one game as a backup catcher but never get a plate appearance. He did have one TC (a putout). Below is a link to a story from a local paper about Zeller's frustration, and attached is his minor league record.

My question is: how many other major leaguers had this brief a "cup of coffee", viz. neither throwing a pitch nor appearing at home plate? Is there one who did not get a TC either?

http://http://www.thesouthern.com/articles/2007/06/09/sports/20537534.txt

[RuthMayBond]

As an 11-y.o. Cardinal fan, I was focused on the tale of frustration that was Bart Zeller, a minor-league journeyman catcher in the Cards' organization, stuck behind Tim McCarver, Joe Torre, Ted Simmons and bullpen catcher extraordinaire Dave Ricketts (and later bullpen coach). In 1970, Zeller would finally appear in one game as a backup catcher but never get a plate appearance. He did have one TC (a putout). Below is a link to a story from a local paper about Zeller's frustration, and attached is his minor league record.

My question is: how many other major leaguers had this brief a "cup of coffee", viz. neither throwing a pitch nor appearing at home plate? Is there one who did not get a TC either?Maybe
Jack Aragon
Pete Bigler
Jim Boyle
Sam Brenegan
Alex Burr?
Russ Ennis
Joe Evers
Charlie Fallon
Ralph Gagliano ...

[dgarza]

Maybe
Jack Aragon
Pete Bigler
Jim Boyle
Sam Brenegan
Alex Burr?

Bart Zeller - traded twice, once in an unknown transaction
Jack Aragon - no PAs and never took the field - then traded 6 years later!
Pete Bigler - no PAs and never took the field

[ipitch]

My question is: how many other major leaguers had this brief a "cup of coffee", viz. neither throwing a pitch nor appearing at home plate? Is there one who did not get a TC either?

It appears that there are dozens of these guys. Here are just a few...
Fred Marolewski (http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/marolfr01.shtml)
Frank Verdi (http://www.baseball-reference.com/v/verdifr01.shtml)
Paul Schramka (http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/schrapa01.shtml)
Alex Garbowski (http://www.baseball-reference.com/g/garboal01.shtml)
Doug Hansen (http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hansedo01.shtml)
Bob Scherbarth (http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/scherbo01.shtml)
Bob Mavis (http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/mavisbo01.shtml)
Jack Cassini (http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/cassija01.shtml)


This guy scored 4 runs, but never batted...
Eddie Phillips (http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/philled02.shtml)

[RuthMayBond]

This guy scored 4 runs, but never batted...
http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/philled02.shtmlReminds me of Don Hopkins, Matt Alexander

[Utter Chaos]

The ultimate cup of coffee player was Larry Yount, brother of Robin. He was a pitcher for the Astros and was all set to make his major league debut in relief when he hurt himself warming up and had to come out of the game without throwing a pitch. He never made it back to the big leagues but since he was announced into the game he is credited with 1 game played with 0 pitches thrown.

[dgarza]

This guy scored 4 runs, but never batted...
http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/philled02.shtml

The original Herb Washington.

Speaking of Herb Washington, when is a DH ever a fielder?
Check out his fielding section :
http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/washihe01.shtml

[KCGHOST]

Then there is the amazing story of Chet Trail, the only man to be on a world series roster (1964 Yanks) to never appear in a major league game of any variety in any capacity.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Chet_Trail

[Erik Bedard]

Similar to Steve Green (http://www.baseball-reference.com/g/greenst01.shtml) and Jack Sheehan (http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/sheehja01.shtml). Green, despite being on the 60-day DL, was placed on the '02 Angels postseason roster, so that he could be replaced by Francisco Rodriguez, who would not otherwise have been eligible. Sheehan had eleven postseason ABs, compared to 17 in the regular season (five in the year he played in the WS).

EDIT: Just found Mark Kiger (http://www.baseball-reference.com/k/kigerma01.shtml).

[Utter Chaos]

Archibald "Moonlight" Graham from Field of Dreams fame made his debut on June 29, 1905 as a defensive replacement in the 8th inning for George Browne. He was on deck when Claude Elliott flied out to end the game. He never appeared in another big league game.

[RuthMayBond]

I think these would qualify
Adam Greenberg
Gary Hargis
Mickey Harrington
Bob Hegman
Eddie Hunter
Dan Jessee
somebody Joyce who played 8/14/1886
Duke Kelleher . . .

[Ubiquitous]

As far as I can tell there have been 88 positional players that have appeared in a game at least once and never made it up to bat. Though that does not of course include hit by pitch. Adam Greenberg in 2005 was making his major league debut when on the very first pitch he was hit in the head and given a concussion. He hasn't made it back since.

The most games is of course Herb Washington with 105 games, followed by Eddie Phillips 9 and Jack Cassini with 8.


Games From To
1 Herb Washington 105 1974 1975
2 Eddie Phillips 9 1953 1953
3 Jack Cassini 8 1949 1949
4 Doug Hansen 3 1951 1951
5 Mel Ingram 3 1929 1929
6 Paul Hinson 3 1928 1928
7 Del Wertz 3 1914 1914
8 Jim Byrd 2 1993 1993
9 Greg Keatley 2 1981 1981
10 Jim Lawrence 2 1963 1963
11 Leroy Powell 2 1955 1957
12 Paul Schramka 2 1953 1953
13 Alex Garbowski 2 1952 1952
14 Johnny Echols 2 1939 1939
15 Lloyd Russell 2 1938 1938
16 Dino Chiozza 2 1935 1935
17 Fred Frink 2 1934 1934
18 Walt Walsh 2 1920 1920
19 Bob Berman 2 1918 1918
20 Brian Esposito 1 2007 2007
21 Drew Macias 1 2007 2007
22 Joe Hietpas 1 2004 2004
23 Pedro Santana 1 2001 2001
24 Bob Hegman 1 1985 1985
25 John Lickert 1 1981 1981
26 Gary Hargis 1 1979 1979
27 Bart Zeller 1 1970 1970
28 Ralph Gagliano 1 1965 1965
29 John Sanders 1 1965 1965
30 Mickey Harrington 1 1963 1963
31 Jack Feller 1 1958 1958
32 Nick Testa 1 1958 1958
33 John Oldham 1 1956 1956
34 Chris Kitsos 1 1954 1954
35 Fred Marolewski 1 1953 1953
36 Frank Verdi 1 1953 1953
37 Bob Scherbarth 1 1950 1950
38 Bob Mavis 1 1949 1949
39 John Corriden 1 1946 1946
40 Otis Davis 1 1946 1946
41 Ray Medeiros 1 1945 1945
42 Mike Kosman 1 1944 1944
43 Garth Mann 1 1944 1944
44 Gene Patton 1 1944 1944
45 Hank Schmulbach 1 1943 1943
46 Jack Aragon 1 1941 1941
47 Charlie Marshall 1 1941 1941
48 Buddy Hancken 1 1940 1940
49 Harry O'Neill 1 1939 1939
50 Bob Daughters 1 1937 1937
51 Eddie Hunter 1 1933 1933
52 Owen Kahn 1 1930 1930
53 Dan Jessee 1 1929 1929
54 Terry Lyons 1 1929 1929
55 Red Smith 1 1927 1927
56 Jim Boyle 1 1926 1926
57 Russ Ennis 1 1926 1926
58 Mel Kerr 1 1925 1925
59 Joe Bennett 1 1923 1923
60 Leo Taylor 1 1923 1923
61 Elmer Pence 1 1922 1922
62 Jim Mahady 1 1921 1921
63 Jesse Baker 1 1919 1919
64 Pete Bigler 1 1917 1917
65 Otto Neu 1 1917 1917
66 Arch Reilly 1 1917 1917
67 Duke Kelleher 1 1916 1916
68 Johnny O'Connor 1 1916 1916
69 Ray Shook 1 1916 1916
70 Ollie Welf 1 1916 1916
71 John Karst 1 1915 1915
72 Sam Brenegan 1 1914 1914
73 Alex Burr 1 1914 1914
74 Ralph Shafer 1 1914 1914
75 Joe Evers 1 1913 1913
76 John Merritt 1 1913 1913
77 Jack Smith 1 1912 1912
78 Homer Thompson 1 1912 1912
79 Fred Walden 1 1912 1912
80 Danny Mahoney 1 1911 1911
81 Cy Neighbors 1 1908 1908
82 Charlie Fallon 1 1905 1905
83 Moonlight Graham 1 1905 1905
84 Frank Mahar 1 1902 1902
85 Harry Stanton 1 1900 1900
86 Phil Wisner 1 1895 1895
87 Joyce 1 1886 1886
88 Sandy McDermott 1 1885 1885

[RuthMayBond]

Ubiq, could you do the same for pitchers who pitched to no batters, in case there's someone other than Yount? Looks like we've got about 49 guys who appeared in at least one ML game and had no plate apps, fielding chances or batters pitched to. (I kinda wonder if they've got the fielding stats correct on some of those old-timers) If we're going to make a category of "*I* could have done that", add Nick Testa and Fred Walden, they booted their only fielding chance :ughh

[Ubiquitous]

It is almost impossible to be a pitcher and not face batter and still get into the "game". You basically have to pull a Yount or pickoff a runner for the last out of the inning.

[RuthMayBond]

It is almost impossible to be a pitcher and not face batter and still get into the "game". You basically have to pull a Yount or pickoff a runner for the last out of the inning.I guess you could do no innings, no hits and no walks and see what you get

[Utter Chaos]

I guess you could do no innings, no hits and no walks and see what you getBesides Yount there's only one other "pitcher" that gave up no hits, no innings, and no walks. It happened on Sept 28, 1952. Some guy named Musial.

From http://www.baseballlibrary.com/ballplayers/player.php?name=Stan_Musial_1920&page=chronology
Sep 28, 1952 - Stan Musial makes his only ML pitching appearance. With his 6th batting title wrapped up‚ he takes the mound against the Cubs Frank Baumholtz‚ the runner-up in the batting race in a confrontation agreed upon before the game. Baumholtz‚ batting righthanded‚ reaches base on an error by 3B Solly Hemus‚ and Harvey Haddix‚ who had shifted to RF‚ comes back for Musial.

[RuthMayBond]

Looks like we've got about 49 guys who appeared in at least one ML game and had no plate apps, fielding chances or batters pitched to. (I kinda wonder if they've got the fielding stats correct on some of those old-timers) If we're going to make a category of "*I* could have done that", add Nick Testa and Fred Walden, they booted their only fielding chance :ughhWe could probably "field" a "team" at all the positions but who would want to do it? :laugh

[E.Howard 32]

Eddie Gaedel - 1 game, 0 AB, 1 plate appearance, 1 Walk.

[VIBaseball]

Joe Hietpas (2004 Mets) is the guy who most resembles the guy who was the original thread subject, Bart Zeller. He caught the bottom of the 9th in, as I recall, the last game of the season. Joe was a good receiver but couldn't hit a lick despite his size. Last I heard, he had started over in the minors as a knuckleball pitcher.

[Gary Dunaier]

He never made it back to the big leagues but since he was announced into the game he is credited with 1 game played with 0 pitches thrown.
By "announced into the game," you mean he was announced by the public address announcer, correct?

[Matty]

I noticed on www.baseball-reference.com that Otis Davis was a recent addition to their "In Memoriam" section. I looked him up and found that he actually died in April and only played in 1 game for the 1946 Brooklyn Dodgers without an at bat (he pinch ran) and scored a run.

This SABR site has an interesting story about him and his 1 game that he still dreamed about 60 years later.

http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=1683&pid=3346