Can Position Players Really Pitch? Part Two

It is an ugly last resort, but sometimes even the bullpen needs to be saved other than providing the save. Throughout baseball history position players have been brought to the mound to pitch. It doesn’t happen too often, but it does indeed happen. Sometimes they are successful and sometimes it is just down right ugly.

Most recently, the New York Yankees  used the first position player to pitch since Wade Boggs in 1997.  On April 13, 2009, in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Nick Swisher pitched one inning in relief, allowing one hit and one walk before retiring the next three batters in a row in a 15–5 losing cause.

Gabe Kapler was Swisher’s only strikeout victim, but proved he could be utilized in a bullpen bind.

Since Swisher’s debut at the mound 4 other position players have already climbed the hill in 2009. Cody Ross, Jonathan Van Every, Paul Janish and Josh Wilson have added themselves to the list of position players that have pitched.

According to Major League Baseball, Janish, who was recruited to attend Rice as a pitcher, became the first Reds position player to pitch since Lenny Harris did it on June 1, 1998, at San Francisco. Janish struck out the first batter he faced, firing pitches in the 88-91 MPH range. Then unfortunately the Brewers began to unload the ball in every corner of the ball park. He left the game only after racking up a shocking 45.00 ERA, a number that he may never be able to redeem.

You have to give these players credit. Moving from a position on the field to the mound takes guts, and a great athletic ability. Some players invite the challenge while other are not too fond of the idea. Even coaches have mixed feelings about bringing in a postion player.

Dusty Baker told ESPN, that he has a huge concern for injuries when making such a drastic move. Some situations however, leave no other choice.

In baseball’s early years, baseball teams were smaller, and relief pitchers were relatively uncommon, with the starter normally remaining for the entire game unless he was either thoroughly ineffective or became injured. Today, with a much greater emphasis on pitch count (100 being the “magic number” in general), over the course of a single game a team will frequently use from two to five pitchers creating a higher demmand and strain on a team’s bullpen.

A total of 107 position players have taken the mound since 1979, and with a number larger than most position players pitching in an entire season-5 lucky players have already made their debut six weeks into the 2009 season.

2007
Jeff Cirillo – Arizona Diamondbacks
Aaron Miles – St. Louis Cardinals
Augie Ojeda – Arizona Diamondbacks
Scott Spiezio – St. Louis Cardinals
Josh Wilson – Tampa Bay Devil Rays
Jason Wood – Florida Marlins

2008
Tony Pena – Kansas City Royals
Jamie Burke – Seattle Mariners
Aaron Miles – St. Louis Cardinals

2009
Jonathan Van Every – Boston Red Sox
Paul Janish – Cincinatti Reds
Cody Ross – Florida Marlins
Nick Swisher – New York Yankees
Josh Wilson – Arizona Diamondbacks

With already 5 (count ‘em 5) players already; will MLB  see over 20 position players taking the mound in 2009? It sure doesn’t look impossible.

We said it before and now we are saying it again! POSITION PLAYERS CAN REALLY PITCH!