Anyway, super prospect Salty got his first start and did fairly well. 0 for 2 with a walk and a HBP. Let's see how that ranks with other big debuts. Note: I am using the player's first start over just simply getting an at-bat or playing an inning on defense. Seems funner that way.
September 17, 1988 - Before he was the co-host of the pre-game and post-game wrap-up show on the Braves Radio Network, Mark Lemke was an actual baseball player with a uniform and everything. He got his first shot against Jack McKeon and the San Diego Padres in game one of a twin-bill. How bad were the 1988 Braves? Lemke followed Andres Thomas as the "protection" for Dale Murphy. The Lemmer had an 0ffer, but he did walk in the 8th and after a wild pitch, scored on a Bruce Benedict single. He played the second game of the doubleheader, but fared even worse, going 0 for 4 with a double play. May 24, 1989 - David Justice is called up and in front a rousing crowd of 5,896 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, Justice is put in the sixth spot as Bob Walk and Derek Lilliquist faced off. The damn game kept going long enough for Justice to cash in on his hype and in the bottom of the 12th, he led off the inning against Randy Kramer with a single on the third pitch of the at-bat. He was stranded and the Braves would lose 4-1 in 13. Nice 1 for 5 game with a K _and_ a caught stealing for the boy king.
October 1, 1992 - With the NL West wrapped up, Javy Lopez got his first start of his career. Along with him for the ride was Ryan Klesko. Both players had been September callups so they were not stepping in for the first time. In fact, Lopez had doubled as a pinch hitter in his first major league at-bat. Klesko was not quite as successful, going hitless in his first eight at-bats. His bad luck continued as, batting cleanup in a makeshift lineup that included one true regular, Klesko went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts. However, he did get an RBI. Meanwhile, the San Francisco Giants picked on Lopez, stealing three bases off him. He did added two singles and an RBI. Tommy Gregg won the game with a walk-off homer in the tenth.
April 26, 1995 - The Chipper Jones Era Begins. Jones had played parts of eight games in 1993 as a 21 year-old, but never got into the starting lineup. That all changed with opening day of the strike-delayed season opener. Facing Terry Mulholland, his future teammate, Jones followed a double by Marques Grissom and a single by Jeff Blauser with an RBI single of his own to give the Braves their first lead of a championship season. He finished 2 for 5 with 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored in the 12-5 opening day rout.
August 15, 1996 - A year and half after Chipper landed, Andruw Jones got his callup and batted second while playing right field. He wouldn't get his first start in center until the 29th. Welcome to the bigs, Andruw. You get to face Curt Schilling and the Phils. After going hitless in his first three at-bats, Andruw finally saw another pitcher and ripped an RBI single off Ricardo Jordan in the ninth. He would later score on a single by Ryan Klesko. The Braves won 8-5. April 4, 2000 - Andruw Jones was a young phenom coming off a phenomenal minor league season. Rafael Furcal was a young phenom coming off a great spring to jump from A-ball all the way to the majors. In the second game, he cashed in with a start, playing short and batting 8th. Like Andruw Jones, his first at-bat ended in a strikeout swinging, but in his third at-bat, with the Braves ahead 3-2, Furcal ripped a single with two outs off of Rolando Arroyo. He swiped second and went to third on an error, but was stranded. He singled again in the 8th, but was caught stealing. Going 2 for 4 with a steal was the first sign of a player deserving of the Rookie of the Year award.
April 17, 2001 - His first big moment came in his third start, but Marcus Giles's first start as not very notable. He started and played second until the bottom of the seventh, when Keith Lockhart pinch-hit for him. Giles' debut as a starter? 0-2. Of course, in his third start, he drilled a game-winning Grand Slam...and of course, he got demoted just two days later. Oops.
May 29, 2005 - The first of the Baby Braves was Kelly Johnson as he took over leftfield against the Phillies. He was put in the third spot, dropping Chipper Jones to fourth, and told to go out and be the next Chipper Jones. However, in his first start, Jones faced Terry Mulholland, a guy with no stuff, while KJ was facing Brett Myers. No fair. Nonetheless, KJ walked in his second plate appearance and brought a run in with a fielder's choice in the 8th. Overall, he went 0 for 3 with a run scored, an RBI, and a walk.
June 10, 2005 - Brian McCann makes a jump to the majors and bats 8th with Kyle Davies on the mound. In his first at-bat, he drives in Andruw Jones with a base hit to make it 2-0. He was intentionally walked in his second at-bat as Dan Haren wanted nothing to do with him with a runner on second and two outs. After lining out in his third trip to plate, he led off the bottom of the ninth with the Braves down by two with a single, but was caught after Andy Marte lined into a double play. Great start to what is shaping up to be a major career.
July 7, 2005 - Has anyone had the debut Jeff Francoeur had? With ESPN and the world watching, Francoeur was batting seventh and playing right field in front of his home crowd in the second game of a doubleheader with the Chicago Cubs. He looked over-matched in his first three at-bats, striking out twice. However, the 8th came around. After a two-run jack by Andruw Jones put the Braves in the lead 5-4, Adam LaRoche reached on a single and the Cubs went to Glendon Rusch and who doesn't want to see Glendon Rusch come in? Well, probably the fans of whatever team he is on. Brian McCann put a bunt down and Aramis Ramirez and Rusch had no idea what to do with it. With runners on second-and-first, Francoeur worked a great at-bat. On the seventh pitch, Rusch gave him a fastball and every coach in the world was wondering why he gave a rookie a fastball around the belt. The ball soared toward center and was out for a three-run jack. Of course, in typical Bobby Cox fashion, Francoeur was not allowed to finish the ninth and was replaced for a fielder.
June 18, 2006 - Andruw Jones could have helped Scott Thorman with having to face Curt Schilling on opening day. I had spent a month on the Free Thor campaign as I wanted to see him get his shot. He hit third and saw three pitches in the first before striking out swinging. In his second at-bat, he advanced Marcus Giles to third on a groundout and Andruw Jones singled in a runner. Two more flyouts and his first day was over with an unimpressive 0 for 4 and a strikeout. The Braves lost their seventh straight that day.
So, what prospect had the best first start? I think Francoeur obviously had the most emotional, though Chipper Jones had the best overall day in the lineup. However, as I tend to do on all matters, I am giving the nod to Brian McCann. Despite all the responsibilities that go with catching, he stepped in and had an all-around perfect debut and was even walked intentionally.
No comments:
Post a Comment