Phantom Big Leaguers

charlieoscar

Member
Sep 28, 2014
1,339
The Washington Post published an article yesterday, The long, obscure and bittersweet history of 'Phantom Big-Leaguers', that talks about minor leaguers who were promoted to the major league roster but never appeared in a game. It is the work of a long-time SABR member with two databases of minor league players and non-roster invitees in spring training camps who never appeared in MLB games (~6,500 players from 1950-1999) and a database of players who made MLB rosters (433) who never appeared in an MLB game. This includes someone like 1979 Pirates call-up, catcher Harry Saferight, who was in the on-deck circle three times when the last out of the game was made. There is also Robin Yount's brother, Larry, who doesn't count because he was was announced as the Astro's new pitcher. He hurt his elbow warming up in the pen and was called into the game throwing a few more warm-up pitches before he walked off the mound and out of baseball.

Some may find it interesting.
 

sittingstill

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Jul 17, 2005
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Bay State Road
He hurt his elbow warming up in the pen and was called into the game throwing a few more warm-up pitches before he walked off the mound and out of baseball.
He was out of the majors, but not out of baseball. His ill-fated day was in September of '71, but he played in the minors in '72, '73 and '75.