The Worst
5. RHP George Goetz, Baltimore Orioles—June 17, 1889
9 IP, 12 H, 4 ER, 2 K; 0-4, 4 K
While George Goetz's pitching line was just good enough to earn him a victory in his only game over the Louisville Colonels, he earned his spot in infamous lore.
His nine innings pitched was actually not good enough to earn him a complete game, which was not too shocking at the time. His performance at the plate is considered bad in every time period, however.
Each of the four times he stepped to the plate, Goetz went down on three strikes. His four strikeouts is a category-high, and that is reason enough to put him on our list.
4. RHP Chris Haughey, Brooklyn Dodgers—October 3, 1943
0/3, 0 BB, 3 K; 7 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 10 BB
Like many people in this time, Chris Haughey made his MLB debut when the regular players were shipped off to WWII. What seperates him from the rest that not just that he only played one game—it's that he did so poorly.
On his 18th birthday, and the last game of the 1943 season, Haughey was set to take the mound against the Cincinnati Reds.
His performance on the mound was erratic at best with his category-high 10 walks, and a poor performance from his defense extenuated his poor play by plating three unearned runs, and the Dodgers ultimately lost, 6-1.
If Haughey wanted to help himself at the plate, he didn't show it. Haughey struck out each time he stepped up to the plate, the ultimate form of batting futility.
Haughey ended his one-game career with a .000 BA with three strikeouts and a 3.86 ERA.
3. P Lewis, Buffalo Bisons—July 12, 1890
3 IP, 60.00 ERA, 13 H, 20 ER, 7 BB, 1 K
Prepare yourself for smallest player bio of all-time, as this pitcher for the 1890 Buffalo Bisons must have entered the witness protection program following his performance.
He is known only as Lewis, and it's not known how old he was, what hand he used, or if he was human or an actual bison.
His statline, however, speaks volumes about his abilities as a baseball player.
He did have a hit in his five plate appearances, but after walking seven, giving up three home runs, and 20 runs—all earned—in just three innings of work, he made his mark.
Needless to say, his Bisons lost to the Brooklyn Ward's Wonders, 28- 16.
2. RHP Chris Mabeus, Milwaukee Brewers—May 29, 2006
1.2 IP, 21.60 ERA, 4 H, 4 ER, 3 WP
It's not often a relief pitcher can have the wheels come off so badly that he is deemed useless on the major league level afterward, but Chris Mabeus pulled it off in his first and only stint.
Coming in for the bottom of the seventh inning, Mabeus breezed through this first three outs, surrendoring only one walk in a scoreless inning. He even struck out the first batter he face in the eighth before the wheels came off.
Mabeus gave up a basehit, followed by a home run. He proceeded to walk the next batter, then advance him to second on a wild pitch. He wasn't done yet, as he threw yet another wild pitch to advance the runner to third.
After he eventually walked the batter he threw so wildly against, Mabeus saw a run score off a fielders choice ground ball.
However, he let the ball slip yet again, and the runner moved over to third before being driven in on double to the left-field corner.
Mabeus had watched four runs score, three pitches escape the catcher, and the deficit balloon to 10 before he was pulled.
Little did he know that when relief pitcher Joe Winkelsas replaced him, he would never play in the majors again.
After his debacle against Pittsburgh, Mabeus reviewed his short MLB career, and he is now retired from the game.
1a. Joe Cleary, Washington Senators—Aug. 4, 1945
0.1 IP, 189.00 ERA, 5 H, 7 ER, 3 BB, 1 WP
Filling in for players departed for WWII, Cleary came in during the fourth inning of game two of the Senators' double-header with the Boston Red Sox.
That was the only highlight of his day.
Cleary faced only nine hitters, and he allowed eight of them to reach base, seven of which were allowed to cross home plate. The awful performance set a MLB record for the highest ERA for a player with a recorded out.
However, as woeful as it may appear, his play did pave way for one of the strangest, yet most inspiring, one-game careers in history.
Needing someone—anyone—to replace Cleary, the Senators turned to Bert Shepard.
Shepard pitched five innings, gave up one run, and struck out two. His statline doesn't seem impressive until you consider one amazing fact:
He played with one leg.
Shepard served as a fighter pilot serving in the war, and he had his leg amputated after his plane was shot down in Germany. After returning to the United States, Shepard was focused on resuming his baseball career.
Despite being a career minor leaguer, Shepard impressed Senators owner Clark Griffith enough to be hired as a pitching coach for the 1945 season. Desperate for fresh pitchers in their fourth consecutive double-header, the Senators sent Shepard out to pitch.
All of a sudden, his stats seem a little better, no?
They certainly dwarf those of Cleary, who, after his early exit, would be the last Ireland native to pitch in a major league game.
We're going to send you the most entertaining MLB articles, videos, and podcasts from around the web.
30 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete