BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: Campaign launched to get Adam Greenberg one official at-bat

Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Campaign launched to get Adam Greenberg one official at-bat

Remember Adam Greenberg? Unless you’re a die-hard Cubs fan, baseball trivia nut or have an outstanding memory, chances are you do not.

Greenberg was called up to the majors by the Cubs in July of 2005. In the ninth inning of an eventual 8-2 Cubs win over the Marlins, then-Cubs manager Dusty Baker called upon the 24-year-old Greenberg to pinch hit. It would be his first career plate appearance. The first pitch of Greenberg’s major-league career hit him in the head. He never stepped in a big-league batters’ box again.

Greenberg, now 31, is the only player in major-league history to be hit with the only pitch he ever saw. He’s battled post-concussion symptoms, vertigo and blurred vision since.

Still, he’d like to get a chance to have one more plate appearance and Cubs fan Matt Liston has launched a campaign called “One At Bat,” in support of Greenberg getting his chance.

Thanks to Barnald.

Repoz Posted: August 30, 2012 at 05:56 PM | 45 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: cubs

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

1. Walks Clog Up the Bases Posted: August 30, 2012 at 06:08 PM (#4223023)

I remember this mostly because Greenberg's call-up was a subsequent move to the Cubs finally gets sick enough of Corey Patterson that they demoted him to the minors.

2. AT-AT at bat@AT&T Posted: August 30, 2012 at 06:18 PM (#4223027)

If he´s smart he´ll draw a walk, because the pitcher will be afraid of hitting him !
A second HBP would eventually lead to the "until he gets a hit" drive !
Next thing you know, Greenberg will resolve the Middle East and North Africa crises and run for POTUS in 2016, which will also be the year New Yankee Stadium gets the ASG.
And then, due to some faulty Mayan astronomy, the world suddenly ends after a strikeout by Bryce Harper!
Seriously though, a heartbreaking story, and it so reminded me seeing Jeter get hit the other day.
You never know what will happen, cherish every moment !!! Go Cubs !

3. God Posted: August 30, 2012 at 06:24 PM (#4223029)

This is not only silly, but would ruin one of the all-time great trivia questions.

4. SoSH U at work Posted: August 30, 2012 at 06:27 PM (#4223030)

I'm not sure it's a good idea to send a guy who's suffered post-concussion syndrome, vertigo and blurred vision back in the box.

5. Bob Tufts Posted: August 30, 2012 at 06:31 PM (#4223033)

I will cone out of retirement and pitch to him.

I only threw one pitch at Wrigley Field. I came into a game to relieve Tom Griffin in the 6th inning with runners on second and third and a 2-0 count to Mike Lum. Manager Frank Robinson said "don't give him anything good to hit".

I proceeded to hit Mike Lum in the head. Robinson came out to take me out of the game and while waiting for Fred Breining to come in I told Frank "he didn't get anything good to hit".

Frank did not appreciate my attempt at humor.

6. bigglou115 Posted: August 30, 2012 at 06:31 PM (#4223035)

I'm not sure it's a good idea to send a guy who's suffered post-concussion syndromes, vertigo and blurred vision back in the box.

You just described Vinny Testaverde for the last decade of his NFL career, but he was also colorblind.

7. AT-AT at bat@AT&T Posted: August 30, 2012 at 06:32 PM (#4223036)

heroic cubs comeback in the ninth ! (so far)

8. AT-AT at bat@AT&T Posted: August 30, 2012 at 06:33 PM (#4223038)

and so(riano) ends it !

9. God Posted: August 30, 2012 at 07:09 PM (#4223057)

5 - That was quite cheeky for a kid pitching his fourth major league game!

10. Never Give an Inge (Dave) Posted: August 30, 2012 at 07:13 PM (#4223059)

I'm not sure it's a good idea to send a guy who's suffered post-concussion syndromes, vertigo and blurred vision back in the box.

It's not like he hasn't been in the batter's box since the HBP. He's played as high as AAA since then (although spent most of his time at AA), and was in the Independent leagues as recently as last season.

11. Tom Nawrocki Posted: August 30, 2012 at 07:18 PM (#4223061)

I proceeded to hit Mike Lum in the head. Robinson came out to take me out of the game and while waiting for Fred Breining to come in I told Frank "he didn't get anything good to hit".

Awesome.

12. McCoy Wilfong for Money Posted: August 30, 2012 at 07:19 PM (#4223064)

You'd think Frank would appreciate an efficient pitcher who didn't waste any pitches and put the fear into opposing hitters.

13. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines Posted: August 30, 2012 at 07:28 PM (#4223068)

The best part is the reference to Fred Breining, who I had vaguely heard of as an ex-baseball pitcher but based purely on the name would have guessed had played somewhere between 1905 and 1920.

Anyway, the Cubs can sign Greenberg again and Roger Clemens can pitch to him. Then they can go into the Hall of Fame together.

14. BDC

Posted: August 30, 2012 at 07:32 PM (#4223072)

Unless Greenberg is to be the anti-Moonlight-Graham, he also needs an inning in the field. The hotdog-choking and turning into Burt Lancaster may be more difficult to arrange …

15. Joe Bivens, Minor Genius Posted: August 30, 2012 at 07:45 PM (#4223080)

One PA, one pitch, one beanball, one concussion? Who hit Greenberg? Dmitri Young?

16. asinwreck Posted: August 30, 2012 at 07:50 PM (#4223082)

Frank did not appreciate my attempt at humor.

I am trying to imagine the expression on his face. He didn't send you to the DL after that, did he?

17. Everybody Loves Tyrus Raymond Posted: August 30, 2012 at 08:06 PM (#4223089)

I proceeded to hit Mike Lum in the head. Robinson came out to take me out of the game and while waiting for Fred Breining to come in I told Frank "he didn't get anything good to hit".

Bob, that's one of the best baseball anecdotes I've heard in some time. Thanks for the laugh!

18. Slivers of Maranville (SdeB) Posted: August 30, 2012 at 08:12 PM (#4223091)

Another career ruined by Dusty Baker.

19. UCCF Posted: August 30, 2012 at 08:20 PM (#4223093)

I always wished the Cubs had called him up the next September when the rosters expanded. Let him sit on the bench a few days, put him into a game at Wrigley. He'd have gotten a huge ovation at home, and that team was headed for a last place finish. How much damage could he really have done if you let him play a couple of games?

Instead, they gave him half a season in the minors to start 2006, then cut him.

20. Rennie's Tenet Posted: August 30, 2012 at 08:21 PM (#4223094)

Fred Breining, who I had vaguely heard of as an ex-baseball pitcher but based purely on the name would have guessed had played somewhere between 1905 and 1920.

An indispensable part of the We Are Family Pirates in 1979.

21. Bob Tufts Posted: August 30, 2012 at 08:34 PM (#4223098)

June 28, 1979: Traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates with Al Holland and Ed Whitson to the San Francisco Giants for Bill Madlock, Lenny Randle and Dave Roberts.

Fred came to Shreveport in mid-1979 to our AA team in the Texas League.

G-d - This is how I was used in my first four MLB games:

Came in with no outs and a runner on first to face Harry Spillman and gave up a bloop single to left (would've gotten out of the inning except for a Joe Morgan error on a ground ball by Terry Puhl)
Came in with a 3-0 count to Dan Driessen, threw ball four, walked Knight on four pitches
Came in with a 3-1 count to Mike Easler, fly out to left
Came in with a 2-0 count to Mike Lum, hit him

Just your normal usage pattern!

22. charityslave is thinking about baseball Posted: August 30, 2012 at 08:46 PM (#4223105)

Were you the mid-at bat specialist?

23. The Long Arm of Rudy Law Posted: August 30, 2012 at 08:48 PM (#4223106)

Only if Larry Yount is brought in to face him.

24. I Fought Vance Law and Vance Law Won Posted: August 30, 2012 at 08:52 PM (#4223109)

MABOHBPGY

25. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines Posted: August 30, 2012 at 09:00 PM (#4223117)

Harry Spillman, there's another one from the deadball era.

26. McCoy Wilfong for Money Posted: August 30, 2012 at 09:00 PM (#4223118)

G-d - This is how I was used in my first four MLB games:

Came in with no outs and a runner on first to face Harry Spillman and gave up a bloop single to left (would've gotten out of the inning except for a Joe Morgan error on a ground ball by Terry Puhl)
Came in with a 3-0 count to Dan Driessen, threw ball four, walked Knight on four pitches
Came in with a 3-1 count to Mike Easler, fly out to left
Came in with a 2-0 count to Mike Lum, hit him

So what was going through your mind through all of this? Had to be thinking you were getting scrooged on this or were you simply just happy to be up?

27. zonk Posted: August 30, 2012 at 09:07 PM (#4223127)

I always wished the Cubs had called him up the next September when the rosters expanded. Let him sit on the bench a few days, put him into a game at Wrigley. He'd have gotten a huge ovation at home, and that team was headed for a last place finish. How much damage could he really have done if you let him play a couple of games?

Ditto.

By that point, I was regularly buying the annual OOTP and ravenously consuming roster packs with full minor league levels. I made it a point to get Greenberg some part-time play.

Greenberg could have possibly been a fun little player, too - decent speed, would take a walk in the minors (back in the day when NO ONE in the Cubs system would take a walk). I don't think he would have ever developed enough power to play regularly, but I feel pretty strongly he could have been a nice backup OF.

If memory serves, he made it onto a couple of Cubs top 20 prospect lists (and mind you, this was back in the day when the Cubs had a pretty decent system).

28. Bob Tufts Posted: August 30, 2012 at 10:12 PM (#4223167)

So what was going through your mind through all of this? Had to be thinking you were getting scrooged on this or were you simply just happy to be up?

Yes, happy to be there (you'd better be - that's is the goal when you play professional ball) but I knew that I was being put in impossible situations. You hope for the best and try to build some positive momentum for later in the season or the next season.

29. jobu Posted: August 30, 2012 at 11:10 PM (#4223200)

It would be a nice story for Greenberg to get an at-bat. I'd be part of a standing O for him if I were there.

My all-time "just bring him up and give him one stinking at-bat" guy is still Joe Xavier, who spent ~3 years in AAA, ending in ~1990.

30. LooseCannon Posted: August 31, 2012 at 01:42 AM (#4223267)

I proceeded to hit Mike Lum in the head.

I can only respect that if it was intentional.

31. dlf Posted: August 31, 2012 at 03:19 AM (#4223287)

Bob ~ Please get to work on that unpublished manuscript. Each time you drop one of these little tidbits into a random post here, I get more excited about reading your book.

32. AROM Posted: August 31, 2012 at 08:47 AM (#4223354)

"Just your normal usage pattern!"

Wow. Coming in mid count for 3 consecutive games. That has gotten so rare that I'm not sure if it's happened 3 times this season. Did Frank do this a lot? Were there extenuating circumstances, like long rain delays? I can totally understand if the previous pitcher had sat down for 2 hours that he wasn't going to finish the count.

33. bunyon Posted: August 31, 2012 at 08:48 AM (#4223357)

Yeah, Bob, that anecdote in 5 is awesome.

It's one thing I love about baseball - with the pace and time between plays, there is usually an opportunity for a joke and those opportunities should be grabbed. Well done.

34. cercopithecus aethiops Posted: August 31, 2012 at 09:00 AM (#4223366)

The best part is the reference to Fred Breining, who I had vaguely heard of as an ex-baseball pitcher but based purely on the name would have guessed had played somewhere between 1905 and 1920.

An indispensable part of the We Are Family Pirates in 1979.

I'd have guessed that he played Gopher on The Love Boat.

35. jack the seal clubber (on the sidelines of life) Posted: August 31, 2012 at 09:07 AM (#4223367)

the strangest part is being told to pitch around Mike Lum.

36. Everybody Loves Tyrus Raymond Posted: August 31, 2012 at 01:49 PM (#4223791)

the strangest part is being told to pitch around Mike Lum.

The strange part is Frank Robinson's apparent proclivity for going to the bullpen mid-count. No better way to break in a rookie pitcher than keep bringing him in to face hitter's counts.

37. Big fan Posted: August 31, 2012 at 02:54 PM (#4223868)

to be honest I dont rememebr Bob Tufts at all - but as soon as his book comes out I am buying it!

38. Mike Emeigh

Posted: August 31, 2012 at 03:48 PM (#4223935)

The thing I like about Bob is that he's a month and a half older than I am :)

I remember him with the Royals, but not with the Giants - it wasn't until I looked it up that I realized he was part of the blockbuster Vida Blue/Atlee Hammaker trade. I also didn't remember that he was the player who went back to Cincy in the Charlie Leibrandt deal.

-- MWE

39. Bob Tufts Posted: August 31, 2012 at 08:27 PM (#4224133)

to be honest I dont rememebr Bob Tufts at all

Neitrher did I a few times in the minor leagues - be it a hotel bar in Albuquerque after a game or after a Giants team party in Houston that used the 1981 player fines (thanks, Billy North!)

40. Shock Posted: August 31, 2012 at 09:11 PM (#4224153)

Seven players have been hit in their only plate appearance.

41. Howie Menckel Posted: August 31, 2012 at 09:43 PM (#4224171)

great list, Shock

- Rheinecker (2006) was a Rangers AL pitcher.
- Van Dusen (1955) was only age 17, now lives in Queens, and it was his first game in organized baseball it seems. Played in minors til 1961.
- Malis (1934) was a pitcher.
- Grubb (1912) was 21, and played in the minors from 1909-24.
- Faust (1911) was a pitcher.
- Wade (1907) was 27 and got a Sept callup.

42. Liver of blaspheming 'zop Posted: August 31, 2012 at 10:13 PM (#4224187)

- Faust (1911) was a pitcher.

That's one way to describe it . . .

43. Misirlou is bad, he's nationwide Posted: August 31, 2012 at 10:37 PM (#4224200)

Faust (1911) was a pitcher.

That's one way to describe it . . .

A Charles Victory Faust sighting! He also had 2 SB. Man, those Giants liked to run.

44. Howie Menckel Posted: August 31, 2012 at 11:09 PM (#4224208)

Faust's end game

Buried: Western WA St. Hospital For The Insane Mem. Cem., Steilacoom, WA

#justsayin

45. JJ1986 Posted: September 27, 2012 at 09:17 AM (#4246981)

Marlins are going to sign him on Wednesday. Say he'll get at least one at-bat.

You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.

<< Back to main

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Campaign launched to get Adam Greenberg one official at-bat

Reader Comments and Retorts

BBTF Sponsor

Support BBTF

Bookmarks

Hot Topics