Pat Putnam
Encyclopedia
Patrick Edward Putnam is a former Major League Baseball
first baseman
. He played eight seasons in the majors from until .
first round pick in the 1975 Major League Baseball Draft
out of the University of South Alabama
. He'd been drafted a year earlier by the New York Mets
, but did not sign. Putnam batted only .242 his first professional season
in the Rangers' farm system, however, his batting average
jumped to .361 with 24 home runs in . After batting .301 with 15 home runs and 102 runs batted in for the triple A Tucson Toros
in , Putnam made his Major League debut as the designated hitter
batting fourth against the Boston Red Sox
on September 2.
Putnam again tore up the Pacific Coast League
with Tucson in , batting .309 with 21 home runs and 96 RBIs. He had only two RBIs with the Rangers that season, however, they were both big ones. He managed to drive in the only run in their 1-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners
on September 22, and two days later, in the Rangers' 5-3 victory at Arlington Stadium
over the Mariners, Putnam hit his first major league home run.
Putnam mostly appeared in the line-up as a designated hitter until on Monday, May 28, , when regular Rangers first baseman
Mike Jorgensen
was hit in the head
by a pitch from Boston Red Sox
pitcher
Andy Hassler
. Putnam took over as the Rangers' regular first baseman for the next month. Putnam made the most of the opportunity and batter .277 with 18 home runs and 64 RBIs to finish fourth in Rookie of the Year balloting.
Putnam failed to live up to his early promise, and in found himself back in the minors with the Denver Bears of the American Association
. During the off-season, he was traded to the Seattle Mariners for Ron Musselman
.
on August 29, . He signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals
in , and spent the entire season with their triple A affiliate, the Omaha Royals
. He played two seasons in Japan for the Nippon Ham Fighters
in and before retiring.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
. He played eight seasons in the majors from until .
Texas Rangers
Putnam was the Texas Rangers'Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
first round pick in the 1975 Major League Baseball Draft
1975 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1975 Major League Baseball draft..Many baseball draft experts consider the 1975 draft to be the weakest in MLB history.- External links :*- References :...
out of the University of South Alabama
University of South Alabama
The University of South Alabama is a public, doctoral-level university in Mobile, Alabama, USA. It was created by the Alabama Legislature in 1963, and replaced existing extension programs operated in Mobile by the University of Alabama. No other areas of the state were willing to support such a...
. He'd been drafted a year earlier by the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, but did not sign. Putnam batted only .242 his first professional season
1975 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Cincinnati Reds over Boston Red Sox ; Pete Rose, MVP*All-Star Game, July 15 at County Stadium: National League, 6-3; Bill Madlock and Jon Matlack, MVPs-Other champions:...
in the Rangers' farm system, however, his batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
jumped to .361 with 24 home runs in . After batting .301 with 15 home runs and 102 runs batted in for the triple A Tucson Toros
Tucson Toros
The Tucson Toros are a professional baseball team based in Tucson, Arizona, in the United States. They are owned by Tucson Baseball, LLC with Jay Zucker as chairman of the board. Sean Smock is the team's general manager....
in , Putnam made his Major League debut as the designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
batting fourth against the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
on September 2.
Putnam again tore up the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
with Tucson in , batting .309 with 21 home runs and 96 RBIs. He had only two RBIs with the Rangers that season, however, they were both big ones. He managed to drive in the only run in their 1-0 victory over the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
on September 22, and two days later, in the Rangers' 5-3 victory at Arlington Stadium
Arlington Stadium
Arlington Stadium was a baseball stadium located in Arlington, Texas, United States, located between Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas. It served as the home for the Texas Rangers from 1972 until 1993, when the team moved into The Ballpark in Arlington .-1960s:The stadium was built in 1965 as Turnpike...
over the Mariners, Putnam hit his first major league home run.
Putnam mostly appeared in the line-up as a designated hitter until on Monday, May 28, , when regular Rangers first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
Mike Jorgensen
Mike Jorgensen
Michael Jorgensen is a former Major League Baseball player drafted by the New York Mets in the fourth round of the 1966 Major League Baseball Draft...
was hit in the head
Beanball
"Beanball" is a colloquialism used in baseball, for a ball thrown at an opposing player with the intention of striking him such as to cause harm, often connoting a throw at the player's head...
by a pitch from Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Andy Hassler
Andy Hassler
Andrew Earl Hassler was a Major League pitcher for the California Angels , Kansas City Royals , Boston Red Sox , New York Mets , Pittsburgh Pirates and St...
. Putnam took over as the Rangers' regular first baseman for the next month. Putnam made the most of the opportunity and batter .277 with 18 home runs and 64 RBIs to finish fourth in Rookie of the Year balloting.
Putnam failed to live up to his early promise, and in found himself back in the minors with the Denver Bears of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
. During the off-season, he was traded to the Seattle Mariners for Ron Musselman
Ron Musselman
Ralph Ronald Musselman is a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays ....
.
Final seasons
After a season and a half in Seattle, Putnam was traded to the Minnesota TwinsMinnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
on August 29, . He signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
in , and spent the entire season with their triple A affiliate, the Omaha Royals
Omaha Royals
The Omaha Storm Chasers are a United States minor league baseball team currently based in the Omaha suburb of Papillion, Nebraska. The team is the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals major league club and has been a member of the expanded Pacific Coast League since 1998. From 1969 to 1997,...
. He played two seasons in Japan for the Nippon Ham Fighters
Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters
The are a Japanese professional baseball team based in Sapporo, Hokkaidō. They compete in the Pacific League of Nippon Professional Baseball, playing the majority of their home games at the Sapporo Dome. The Fighters also host a select number of regional home games in cities across Hokkaidō,...
in and before retiring.