Dodgers Making Their First MLB Start
by Eric Stephen on Apr 10, 2009 8:16 AM PDT
in Dodgers History & Records
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PrintSince I showed the Dodgers' record against opponents making their first major league start the other day, it's only fair that I show what Dodger pitchers have actually done in the same circumstance. After all, James McDonald is making his first MLB start this evening in Arizona. Here's a look at the last few Dodger starting debuts:
| Pitcher | Year | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | Result |
| Clayton Kershaw | 2008 | 6.0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | W, 4-3 |
| Hiroki Kuroda | 2008 | 7.0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | W, 7-1 |
| Eric Stults | 2006 | 6.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | W, 9-1 |
| Hong-Chih Kuo | 2006 | 6.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | W, 5-0 |
| Chad Billingsley | 2006 | 5.1 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | W, 7-3 |
| D.J. Houlton | 2005 | 5.1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | W, 2-1 |
| Derek Thompson | 2005 | 5.0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | L, 4-5 |
| Edwin Jackson | 2003 | 6.0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | W, 4-1 |
| Victor Alvarez | 2002 | 7.0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | L, 0-2 |
| Kazuhisa Ishii | 2002 | 5.2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 | W, 9-4 |
| Luke Prokopec | 2000 | 4.1 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | L, 4-5 |
| Jeff Williams | 1999 | 5.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | W, 9-4 |
| Eric Gagne | 1999 | 6.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | L, 1-2 |
| Mike Judd | 1999 | 6.1 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | W, 10-5 |
| Jamie Arnold | 1999 | 6.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | W, 8-2 |
| Totals | 87.2 | 53 | 21 | 17 | 25 | 66 | 11-4, 1.75 ERA | |
That really is a remarkable run of debuts. There might not be an Astacio in the bunch, but there are some memorable games on there. Who can forget Edwin Jackson on his 20th birthday besting The Big Unit, a man almost exactly twice his age? I still remember watching Gagne's debut in Florida, thinking he would be something special. I was right, but not how I intended.
The last pitcher in his starting debut to give up more than two earned runs was Mike Judd ten years ago. Luke Prokopec really had the only other bad start in the bunch, and three of his four runs allowed were unearned. The last truly bad start by a Dodger making his first start was Rick Gorecki, who gave up nine runs in two and a third innings on the last day of the season in 1997. It's not a bad run when you have to go back a dozen years to find a bad start.
Will James McDonald follow suit, and pitch a good game tonight in Arizona? We'll soon find out.
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First draft ommitted Kuo
He slipped under the radar at first since he was a reliever prior to his first major league start against the Mets.
The Kuo and Stults starting debuts were in a 3-day span in New York, really capturing the Mets’ vulnerability against lefties that season. It led to Kuo getting a start against NY in the playoffs that year.
and I added D.J. Houlton
these damn relievers turned starters!!!!
by Eric Stephen on Apr 10, 2009 8:48 AM PDT up reply actions
Key starts
in a pennant race. The whole Sept performance by Kuo let me to believe he’d be a decent rotation candidate. Now we will never know.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Same with Edwin Jackson
Dodgers were fighting for their playoff lives on 9/9/83 (were 2 games out of the wild card) and the 20-year old showed why he was so highly touted.
by Eric Stephen on Apr 10, 2009 8:53 AM PDT up reply actions
As was excited about that game
as I was Magic Johnsons debut against the Clippers. They both had electric results.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
So how many more debuts this year?
Lindblom?
Elbert?
Castillo?
Adkins?
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Do you mean as starters?
Of that group, only Lindblom and Elbert might start in 2009.
by Eric Stephen on Apr 10, 2009 9:15 AM PDT up reply actions
re:
Don’t be so sure that Castillo will not make his starting debut. We came very close to having to use him last year in an emergency start. Canuck certainly thought he might get the call.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
OK, the post is finally accurate
I scrambled to find all the part-time relievers or rookies who made some relief appearances before starting. Still, the run of great debuts continues.
I ommitted Masao Kida’s 1st start in 2003 because he was 34 and pitched two prior years in the majors (with Detroit) and was a veteran of Japan (although if he was still a rookie I would have included it like I did Kuroda). Even so, Kida gave up only 1 earned run in 5 innings, so his start was strong as well.
Derek Thomspon
was a bright spot for a moment in 2005 and then just like that was gone along with his career.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
After being traded
to Toronto in one of the better trades in Dodger history (Prokopec and Ricketts for Cesar Izturis and Paul Quantrill), he pitched one more season in the minors with Toronto and then returned to Austrailia to pitch.
by Eric Stephen on Apr 10, 2009 9:57 AM PDT up reply actions
Anybody see this
could have been a double tragedy yesterday.
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090409&content_id=4205706&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Good Lord
that was scary. He just crumpled.
by Eric Stephen on Apr 10, 2009 10:56 AM PDT up reply actions
Cameron looked worried
Little to close to the temple for my taste.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on Apr 10, 2009 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions
re:
Right, I marveled more at the ability of 40 year plus pitchers to defend themselves then I do for their pitching. Maddux was still amazing all the way upto his retirement.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
by Phil Gurnee on Apr 10, 2009 12:10 PM PDT up reply actions
Since this is James McDonald's major league start debut
I think we should do a game score contest in the game thread. Prize will be a McDonald T-Shirt payable on the the True Blue Dodger Game Day.
Patience is for those who die waiting for something to happen
Im picking 141
Kidding of course.
Thanks for the link, I never knew how the game scores were calculated.
by Michael White on Apr 10, 2009 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions
For reference
Here are the game scores of the 1st starts listed above:
Kershaw 60
Kuroda 71
Stults 65
Kuo 70
Bills 49
Houlton 57
Thompson 55
Jackson 64
Alvarez 65
Ishii 72
Prokopec 43
Williams 59
Gagne 75
Judd 44
Arnold 73
Average Game Score: 61.5, with a range of 43-75
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