Cory Aldridge: 9 years between major-league appearances
Posted by Andy on July 5, 2010
Cory Aldridge appeared in a game for the Angels yesterday, 9 years after first appearing in the bigs in 2001 with the Braves.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/aldrico01.shtml
Off the top of my head I happened to remember that Robinson Cancel did the same thing in 2008. Who else has reappeared after a long layoff?
Thanks to reader Erik G. For the tip.
July 5th, 2010 at 3:24 pm
Aaron Holbert also went nine seasons between appearances, in 1996 with the Cardinals and 2005 with the Reds.
July 5th, 2010 at 3:40 pm
This was a publicity stunt, but the 50-year Minnie Minoso returned in 1976 after a 12 year layoff. He went 1 for 8 for the Pale Hose. I remember that there was a 1977 Minoso Topps baseball card commemorating his feat. (Oldest player to get a hit?) He returned in 1980, presumably to become the first player to appear in 5 decades (40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s).
July 5th, 2010 at 3:44 pm
Satchel Paige, 1953/1965
Jim O'Rourke, 1893/1904
Arlie Latham, 1899/1909
Sam Thompson, 1898/1906
Nick Altrock, 1909/1912, 1915/1918, 1919/1924/1929/1931/1933
Johnny Evers, 1917/1922/1929
July 5th, 2010 at 4:21 pm
Here are the players with 2 years of MLB service with their final season > .005 * debut season.
Generated 7/5/2010.
I also used a similar search to find Paul Schreiber who played in 1922-1923 and not again until 1945.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/schrepa01.shtml
July 5th, 2010 at 4:45 pm
I'm surprised someone could stick with baseball so long after having a taste of the majors, if a return isn't in sight for a long time.
The first one that came to my head was Rick Ankiel, but I guess his wasn't as long of a layoff comparatively.
July 5th, 2010 at 4:59 pm
@#5 Greg
I can see living a AAA life, especially if I signed at 18 and had no marketable skills, but looking at the roadmap of Aldridge's career is amazing. From 1997 thru 2008 he only spent 50 games at AAA level. He was mostly a AA player. He went thru the KC org twice, the Mets and the White Sox before landing in AAA in 2009.
wonder what the backstory is, was he some sort of mentor or unofficial coach that a team might want to look at as a role model for the 20 year-olds?
July 5th, 2010 at 5:47 pm
Paul Schreiber pitched in 1922-23 from Brooklyn,then in 1945 he made 2 pitching appearances for the Yankees....22 years between appearances in the majors
July 5th, 2010 at 6:38 pm
Greg,
Back 'in the day', for some it was preferable to play in the minors than in the majors, since you would be treated like a king (and paid well) in the PCL, Southern League, etc. compared to slogging around for the Browns and Phils.
July 5th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
David Vincent posted a list of players with 10-year gaps to the SABR-L mailing list on 22 April 2002. He found 42 such players. Here are the 9 players he found with gaps of 13 years or more:
Paul Schreiber 1923-1945 22
Charley O'Leary 1913-1934 21
Gabby Street 1912-1931 19
Clay Touchstone 1929-1945 16
Joe Cicero 1930-1945 15
Fred Johnson 1923-1938 15
Jack McFetridge 1890-1903 13
Ken Penner 1916-1929 13
Ralph Winegarner 1936-1949 13
July 5th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
Jose Rijo got a Hall of Fame vote, he was retired for so long. He came back in 2002, I think.
July 5th, 2010 at 9:04 pm
I will point out that if Larussa follows through on his threat of bringing McGwire back in September he will also have a 9 year gap. . . .
July 5th, 2010 at 9:41 pm
One observation, one question;
Observation; I remember Jim Baumer playing a few games at second for the Redlegs in their pennant season of 1961, a dozen years after a similiar appearance {except at third} for the White Sox in 1949.
Question; Is there any way to find out more about John O'Connell? Somehow, that looks like a story that was killed by antiquity.
July 5th, 2010 at 9:43 pm
P.S. -- in both 1949 and 1961, Baumer basically sucked canal water; but then, he DID manage to reach the Majors.
July 6th, 2010 at 12:42 am
There was a pitcher...can't remember his name... Who appeared breifly in 1922 then he didn't come back up till he was over 40, in 1945 due to the war.
July 6th, 2010 at 12:44 am
Plus as mentioned with Rijo and McGwire, Jim Palmer tried to come back after 7 years off..and when he was already in the HOF...those of you born before me remember that
July 6th, 2010 at 12:46 am
Aww the pitcher was Paul Schreiber...thanks for the list Gerry
July 6th, 2010 at 2:05 am
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/booneda02.shtml
7 years, 11 months and 18 days in between appearances. I remember he had a 1991 Dunruss (maybe) card that mentioned this fact.
July 6th, 2010 at 5:28 am
Joe Nuxhall pitched in one game during WWII, then starting eight years later, had a long career with the Reds in the 50s & 60s.
July 6th, 2010 at 6:09 am
Chick Keating
Roy Schalk
Al Epperly
July 6th, 2010 at 7:51 am
Dave Stieb retired in 93 but returned to pitch quite effectively with Toronto in 98.
July 6th, 2010 at 10:25 am
Kevin Hickey was also out of the majors between 83 to 89.
July 6th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
Jim Bouton 1962-1970, 1978
July 6th, 2010 at 4:37 pm
Not the correct sport, but still amazing: Gordie Howe retired in 1971, aged 42; came back three years later with the WHA (Houston) to play with his two sons, Mark and Marty, and was so good that when his new team, the Whalers, were absorbed into the NHL, he played one last season "back in the bigs" - retiring again in 1980 at age 51. He was still pretty darned good, too: appeared in every game, scored 15 goals and 26 assists, and was a plus player (his team had a +9 goal differential at even strength when he was on the ice).
July 7th, 2010 at 9:23 am
Warren Cromartie was out of the majors from 83 to 91 (Japan).