Jim Boudreau

James Douglas Boudreau

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 10", Weight 180 lb.
• School Arizona State University

• Born December 15, 1959 in Harvey, IL USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

The son of Lou Boudreau and brother-in-law of Denny McLain, Jim Boudreau pitched five years in the minor leagues, going 30-29 and reaching AA.

Boudreau was picked by the Chicago Cubs in the 22nd round of the 1982 amateur draft. He was assigned to the Quad Cities Cubs and went 4-0 with a save and a 2.18 ERA in 16 games. In 53 2/3 IP, he allowed only 11 walks and one home run. He had one of the lower ERAs for a Midwest League relief pitcher.

In 1983, Jim split time as a starting pitcher between the Salinas Spurs (7-12, 3.40 on a 57-83 team) and Midland Cubs (3-0, 3.32 in 3 games). Boudreau returned to Midland full-time in 1984 and had a 7-8, 4.33 record with 2 saves in 42 games. Showing his father's aptitude at the plate, he went 7 for 16 with a double, four walks, two strikeouts, two sacrifice hits, two runs and two RBI.

Boudreau began 1985 with the Winston-Salem Spirits and only went 0-3 with a 7.07 ERA despite over a strikeout per inning in his 12 appearances. He was then traded to the Baltimore Orioles. With the Charlotte O's, the southpaw rebounded, going 3-2 with four saves and a 2.10 ERA in 28 games. In 68 2/3 IP, he struck out 59, allowing only 47 hits and 20 walks.

Boudreau was a non-roster invitee to spring training in 1986 and a New York Times article [1] states that he was a candidate to make the Orioles' major league roster. However, it evidently did not work out for him.

Boudreau bounced around in 1986 - Charlotte (4-2, 6.19), the Hagerstown Suns (1 Sv, 1.59 in 6 games) and the Miami Marlins (2-2, 6.35 in five games).

Sources include New York Times archives, 1983-1985 Baseball Guides, 1986-1987 Baseball America Statistics Reports