Cooperstown rematches

Seeing as so many of the former big leaguers involved in this year’s Hall of Fame Classic are contemporaries, it should come as no surprise that there have been a number of memorable hitter vs. pitcher matchups amongst the group.

In fact, some of those involved in the exhibition have long histories, such as Niekro being the pitcher Cey faced most often (the Penguin going 30-for-120 for a .250 batting average) against the longtime knuckleballer), both Ankiel and Wilson counting Oswalt as the hurler they saw the most, and Castilla’s 74 at-bats versus Glavine topping the second-place finisher against Castilla (Kirk Rueter) by 19 ABs.

Oswalt, meanwhile, who tallied 163 career wins, was the starter when he and five other pitchers combined to throw a no-hitter against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium on June 11, 2003. Leaving the game after one inning due to a strained right groin in the 8-0 win, Soriano, New York’s second baseman, was the first of only three outs Oswalt was credited for this memorable day.

It was not only the first time in big league history six pitchers combined for a no-hitter, but also the first time the Yankees had been no-hit since 1958.

In the last of his 22 big league seasons, Glavine’s final appearance took place on Aug. 14, 2008. Returning to the Braves for one more season after five years with the Mets, the 2014 Hall of Fame inductee bowed out with a four-inning starting stint against the visiting Cubs, giving up seven runs and taking the loss. Soriano, the Cubs left fielder and leadoff hitter, was hitless in two at-bats versus Glavine until homering in the top of the fourth inning. It would prove to be the final hit Glavine would allow in his major league career.

Soriano also played a part in pitcher Ortiz’s lone All-Star appearance in 2003, flying out in the righty’s one inning of work. Ortiz would end that season with a league-leading 21 wins for the Braves and finish fourth in the NL Cy Young Award voting.

Earlier in his career, Ortiz made news when, on May 21, 2000, he and the Giants took a 16-10 triumph over the host Brewers. As a result, he became the first starting pitcher to give up at least 10 earned runs in a victory since 1954, when Pittsburgh's Bob Friend did it in an 18-10 victory over Chicago.

“I guess I'm still trying to figure out things,” said Ortiz in 2000, who raised his season record to 3-5 with that game despite allowing 10 runs in 6 2/3 innings against the Brewers.

One of the batters Ortiz faced that afternoon was shortstop Loretta, who was 1-for-3, including a three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning, against his fellow Hall of Fame Classic participant.

Ironically, Ortiz, in his next start after giving up 10 runs and winning, give up one hit and zero runs to the Cubs in six innings and got a no-decision.

Years later, Loretta, now a second baseman with the Red Sox, faced Oswalt in the 2006 All-Star Game. Coming in from the bullpen, the first batter Oswalt faced in his inning of work was Loretta, who would ground out to first base in a scoreless frame.

Fifteen years ago, on April 9, 2000, Ankiel picked up his first career big league win, an 11-2 victory for the Cardinals over the visiting Brewers. The 20-year-old southpaw went six innings, gave up three hits and two runs while striking out 10. Loretta, the Brewers’ starting shortstop, struck out, walked and hit a fly ball against Ankiel, who would end the season with an 11-7 record and finish second in National League Rookie of the Year voting.

Later that month, Ankiel’s second career homer came off Milwaukee starting pitcher Woodard on April 26, 2000. The three-run homer and seven scoreless innings of three-hit ball in the 7-0 win raised Ankiel’s record to 3-1. It was the final homer Ankiel would hit as a pitcher before control problems and injuries necessitated a surprising return to the big leagues as an outfielder in 2007.

Ankiel’s unique career made him just the fourth player, and first not born in the 19th century, to make at least 40 starts as a pitcher and hit 40 home runs. He is also the only player other than Babe Ruth to both start a postseason game as a pitcher and hit a home run in the postseason as a position player.

A decade ago, Oswalt and Wheeler were on an Astros team that was swept by the White Sox in the 2005 World Series. While Chicago center fielder Rowand did not face Wheeler in that Fall Classic, he did bat against Oswalt, who started Game 3, going 0-for-2 including a walk in the five-run fifth. Oswalt went the first six innings in what would eventually become a 7-5 White Sox victory in 14 innings.

Wheeler’s big league debut, on Sept. 1, 1999, came as a starting pitcher for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The 21-year-old righty went five innings, giving up two runs on three hits, in a 3-1 loss to the Orioles at Camden Yards. The O’s starting lineup that game included a pair of 2015 Hall of Fame Classic participants, left fielder and leadoff hitter Anderson and catcher Johnson (Marlins). Wheeler’s first two big league strikeouts came against the pair, back-to-back and both looking, in the bottom of the third.

After a three-year stint in the early 1990s as one of Atlanta’s star starting pitchers, southpaw Avery, who was named the 1991 National League Championship Series MVP after 16 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings against the Pirates, saw injuries derail his promising career. After being away from the majors for three seasons, he attempted a comeback with the 2003 Tigers.

“I'm very proud of what I did in the postseason," said 2015 Hall of Fame inductee John Smoltz to MLB.com in 2014. “But Steve was better than all of us when he came up. He pitched two of the greatest games in one [postseason] series I've ever seen. He won two 1-0 games against a team that could hit.

“[Avery] could be that dominating. He was young and absolutely unafraid. He'd attack everybody. But so much of what he did goes unnoticed now because his career was cut short by injury. I know Clayton Kershaw is not from this planet, but Steve was that level of pitcher before his shoulder gave out.”

Avery’s last big league appearance came in a Tigers game against the White Sox on July 20, 2003. Relieving the starting pitcher in the fourth inning, Avery would toss 2 1/3 innings, giving up three runs on four hits, in a 10-1 loss. In the bottom of the fifth, Rowand hit a two-out single to left field in what would be the final hit Avery would allow in his big league career.

“The Reds were a great team,” Fingers said later, “but I felt the pressure was all on them. They were expected to win. Nobody expected anything from us, but we knew we were good.”
Two years later, Fingers was named MVP of the 1974 World Series against the Dodgers. In Oakland’s five-game triumph, he appeared in his team’s four wins, totaling 9 1/3 innings, while coming away with one win, two saves and a 1.93 ERA. Against Cey, Fingers held the third baseman to one hit in three at-bats, which included a single and a walk.

Tickets for the 2015 Hall of Fame Classic are now on sale online and via phone at 1-877-726-9028. Tickets for the Hall of Fame Classic are $12.50 for first and third base seats and $11 for general admission outfield seats.

The Classic, presented for the seventh straight year by Ford Motor Company, features the pre-game Home Run Contest at 1 p.m. and the Cooperstown Main Street Game Day Parade at 12 noon. First pitch of the Classic is slated for 2:05 p.m.

Travel relaxed and hassle-free, knowing all your arrangements have been made for you by our reliable travel specialists. Each travel package includes museum & event tickets, transportation, hotel accommodations, trip reception, tour host and trip documents. As always, Hall of Fame members receive a 5% discount on BASEBALL travel packages.

Kick-off the summer with the Hall of Fame Classic Weekend travel package highlighted by the Hall of Fame Classic Game, a 7-inning exhibition game featuring Hall of Famers and former major league players, played on historic Doubleday Field. There are a number of additional events held throughout the weekend for the entire family to enjoy. Learn more