Bill Wilkinson (baseball)

Bill Wilkinson
Pitcher
Born: (1964-08-10)August 10, 1964
Greybull, Wyoming
Batted: Right Threw: Left
MLB debut
June 13, 1985, for the Seattle Mariners
Last MLB appearance
October 2, 1988, for the Seattle Mariners
MLB statistics
Win-Loss 5-8
Earned run average 4.13
Strikeouts 103
Teams

William Carl Wilkinson (born August 10, 1964 in Greybull, Wyoming) is an American former baseball pitcher. A left-handed pitcher, Wilkinson played for Major League Baseball's (MLB) Seattle Mariners in 1985, and from 1987 to 1988. During his career, he had a 5–8 record, 4.56 earned run average (ERA) and 103 strikeouts in 113⅓ innings pitched.[1]

Family

Wilkinson is the great-grandson of Jim Bluejacket, a right-handed pitcher who spent three seasons in the Federal League and National League from 1914 to 1916.[2] Bluejacket and Wilkinson are the only great-grandfather and great-grandson duo that have both played in MLB.[3] Wilkinson's brother, Brian, was selected in the 1987 Major League Baseball draft by the Mariners.[4]

Career

In the 1983 Major League Baseball draft, Wilkinson was selected in the fourth round by the Mariners, with the 87th overall pick.[5] On June 13, 1985, he made his MLB debut with the Mariners, and took the loss against the Kansas City Royals after allowing four earned runs in five and two-thirds innings.[6] Five days later, Wilkinson lost in his only other appearance during the 1985 season, which was also a start; he allowed five earned runs and recorded only one out.[7] In his two major league starts, Wilkinson was 0–2 with a 13.50 earned run average.[1] He was the fifth-youngest player in the American League in 1985.[8] Following his start against the Rangers, the Mariners demoted him to the minor leagues.[9]

Wilkinson did not pitch in the Major Leagues in 1986; he instead played for the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate, the Calgary Cannons of the Pacific Coast League.[1][10] He appeared in 56 games as a reliever in 1987, the most of any Mariners pitcher that year.[11] He compiled a 3–4 record, with a 3.66 earned run average (ERA) and 10 saves.[1] The following season, Wilkinson pitched in 30 games, and posted a 2–2 record with two saves and a career-low 3.48 ERA.[1] Before the 1989 season began, Wilkinson was sent back down to the minor leagues.[12] In April, the Mariners traded Wilkinson to the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of a five-player deal.[13] Wilkinson never pitched for the Pirates, and did not return to MLB after 1988. His final minor league season was 1992, when he pitched for two teams in the Oakland Athletics organization, posting an 0–3 record and 8.21 ERA in 23 games.[14]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Bill Wilkinson Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  2. ↑ "Jim Bluejacket Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  3. ↑ Kane, Matt (June 18, 2007). "The fathers of baseball". The Herald Journal. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  4. ↑ "Bob Boone's Son Bret, a Shortstop, Is Selected by the Twins in Draft". Los Angeles Times. June 12, 1987. Retrieved September 18, 2009.
  5. ↑ "4th Round of the 1983 June Draft". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  6. ↑ "Kansas City Royals 4, Seattle Mariners 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  7. ↑ "Texas Rangers 8, Seattle Mariners 5". Retrosheet. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  8. ↑ "1985 American League Expanded Leaderboards". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  9. ↑ "Transactions". The New York Times. June 22, 1985. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  10. ↑ Slade, Daryl (June 28, 1986). "No choice except to be patient". Calgary Herald. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Wilkinson signs with Mariners". Anchorage Daily News. February 28, 1988. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
  12. ↑ Street, Jim (March 30, 1989). "It's Official: Griffey To Take Mariner Center Stage Buhner, Four Others Sent Down As M's Trim Roster To 27". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved February 13, 2011.
  13. ↑ Gammons, Peter (May 15, 1989). "Inside: Baseball". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  14. ↑ "Bill Wilkinson Statistics (Minor Leagues)". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
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