Bill Wilkinson (baseball)
William Carl Wilkinson (born August 10, 1964) is an American former professional 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]
| Bill Wilkinson | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born: August 10, 1964 Greybull, Wyoming, U.S. | |
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 record | 5–8 |
| Earned run average | 4.13 |
| Strikeouts | 103 |
| Teams | |
Career edit
In the 1983 MLB draft, Wilkinson was selected in the fourth round by the Mariners, with the 87th overall pick.[2] 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.[3] 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.[4] In his two MLB 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.[5] Following his start against the Rangers, the Mariners demoted him to the minor leagues.[6]
Wilkinson did not pitch in MLB in 1986; he instead played for the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate, the Calgary Cannons of the Pacific Coast League.[1][7] In 1985 and 1986, Wilkinson had a combined record of 13–9 while pitching for the Cannons.[8] He appeared in 56 games as a reliever for Seattle in 1987, the most of any Mariners pitcher that year.[9] 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] However, he suffered an injury to his left shoulder. Before the 1989 season began, Wilkinson was sent back down to the minor leagues, where he was used as a starter.[8] In April, the Mariners traded Wilkinson to the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of a five-player deal.[10] Wilkinson never pitched for the Pirates, and did not return to MLB after 1988.[1] 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.[11]
Family edit
Born in Greybull, Wyoming,[1] 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.[12] Bluejacket and Wilkinson were the first great-grandfather and great-grandson duo that have both played in MLB.[13] Wilkinson's brother, Brian, was selected in the 1987 Major League Baseball draft by the Mariners.[14]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g "Bill Wilkinson Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
- ^ "4th Round of the 1983 June Draft". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
- ^ "Kansas City Royals 4, Seattle Mariners 3". Retrosheet. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
- ^ "Texas Rangers 8, Seattle Mariners 5". Retrosheet. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
- ^ "1985 American League Expanded Leaderboards". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
- ^ "Transactions". The New York Times. June 22, 1985. Retrieved July 27, 2018.
- ^ Slade, Daryl (June 28, 1986). "No choice except to be patient". Calgary Herald. p. E6. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
- ^ a b Slade, Daryl (April 4, 1989). "Cannons' Wilkinson learns lesson after shoulder injury". Calgary Herald. p. E4.
- ^ "1987 Seattle Mariners Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved August 5, 2017.
- ^ Gammons, Peter (May 15, 1989). . Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on April 9, 2008. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
- ^ . Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on February 27, 2009. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
- ^ "Jim Bluejacket Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
- ^ Kane, Matt (June 18, 2007). "The fathers of baseball". The Herald Journal. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
- ^ "Bob Boone's Son Bret, a Shortstop, Is Selected by the Twins in Draft". Los Angeles Times. June 12, 1987. Retrieved September 18, 2009.
External links edit
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)