Jamie Burke

“An average day in the minors is far superior to the best day pulling green chain and risking life and limb in a stifling sawmill,” said Jamie Burke, commenting on his first seven years in the minors. “It’s my job; I’m getting paid for something I love to do.”1

That attitude is what kept Burke in professional baseball for 18 seasons.

James Eugene Burke was born in Roseburg, Oregon, on September 24, 1971, to Walter and Marilyn Burke. Walter worked in the timber industry.2 Marilyn was a secretary at Douglas Community Hospital in Roseburg for many years.3 Walter and Marilyn were both involved in church activities while raising Jamie and his three older sisters; Julie, Gina, and Jodi.4

Jamie honed his baseball skills at an early age. He played wiffle ball5 in a neighbor’s backyard which helped his hand-eye coordination and as an 8-year-old he skipped summer school classes to practice baseball with the older kids before going to his own practice later. His mother was not happy when she was told that he skipped summer school 37 times that summer.6

Jamie played baseball and football at Roseburg High School, and helped lead both programs to the state title games three times before he graduated in 1990. In the 1988 state quarter-final game, Burke kicked a 27-yard field goal in overtime to give Roseburg a 10-7 victory over Barlow High School.7 Roseburg lost the state title game to Benson (Portland). Burke was a first-team all-state defensive back and a third-team selection at kicker for the 1989 team that lost to Ashland (Oregon) in the state title game. Thurman Bell, Burke’s high school football coach said of Burke, “Jamie was a coach’s player because he loved to compete and he dedicated all of his time and energy into whatever sport he was playing.”8 He was the starting shortstop for the 1990 Roseburg High School baseball team that made it to the state championship game before losing to Klamath Union High School, 5-2. His baseball coach, Ron Goodell, said of Burke, “Not only was he talented, but he was also the hardest working kid on the team.” Goodell continued, “Jamie was serious about being as good of a player as he could be.”9

Burke was second-team all-state in baseball (shortstop) in 1990, Roseburg Legion MVP in 1990, all-conference place-kicker in 1988-89, all-league safety in 1989, all-state free safety in 1989, and third-team all-state placekicker in 1989.10 He received an athletic scholarship to Oregon State University.11

Burke’s scholarship at Oregon State was in baseball, but he walked on the football team with the understanding with the coach that if he didn’t win the job he would go right into fall baseball. Burke won the starting kicker job.12 This kept him busy. Burke’s schedule consisted of taking 15 credit-hours of classes as well as football and baseball practices. “I’m keeping busy,” Burke said. “Right now there is a lot of stress – I’m either studying or playing sports.”13

Burke red-shirted the 1991 baseball season and played his freshman season in 1992. He switched from shortstop to third base at Oregon State because he had a good arm and the Beavers already had a shortstop. In a game on April 14 against Linfield College, Burke broke a little finger sliding into home in the seventh inning.14 After missing 14 games, Burke returned and was hot. In his first five games back, he was 8-for-20 with 9 RBIs.15 He finished the season batting .333 in 39 games.

With the 1992 football season approaching, the Oregon State football coach was presented with a pleasant surprise. Burke was the placekicker and Tim Kollas was the punter for the coming season. The pleasant surprise was that Kollas could back up Burke and Burke could back up Kollas in case of injuries. The backups from the previous season graduated and transferred, thus leaving the two juniors with enough experience to back up each other. That came in handy during road games when the team could take a maximum of 60 players, per league rules. Instead of taking 56 position players and four kickers, the Beavers could take 58 position players and two kickers.16

Burke finished the 1992 football season with 13 extra points and five field goals made.17

While back at third base for the Oregon State University Beavers in 1993, Burke improved on his 1992 batting average of .333 by hitting .346. On June 3 Burke was drafted by the California Angels in the ninth round of the amateur draft. Burke signed the following day, finished his finals as a redshirt freshman at Oregon State, and after a week at the Angels’ camp in Mesa, Arizona, he reported to the Boise Hawks of the short-season Class-A Northwest League.18 After 30 games, Burke ranked fifth in the league in hitting (.311) and was starting to play third base on an everyday basis.19

Even though Burke had a hard time sleeping on the long bus rides of the Northwest League, he was very positive about his experience in minor-league baseball. He said, “It’s a boy’s dream to play baseball every day, and it really is fun. It’s so fun it’s hard to explain. It’s such a different life than ever before.” He added, “You eat, sleep, and just play baseball … and get money for it. There really is no bad part to this, it’s a dream come true.”20

The Angels were concerned about Burke playing football and the possibility of getting injured. “They told me I’m a prospect and don’t want anything to happen to me,” said Burke. It turned out that the Angels won, and Burke would not be playing football at Oregon State that fall. He finished the season at batting .301, third best in the league.21

Burke was promoted to the Angels Low-A affiliate Cedar Rapids Kernels of the Midwest League for the 1994 season and batted .264 with one home run and 47 RBIs in 127 games. He split time at first base (64 games) and third base (61 games).

In 1995 Burke played for the Lake Elsinore Storm of the High-A California League, batting .274 with 2 home runs and 56 RBIs in 106 games while appearing in 89 games at third and 21 games at first. He survived the early season concern when the major-league teams reduced their rosters from 40 to 25 players. When the players are reassigned, there is a trickle-down effect. “The only thing that hurts us is, in two weeks from now, we’re going to have a different team,” said Storm manager Mitch Seoane.22 “I really don’t know what’s going on,” said Burke. “It’s not going to bother me. Some of my teammates were talking about it today, but it’s something I’m not going to worry about.”23 From 1996 through 1998, Burke moved back and forth between Midland of the Double-A Texas League and Vancouver of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League. He started to catch in 1996, with five games behind the plate in Vancouver and eight games catching for Midland. The coaches saw his soft hands and throwing ability as a catcher in spring training and decided to move him to the catcher position to add to his versatility.24

In 1996 Burke hit .319 with 2 home runs and 16 RBIs in 45 games with Midland and .250 with one home run and 14 RBIs in 41 games with Vancouver. He spent most of 1997 with Midland, batting .329 with 6 homers and 72 RBIs in 116 games. His batting average dropped in 1998: .244 with Midland, and .216 with Vancouver.

After the Angels switched Triple-A affiliates from Vancouver to Edmonton for the 1999 season, Burke played for the Edmonton Trappers and hit .336 in 46 games. He was sidelined after getting hit by a pitch on June 13, shattering his left elbow and sidelining him for the remainder of the season.25 Before his injury, Burke had a 16-game hitting streak, and a 28-game on-base streak.

Burke played 56 games at third base and caught 19 games for Edmonton in 2000, hitting .240. He returned from his broken elbow but sustained multiple injuries including fouling a ball off his foot, landing him on the disabled list on June 1. He was activated on June 16.26

This was the 28-year-old Burke’s fourth year in Triple A and his attitude and work ethic were what kept him going. He said of his time in the minor leagues, “It’s my job; I’m getting paid for something I love to do. I’m having a great time here, day in and day out, 138 games a year.” “We just got done with a stretch of 52 straight games, and just got a day off yesterday. But I’ll tell you this much, I’d rather do that, playing baseball seven days a week, than actually sitting behind a desk or going out there to work in the lumber mills or something like that. This is something that happens once in a lifetime, so I’m going to give it my all.”27

Burke believed he was close to a call-up because of his versatility; he could catch and play third base, first base, and the outfield. “Right now it is important to have a third catcher who can play a lot of other positions,” said Edmonton manager Gary Templeton. “A lot of rosters carry three catchers, but the third catcher is a very versatile guy. If a guy like Burke can prove he can do the job catching – the Angels already know he can play third and first – there’s a spot for him. They’re finally realizing he’s one heck of a catcher.”28

The Angels moved their Triple-A affiliation to Salt Lake for the 2001 season and became the Stingers. Burke caught 36 games for the Stingers in 2001 and played first, third, and outfield in 21 games. On May 9 he finally got his big break. Angels catcher Benji Molina strained his right hamstring and was placed on the 15-day DL. Molina was expected to miss two or three weeks. Burke was called up and made his major-league debut on May 9 against the White Sox in Chicago, when he came into the game in the ninth inning to catch. His next appearance was on May 13, when he pinch-hit for David Eckstein in the ninth inning and collected his first big-league hit, off the Tigers’ Matt Miller. He stayed in the game and played first base. Burke was sent back down to Salt Lake for a brief time on May 31. He was back up a few days later and finished three more games at catcher before Molina was activated from the disabled list. He finished his brief first year in the majors playing in nine games and collecting one hit in five at-bats.

Burke was back in Salt Lake for the 2002 season. In 88 games he hit .304. On October 15 Burke was granted free agency by the Angels and on October 31, he signed with the White Sox.

Sent to the Triple-A Charlotte Knights in 2003, Burke played in 94 games and batted .322. On August 9 he was summoned to join the White Sox. He served as a backup for catchers Sandy Alomar and Miguel Olivo. Olivo had hurt his shoulder in a home-plate collision and was day-to-day. Burke’s call-up was to buy time with hopes of Olivo not having to go on the disabled list.29

Alomar caught on August 8, so it would be Olivo’s turn on August 9. Since he was still hurting, Burke got the call. He responded by going 1-for-2 with his first major-league RBI. On the 11th, in a game against his former team in Anaheim, Burke entered the game to catch in the eighth inning. The 31-year-old Burke was finally caught up in some real major-league excitement. With the White Sox down 10-4 in the top of the ninth against the Angels and star reliever Troy Percival, Carlos Lee singled. Frank Thomas homered to make the score 10-6. Singles by Magglio Ord and Carl Everett and an RBI single by Paul Konerko made the score 10-7. José Valentin flied out to center, the first out. Tony Graffanino was hit by a Percival pitch. Burke singled to center, driving in Everett from third, Konerko advancing to third and Graffanino to second to make the score 10-8. Roberto Alomar struck out looking and Carlos Lee popped out to short to end the rally and the game.

Burke was sent back to Charlotte when pitcher Neal Cotts was called up to make his major-league debut the next night. “I was really encouraged with the way he handled himself and the pitching,” manager Jerry Manuel said. “And he looked like a professional hitter.”30

Burke was back with the White Sox as a September call-up and played in four games. In his brief call-up, he was 3-for-8 with 2 RBIs.

Burke started the 2004 spring-training campaign with a bang. In mid-March, he was hitting .385 in 13 at-bats, but after some roster juggling, Burke was sent back to Charlotte.31 The 32-year-old Burke played 37 games with Charlotte and a career-high 57 games with the White Sox in 2004, batting .333 with 40 hits in 120 at-bats. His versatility enabled Burke to catch 45 games and play right field, first base, third base, and designated hitter two games each.

On January 6, 2005, A.J. Pierzynski was signed as a free agent by the White Sox. He remained with the White Sox for eight seasons. The White Sox also picked up free agent catcher Chris Widger over the offseason, blocking Burke from becoming a White Sox mainstay for the 2005 season. He was called up from Charlotte on May 4 and in the eighth inning of the May 5 game against the Royals, Burke pinch-hit for Pierzynski and grounded out. Burke was designated for assignment on May 8 and returned to Charlotte for the rest of the 2005 season, appearing in 101 games with the Knights before he was granted free agency on October 5. In November he signed with the Texas Rangers.

Burke spent the 2006 season with the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate Oklahoma RedHawks, where he hit .278 with 10 home runs and 49 RBIs while dividing his time as a catcher (55 games), third baseman (24 games), and first baseman (18 games). He became a free agent on October 15 and signed with the Seattle Mariners.

After beating out Rene Rivera for the backup catcher position, Burke played in 50 games with the Mariners in 2007, of which 48 were behind the plate. He was primarily the backup to starting catcher Kenji Johjima. Burke hit .301 (34-for-113) with 8 doubles, a homer, and 12 RBIs.

In the last game of the season, the 36-year-old Burke hit his first major-league home run, off A.J. Murray of the Texas Rangers in the second inning. He also executed a sacrifice squeeze bunt in the fourth inning. The Mariners did not make the playoffs, but they did manage to crack open cans of beer and sprayed the beer on Burke in a postgame celebration.32

With Johjima the starting catcher in 2008, Burke shared the backup catcher position with Jeff Clement. Burke hit .261 (24-for-92) and made an appearance on the mound. In the eighth inning on July 6 against the Detroit Tigers, after reaching on an error, starting catcher Johjima was lifted for pinch-runner Jeremy Reed. In the top of the ninth, Burke replaced Reed and stayed in the game to catch. The ninth inning ended with the score tied, 1-1. With the score still 1-1 going into the 15th inning and the Mariners already having used six pitchers, Mariners manager Jim Riggleman called on Burke to switch from catcher to pitcher. It did not go very well for Burke; he gave up a leadoff double to Miguel Cabrera, who advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Marcus Thames’s sacrifice fly. Burke did retire Iván Rodríguez and Edgar Rentería, but the one run given up by Burke was the difference as the Mariners did not score in the bottom half of the 15th inning.

The 37-year-old Burke was granted free agency by the Mariners on December 12, 2008, and signed a minor-league deal with the team on December 23.

Burke started the 2009 season with the Tacoma Rainiers, but on April 15 the Mariners’ Johjima suffered a hamstring strain. Burke was called up to back up catcher Rob Johnson. Manager Don Wakamatsu said of Burke’s call-up, “I’ve known Jamie from three different organizations and I trust his ability to call a game and his relationship with the pitching staff. He’s a good fit to bring up. He was in competition all spring to make the club and it’s nice to bring up somebody who I know personally and trust.”33

Burke hit .284 with Tacoma in 22 games and .122 with Seattle that season before being sold to the Washington Nationals on September 18. Three Nationals catchers were injured and the team needed help. Burke played in six games for the Nationals and was granted free agency on October 29 before signing a minor-league deal with the club three weeks later.

The 38-year-old played most of the 2010 season with the Syracuse Chiefs of the Triple-A International League, batting .234 in 47 games, and was granted free agency on October 5, 2010. He had been called up once, on June 6 when catcher Carlos Maldonado was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a fractured left thumb. As the third-string catcher, Burke got into only one game, with no at-bats. Burke retired as a player after the 2010 season, and after taking a year off from baseball, managed the Cedar Rapids Kernals in 2012 and the Burlington Bees in 2013, both Single-A affiliates of the California Angels.

Burke retired from baseball after the 2013 season to be with his family. Burke is now divorced and is the father of three teenage boys – Parker, Paxton, and Payson. Burke finished his degree at Oregon State in 2005 and received a teaching degree in 2024. He teaches physical education in the Oakland, Oregon, School District, where he also coaches football for the middle school and baseball at the high school.34

Last revised: March 1, 2025

Sources

The author used Retrosheet.org and Baseball-Reference.com for stats and game information, and had a phone interview with Jamie Burke on December 8, 2024.

Notes

1 Brooks Hatch, “A Few Minor Details,” Albany (Oregon) Democrat-Herald, July 23, 2000: 11.

2 Walter Eugene Burke obituary, Roseburg (Oregon) News-Review, August 28, 2022, www.nrtoday.com/obits/walter-eugene-burke/article_c5960402-ef8d-586f-9e7d-5ea09f28729c.html.

3 Telephone interview with Jamie Burke on December 8, 2024.

4 Walter Burke obituary.

5 Wiffle ball is a scaled-back version of baseball. “The Wiffle Ball Inc. – A Brief History,” www.wiffle.com.

6 Jamie Burke interview.

7 Associated Press, “Prep Teams Steam Toward State Grid Championships.” Albany (Oregon) Democrat-Herald, November 28, 1988: 13.

8 “DC Greats,” www.douglascountysportsonline.com/dc-greats/15-dc-greats/dc-greats/700-jamie-burke. (DC is Douglas County.)

9 “DC Greats.”

10 Brooks Hatch, “A Few Minor Details.”

11 “DC Greats”’ Brooks Hatch, “Getting the Skinny on New Posts,” Corvallis (Oregon) Gazette-Times, August 21, 1991: 9.

12 Capi Lynn, “Freshman Has Toehold on Starting Kicking Spot,” Salem (Oregon) Statesman-Journal, August 30, 1990: 3D.

13 Jason Quick, “OSU’s Burke Gets Kicks in Two Sports,” Corvallis Gazette-Times, November 7, 1990: 13.

14 “Beavers Lose Ballgame, Burke,” Corvallis Gazette-Times, April 15, 1992: 13.

15 “Hot Spot: Pac-10 North Baseball,” Salem Statesman-Journal, May 14, 1992: 27.

16 Brooks Hatch, “OSU’s Kickers Ready to Back Each Other Up,” Corvallis Gazette-Times, August 26, 1992: 11.

17 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jamie-burke-1.html.

18 Phil Smith, “Angels Sign Oregon St. Third Baseman,” Idaho Statesman (Boise), June 10, 1993: 3B.

19 Jason Quick, “Runnin’ Down a Dream,” Corvallis Gazette-Times, July 18, 1993: 9.

20 Quick, July 18, 1993: 12.

21 Brooks Hatch, “Burke Return Possible, but Not Likely,” Corvallis Gazette-Times, September 13, 1993: 9.

22 “Storm Watch,” The Californian (Salinas, California), April 13, 1995: 10.

23 “Storm Watch.”

24 Jamie Burke interview

25 “Solid Redbirds Bring Drew to Town,” Edmonton (Alberta) Journal, June 26, 1999: 41.

26 Norm Cowley, “Jamie Burke Getting His Swing Back After Pitch Drilled Him on the Elbow,” Edmonton Journal, June 17, 2000: 42.

27 Brooks Hatch, “Burke: Hopes His Versatility Will Get Him to ‘The Show,’” Albany (Oregon) Democrat Herald, July 23, 2000: 13.

28 “Burke: Hopes His Versatility Will Get Him to ‘The Show.’”

29 Bill Jauss, “Sox Summon Burke as Olivo Insurance,” Chicago Tribune, August 9, 2003: 3-4.

30 Teddy Greenstein, “Quick Hook Keeps Snagging Garland,” Chicago Tribune, August 13, 2003: 4-4.

31 https://www.rotowire.com/baseball/player/jamie-burke-6682.

32 Gregg Bell, “Burke’s First Career HR Leads M’s,” Corvallis Gazette-Times, October 1, 2007: 11.

33 Ryan Divish, “Burke to Replace Injured Johjima,” Tacoma (Washington) News Tribune, April 17, 2009: C3.

34 Jamie Burke interview.