Kamka: Gaetti, Baker, Rizzo, and more: a history of Cubs position players pitching
From SABR member Chris Kamka at NBC Sports Chicago on July 24, 2018:
On Friday, Tommy La Stella, Victor Caratini & Ian Happ mopped up an 18-5 loss against the Cardinals.
They combined for 3.1 innings, 6 hits, 3 runs and 2 HR allowed. Most notably, Ian Happ, who pitched a scoreless 9th, was the only Cub pitcher to NOT allow a run in the game.
The trio of position player pitchers each made their first career mound appearance in the game.
On Monday night, Caratini pitched again and Anthony Rizzo (!) collected the last out (A.J. Pollock will forever be known to Cubs fans as “The Guy Anthony Rizzo Got Out”).
Caratini made it two pitching appearances in a 5-game span… something no Cubs position player could claim since Doug Dascenzo did it June 28 & July 2, 1991.
As for Rizzo… of the 29 pitchers the Cubs have used this season, only Jesse Chavez & Rizzo have not allowed any hits (though Chavez had allowed 58 of them while with the Rangers). And nobody who has ever pitched for the Cubs has hit more career home runs wearing their uniform (177) than Rizzo.
Read the full article here: https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/gaetti-baker-rizzo-and-more-history-cubs-position-players-pitching
Originally published: July 24, 2018. Last Updated: July 24, 2018.