In his first major league contest, St. Louis Cardinals catcher Steven Hill hit a home run, the 11th time it has occurred in team history.
Just a few days ago, Steven Hill was preparing to take on the San Antonio Missions this weekend in Springfield, Missouri. Instead, the 25-year-old catcher found himself 200 miles to the northeast as he was called upon to leap over Triple-A and join the St. Louis Cardinals.
On Sunday, Hill made his first appearance in a major league game. After striking out in the sixth inning, the right-handed hitter launched his first career home run just inside the right field foul pole at Busch Stadium when leading off the ninth inning.
In doing so, Hill became the 11th Cardinals player to homer in his MLB debut and the 35th player to go deep in his first game played as a member of the Cardinals since 1920.
The last player to have done it prior to Sunday was Julio Lugo on July 24, 2009 and the last Cardinal to hit a home run in his first game as a major leaguer was Hector Luna on April 8, 2004.
Here is something to look forward to. With a home run in his second game as well, Hill could join three others – Keith McDonald (2000), Leon Wagner (1960) and Joe Cunningham (1954). Cunningham leads the way with three long balls over his first two games.
No player in team history has homered in his first three games with the club.
St. Louis Cardinals, home run, first game with team, 1920 to present
| Home Run in 1st StL Game | Streak Start | End | G | HR | MLB debut |
| Keith McDonald | 7/4/2000 | 7/6/2000 | 2 | 2 | yes |
| Leon Wagner | 4/12/1960 | 4/13/1960 | 2 | 2 | |
| Joe Cunningham | 6/30/1954 | 7/1/1954 | 2 | 3 | yes |
| Steven Hill | 8/15/2010 | 1 | 1 | yes | |
| Julio Lugo | 7/24/2009 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Mark Worrell | 6/5/2008 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Jose Vizcaino | 8/23/2006 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Preston Wilson | 8/18/2006 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Adam Wainwright | 5/24/2006 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Hector Luna | 4/8/2004 | 1 | 1 | yes | |
| Gene Stechschulte | 4/17/2001 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Chris Richard | 7/17/2000 | 1 | 1 | yes | |
| Craig Paquette | 8/3/1999 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Phil Plantier | 7/13/1997 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Danny Sheaffer | 4/30/1995 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Hector Villanueva | 4/9/1993 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Ray Stephens | 9/20/1990 | 1 | 1 | yes | |
| Skeeter Barnes | 5/7/1987 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Fred Manrique | 9/5/1986 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Cesar Cedeno | 8/30/1985 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Jack Clark | 4/9/1985 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Bill Stein | 9/6/1972 | 1 | 1 | yes | |
| Dick Allen | 4/8/1970 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Vic Davalillo | 6/1/1969 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Joe Hague | 9/20/1968 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Orlando Cepeda | 5/10/1966 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Glen Hobbie | 6/5/1964 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Don Ferrarese | 6/22/1962 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Don Taussig | 4/17/1961 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Bobby Smith | 4/16/1957 | 1 | 1 | yes | |
| Ken Boyer | 4/12/1955 | 1 | 1 | yes | |
| Wally Moon | 4/13/1954 | 1 | 1 | yes | |
| Wally Westlake | 6/16/1951 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Ken O’Dea | 4/14/1942 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Eddie Morgan | 4/14/1936 | 1 | 1 | yes |
Hill is the sixth major leaguer this season and 48th since 2000 to hit a home run in his first game in the bigs. He joined Toronto’s J.P. Arencibia, Boston’s Daniel Nava, Starlin Castro of the Cubs, Luke Hughes of Minnesota and Atlanta’s Jason Heyward to do it in 2010.
Thanks to researcher Tom Orf for the data in the table above.
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Can’t fail to mention though that McDonald’s were in 2 consecutive bats! His first 2 in the majors if I recall.
McDonald is also the only player in MLB history to have more than one career homer and no hits that weren’t HR’s.
In a game full of weird stats, McDonald ranks right up there.
No bonus baby, Hill went to two junior colleges, before Stephen F. Austin U in Nacogdoches, Texas. Ignored by MLB four times when draft eligible (after high school, jucos, and first year at SFA). During his senior season, Hill had a high OPS of 1305. A tad short for 1B and not a nifty behind the plate, Hill lasted to the 13th round of the draft. In 3+ minor league seasons, he has socked 70 HRs.
I want to know if he got his ball.
I remember watching McDonald hit his on TV.If i recall he hit 1 more while he was up and then he was gone and never saw the majors again.I think the only hits McDonald got in the majors were HRs.
Waiver rumor. Cardinals interested in Brandon Inge. Iffy on whether he will clear waivers and has 1.76MM left.
Roughly half of those on the list never amounted to very much at the Major League level. Here’s hoping that Steven Hill will be among the half who did. Ostensibly, he came to us straight from AA, because Springfield is nearer to St. Louis than Reno. I’m hoping that the ulterior and underlying reason is that some excellent judge of true talent saw something magical in the Texas League home run champion. Against an “excellent judge of true talent”, however, is the caution and suspicion that Nutlaw has successfully instilled within me; that some players can never be anything more than AAAA. Did not Allen Craig also bash a home run early on?
Today is the 62nd anniversary of the death of Babe Ruth.
Back in 2006, after his junior season at Stephen Austin in the Southland Conference, Hill was ranked 49th amateur in the deep talent pool of Texas. Also scouts thought he had the ability to catch. Because Hill then went undrafted in June 06, it is probably because he told scouts he wanted to finish college.
The players at Stephen Austin are known as the Lumberjacks. For Hill, the name fits.
Hill and Stavinoha are from the Houston area. Hill played one year at San Jacinto, a nearby juco. Stavinoha played 2 years at the same juco, a few years earlier.
Brian, I know not believe everything I read on Twitter, but someone just tweeted that the Cards signed Zack Cox. Any info?
Nothing from the team yet, but Matthew Leach has confirmation that both Cox and Swagerty have agreed to terms. Cox apparently got an MLB contract, though. No money info yet.
Now I am really freaking out. It’s late so I am sure I am talking to myself, but second source says that Cox signed 3.2MM MAJOR LEAGUE deal. I think the guy is a third bagger.
Both deals now official.
“Cards Sign 1st Pick Cox, 2nd Rounder Swagerty”
So how fast can they push Cox through the system? He was supposedly one of the closest hitters in the draft to being major league ready, if I’m not getting mixed up.
Good question Nut. Is Mo going to do a hail mary and go with what we have or pick a short term solution from the waiver wire? The pickings are slim. Brandon Inge is going on waivers this week. The Braves are looking for a 3B but the Cardinals are beneath them on the waiver totem pole Should get interesting in the next couple of weeks.
Cardinals’ lineup:
Schumaker 2b
Jay cf
Pujols 1b
Holliday lf
Craig rf
Lopez 3b
Molina c
Garcia p
Ryan ss
Re. Cox. Weren’t we hearing the same thing about first rounder Wallace in 08.
Yeah, and Wallace didn’t get a major league contract. It’s a shame to have to do that, but I guess that you can’t let your first rounder walk, especially at a position of such blatant need. I wonder if they waited until the last day to save that 40-man roster spot for as long as possible.
OK, how about this. Give him a couple weeks to knock the rust off in the system somewhere, then bring him up after Sept 1. If he’s any good, and gets hot like Jay, do a DL play to get him on the post-season roster. It’s not as if we should have any trouble finding somebody to go on the DL. Tony would love that.
Just for fun I wrote down the lineup and put the batting averages next to the players. Gawd. Except for 2-3-4 its sick.
We need a third baseman!!! Grrrrr.
Ugh to Felipe’s throwing arm in the second inning. If the Cards don’t pick up a third baseman, I’d really like to see Skip move over to third and Lopez to second. It would seem to present more natural fits.
We need to give Lohse a transfusion of Garcia’s blood………………He picks up Lopez with a vengeance…………………..the negative, extra pitches.
Yadi GIDP. Damn
Bush is just about as helpless as you can get for a MLB starter…………….this game should all ready be over…………..
Lopez has two errors in less than three innings. He really wants the Cardinals to go out and find a new 3B.
Hate to see this happen to Garcia………..
Well we can thank Felipe Lopez.
Jaime keeps inducing mostly grounders, but our infield (especially Flip) is keeping him busy. He’s racked-up 58 pitches in only 3 innings, but has yet to give up an earned run…
Flip flubbed two DPs, too bad for Jaime. With nothing more than routine D behind him he’d be in the dugout 0-0. He’s throwing a lot of pitches he wouldn’t have.
I’m trying to absorb the idea of Skip at third. My brain keeps seizing up.
Aww, come on, BB. Skip has the better arm but Lopez is the better fielder. Why not?
The only way that Jay strikes out there is if he is “demanding a fastball”……at what 88 mph. He was showboating and never swung at a pitch. ……………..this is the nightmare……….. some sort of attempt at walking in front of the big dog………………..
I think he would get killed Nut. Take one off the bean or something like that.
Brendan just booted another DP… damn it! The Cardinals are now 1 for 4 in turning DPs tonight…
He took a ball and got rung up Westy.
Killed? That’s awfully harsh.
Yeah, Oquendo is ready to charge the field and show ‘em how it’s done.
Through no fault of his own, Jaime is nigh unto 80 after 4 (instead of 60)…
This may be yet another case in which a Cardinal pitcher turns-in a quality start, but yet rings-up an “L”… What Flip, Brendan and Skip can’t do in the field, they damned well better make up for at the plate!
The only shame of that particular “Albert Special” is that it was a solo shot instead of a 3-run blast…
Albert is tied for the league lead in home runs and leads the league in RBI… All he needs to do now is catch Votto for the league lead in average!
Do you think they will let Jaime go 1 more inning?
I have to admit, Craig looks bad at the plate. Nothing that could be considered a ‘good at bat’.
A problem with the Skip-Flip swich is they both need to be platoon guys.
I think Jaime has 6 days rest. No reason not to see if he can go 115 or so.
Platoon guys? Uh, with Miles and Tyler Greene, maybe? I’m making a horrible face while typing this.
no chance he goes over 100…………keep in mind, this has nothing to do with him. As each Cardinal player examines his power options, there are no team players. No bunts, no slaps, no nothing.
This is not Albert’s fault, but it is a result of his presents…..he isn’t worried now…………….. at some point can he complain about no support?…….seems to be no carcass for the wanna bee’s…..Holiday is like a big baby at the plate. ……………………..
Jaime has pitched great. Bad, bad defense.
My hat is off to you, Jaime! IP-6 H-5 ER-0 SO-6 = Quality Start
After one of his best starts this season, were it not for a leaky infield, Jaime would go for another inning and he would not be facing a loss!
My! How those 4.60+ ERA mediocres dominate us!
Craig may be ready to hit ML pitching, but if he does not actually do it, we can’t wait for him to come around, given a pennant race. Winn or Stavinoha may get the next start.
NOW, after Jaime is gone, we sparkle and shine with a spectacular DP!
Brendan is having a good day.
Somebody did something………..lets see if can’t develop a little MOOOOO
Nothing doing Westy.
The small-ballers rise again!
Tony wasn’t waiting to see Skip’s mighty upper cut…………. he got right down to it………..
Craig may go down tonight……….here comes Gotay……….
I would normally say, “Beware the Axe Man!”… But we’ve got the table-setter, Jon, at bat…
Right on 57. In a way its disconcerting that in the eighth down by two all we can manage to send up there is Miles, Ryan and Skip. They’re getting it done though.
The Axe Man just did us a big, fat favor!
“Oh, for…!” I suppose that Jon is overdue for one of these (but, why NOW?)
Now, it’s all on Matt’s able shoulders… This is what he gets paid for…
3 Ks for Jay. It’s all going to come down to the money guy. Matty Watty.
And our mighty Matt grounds into a rally killer…
Matt dumped that opportunity.
Not even a swing again from Jay…………………… Colby should lead off the 9th……..they won’t let Craig hit against this guy………….. 2/0 and Holiday throws the bat head……….just like the script.
The Brewers scored 3 by “accident” and we got 1 back by “accident”. How easily we can tie it up (if not, walk-off) in the bottom of the 9th!
Miles is hitting .330.
The small ballers were killing them. Lucky for them the meat came up in the nick of time to snuf the rally.
(The Brewer announcers are already relishing their presumed victory… Oh, how I hope we surprise them!)
Come on peanut gallery ? is it colby?
We sent our best relief pitcher to the mound at the top of the 9th, and Kyle McClellan did not disappoint…
The small-ballers will win it or it won’t get won…
Colby’s towering fly-out into deep center is proof that the Axe Man can be had tonight…
Colby hit a very nice routine fly to center. Bravo.
Predictable at bat RC………..He got the pitch he likes…….the hands will finish him.
Lovely little K by Flip. Atta boy. Poor Yadi, no DP opp.
Hit a texbook DP grounder anyway.
Beware the Axe Man…
“Oh, for…!” Jon, Matt and Yadier!
If the Diamondbacks hold on, we will remain only one game behind after our 3rd straight loss…
Bleh.
Miles or Gotay start at third tomorrow………….hows that for a prediction…………rationale? There are no options………… Wainwright can be beat with these tactics. 1 zip.
Tony doesn’t go against match ups today unless he was cleaning house.
Just when I thought that our offense was finally firing on all cylinders and being consistent! When the Reds left town, they took our Mo Jo with them…
Its the big swings and circling the box afterward that make me puke BB………Molina is silly.
No Ludwick……….no competition……..no Freese no competition………….Lopez is history, he doesn’t respond like everyone else………..when he goes down……..he stays down………..
Jay………..hate to see the kid get caught up in the “what should I do in front of AP syndrome”. But he just got sucked in…………… and here come the Reds.
Reds just scored a run 2-1.
‘Bleh’ sounds about right. Maybe Gotay and Anderson can share a cab.
Tied 2-2
Axford was the top prospect out of Canada in 2001, went to Notre Dame U in Indiana, suffered an elbow injury that cost him 2004-5, finished up at Canisius, a college in New York. After TJ surgery he was wild, so went undrafted.
The Brewers do a good job of cultivating under-valued talent. McGeehee was released by the Cubs, Axford was a free agent.
The good thing about tomorrow’s game is that Waino only needs 1 run. With this offense that may be all he gets.
Reds are ahead now 3-2
So that will be 2 games back.
GIANTS RELEASE TODD WELLEMEYER
AUGUST 9th: “San Francisco activated Wellemeyer Thursday and he appeared in one game, but pitched poorly. The Braves picked up four hits and an earned run off of the right-hander before he could record an out yesterday. The 31-year-old has a season ERA of 5.68 with 6.3 K/9 and 5.4 BB/9 in 58.2 innings. Wellemeyer was a fixture in the Giants rotation before a quadriceps injury sidelined him for much of June and all of July. He makes $1MM this year and hits free agency after the season. Last night’s performance and his quad injury will likely limit interest in Wellemeyer.”
AUGUST 17th: “The Giants have asked for unconditional release waivers on Wellemeyer, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.”
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/08/giants-designate-todd-wellemeyer-for-assignment.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MlbTradeRumors+%28MLB+Trade+Rumors%29
Bling wrote, “Colby hit a very nice routine fly to center. Bravo”
Its the little victories bling……heck I believe that was the first ball he has put in play in the last 3 or 4 games. Its was either a walk or a K. The flyout is a success
WC wrote, “Predictable at bat RC………..He got the pitch he likes…….the hands will finish him.”
Predictable would have been a K……..Heck I danced around the room I was so happy…..just because he hit something
WC wrote, “Jay………..hate to see the kid get caught up in the “what should I do in front of AP syndrome”. But he just got sucked in…………… and here come the Reds.”
Jay has been treated pretty good by ML umpires in regards to the strike zone against him thus far. I think Colby was treated simlarly at the start of the year. But when the umps start giving 6 inches off the outside corner thats when you, as a player, have to make a decision. Do I expand the zone and start swinging at balls or do I stick with swinging at what is a strike? Last night Jay decided to stick with his zone and the ump wrung him up on balls that were definitely not strikes.
Re: Jay’s strike zone last night: I agree that they looked questionable, RC. PitchFX says that the ump got all of the strike calls right, however. For instance, his ninth inning AB:
http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfxVB/cache/location.php-pitchSel=446099&game=gid_2010_08_17_milmlb_slnmlb_1&batterX=63&innings=yyyyyyyyy&sp_type=1&s_type=3.gif
There is truth in what you say RC. I would point to this one consideration………. Strike one to Jay was very workable……..middle/ away…………had that been his focus, he is going to take a 400 average attempt at that pitch…………………… but the words by someone ” be selective, don’t be afraid of taking a walk” have risen again around the “holy one”………… Jay struck out twice in the game without a swing………….you can’t say that to a kid that’s feeding ………. here son, step back, here comes the big dog, don’t get in his way…………….and yet it happened.
RC………….I would reevaluate your position. Colby’s hands are back to square one…….not good. AP is more likely to inhabit a losing team, than a winning team…………. hit for average now. Forget the power numbers………………………………… all of these issues are on tape now………look at them.
Lopez 3b
Jay cf
Pujols 1b
Holliday lf
Craig rf
Molina c
Miles 2b
Wainwright p
Ryan ss
This lineup is fatally flawed……….Lopez just needs to “man-up”…….right……….Craig s last chance?
He is choking his lungs out……………Molina is 6th???????????????? Miles is a human sacrifice because Lopez seemed out of sorts hitting down in the order………….
Keep in mind…………….Tony has tied this Albatross around Wainwrights neck…………….I feel like its obvious vulnerabilities are aimed a Mo/BD…………..this is a cry for help……..or more accurately, Tony is stirring the Pot of fan disillusionment……not the first time, that’s for sure.
This is how a man would stir the pot…………
miles
jay
holiday
pujols
stava
Lopez at 2nd
Ryan
Molina
Waino
Wolf has a no-no going………………..Adam, an admirable 1 hitter………he’s just a wannabe………
Ryan just did what Albert and Yadier are known for doing… (now, we have 2 outs – just like that)
Adam evens the score in a vain attempt at staying with his idle Randy Wolfe…………..
The sad new is………….. Waino is just a likely to get “caught” as Wolfe……….and that is.sad isn’t it.
Geez………….brewers are slapping a hit/run with one of their power guys………..what are they up to?
Jay is targeting too far in front now……..just like the Hero’s Albert and Matt. The bird around Wainwrights neck starts to stink in the sun…………….will it distract him?
The heat becomes more intense, the flies swarm………..Craig is looking at his last at bat of the month……….will he stay?
The ill humor is Tony “insisting” the Waino sacrifice to set up Brendan………… Adam is now vulnerable with his frustration and aggressiveness……….
A 5 pitch inning to aid in Waino’s rhythm…………..
bbbbbbbbbbbbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!
Craig is now history with that set up and throw…………..book makers kept a 50cent cushion on this game at close to 3/1…………….
What can you say huh? Lets hope that Tony was successful.
Wainwrights stuff was as good as it gets…………I feel for the guy.
And Albert……………….he looks so relaxed………jawing with the boys down there at the first base club.. He took a few good cuts at that 400 hr plateau…………life is good. Day off coming up. I wonder what the Clubby has for lunch. Hey, I better get moving, I think Braun dropped that thing.
The walk to Colby was predictable………………… Brendan vs Trevor………………pay per view.
Looks like Braun and Fielder may of had a little of that Vegas action for them selves.
Nice…….big …….cuts by Brendan…………… that’s a rap.
http://cincinnati.com/blogs/reds/2010/08/18/reds-offer-baker-an-extension/
I’d have to guess that ownership made a statement after the Walter J debacle………….maybe killing the TLR rumors before they do any damage.
A finer point here……………. owners are friends………..it could be perceived that the TLR rumors about moving to Cincinnati, no matter how believable, were undermining BD in his AP wrestling match………..it might have seemed that way after the brawl sweep anyway?????? The timing wasn’t/isn’t random.
Yeah, TLR to the youth movement Reds should not have been taken seriously.