Michigan State Baseball Alumni

MICHIGAN STATE BASEBALL ALUMNI:
FROM KOBS FIELD TO "THE SHOW"

Though not known as a baseball factory (many a Kobs Field home opener having been postponed on account of snow), at least one MSU alumnus has played in the majors every year from 1948 through 2000. The peak year was 1963, when eight former Spartans saw action. Criteria for inclusion in this list: The player must have (1) lettered at MSU and (2) either been drafted by a professional team, or signed any professional contract as a free agent.

NICK PICCIUTO - third base, lettered 1942 played in 36 games for the 1945 Philadelphia Athletics Major League Career Statistics Cards: none
ROBIN ROBERTS - pitcher, 1946, 1947 ML debut 6/18/1948 with the Philadelphia Phillies right-handed starter pitched 19 seasons (1948-1966) in the bigs, 14 with the Phillies led NL in wins four seasons in a row (1952-55), then led the NL in losses the next two NL strikeout king in 1953 and 1954 racked up a lifetime record of 286-245 with an ERA of 3.40 named to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976 Major League Career Statistics Cards: Action Packed All-Star 1993 (#12); Bowman 1949 (#46), 1950 (#32), 1951 (#3), 1952 (#4), 1953 (#65), 1954 (#95), 1955 (#171); Ted Williams 1993 (#73), Topps Archives 1991 (#288); Topps 1952 (#59), 1956 (#180), 1957 (#15), 1958 (#90), 1959 (#352), 1960 (#264), 1961 (#20), 1962 (#243), 1963 (#125), 1964 (#285), 1965 (#15), 1966 (#530); Upper Deck Fan Fest 1992 (#54); Upper Deck Heroes 1992 (#7)
HOBIE LANDRITH - catcher ML debut 7/30/1950 with the Cincinnati Reds journeyman backstop played 14 seasons for the Reds (1950-55), Cubs (1956), Cardinals (1957-58), Giants (1959-61), Mets (1962), Orioles (1962-63) and Senators (1963) Major League Career Statistics Cards: Bowman 1954 (#220), 1955 (#50); Topps 1956 (#314), 1957 (#182), 1958 (#24), 1959 (#422), 1960 (#42), 1961 (#114), 1962 (#279), 1963 (#209)
TOM YEWCIC - catcher, 1953, 1954 named Most Outstanding Player for 1954 College World Series, in which MSU finished 3rd first team All-American and first team All-Big Ten in 1954 was MSU football team's punter for the 1951-53 seasons and starting quarterback for 1952-53 first pass attempt as a Spartan was the game-winning "trans-continental" pass to quarterback Al Dorow in the 1951 game against Ohio State quarterbacked the Spartans to an undefeated season and national championship in 1952, a 9-1 record in 1953, and a Rose Bowl triumph in 1954 drafted in the 27th round by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1954, but opted to try baseball caught for the hapless Buffalo Bisons (a Detroit Tigers farm club) of the International League in 1955 played in the 1956 AAABA tournament for Youngstown (PA) ML career began and ended with a single at-bat for the 1957 Tigers turned to professional football, playing with Toronto of the CFL before catching on with the Boston Patriots of the AFL in 1961 as a punter first Pat quarterback to throw for more than 300 yards in a game (304 vs. NY Jets, Oct 5, 1963) Major League Career Statistics Cards: none
JACK KRALICK - pitcher ML debut 4/15/1959 with the Washington Senators pitched 9 seasons, playing for the Senators (1959-60), Twins (1961-63), and Indians (1964-67) 67-65 career WL record, with best year his 12-7, 3.21 ERA for Indians in '64 Major League Career Statistics Cards: Topps 1961 (#36), 1962 (#346), 1963 (#448), 1964 (#338), 1965 (#535), 1966 (#129), 1967 (#316)
BOB POWELL - outfielder, 1953, 1954, 1955 got on the field with the Chicago White Sox for one game each in the 1955 and 1957 seasons, with no at-bats Cards: none
ED HOBAUGH - pitcher, 1954, 1955, 1956 captain of the 1956 squad which chalked up a 16-13 record drafted by the White Sox, but pitched 3 seasons for the Washington Senators started 18 games in his rookie year (1961) Major League Career Statistics Cards: Topps 1960 (#131), 1961 (#129), 1962 (#79), 1963 (#423)
RON PERRANOSKI - pitcher, 1956, 1957, 1958 first team All-Big Ten, 1958 signed by the Chicago Cubs ML debut 4/14/1961 with the Los Angeles Dodgers pitched 13 seasons, playing for Dodgers (1961-1967, 1972), Twins (1968-1971), Tigers (1971-72), and Angels (1973) played in three World Series (1963, 1965-66) with the Dodgers, with one save and no decisions in five appearances iron-armed lefty led the AL in saves twice, the NL in wins for a reliever (16, in 1963) and appearances three times 179 career saves and a 79-74 WL record Major League Career Statistics Cards: Topps 1961 (#525), 1962 (#297), 1963 (#403), 1964 (#30), 1965 (#484), 1966 (#555), 1967 (#197), 1968 (#435), 1969 (#77), 1970 (#226), 1971 (#475), 1972 (#367)
LARRY FOSTER - pitcher, 1958 in his one ML appearance for the Tigers in 1963, Larry surrendered three runs in two innings worked for a career ERA of 13.50 Major League Career Statistics Cards: none
DEAN LOOK - outfielder went 0-for-6 in three games for the 1961 Chicago White Sox Major League Career Statistics Cards: none
AL LUPLOW - outfielder ML debut 9/16/1961 with the Cleveland Indians played 7 seasons for the Indians (1961-65), Mets (1966-67) and Pirates (1967) hit .277 with 14 HR in 1962, his best year Major League Career Statistics Cards: Topps 1963 (#351), 1964 (#184), 1966 (#188), 1967 (#433)
DICK RADATZ - pitcher, 1957, 1958, 1959 first team All-Big Ten and second team All-American, 1959 captain of the 1959 squad which went 21-14 ML debut 4/10/1962 with the Boston Red Sox, and went on to play seven seasons in the majors was 15-6 with a 1.97 ERA in his second season with the Bosox also played for the Indians (1966-67), Cubs (1967), Tigers (1969), and Expos (1969) Major League Career Statistics Cards: Topps 1963 (#363), 1964 (#170), 1965 (#295), 1966 (#475), 1967 (#174), 1969 (#663)
DICK BILLINGS - catcher, 1963, 1964, 1965 second team All-Big Ten in 1964 and third team All-Big Ten in 1965 ML debut 1968 with the Washington Senators played for 8 seasons with the Senators, Rangers and Cardinals best year was 1972, when he hit .254 as the Rangers #1 catcher (92 games); he also played 41 games in the outfield that season. Major League Career Statistics Cards: Topps 1971 (#729), 1972 (#148) , 1973 (#94), 1974 (#466)
BRUCE LOOK - catcher ML debut 4/17/1968 with the Minnesota Twins hit .246 in 59 games for the '68 Twins, his only big-league tour paid for the Kobs Field scoreboard clock Major League Career Statistics Cards: Topps 1969 (#317)
STEVE GARVEY - third base, 1968 first team All-Big Ten and first team All-American, 1968 ML debut 9/1/1969 with the Los Angeles Dodgers played for Dodgers (1969-82) and Padres (1983-87), a total of 19 seasons ten-time NL All-Star at first base, four-time Golden Glove winner led the NL in hits in 1978 and 1980, and was named NL Most Valuable Player in 1974 hit .294 lifetime with 2599 hits and 1308 RBI Major League Career Statistics Cards: Action Packed All-Star Gallery 1993 (#64); Classic Green 1987 (#27); Donruss 1981 (#56, #176), 1982 (#3, #84), 1983 (#488), 1984 (#63), 1985 (#307), 1986 (#63), 1987 (#81); Fleer 1981 (#110, #606), 1982 (#5), 1983 (#206), 1984 (#300, #628), 1985 (#32), 1986 (#321), 1987 (#414); Score 1988 (#225); Sportflics 1986 (#35), 1987 (#40), Ted Williams 1993 (#14); Topps 1971 (#341), 1972 (#686), 1973 (#213), 1974 (#575), 1975 (#140, #460), 1976 (#150), 1977 (#400), 1978 (#350), 1979 (#50), 1980 (#290), 1981 (#530), 1982 (#179, #180), 1983 (#610), 1984 (#380), 1985 (#2, #450), 1986 (#660), 1987 (#100); Topps Traded 1983 (#37)
MEL BEHNEY - pitcher, 1967, 1968 first team All-Big Ten, 1968 ML debut 8/14/1970 with the Cincinnati Reds 0-2 in five games for the '70 Reds Major League Career Statistics Cards: none
RICK MILLER - outfielder, 1968, 1969 first team All-Big Ten and first team All-American, 1969 second-round draft pick of the Boston Red Sox, June 1969 ML debut 9/4/1971 with the Red Sox hit .269 in 15 seasons, playing for the Red Sox (1971-77 and 1981-85) and Angels (1978-80) member of the Red Sox's 1975 World Series team (0-for-2 in 3 games) won Golden Glove in 1978 Major League Career Statistics Cards: Donruss 1981 (#294), 1982 (#334), 1983 (#82), 1984 (#493), 1985 (#517); Fleer 1981 (#279), 1982 (#299), 1983 (#188), 1984 (#403), 1985 (#163); Topps 1974 (#247), 1975 (#103), 1976 (#302), 1977 (#566), 1978 (#482), 1979 (#654), 1980 (#48), 1981 (#239, #803), 1982 (#717), 1983 (#188), 1984 (#344), 1985 (#502), 1986 (#424)
MIKE WALLACE - pitcher fourth round pick of the Philadelphia Phillies in June, 1969 made ML debut on Jun 27, 1973 with Phillies, throwing a complete game victory vs. Mets never found a real home, going 11-3 with 4 saves in five seasons for four teams racked up a 6-0 record with a 2.42 ERA for the 1974 Yankees, his career peak Major League Career Statistics Cards: Topps 1975 (#401), 1977 (#539)
RICK KREUGER - pitcher, 1970 reached the majors in 1975 as a reliever with the Boston Red Sox was 2-1 with 4 saves in the 1976 campaign played three seasons for the Red Sox and one for the Indians Major League Career Statistics Cards: none
ROB ELLIS - outfield/pitcher, 1970, 1971 first-team All-American in 1971 made his ML debut with Milwaukee in 1971, playing in 36 games hit a career-best .292 in limited action with the Brewers in 1974 Major League Career Statistics Cards: none
RON PRUITT - catcher/third base/outfielder, 1970, 1971, 1972 first team All-American in 1972 as a catcher second round pick of the Texas Rangers in June, 1972 worked his way up through the Rangers farm system, playing for Denver in 1972, Spokane in 1973, Pittsfield in 1974, and Spokane in 1975 made his ML debut with the Rangers in 1975 batted .288 in 78 games for the 1977 Cleveland Indians Major League Career Statistics Cards: Topps 1977 (#654), 1978 (#198), 1979 (#226), 1980 (#13), 1981 (#442)
KIRK GIBSON - outfielder, 1978 first team All-Big Ten and first team All-American, 1978 ML debut 9/8/1979 played for Tigers (1979-87 and 1993-95), Dodgers (1988-90), Royals (1991), Pirates (1992) hit a memorable game-winning gimpy-legged pinch-hit HR in his only at-bat in the 1988 World Series Major League Career Statistics Cards: Boardwalk 1987 (#29); Bowman 1989 (#351), 1990 (#97), 1991 (#302); Classic 1987 (#9), 1989 (#20), 1990 (#20); Donruss 1982 (#407), 1983 (#459), 1984 (#593), 1985 (#471), 1986 (#1, #125), 1987 (#50), 1988 (#275), 1989 (#15, #132), 1990 (#368), 1991 (#445), 1992 (#39), 1994 (#108), 1995 (#257); Donruss Studio 1991 (#66); Fleer Extra Bases 1994 (#75); Fleer Final Edition 1993 (#209); Fleer Fair 1993 (#203), 1994 (#50); Fleer For the Record 1989 (#4); Fleer 1981 (#481), 1982 (#267), 1983 (#329), 1984 (#80), 1985 (#8), 1986 (#226), 1987 (#151), 1988 (#55), 1988 Update (#93), 1989 (#57), 1990 (#393), 1991 (#199), 1991 Update (#26), 1992 (#157), 1994 (#130), 1995 (#53); Fleer Ultra 1991 (#27), 1993 (#549), 1994 (#355); Leaf 1990 (#173)1991 (#249), 1993 (#314), 1994 (#342); Leaf Studio 1993 (#165); O-Pee-Chee 1991 (#50); Pacific Crown 1994 (#218); Score Gold Rush 1994 (#421), 1995 (#94); Score Pinnacle 1992 (#481), 1994 (#453); Score 1988 (#525), 1988 Traded (#10), 1989 (#210), 1990 (#487), 1991 (#800), 1991 Traded (#18), 1992 (#520), 1994 (#421), 1995 (#94); Score Select 1994 (#266); Sportflics 1986 (#21), 1987 (#48), 1988 (#111), 1989 (#65); Topps Gold 1992 (#720), 1994 (#228); Topps 1981 (#315), 1982 (#105), 1983 (#430), 1984 (#65), 1985 (#565), 1986 (#295), 1987 (#765), 1988 (#605), 1988 Traded (#40), 1989 (#340, #396), 1990 (#150), 1991 (#490), 1991 Traded (#46), 1992 (#720), 1993 Traded (#8), 1994 (#228); Topps Stadium Club 1991 (#344), 1992 (#495, #784), 1993 (#673); Upper Deck Collectors Choice 1994 (#403), 1995 (#217); Upper Deck 1989 (#633, #662, #666), 1990 (#264), 1991 (#534, #737), 1992 (#180), 1993 (#766)
CHUCK BAKER - pitcher/shortstop, 1976, 1977, 1978 hit just .185 in limited action with the San Diego Padres and the Minnesota Twins over three seasons Major League Career Statistics Cards: Fleer 1981 (#500), 1983 (#561); Topps 1979 (#456), 1982 (#253)
LARRY PASHNICK - pitcher, 1976, 1977, 1978 debuted with the Detroit Tigers in 1982, going 4-4 in 13 starts played his final season with the Minnesota Twins in 1984 Major League Career Statistics Cards: Donruss 1983 (#233), 1984 (#394); Fleer 1983 (#338)
TIM BIRTSAS - pitcher made his ML debut in 1985 with Oakland amassed a 14-14 record in 30 starts over five years with Oakland and Cincinnati Major League Career Statistics Cards: Donruss 1986 (#462), 1990 (#493); Fleer 1986 (#412), 1989 (#152), 1990 (#414); Fleer Update 1985 (#6), 1988 (#82); Score 1989 (#454), 1990 (#408), 1991 (#648); Topps 1988 (#501), 1989 (#103), 1990 (#687), 1991 (#289); Upper Deck 1989 (#638), 1990 (#137)
JOHN LEISTER - pitcher, 1983 also quarterbacked the MSU football team played briefly for Boston (1987 and 1990) Major League Career Statistics Cards: none
DANN HOWITT - outfielder, 1983, 1984 made his ML debut with Oakland A's in 1989\ logged 6 seasons in the majors as an outfielder and first baseman, but never got more than 85 at-bats in a season Major League Career Statistics Cards: Bowman 1991 (#229), 1992 (#521); Donruss 1992 (#751), 1993 (#349); Score 1992 (#861); Upper Deck 1990 (#747), 1991 (#442)
DAN MASTELLER - first base, 1987, 1988, 1989 signed by the Minnesota Twins ML debut 6/23/1995 hit .237 in 198 AB in his only big-league season Major League Career Statistics Cards: none
TIM CRABTREE - pitcher, 1990, 1991, 1992 big righthander is 21-17 as a fifth starter in his first six years in the majors Major League Career Statistics Cards: Classic 1992 Best Minor (#432), 1992 Draft Picks (#45), 1993 (#208); Fleer Excel 1993 (#240), 1997 (#236); Front Row Limited 1992 (#9); Leaf Signature 1996 (#1996); Topps 1993 Stadium Club (#29), 1996 (#351), 1997 (#129); Wizards 2000 (#433)
MARK MULDER - pitcher, 1997, 1998 second-round pick of Detroit in 1998 made his major league debut with Oakland in 2000, logging a 9-10 record in 27 starts Major League Career Statistics Cards: Bowman 1999 (#7, #164, #355), 2000 (#425); Pacific 2000 Crown Royale (#104); Topps 1999 Traded (#8), 1999 Stars (#45), 1999 Gold Label (#97), 1999 Gallery (#144), 2000 (#321), 2000 Stadium Club (#225); Upper Deck (#129, #280)

Last Revised: January ,(, /),(

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MICHIGAN STATE BASEBALL ALUMNI: FROM KOBS FIELD TO "THE SHOW"

MICHIGAN STATE BASEBALL ALUMNI:
FROM KOBS FIELD TO "THE SHOW"