RBI Research task of the week

[Gantry]

Fightonusc got me thinking about another idea with regards to teammates.  Which RBI was teammates with a major leaguers who started his career earliest?  Meaning who shared a clubhouse with a guy who got the earliest MLB start.  That might take some time or no time at all if there is a webstie for it...

My first guess would be someone who played with Nolan Ryan or Don sutton...

[ultimate7]

or Lopes

[ultimate7]

Forget Lopes, I didn't realize Sutton starting with the Dodgers in '66

So far Ryan was teammate of Bob Friend, Friend debuted 4/28/51, so that's a staring point.  I bet Friend is one of the top 5 oldest for this list.

[ultimate7]

I think we have some winners, Baines and Lemon played on the 1980 White Sox with Minnie Minoso who debuted April 19, 1949.

Edit:  Downing also played with Minoso on the 1976 White Sox

[TβG]

since minoso is a sort of anomoly (some may say gimmick), i think both friend and minoso should be listed.  is there anyone earlier than friend?

[ultimate7]

Haven't found one.  Spahn and Nolan Ryan missed being Met teammates by one year.

[Gantry]

I don't think Bob Friend is going to be beat...

Jeez - Sutton and Buckner were teammates in 1969, that's gotta be the records for oldest teammates.  They played with Jim Bunning and Ken Boyer, man!

[Gantry]

Here is the RBI by year category to get players:

http://dee-nee.com/wiki/index.php/Category:RBI_by_Year

Looks like Sutton, Ryan, Buckner, Potatoes and Darrell Evans were the only players to debut before 1970...

[ultimate7]

Hmmm, I didn't look up Evan's teammates, but I really don't think Friend will be beat, I looked up a lot of guys that played before 1951 and not many made it to 1966 (when Sutton and Ryan debuted).  I checked lots of likely people, will see if we can find another.

[TβG]

any relations to grich?  he's an older guy not many people think of.   ult, what site are you using?

[ultimate7]

baseball-reference.com, I highly recommend

I'm now more convinced Friend wins and I guarantee he's in the top 2 (Minoso not included).

You have to realize that you had to be actually good to have a 15+ year career back then, they didn't have these pitching specialists that got 1 left hander out per game that stuck around (no offense Uncle Jesse).

[capt_taco]

looks like Bobby Grich debuted in 1970, but the oldest guy he was teammates with was a guy named Dick Hall, who was born in 1930 and debuted in 1952. A year short, but maybe worth an honorable mention.

[capt_taco]

another near miss: Doyle Alexander played on the 1971 L.A. Dodgers with Hoyt Wilhelm. Wilhelm was born in 1922, while Bob Friend was born in 1930, but dumbass Wilhelm forgot to make it to the majors until he was 30. So Wilhelm debuted in 1952, but I'd be willing to bet he's the oldest guy ever to have played with an RBIer.

Also of note: Doyle Alexander, Don Baylor, Doug DeCinces and Bobby Grich were all teammates on the 1973 Orioles.

[Attezzobal]

Hoyt Wilhelm hit a home run in his first major league at bat, it was his only ever home run, in over 1,000 thousand at bats. He also took part in one of the greatest regular season games of all time when he no hit the Yankees on one of his first starts (possibly his first start with Baltimore, not sure), and the Orioles won 1-0, it was also one of the earliest regular season games broadcast nationally on television.

That's all I've got.

[capt_taco]

OK, I've pretty much pulled up every team from '75 or earlier that any RBIers played on, and I haven't found anyone who started playing earlier than Friend or who was born earlier than Wilhelm. A few guys started playing in 1953, a few more in 54-55, but that's it.

One thing I know now that I did not know earlier tonight: Jose Oquendo apparently used to be nicknamed the "Secret Weapon." For that, at least, I am glad.