I was watching the documentary The Battered Bastards of Baseball last night. It’s a documentary on the Portland Mavericks of the Northwest League in the 1970s. Owned by actor Bing Russell (Kurt‘s father), it was a truly independent minor league team in affiliated baseball. A good documentary, and you should check it out if you have Netflix.
But anyway, among the players for the Mavericks was a pitcher named Larry Colton, who had played in one game with the Phillies back in 1968. After retiring from baseball, he’d become a writer, and his book Counting Coup, about a girls’ basketball team in Montana, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.
Here’s Colton’s MLB stats:
| Year |
Age |
Tm |
Lg |
W |
L |
ERA |
G |
GS |
GF |
CG |
SHO |
SV |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
HR |
BB |
IBB |
SO |
HBP |
BK |
WP |
BF |
ERA+ |
FIP |
WHIP |
H9 |
HR9 |
BB9 |
SO9 |
| 1968 |
26 |
PHI |
NL |
0 |
0 |
4.50 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2.0 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
84 |
0.38 |
1.500 |
13.5 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
9.0 |
| 1 Yr |
0 |
0 |
4.50 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2.0 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
84 |
0.38 |
1.500 |
13.5 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
9.0 |
| 162 Game Avg. |
0 |
0 |
4.50 |
68 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
136 |
204 |
68 |
68 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
136 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
612 |
84 |
0.38 |
1.500 |
13.5 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
9.0 |
And here are his Minor League stats (first pitching, then hitting, as he also played as a position player):
| Year |
Age |
AgeDif |
Tm |
Lg |
Lev |
Aff |
W |
L |
W-L% |
ERA |
G |
GS |
CG |
SHO |
SV |
IP |
H |
R |
ER |
HR |
BB |
IBB |
SO |
HBP |
BK |
WP |
WHIP |
H9 |
HR9 |
BB9 |
SO9 |
SO/W |
| 1965 |
23 |
1.1 |
Eugene |
NORW |
A |
PHI |
12 |
10 |
.545 |
2.89 |
26 |
26 |
|
|
|
193.0 |
172 |
80 |
62 |
8 |
63 |
|
|
|
|
|
1.218 |
8.0 |
0.4 |
2.9 |
|
|
| 1966 |
24 |
0.7 |
Macon |
SOUL |
AA |
PHI |
11 |
8 |
.579 |
3.77 |
27 |
26 |
|
|
|
186.0 |
179 |
94 |
78 |
11 |
73 |
|
125 |
|
|
|
1.355 |
8.7 |
0.5 |
3.5 |
6.0 |
1.71 |
| 1967 |
25 |
-0.6 |
San Diego |
PCL |
AAA |
PHI |
14 |
14 |
.500 |
3.09 |
31 |
31 |
12 |
1 |
|
201.0 |
207 |
84 |
69 |
9 |
50 |
2 |
106 |
2 |
0 |
7 |
1.279 |
9.3 |
0.4 |
2.2 |
4.7 |
2.12 |
| 1968 |
26 |
-0.1 |
San Diego |
PCL |
AAA |
PHI |
5 |
7 |
.417 |
3.45 |
15 |
14 |
5 |
1 |
|
99.0 |
99 |
45 |
38 |
4 |
24 |
2 |
52 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
1.242 |
9.0 |
0.4 |
2.2 |
4.7 |
2.17 |
| 1969 |
27 |
1.1 |
Eugene |
PCL |
AAA |
PHI |
11 |
9 |
.550 |
4.18 |
26 |
25 |
8 |
1 |
0 |
155.0 |
150 |
81 |
72 |
12 |
54 |
4 |
79 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
1.316 |
8.7 |
0.7 |
3.1 |
4.6 |
1.46 |
| 1970 |
28 |
2.6 |
Tacoma |
PCL |
AAA |
CHC |
12 |
14 |
.462 |
4.24 |
32 |
28 |
12 |
2 |
1 |
221.0 |
226 |
116 |
104 |
24 |
76 |
7 |
118 |
2 |
2 |
17 |
1.367 |
9.2 |
1.0 |
3.1 |
4.8 |
1.55 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1975 |
33 |
11.7 |
Portland |
NORW |
A- |
|
0 |
2 |
.000 |
10.64 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
11.0 |
18 |
16 |
13 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2.091 |
14.7 |
2.5 |
4.1 |
1.6 |
0.40 |
| 7 Seasons |
|
|
|
65 |
64 |
.504 |
3.68 |
160 |
153 |
38 |
5 |
1 |
1066.0 |
1051 |
516 |
436 |
71 |
345 |
15 |
482 |
4 |
3 |
32 |
1.310 |
8.9 |
0.6 |
2.9 |
4.1 |
1.40 |
| A- (1 season) |
|
A- |
|
0 |
2 |
.000 |
10.64 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
11.0 |
18 |
16 |
13 |
3 |
5 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2.091 |
14.7 |
2.5 |
4.1 |
1.6 |
0.40 |
| A (1 season) |
|
A |
|
12 |
10 |
.545 |
2.89 |
26 |
26 |
|
|
|
193.0 |
172 |
80 |
62 |
8 |
63 |
|
|
|
|
|
1.218 |
8.0 |
0.4 |
2.9 |
|
|
| AA (1 season) |
|
AA |
|
11 |
8 |
.579 |
3.77 |
27 |
26 |
|
|
|
186.0 |
179 |
94 |
78 |
11 |
73 |
|
125 |
|
|
|
1.355 |
8.7 |
0.5 |
3.5 |
6.0 |
1.71 |
| AAA (4 seasons) |
|
AAA |
|
42 |
44 |
.488 |
3.77 |
104 |
98 |
37 |
5 |
1 |
676.0 |
682 |
326 |
283 |
49 |
204 |
15 |
355 |
4 |
3 |
32 |
1.311 |
9.1 |
0.7 |
2.7 |
4.7 |
1.74 |
| Year |
Age |
AgeDif |
Tm |
Lg |
Lev |
Aff |
G |
PA |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
CS |
BB |
SO |
BA |
OBP |
SLG |
OPS |
TB |
HBP |
SH |
SF |
| 1965 |
23 |
0.8 |
Eugene |
NORW |
A |
PHI |
34 |
|
73 |
|
24 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
.329 |
|
.370 |
|
27 |
|
|
|
| 1966 |
24 |
0.3 |
Macon |
SOUL |
AA |
PHI |
36 |
76 |
69 |
6 |
15 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
28 |
.217 |
.289 |
.246 |
.536 |
17 |
|
|
|
| 1967 |
25 |
-1.6 |
2 Teams |
2 Lgs |
AAA-WRk |
PHI |
34 |
|
79 |
5 |
18 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
31 |
.228 |
|
.278 |
|
22 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
| 1967 |
25 |
|
Phillies |
FLIL |
WRk |
PHI |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1967 |
25 |
-1.6 |
San Diego |
PCL |
AAA |
PHI |
34 |
88 |
79 |
5 |
18 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
31 |
.228 |
.265 |
.278 |
.544 |
22 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
| 1968 |
26 |
-0.4 |
2 Teams |
2 Lgs |
AAA-WRk |
PHI |
17 |
|
39 |
2 |
10 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
13 |
.256 |
|
.359 |
|
14 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1968 |
26 |
|
Phillies |
FLIL |
WRk |
PHI |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1968 |
26 |
-0.4 |
San Diego |
PCL |
AAA |
PHI |
17 |
40 |
39 |
2 |
10 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
13 |
.256 |
.275 |
.359 |
.634 |
14 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 1969 |
27 |
1.4 |
Eugene |
PCL |
AAA |
PHI |
27 |
63 |
52 |
7 |
15 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
0 |
0 |
8 |
17 |
.288 |
.383 |
.442 |
.826 |
23 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
| 1970 |
28 |
2.9 |
Tacoma |
PCL |
AAA |
CHC |
32 |
82 |
70 |
7 |
12 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
10 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
21 |
.171 |
.247 |
.271 |
.518 |
19 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1975 |
33 |
12.1 |
Portland |
NORW |
A- |
|
11 |
24 |
20 |
2 |
6 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
.300 |
.375 |
.600 |
.975 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| 7 Seasons |
|
|
|
191 |
446 |
402 |
29 |
100 |
18 |
2 |
4 |
40 |
1 |
0 |
30 |
113 |
.249 |
.300 |
.333 |
.634 |
134 |
0 |
13 |
1 |
| WRk (2 seasons) |
|
WRk |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A- (1 season) |
|
A- |
|
11 |
24 |
20 |
2 |
6 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
.300 |
.375 |
.600 |
.975 |
12 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
| A (1 season) |
|
A |
|
34 |
73 |
73 |
|
24 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
.329 |
.329 |
.370 |
.699 |
27 |
|
|
|
| AA (1 season) |
|
AA |
|
36 |
76 |
69 |
6 |
15 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
28 |
.217 |
.289 |
.246 |
.536 |
17 |
|
|
|
| AAA (4 seasons) |
|
AAA |
|
110 |
273 |
240 |
21 |
55 |
10 |
2 |
3 |
26 |
1 |
0 |
20 |
82 |
.229 |
.288 |
.325 |
.613 |
78 |
0 |
13 |
0 |