Photo by: Milwaukee Brewers
#STATEtoTheShow: History of Diamond Dawg Opening Day Starting Pitchers
July 24, 2020 | Baseball
Woodruff becomes fifth Diamond Dawg to start on the mound on Opening Day
by: Greg Campbell, Assistant Director/Communications
STARKVILLE – Over the years, Mississippi State alums have seen great success at the MLB level. There have been numerous first round picks, a host of All-Star Game appearances and five World Series champions. On Friday (July 24) evening in Chicago, Brandon Woodruff will join one of the more exclusive lists in Diamond Dawg history when he takes the mound for an Opening Day start.
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Woodruff will become the 17th person from MSU to start an MLB Opening Day and just the fifth to do so on the mound. He joins MSU's first-ever Opening Day starter, Willie Mitchell, who took the mound for the Cleveland Indians organization on April 11, 1912, and current Seattle Mariners pitcher Kendall Graveman, who made two Opening Day starts for Oakland in 2017-18. In between, Sammy Ellis toed the rubber for the Cincinnati Reds in the 1966 season opener and Paul Maholm made the Opening Day start for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2009.
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Woodruff's start on Friday versus the Chicago Cubs will be the ninth Opening Day start for a Diamond Dawg alum, and he will look to add to the list of quality outings put together by the group. Entering the game, MSU's Opening Day starters own a 3-2 record with three no decisions.
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Below is a glimpse of what the others have done in their Opening Day stats since Mitchell's outing in 1912 versus Detroit set the tone for closely contested pitching matchups in season openers. Of the eight previous starts, three have ended in walk-off decisions and five have been decided by two-or-fewer runs.
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April 11, 1912 - Willie Mitchell vs. Detroit
11 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 K (W, 3-2; 11 innings)
In his fourth season in the big leagues, Mitchell drew his first of four Opening Day starts when the Cleveland Indians hosted the Detroit Tigers to start the 1912 season. As if the season opening game isn't exciting enough on its own, Mitchell and Tigers starting pitcher George Mullin dueled it out for 11 innings, with each pitcher throwing a complete game. Mitchell would earn the victory, 3-2, with four strikeouts in 11 frames. He scattered five hits and two walks, while going 1-for-4 at the plate with one RBI. Shoeless Joe Jackson had three hits for Cleveland, while Mitchell limited Hall of Famer Ty Cobb to a 0-for-4 day at the plate – walking him once.
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April 14, 1914 - Willie Mitchell at Chicago White Sox
6 1/3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 K (L, 2-5)
Facing Jim Scott in his second Opening Day start, Mitchell cruised through the first six innings, before the White Sox would score three runs in the seventh to rally from a 2-0 deficit for the victory.
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April 14, 1915 - Willie Mitchell at Detroit
9 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 5 K (W, 5-1)
In one of the less dramatic Opening Day starts for a Diamond Dawg, Mitchell fanned five in a 5-1 victory over the Tigers. He scattered nine base runners – six hits and three walks – and chipped in a hit and run scored of his own in the victory. Again, Cobb was unable to do much against Mitchell, going 1-for-4 at the plate. It was the second Opening Day complete game for Mitchell.
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April 12, 1916 - Willie Mitchell vs. St. Louis Browns
5 IP, 3 H, 4 R (3 ER), 4 BB, 5 K (L, 1-6)
The feast-or-famine Opening Day efforts continued for Mitchell, as he lasted just five innings versus the Browns, who now call Baltimore home. Bob Groom limited Cleveland to just three hits – and walked six batters – but surrendered just one unearned run in the game. The Browns scored one run in the second and one in the third inning, before tallying four – two against Mitchell – in the sixth.
April 15, 1966 – Sammy Ellis at Philadelphia
8 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 5 K (L, 3-4)
Another walk-off moment went against MSU's Ellis, as the Cincinnati Reds were unable to finish off the Philadelphia Phillies to start the 1966 campaign. Ellis took the no decision after being lifted for a pinch hitter in the top of the ninth inning and Jack Baldschun would lose the 3-2 lead in the bottom of the inning as John Briggs drove in the eventual game-winning run. Ellis out-dueled seven-time All-Star and Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Bunning in the start and delivered the then-go-ahead RBI in the seventh inning, before the Phillies walked off.
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April 6, 2009 – Paul Maholm at St. Louis
6 2/3 IP, 7 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 1 K (W, 6-4)
For the first time in 43 seasons, a Diamond Dawg was on the mound for Opening Day and Maholm didn't disappoint as he squared off against Adam Wainwright and the Cardinals in St. Louis. The left-hander spun 6 2/3 innings of work with just one earned run allowed and left with the game tied, 2-2. After St. Louis would score two runs in the eighth, Pittsburgh would rally with four in the top of the ninth and hold on to beat the eventual National League Central Division champions to open the season. At the plate, Maholm would reach base three times with a single and two walks against his counterpart Wainwright.
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April 3, 2017 – Kendall Graveman vs. Los Angeles Angels
6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 7 K (W, 4-2)
Graveman picked up the first Opening Day win for a Diamond Dawg on the mound in 102 years thanks to six solid innings of work and two Khris Davis home runs, as Oakland defeated the Los Angles Angels, 4-2. Facing Ricky Nolasco, Graveman allowed two runs on six hits and struck out seven batters to earn the victory.
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March 29, 2018 - Kendall Graveman vs. Los Angeles Angels
5 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 0 BB, 1 K (W, 6-5; 11 innings)
The then-earliest MLB Opening Day in baseball history saw another walk-off, as Graveman's Athletics won in 11 innings over the Angels, with the right-hander tossing five innings and allowed five runs on seven hits. Angels starter Garrett Richards didn't fare much better, allowing four runs in five innings with three walks. Marcus Semien sent the Oakland faithful home happy after his RBI single scored Boog Powell, who tripled with one out to set up the dramatics.
STARKVILLE – Over the years, Mississippi State alums have seen great success at the MLB level. There have been numerous first round picks, a host of All-Star Game appearances and five World Series champions. On Friday (July 24) evening in Chicago, Brandon Woodruff will join one of the more exclusive lists in Diamond Dawg history when he takes the mound for an Opening Day start.
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Woodruff will become the 17th person from MSU to start an MLB Opening Day and just the fifth to do so on the mound. He joins MSU's first-ever Opening Day starter, Willie Mitchell, who took the mound for the Cleveland Indians organization on April 11, 1912, and current Seattle Mariners pitcher Kendall Graveman, who made two Opening Day starts for Oakland in 2017-18. In between, Sammy Ellis toed the rubber for the Cincinnati Reds in the 1966 season opener and Paul Maholm made the Opening Day start for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2009.
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Woodruff's start on Friday versus the Chicago Cubs will be the ninth Opening Day start for a Diamond Dawg alum, and he will look to add to the list of quality outings put together by the group. Entering the game, MSU's Opening Day starters own a 3-2 record with three no decisions.
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Below is a glimpse of what the others have done in their Opening Day stats since Mitchell's outing in 1912 versus Detroit set the tone for closely contested pitching matchups in season openers. Of the eight previous starts, three have ended in walk-off decisions and five have been decided by two-or-fewer runs.
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April 11, 1912 - Willie Mitchell vs. Detroit
11 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 K (W, 3-2; 11 innings)
In his fourth season in the big leagues, Mitchell drew his first of four Opening Day starts when the Cleveland Indians hosted the Detroit Tigers to start the 1912 season. As if the season opening game isn't exciting enough on its own, Mitchell and Tigers starting pitcher George Mullin dueled it out for 11 innings, with each pitcher throwing a complete game. Mitchell would earn the victory, 3-2, with four strikeouts in 11 frames. He scattered five hits and two walks, while going 1-for-4 at the plate with one RBI. Shoeless Joe Jackson had three hits for Cleveland, while Mitchell limited Hall of Famer Ty Cobb to a 0-for-4 day at the plate – walking him once.
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April 14, 1914 - Willie Mitchell at Chicago White Sox
6 1/3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 5 K (L, 2-5)
Facing Jim Scott in his second Opening Day start, Mitchell cruised through the first six innings, before the White Sox would score three runs in the seventh to rally from a 2-0 deficit for the victory.
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April 14, 1915 - Willie Mitchell at Detroit
9 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 5 K (W, 5-1)
In one of the less dramatic Opening Day starts for a Diamond Dawg, Mitchell fanned five in a 5-1 victory over the Tigers. He scattered nine base runners – six hits and three walks – and chipped in a hit and run scored of his own in the victory. Again, Cobb was unable to do much against Mitchell, going 1-for-4 at the plate. It was the second Opening Day complete game for Mitchell.
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April 12, 1916 - Willie Mitchell vs. St. Louis Browns
5 IP, 3 H, 4 R (3 ER), 4 BB, 5 K (L, 1-6)
The feast-or-famine Opening Day efforts continued for Mitchell, as he lasted just five innings versus the Browns, who now call Baltimore home. Bob Groom limited Cleveland to just three hits – and walked six batters – but surrendered just one unearned run in the game. The Browns scored one run in the second and one in the third inning, before tallying four – two against Mitchell – in the sixth.
April 15, 1966 – Sammy Ellis at Philadelphia
8 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 5 K (L, 3-4)
Another walk-off moment went against MSU's Ellis, as the Cincinnati Reds were unable to finish off the Philadelphia Phillies to start the 1966 campaign. Ellis took the no decision after being lifted for a pinch hitter in the top of the ninth inning and Jack Baldschun would lose the 3-2 lead in the bottom of the inning as John Briggs drove in the eventual game-winning run. Ellis out-dueled seven-time All-Star and Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Bunning in the start and delivered the then-go-ahead RBI in the seventh inning, before the Phillies walked off.
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April 6, 2009 – Paul Maholm at St. Louis
6 2/3 IP, 7 H, 2 R (1 ER), 1 BB, 1 K (W, 6-4)
For the first time in 43 seasons, a Diamond Dawg was on the mound for Opening Day and Maholm didn't disappoint as he squared off against Adam Wainwright and the Cardinals in St. Louis. The left-hander spun 6 2/3 innings of work with just one earned run allowed and left with the game tied, 2-2. After St. Louis would score two runs in the eighth, Pittsburgh would rally with four in the top of the ninth and hold on to beat the eventual National League Central Division champions to open the season. At the plate, Maholm would reach base three times with a single and two walks against his counterpart Wainwright.
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April 3, 2017 – Kendall Graveman vs. Los Angeles Angels
6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 7 K (W, 4-2)
Graveman picked up the first Opening Day win for a Diamond Dawg on the mound in 102 years thanks to six solid innings of work and two Khris Davis home runs, as Oakland defeated the Los Angles Angels, 4-2. Facing Ricky Nolasco, Graveman allowed two runs on six hits and struck out seven batters to earn the victory.
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March 29, 2018 - Kendall Graveman vs. Los Angeles Angels
5 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 0 BB, 1 K (W, 6-5; 11 innings)
The then-earliest MLB Opening Day in baseball history saw another walk-off, as Graveman's Athletics won in 11 innings over the Angels, with the right-hander tossing five innings and allowed five runs on seven hits. Angels starter Garrett Richards didn't fare much better, allowing four runs in five innings with three walks. Marcus Semien sent the Oakland faithful home happy after his RBI single scored Boog Powell, who tripled with one out to set up the dramatics.
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