@MarkKnudson41
Bud Black’s knees were shaking. Stu Cole didn’t even have time to phone home. And Cory Sullivan had to wait a full calendar year.
All Major League debuts are not created equal. But there’s a common denominator: Unbridled excitement.
There’s no playoff race to get worked up about when you visit Coors Field these days, but the Colorado Rockies did find an emotional and uplifting story for fans to follow this month – and next – with the promotion of 31-year-old rookie Wynton Bernard from Triple A.
While it’s not unique, Bernard’s story is pretty amazing. Drafted by the San Diego Padres way back in 2012 – when Black was still that team’s Manager – Bernard spent 11 seasons in the minor leagues, also spending time in the Mexican League and independent ball before he finally…finally got his first chance to set foot on a big-league field. The Rockies called him up and he started in centerfield, got his first major league hit and stolen base in his debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
First there was the emotional Facetime call with his mother, followed by a quick trip up I 25 and then directly into the starting line-up. Prior to his first at-bat, Bernard got a rousing ovation from the Coors Field crowd.
“Oh my gosh,” Bernard said the Sunday after his Friday night debut. “The best moment in baseball. Walking up to the plate for the first time…and hearing everybody clapping for me. Chills. Right now.”
A moment he will never forget. Some might remember better than others, but no one forgets their first time.
For former Rockies outfielder turned broadcaster Cory Sullivan, his memorable Opening Day double off Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman in 2005 was a year in the making. He spent the entirety of the previous season on the disabled list, so waiting until the ninth inning for his game action and first at-bat wasn’t extra stressful…but standing on second base after reaching safely left him unable to spit.
“I can remember how dry my mouth was when I hit. When I got to second base, I couldn’t have spit if you gave me a million dollars because I had no saliva. My whole family was sitting in section 145 and my little league coach was there. I remember when I got to second, I glanced up and they were all going berserk…so it was a pretty special moment.”
For Rockies third base coach Stu Cole, his call up and subsequent game action all happened so fast he didn’t even get to notify his family ahead of time.
“The (Kansas City Royals) were in Chicago when we got called up. Back then, we didn’t have cell phones, so I couldn’t let my parents know that I’d just got called up.”
Even though they didn’t know their son was in the Royal dugout, the Cole family was at home watching the White Sox on WGN. Then…Surprise!
“I wasn’t in the lineup that day,” Cole recalled, “But the game got out of hand, and (Royals Manager) Hal McRae told me to get a bat that I was going to pinch hit. I got up there, and I was nervous as hell. I took the first pitch for a strike, then swung at the next two sliders and struck out my first Major League at bat.”
Cole called home after the game.
Rockies Manager Bud Black did call home before his first appearance in a Major League game, even if the info he provided his family proved to be a little faulty.
“Fenway Park,” Black smiled. “Let’s start there. Warming up in the bullpen. Super excited, Saturday afternoon game in September. I remember I got to the mound, and my knees were shaking.”
He figured that the Red Sox Rick Miller would be the first and only batter he’d face that day…and he was right. Even after his eight warm up pitches, Black’s knees were still wobbly at best.
“Got to a 3-2 count, and the catcher called for a curveball…in my debut. I’m going ‘Can I land this for a strike?’ and sure enough I did. It was a good pitch. But Miller sort of dunked it over the third baseman’s head, right on the line, for a base hit…and I was removed. That was my debut.”
Seattle Manager Rene Lachemann had told his rookie lefthander that he was going to pitch the Friday night before – when the Mariners and Boston were set to resume what would become an 8-7 Red Sox win in 20 innings. The game that had begun Thursday night but was put on hold due to curfew rules. Black had called home and told his family he’d be on the Fenway mound on Friday.
The next day, Lachemann changed his mind. Black – and his family – had to wait another day.
As manager, Black didn’t make the newest Rockie wait at all before getting him into the lineup. Perhaps he figured that Bernard had waited long enough.
Catch Mark Knudson and Manny Randhawa on The Park Adjusted Rockies Podcast every week, available on all major podcast platforms.