Wikipedia

Brian Sackinsky

Brian Walter Sackinsky (born June 22, 1971), is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher who played in 1996 with the Baltimore Orioles.

Brian Sackinsky
Pitcher
Born: (1971-06-22) June 22, 1971 (age 52)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 20, 1996, for the Baltimore Orioles
Last MLB appearance
April 24, 1996, for the Baltimore Orioles
MLB statistics
Win–loss record0–0
Earned run average3.86
Strikeouts2
Teams
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing  United States
World Junior Baseball Championship
Gold medal – first place 1989 Trois-Rivières Team

International career edit

Sackinsky played for the United States national under-18 baseball team which went undefeated en route to a gold medal at the 1989 World Junior Baseball Championship in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.[1][2][3]

Amateur career edit

Sackinsky played baseball at South Park High School in South Park, Pennsylvania.[4] After high school, he played college baseball at Stanford. As a freshman, he pitched a complete game to win an elimination game against Georgia in the 1990 College World Series. Georgia had beaten them 16-2 in their previous game. Sackinsky was described by William C. Rhoden in The New York Times as "[p]erhaps the greatest surprise for Stanford" that season along with Jeffrey Hammonds.[5]

Professional career edit

He was selected by the Baltimore Orioles in the second round of the 1992 Major League Baseball draft.[6] He was assigned to the Frederick Keys to begin his professional career but was demoted to the rookie-level Bluefield Orioles by August.[7][8] In the fall of 1994, he played with Michael Jordan for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League.[9] During the 1994–95 Major League Baseball strike, Sackinsky worked out with his former college baseball team before returning to stay at his parents' home in Library, Pennsylvania, where he worked out with his former high school team.[4] When the 1995 season began, Sackinsky took the mound for the Rochester Red Wings as the first pitcher in the history of Frontier Field.[10] Sackinsky sat out nearly a month in the first half of the 1995 season due to elbow inflammation before undergoing surgery that summer.[11][12]

Early in the 1996 season, he was called up to the majors for the first time in his career to replace an injured Armando Benítez. He made his Major League debut on April 20 and pitched four innings in relief of Jimmy Haynes, allowing one earned run.[13] Sackinsky appeared in two more games between his debut and his final Major League game on April 24.[14] On April 25, the Orioles demoted Sackinsky to Triple-A Rochester to make room on the roster for Keith Shepherd.[15]

Following the 1996 season, Orioles General Manager Pat Gillick told The Baltimore Sun that Sackinsky told the Orioles organization that he would be retiring instead of undergoing reconstructive surgery on his elbow.[12] However, only two days later, his agent told the press that he had decided not to retire after getting a second opinion from the Pittsburgh Pirates team doctor.[16]

Sackinsky pitched two more years in Baltimore's farm system. His last professional season came in 1998.[8]

Personal life edit

As of March 1995, Sackinsky was engaged to be married to a Stanford student.[4]

As of July 2016, Sackinsky was working for Nike, Inc.[17]

References edit

  1. ^ "Official Roster for the 1989 18U National Team" (PDF). USA Baseball. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  2. ^ "Overall Results for the 1989 18U National Team" (PDF). USA Baseball. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  3. ^ "18U National Team History". USA Baseball. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Olney, Buster (March 12, 1995). "The Waiting Game". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  5. ^ Rhoden, William C. (June 8, 1990). "College Baseball; Oklahoma St. Routs L.S.U. on Way to Finals". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  6. ^ "2nd Round of the 1992 MLB June Amateur Draft". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  7. ^ Singer, Patti (August 9, 1992). "Bad outing aside, Telford is satisfied with..." Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Brian Sackinsky Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  9. ^ Keegan, Tom (November 18, 1994). "Millionaire tries to earn his keep". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  10. ^ Mandelaro, Jim; Pitoniak, Scott (2010). Silver Seasons and a New Frontier: The Story of the Rochester Red Wings (2d ed.). Syracuse University Press. p. 231. ISBN 978-0-8156-5120-8. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  11. ^ Baker, Kent (July 12, 1995). "Educated guess: Sackinsky nearly set to test majors". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  12. ^ a b La Canfora, Jason; Olney, Buster (October 23, 1996). "Down interviews for Angels' post Pitcher Sackinsky chooses retirement over surgery". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  13. ^ Olney, Buster (April 21, 1996). "Sackinsky up from minors to take place of Benitez Elbow reinjury forces reliever to disabled list". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  14. ^ "Brian Sackinsky Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  15. ^ Olney, Buster (April 26, 1996). "Shepherd recalled Sackinsky sent to Rochester; Alomar strains muscle; might sit out tonight". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  16. ^ Schmuck, Peter; Olney, Buster (October 24, 1996). "Ripken, Murray talks to begin Shapiro to meet with O's tomorrow to discuss Cal, Bill and designated hitter". New York Daily News. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
  17. ^ Oklobzija, Kevin (July 29, 2016). "Wings to relive 19-year-old Governors' Cup memories". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 23 June 2021.

External links edit

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