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Monday, December 6, 2010

Pat Bangtson saw 5 pro seasons, made AAA with Twins, coached

Pat Bangtson 1990 Portland Beavers cardPat Bangtson just tried to look forward. After the night he had in August 1991, that was about all he could do, he told The Orlando Sentinel.

The Orlando starter, Bangtson barely made it into the fourth in a game Orlando would lose to Memphis 12-0, according to The Sentinel.

''You don't want to have a night like that,'' Bangtson told The Sentinel. ''And if you do, you try to wipe it off your mind and get ready for the next start.''

Bangtson, however, wouldn't be getting ready for much longer. With the end of Orlando's season in 1991 also came the end of his playing days after five seasons. He got as high as AAA, but never made the majors.

Bangtson's career began in 1987, taken by the Twins in the 24th round of the draft out of Kent State. He split that first season between rookie league Elizabethton and single-A Kenosha, posting a 2.73 ERA between them.

He returned to Kenosha for 1988, going 17-5 on the year with a 2.87 ERA. He also got one $25 fine.

That July, Bangtson and teammate Chad Swanson played a prank on the umpires, using pennies to lock them in their hotel room. For the prank, the two were fined $25 each, according to The Chicago Tribune. They also had to deal with upset umpires that next game.

Bangtson did well the next year at AA Orlando, but not as well as he did at Kenosha. He compiled 15 wins, along with 10 losses. His ERA also increased, to 4.76. He gave up seven hits and four runs in a May win. He also had 10 strikeouts in another May game, one lost on a ninth-inning run, according to The Sentinel.

A promotion to AAA Portland in 1990 saw Bangtson split time between starting and relieving. He went 6-7 with a 5.55 ERA. The next year, his last, he was back at Orlando. He went 12-11 with an ERA of 3.44, closing out his playing days.

Bangtson went on to return to his home state of Ohio, serving as an assistant coach at Ohio State for 13 seasons. He then went closer to home, to the University of Akron, where, since 2006 and continuing for 2010, his next games have been as head coach.

After he was appointed in 2006, Bangtson told reporters he the goal was to win a conference championship and get to the regionals.

"We have a winning attitude," Bangtson said, according to CSTV.com, "but now we need to be accountable for our actions and work hard everyday."
1990 CMC Tally
Cards Featured:
333/880 - 37.8%
Players/Coaches Featured:
340
Made the Majors:
233 - 69%
Never Made the Majors:
107 - 31%

5+ Seasons in the Majors:
99
10+ Seasons in the Minors:
92

2 comments:

  1. As someone who went to multiple Beavers games every year throughout my childhood, I have no recollection of Bangtson ever playing here. Weird. This was right in my wheelhouse.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is amazing. Probably one of my favorite baseball stories I've ever read.

    ReplyDelete