Bob Buchanan got majors opportunities with Reds, Royals
Called up to the Reds in July 1985, Bob Buchanan looked forward to getting into his first game, The Cincinnati Enquirer wrote.
"I'm anxious to get my first major league appearance over with," Buchanan told The Enquirer. "But as a reliever you're so used to waiting for the right time. When I get the opportunity I'll do it."
Buchanan got that opportunity in his seventh pro season. He saw 14 outings. He then waited four more seasons for his next shot. In more than a decade in the pros, those two opportunities proved the extent of his time in the majors.
Buchanan's career began in 1979, taken by the Reds in the second round of the draft out of Riverview High School in Florida.
Buchanan started with the Reds at rookie Billings. He went 7-5 in 14 starts. He then moved to single-A Tampa in 1980, where he went 7-7, with a 4.28 ERA.
He picked up one of his 1980 wins in a June game as he struck out four, The Tampa Tribune wrote.
"My fastball was working good early and my curve finally came around later in the game," Buchanan told The Tribune then. "The team backed me up real good in the field. I was pitching from behind a lot, but you've got to pitch your game you can't let down."
Buchanan made AA Waterbury in 1982, AAA Indianapolis in 1983, then Cincinnati in 1985. He debuted in Cincinnati that July. In 14 relief appearances, he went 1-0 with an 8.44 ERA.
He played 1986 back at AAA with the Reds, then moved to the Mets and AAA Tidewater for 1987, and to the Royals and AAA Omaha for 1988.
Frustrated with Omaha in July 1989, Buchanan saw younger players get called up as he just wanted to get back to the majors himself, according to The Omaha World-Herald.
"What about the guys who have busted their tails for six or seven yeas in Triple-A and who have showed consistency?" he told The World-Herald.
Buchanan made it to Kansas City soon after that. He saw two relief outings, 3.1 innings, and gave up six earned runs.
Buchanan then saw AAA Tucson with the Astros and AAA Syracuse with the Blue Jays in 1990, Omaha again in 1991 and AAA Nashville with the Reds in 1992 to end his career.
- Tampa Tribune, Jan. 11, 1980: On-And-Off Tarps Sweep Past Astros
- Cincinnati Enquirer, July 12, 1985: Newest Red Buchanan Awaits His Opportunity
- Omaha World-Herald, July 6, 1989: Hottest Royal Getting Hotter
Made the Majors:1,444-31.7%-X
Never Made Majors:3,119-68.3%