Peter Gietzen saw three seasons, high-A, tried comeback
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Former Yankees farmhand Peter Gietzen tried a comeback in 2009, like a comeback 17 years after he last played, The Detroit Free Press wrote.
Gietzen, then at age 41, attended an open tryout for the Tigers, more so really to support a player he'd been mentoring than really believing he had a chance himself, The Free Press wrote.
"Sure, I wanted to see if I still had it 20 years later," Gietzen, who conceded he felt "like an old man," told The Free Press. "It didn't work out, but it was worth trying."
Gietzen's actual playing career, shortened by injury, lasted just three seasons. He topped out at high-A.
Gietzen's career began in 1989, taken by the Yankees in the 23rd round of the draft out of Florida International University.
In one appearance at Florida International, Gietzen went 6.1 innings of long relief and struck out 10.
Gietzen started with the Yankees in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He got into 18 games and started two. He went 0-2, with a 5.40 ERA.
He moved to high-A Fort Lauderdale for 1990. He went 0-2 there in 23 outings, two starts. He had a 6.80 ERA. Gietzen picked up one of his losses in a June game, giving up a bases-loaded walk-off hit to St. Lucie's Alan Zinter, The Fort Pierce Tribune wrote.
"I was just getting ready to get a good pitch to drive," Zinter told The Tribune. "(Pitcher Peter Gietzen) gave me a hanging slider and I got a hold of it."
Gietzen missed 1991 out injured, but returned in 1992 at single-A Greensboro. He got into 16 games in relief, went 0-1, with an ERA of 4.00 to end his career.
- Fort Pierce Tribune, June 7, 1990: St. Lucie wins wild one at the stadium
- Detroit Free Press, Aug. 16, 2009: Field of Dreams
Made the Majors:1,461-31.8%
Never Made Majors:3,139-68.2%-X