John Dopson saw 8 ML seasons with Expos, Red Sox, Angels
Eight shutout innings behind him, the Red Sox' John Dopson could be excused for looking ahead to the ninth in this April 1993 game and his potential first career complete game shutout.
"When I was in the dugout, I was thinking first major league shutout," Dopson told The Boston Globe after finishing the shutout. "But I just had to block that out. It's a real big day for me and my arm's back to feeling normal."
Dopson got that shutout in his seventh big league year. He saw one more, ending with 144 big league appearances.
Dopson's career began in 1982, taken by the Expos in the second round of the draft out of Delone Catholic High School in Pennsylvania.
Dopson started with the Expos at short-season Jamestown. He went 6-8 in 15 starts, with a 3.97 ERA.
That September, he spoke to his hometown Carroll County Times about his experience.
"Mostly, I concentrated on throwing the ball hard and keeping it low," Dopson told The Times.
Dopson made AA Jacksonville in 1984, then AAA Indianapolis and Montreal in 1985. He saw four outings, three starts in Montreal, giving up 16 earned runs in 13 innings of work.
He underwent rotator cuff surgery in 1986 and didn't return to the majors until 1988, when he saw 26 starts for the Expos. He went 3-11, with a 3.04 ERA.
Dopson then moved to the Red Sox in a trade and saw 28 starts with Boston in 1989. He went 12-8, with a 3.99 ERA. He also tied a major league record by balking four times in one inning.
He saw abbreviated seasons in 1990 and 1991 due to elbow surgery, seeing four starts in Boston and five at AAA Pawtucket in 1990.
He then returned to form in 1992 as he got 25 starts in Boston, going 7-11, with a 4.08 ERA. He spoke with The Hannover Evening Sun that November about his season and surgery recovery.
"The main thing is that I'm healthy and pitching again," Dopson told The Sun.
Dopson saw 34 more outings, 25 starts for the Red Sox in 1993, going 7-11 again, with a 4.97 ERA. He played 1994 with the Angels, seeing 21 outings, five starts and a 6.14 ERA to end his big league career.
Dopson continued playing in independent ball through 1999, at Tennessee and Tri-City.
- Carroll County Times, Sept. 8, 1992: Finksburg's John Dopson completes first hurdle to majors
- Hannover Evening Sun, Nov. 15, 1992: Dopson's right arm undergoes workout
- Boston Globe, April 20, 1993: It was a complete success
Made the Majors:1,484-31.5%-X
Never Made Majors:3,221-68.5%