Tilly Walker (1887)
Eddie Waitkus (1919)
Doyle Alexander (1950)
Frank White (1950)
Mike Piazza (1968)
Luis Lopez (1970)
Aaron Fultz (1973)
Pat Neshek (1980)
Pitcher Richard Aaron Fultz was drafted by the Giants in 1992 in the sixth round. He pitched pretty well in rookie ball that year and in class A in 1993, but was traded to the Twins in August of 1993 with Andres Duncan and Greg Brummett for Jim DeShaies. After just over two years (1994 and 1995) in the Twins system, Fultz was released, and he went back to the Giants. He generally had to repeat levels in the minors, with the result that he did not reach AAA until 1998. Fultz was not particularly impressive in AAA in either 1998 or 1999, but made the Giants with a strong spring training in 2000. Fultz spent three years with the Giants as a middle reliever, posting ERAs in the mid-fours, but was allowed to become a free agent after 2002 and signed with Texas. He did not pitch particularly well for the Rangers, and was again allowed to become a free agent, signing with the Twins for the 2004 campaign. Fultz appeared in 55 games for the Twins, going 3-3 with a 5.04 ERA in 50 innings. The Twins placed him on waivers after the season, and he was selected by Philadelphia, for whom he had his best year in 2005, going 4-0 with a 2.24 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP in 72.1 innings. He did not repeat his success in 2006, and again became a free agent, signing with Cleveland for 2007. He did a good job for the Indians, going 4-3 with a 2.92 ERA in 37 innings, but was again released after the season. He has since played in the Detroit, Colorado, and Cincinnati organizations. Fultz played a little independent ball this season before retiring in June.
Pitcher Pat Neshek was drafted in the 45th round out of high school by the Twins in 1999. He did not sign, choosing instead to go to Butler University. The Twins kept watching him, and drafted him again in 2002 in the sixth round. He spent roughly a year at each minor league level, and pitched well at all of them. He came up to the Twins in July of 2006, and continued to pitch very well, becoming the Twins' top set-up man. In 2007, he was one of five players who was in the running for the final spot in the all-star game, losing to Hideki Okajima. Neshek then began to battle injuries, undergoing Tommy John surgery, and has not pitched since May of 2008. He hopes to begin pitching off a mound around the first of October, and to be fully recovered by November.
Aaron Fultz appears to have voluntarily retired. Given how he's bounced around in recent years, I can see how that would get old in a hurry. On the other hand, he is left-handed, and his results recently seem to be about the same as they have always been. If he decides that he wants to try it again next year, I have to think that somebody would at least give him a look.
If he's still healthy, I got a feeling he could be like Craig Breslow, a decent Lefty who will still get waived from time to time because hey, there's Sean Henn and Mahay! Giving the "journey" in "journeyman" extra emphasis. Hell, I think the Twins could have used him this year.
I always thought Fultzy was one of only two Twins who looked good in the red cap (the other was Silva).
I know it's not fair to him to have high expectations, but boy oh boy I'm hopeful for Pat Neshek's return next year.
F*ckin A, man.