2006 American League Debuts

Willie Mays played his first Major League game on May 25, 1951, and went 0-for-5 at the plate. He started his career 1-for-25 and told his manager, "I can't do it, Mr. Leo. You better bench me."

Casey Stengel played his first Major League game on July 27, 1912, and went 4-for-4 at the plate. He commented later in his life, "I broke in with four hits and the writers promptly decided they had seen the new Ty Cobb. It took me only a few days to correct that impression."

Both Mays and Stengel would continue their Major League careers down separate paths of greatness, but each still had to appear in that memorable first Major League game. Baseball Almanac is pleased to present what Cubs broadcaster Steve Stone once described as, "His first Major League debut."
"Baseball is the sport that cackles back at can't-miss kids. Baseball humbles every player sooner or later. Baseball confers greatness stingily, in its own sweet time. At least that's what the bow-tied essayists and sandlot scouts solemnly tell us." - Johnette Howard in Sports Illustrated
American League Debuts

2006

25 Adam Jones 2006 Seattle Mariners 07-14-2006 20
7 Angel Sanchez 2006 Kansas City Royals 09-23-2006 20
35 Delmon Young 2006 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 08-29-2006 20
3 Joaquin Arias 2006 Texas Rangers 09-13-2006 21
51 Fabio Castro 2006 Texas Rangers 04-06-2006 21
64 Travis Chick 2006 Seattle Mariners 09-13-2006 21
63 Ryan Feierabend 2006 Seattle Mariners 09-13-2006 21
53 Emiliano Fruto 2006 Seattle Mariners 05-14-2006 21
62 Cesar Jimenez 2006 Seattle Mariners 09-11-2006 21
57 Boone Logan 2006 Chicago White Sox 04-04-2006 21
50 Andrew Miller 2006 Detroit Tigers 08-30-2006 21
61 Oswaldo Navarro 2006 Seattle Mariners 09-09-2006 21
59 Eric O'Flaherty 2006 Seattle Mariners 08-16-2006 21
36 Ryan Sweeney 2006 Chicago White Sox 09-01-2006 21
54 Joel Zumaya 2006 Detroit Tigers 04-03-2006 21
32 Erick Aybar 2006 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 05-16-2006 22
25 Alexi Casilla 2006 Minnesota Twins 09-01-2006 22
24 Brent Clevlen 2006 Detroit Tigers 07-30-2006 22
21 Matt Garza 2006 Minnesota Twins 08-11-2006 22
40 Charlie Haeger 2006 Chicago White Sox 05-10-2006 22
47 Howard Kendrick 2006 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 04-26-2006 22
62 Jon Lester 2006 Boston Red Sox 06-10-2006 22
29 Adam Loewen 2006 Baltimore Orioles 05-23-2006 22
21 Nick Markakis 2006 Baltimore Orioles 04-03-2006 22
22 Kendrys Morales 2006 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 05-23-2006 22
49 Edward Mujica 2006 Cleveland Indians 06-21-2006 22
52 Chris Britton 2006 Baltimore Orioles 04-12-2006 23
27 Josh Fields 2006 Chicago White Sox 09-13-2006 23
49 Jason Hammel 2006 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 04-11-2006 23
47 Jim Hoey 2006 Baltimore Orioles 08-23-2006 23
47 Jim Johnson 2006 Baltimore Orioles 07-29-2006 23
58 Jeff Karstens 2006 New York Yankees 08-22-2006 23
22 Bobby Keppel 2006 Kansas City Royals 05-25-2006 23
5 Ian Kinsler 2006 Texas Rangers 04-03-2006 23
26 Adam Lind 2006 Toronto Blue Jays 09-02-2006 23
58 Wes Littleton 2006 Texas Rangers 07-04-2006 23
35 Bobby Livingston 2006 Seattle Mariners 04-25-2006 23
57 Mark Lowe 2006 Seattle Mariners 07-07-2006 23
60 David Pauley 2006 Boston Red Sox 05-31-2006 23
64 Dustin Pedroia 2006 Boston Red Sox 08-22-2006 23
53 Rafael Perez 2006 Cleveland Indians 04-20-2006 23
60 Glen Perkins 2006 Minnesota Twins 09-21-2006 23
50 Davis Romero 2006 Toronto Blue Jays 08-18-2006 23
45 Jeremy Sowers 2006 Cleveland Indians 06-25-2006 23
48 Ty Taubenheim 2006 Toronto Blue Jays 05-20-2006 23
56 Jered Weaver 2006 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 05-27-2006 23
26 Boof Bonser 2006 Minnesota Twins 05-21-2006 24
61 Kason Gabbard 2006 Boston Red Sox 07-22-2006 24
44 Casey Janssen 2006 Toronto Blue Jays 04-27-2006 24
22 Mitch Maier 2006 Kansas City Royals 09-23-2006 24
57 Nick Masset 2006 Texas Rangers 06-27-2006 24
2 Drew Meyer 2006 Texas Rangers 04-21-2006 24
31 Zach Miner 2006 Detroit Tigers 06-04-2006 24
58 Dustin Moseley 2006 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 07-17-2006 24
60 David Murphy 2006 Boston Red Sox 09-02-2006 24
44 Mike Napoli 2006 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 05-04-2006 24
50 James Shields 2006 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 05-31-2006 24
39 Chris Stewart 2006 Chicago White Sox 09-06-2006 24
53 Jordan Tata 2006 Detroit Tigers 04-06-2006 24
61 Jason Windsor 2006 Oakland Athletics 07-17-2006 24
38 T.J. Beam 2006 New York Yankees 06-17-2006 25
25 Kurt Birkins 2006 Baltimore Orioles 05-04-2006 25
58 Andrew Brown 2006 Cleveland Indians 08-13-2006 25
56 Brian Burres 2006 Baltimore Orioles 09-08-2006 25
12 Brandon Fahey 2006 Baltimore Orioles 04-30-2006 25
55 Roberto Hernandez 2006 Cleveland Indians 04-15-2006 25
60 Jon Huber 2006 Seattle Mariners 08-30-2006 25
60 Shane Komine 2006 Oakland Athletics 07-30-2006 25
11 Kevin Kouzmanoff 2006 Cleveland Indians 09-02-2006 25
46 Juan Lara 2006 Cleveland Indians 09-08-2006 25
47 Tom Mastny 2006 Cleveland Indians 07-30-2006 25
72, 17 Pat Neshek 2006 Minnesota Twins 07-07-2006 25
7 Jerry Owens 2006 Chicago White Sox 09-11-2006 25
43 Sandy Rleal 2006 Baltimore Orioles 04-03-2006 25
4 Ryan Roberts 2006 Toronto Blue Jays 07-30-2006 25
36 Francisco Rosario 2006 Toronto Blue Jays 05-06-2006 25
54 Brian Slocum 2006 Cleveland Indians 04-22-2006 25
50 Sean Tracey 2006 Chicago White Sox 06-08-2006 25
31 Jose Veras 2006 New York Yankees 08-05-2006 25
77 Reggie Willits 2006 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 04-26-2006 25
18 Ben Zobrist 2006 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 08-01-2006 25
17 T.J. Bohn 2006 Seattle Mariners 08-22-2006 26
47 Ryan Braun 2006 Kansas City Royals 09-02-2006 26
5 Jeremy Brown 2006 Oakland Athletics 09-03-2006 26
53 Joselo Diaz 2006 Kansas City Royals 09-06-2006 26
36 Jack Hannahan 2006 Detroit Tigers 05-25-2006 26
23 John Hattig 2006 Toronto Blue Jays 08-19-2006 26
8 Mark Kiger 2006 Oakland Athletics 10-13-2006 26
68, 45 Ruddy Lugo 2006 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 04-03-2006 26
65 Tommy Murphy 2006 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim 05-04-2006 26
58 Mike Rabelo 2006 Detroit Tigers 09-23-2006 26
48 John Rheinecker 2006 Texas Rangers 04-22-2006 26
32 Shawn Riggans 2006 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 09-05-2006 26
2 Mike Rouse 2006 Oakland Athletics 06-09-2006 26
30 Matt Smith 2006 New York Yankees 04-14-2006 26
41 Brian Stokes 2006 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 09-03-2006 26
27 Kevin Thompson 2006 New York Yankees 06-03-2006 26
63 Andy Cannizaro 2006 New York Yankees 09-05-2006 27
27 Willie Eyre 2006 Minnesota Twins 04-06-2006 27
54 Sean Green 2006 Seattle Mariners 05-02-2006 27
11 Josh Rabe 2006 Minnesota Twins 07-17-2006 27
53 Juan Salas 2006 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 09-05-2006 27
39 Steve Andrade 2006 Kansas City Royals 05-01-2006 28
68 Devern Hansack 2006 Boston Red Sox 09-23-2006 28
7 Joe Inglett 2006 Cleveland Indians 06-21-2006 28
65 Agustin Montero 2006 Chicago White Sox 05-12-2006 28
40 Winston Abreu 2006 Baltimore Orioles 08-06-2006 29
2 Kenji Johjima 2006 Seattle Mariners 04-03-2006 29
39 Jason Childers 2006 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 04-03-2006 31
2006 American League Debuts


 

Find out which players bid farewell to their field's of dreams in the American League during the 2006 season as this group of players made their Major League debut!

Ray Jansen (four for five in his first game), Aubrey Epps (three for four in his first game) and Ed Irvin (two for three in his first game) all finished their career with lifetime batting averages which were greater than their career fielding percentages.

On the final day of the 1930 season, Dizzy Dean was called up and pitched a three-hitter. In Spring Training the following year, Dean had a fight with catcher Gabby Street and the franchise left him in the Minor Leagues all season long.
     

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