John Scott (1970s outfielder)

John Scott
John Scott
	Outfielder
	Born: January 24, 1952 (age 72); Jackson, Mississippi, U.S.
	Batted: Right Threw: Right
Professional debut
	MLB: September 7, 1974, for the San Diego Padres
	NPB: April 7, 1979, for the Yakult Swallows
Last appearance
	MLB: September 27, 1977, for the Toronto Blue Jays
	NPB: August 27, 1981, for the Yakult Swallows
MLB statistics
Batting average	.222
Home runs	2
Runs batted in	15
NPB statistics
Batting average	.262
Home runs	48
Runs batted in	159
Teams
	San Diego Padres (1974–1975); Toronto Blue Jays (1977); Yakult Swallows (1979–1981);

John Henry Scott (born January 24, 1952) is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder who played in parts of three seasons. He played with the San Diego Padres from 1974 to 1975 and the Toronto Blue Jays in 1977, appearing in 118 career games.

Playing career[edit]

San Diego Padres (1974-1975)[edit]

Scott was selected by the San Diego Padres with the second overall pick in the 1970 MLB Draft. He made his Major League debut with the Padres on September 7, 1974, going 0 for 1 in a game against the Houston Astros.

On September 25, Scott collected his first career hit, a single off Mike Caldwell, then of the San Francisco Giants. Scott finished the 1974 season with a .067 batting average having appeared in only 14 games.

He spent the majority of the 1975 season in the minors, Class-AA, then later appeared in 25 games with the Padres, going hitless through nine at-bats.

In 1976, he played the entire season with the Hawaii Islanders of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League.

On October 22, 1976, the Toronto Blue Jays purchased Scott's contract from the Padres after which he played with the Blue Jays in 1977 going .240 with 2 home runs and 15 RBI.

In 1978 he played for the Triple-A Springfield Redbirds, of the American Association, compiling a 12 HR / 57 RBI / .315 season.

In 1979-1981 he played in Japan for the Yakult Swallows.

Toronto Blue Jays (1977)[edit]

Scott was the Toronto Blue Jays opening day left fielder in their first ever game on April 7, 1977, and was the first batter in team history, leading off the bottom of the first inning, as Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Ken Brett struck him out. He finished the game going 1 for 5 with a double.

Used infrequently during the opening weeks of the season, often as a defensive replacement or pinch runner, Scott compiled only 27 plate appearances in the team's first 37 games. However, on May 20, he became the Blue Jays regular starting center fielder, a position he held through mid-July.

On June 5, Scott hit his first career home run off Vida Blue of the Oakland Athletics. He hit his second, and last, two days later off the California Angels' Paul Hartzell. This capped a 10-game hit streak for Scott, the longest of his career.

Over the next month (June 8 to July 11), Scott cooled off, hitting just .186 over a 27-game stretch. By mid-July, Scott was platooning in left field with Alvis Woods. Woods quickly assumed the lion's share of the playing time in left, and by September, Scott was essentially once again a pinch runner and occasional defensive replacement.

Scott ended the season appearing in 79 games with the club, batting .240 with 2 HR and 15 RBI, while finishing second on the Blue Jays with 10 stolen bases.

On December 16, the Blue Jays traded Scott to the St. Louis Cardinals to complete an earlier deal in which they traded Pete Vuckovich to St. Louis for Victor Cruz and Tom Underwood.

Post-major league career[edit]

Scott would not appear in another Major League Baseball game as he spent the entire 1978 season with the Cardinals AAA affiliate, the Springfield Redbirds of the American Association. He ended his MLB career having played in 118 games, recording 57 hits, batting .222, with 2 HR and 15 RBI, while stealing 13 bases.

On October 23, 1978, the Cardinals traded Scott to the Chicago White Sox for Jim Willoughby, however, Scott would go on to play with the Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball from 1979-1981. He hit .262 with 48 HR, 159 RBI, and 43 stolen bases over his three seasons with the Swallows.

External links[edit]

Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)