tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1554074495821095833.post6084921037610565104..comments2023-05-09T11:10:47.318-04:00Comments on James Smyth: Most Consecutive Seasons with a Different Opening Day Starter: Center FieldJames Smythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13063422984078221700noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1554074495821095833.post-59705148966342508532015-07-23T21:32:46.399-04:002015-07-23T21:32:46.399-04:00I grew up in Southern California in the '70s; ...I grew up in Southern California in the '70s; when I saw Bruce Bochte listed as an opening-day center fielder for the Angels, I thought, "That has to be a misprint." <br /><br />Apparently not. Bochte had 32 major-league <b><i>innings</i></b> in CF (310 games) when he took the field as the Angels' 1977 opening-day center fielder, (Threw out a baserunner in the second inning of the opener, too.) He played at least part of each of his 25 games for the '77 Angels in center, then was traded to Cleveland, where he played 112 games, one in center field. For the '78 Mariners, who finished 56-104, Bochte played 19 games in center when Ruppert Jones wasn't in the lineup. Bochte never played center in any of the rest of his seven major-league seasons. I remember him as a competent but very immobile left fielder and first baseman. The thought of him playing center seems completely absurd.Kahuna Tunanoreply@blogger.com