Theo Shaw was like a kid, he told The Chicago Tribune that July in 1985. After a injury-induced try at being a position player, the team doctor told him he didn't have to be a position player anymore.
He was ready to pitch again.
"I was walking so fast to get to the car that I was running," Shaw told The Tribune. "I couldn't wait to get back here. It's worked out for me and now I'm loving it."
Shaw returned to the mound and pitched five more seasons as a pro, part of a career that spanned 11. Though he continued pitching, Shaw never had the opportunity to pitch in the majors.
Shaw's career began in 1980, taken by the Royals in the 16th round out of Proviso East High in Illinois.
Shaw pitched that first year with the Royals rookie Gulf Coast League team, going 5-7, with a 3.39 ERA. He picked up a win in the fall instructional league that October, giving up three unearned runs over five innings.
Shaw split 1981 between single-A Charleston and single-A Fort Myers. He went 8-3 between them, with a 2.56 ERA. That September, described as the Fort Myers ace, Shaw gave up just one hit in seven innings, before allowing a run and taking the loss in the eighth.
Shaw moved on to AA Jacksonville in 1982, Shaw went 7-5, with a with a 2.80 ERA. He returned to Jacksonville in 1983, going 5-7, with a 4.43 ERA.
It was in 1983, according to The Tribune, that Shaw suffered the injury that plagued him over the next two seasons, injuring his elbow on a pitch. The injuries amounted to two stress fractures.
He went on to pitch in 1984, but he pitched poorly. Shaw made AAA Omaha, starting 18 games. But he went 3-10, with an ERA of 8.63.
Shaw then spent his season as a position player. Shaw got into 80 games, hitting .204.
Back on the mound in 1986, Shaw nearly returned to form and he returned to AAA. At Omaha, Shaw went 5-9, posting a 3.84 ERA. In June, he tossed a five-hitter.
Shaw moved to relief in 1987. He also moved back to AA, at Memphis. In 45 outings, Shaw had a 5.57 ERA. It was his final season with the Royals.
Shaw spent 1988 in the Indians system, then joined the Mariners in 1989. His final season as a pro came in 1990, with the Mariners at AAA Calgary. He went 6-9, with a 5.62 ERA in 23 starts.
His playing days over, Shaw spent several years in the minors as a coach, at Eugene, Spokane, Delmarva and, in 1997, West Palm Beach.
At Eugene in 1994, Shaw watched over a pair of young pitchers, working with them to improve their command, The Eugene Register-Guard wrote. And Shaw saw improvement.
"They have to get their pitches over to be effective," Shaw told The Register-Guard, "and that's what they're doing."
- Daytona Beach Morning Journal, Sept. 5, 1981: Astros One Game Away
- Chicago Tribune, July 29, 1985: Hope Springs Eternal For Proviso's Shaw
- Eugene Register-Guard, July 27, 1994: Ems' pitchers blank Rockies in 6-0 victory, Part 2
Cards Featured: 594/880 - 67.5%
Players/Coaches Featured: 605
Made the Majors: 406 - 67%
Never Made the Majors:199-33%-X
5+ Seasons in the Majors: 174
10+ Seasons in the Minors: 129-X
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