Dennis Moeller made his major league debut with the Royals in July 1992 and, while the outing didn't turn out the way he'd hoped, that he got there was exactly what he'd hoped for.
The outing, a start, included Moeller giving up three earned runs, two on back-to-back home runs, in 4.1 innings, The Associated Press wrote.
"I wasn't really nervous, though," Moeller told The AP afterward. "I was excited. This was a long time coming."
That debut came in Moeller's seventh pro season. He went on to return to the majors the next year with the Pirates. Those two seasons marked the extent of his major league career.
Moeller's career began in 1986, taken by the Royals in the 17th round of the draft out of Los Angeles Valley College.
He started with the Royals at short-season Eugene. He made single-A Appleton in 1987, then first saw AA Memphis in 1989.
For 1990, he started at Memphis and then moved up to AAA Omaha. He moved up despite a rough stretch at Memphis. He went eight innings in an early outing for Omaha to get the win.
"From what we heard," Moeller's new manager Sal Rende told The Omaha World-Herald after that Moeller win, "he was struggling with his control. Tonight, he was around the zone all night."
Moeller returned to Memphis and Omaha for 1991, then started 1992 back at Omaha.
After getting his call to Kansas City in 1992, Moeller saw five outings, four starts. He gave up 14 earned in 17 innings for a 7.00 ERA. He also went 0-3.
He moved to the Pirates in a trade for 1993. He then got 10 relief outings in Pittsburgh. He picked up one win, but ended with a 9.92 ERA in 16.1 innings.
In one May outing, he gave up five runs in the eighth inning, but found support in the dugout from his teammates, according to The North Hills News Record.
"That always makes you feel better," Moeller told The News Record. "On some teams, guys will avoid somebody, sort of glare at them. Here, you know everybody's on your side."
Moeller returned to the Royals and AAA Omaha for 1994. He then returned later to play with independent Pacific in 1998 and briefly at independent Sioux Falls in 1999 to end his career.
Moeller then turned scout. He's recorded as scouting for the Dodgers and Angels.
- Omaha World-Herald, July 10, 1990: Promotion of Moeller Proves No Joke to Iowa
- Omaha World-Herald, Associated Press, July 29, 1992: Back-to-Back Homers Spoil Moeller's Debut
- North Hills News Record, May 2, 1993: Pirates notes
Made the Majors:1,426-31.9-X
Never Made Majors:3,039-68.1%
More 1990 Minor Leaguers:
- Eric Moen, His Future, 11/23/17
- Mike Mohler, Big Thing, 3/30/15
- Dale Mohorcic, Quietly Done, 5/14/12
- Bobby Molinaro, Top of the Game, 9/5/10
- Frank Monastero, Bigger Thrill, 3/14/15
- Bill Monbouquette, Pitching Teacher, 1/16/18
- Raul Mondesi had everything, won NL Rookie of the Year, played 13 ML seasons then went to prison for corruption, 6/5/20
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