Generation K - Bill Pulsipher

Bill Pulsipher

Bill Pulsipher arrived first, in June 1995, after pitching over 200 minor league innings as a 21-year old. Between the majors and the minors in 1995 he threw for 218 more innings for a 3.98 ERA. Pulsipher missed all of 1996 and most of 1997 with a torn elbow ligament. After a brief comeback bid in 2001 it appeared his career had ended. During this period Pulsipher compiled a 13–19 record and a 5.13 ERA, never having an ERA below 3.98 in any season. Yet another comeback came in 2004; after a sterling year with the independent Atlantic League’s Long Island Ducks, he was signed by the Seattle Mariners’ AAA affiliate Tacoma Rainiers. He pitched extremely well there, and it appeared that a major league return was imminent, but after a back injury led to his release he returned to the Ducks, leading them to an Atlantic League Championship victory.

In 2005, he started over, going into Spring Training without a job. He received a non-roster invitation from the St. Louis Cardinals on Jason Isringhausen’s recommendation, and joined a race for Steve Kline’s lefty specialist job that already included several competitors, like the established Mike Myers and touted prospect Carmen Cali.

At first he was considered a long shot, but his showing in Spring Training was so strong that Myers was traded and Pulsipher became the second left-handed pitcher out of the bullpen. Two members of Generation K were on the same team for the first time since 1996. Unfortunately, injuries and the emergence of Randy Flores led to a brief major league showing for Pulsipher; he spent most of the year with the AAA Memphis Redbirds, and retired after the 2005 season.