Baltimore Orioles
Jefferson was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 1968 Major League Baseball Draft out of Carver High School in Midlothian, Virginia. He went 40–50 with a 3.71 earned run average over six seasons in the Orioles' farm system when he debuted with the club in 1973. He pitched a ten inning complete game in his major league debut on June 23. In the second game of a doubleheader with the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, he was pitching a five hit shutout until the ninth inning with two outs when Rico Petrocelli hit a solo home run to tie the score. The Orioles responded with a run in the top of the tenth to earn Jefferson the win.
Jefferson's rookie season was his only winning season, as he went 6–5 with a 4.11 ERA as a spot starter and middle inning relief pitcher. The Orioles captured the American League East crown, and manager Earl Weaver had Jefferson slated to be his long reliever in the post season, but he did not make an appearance in the 1973 American League Championship Series with the Oakland Athletics. Jefferson moved into the bullpen in 1974, making just two spot starts, both against the Red Sox.
Read more about this topic: Jesse Jefferson
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