#17 Glenn Abbott, Pitcher

I would think if you were picked in the 8th round in 1969 for an up and coming team you would think you have a good shot to make it. That's what happen for Glenn Abbott. Glenn would work his way through to make it as part of the 1973 A's that would go on to win a World Series title without him. He would be on the roster and win a ring with them the next year in 1974 though. Glenn would be part of history as the Athletics were the first team to throw a four man combined no hitter during the 1975 campaign. After the 1976 season the A's left Glenn unprotected and with the 12th pick in the expansion draft he was plucked up by the Mariners and dropped into the starting rotation.

Glenn was excited to follow pitching coach Wes Stock up to Seattle, but didn't realize the growing pains that came with an expansion team. He would win 12 games during the 1977 season which was just under 20% of the team's wins for the season.  During those first seasons, many players would come and go. The only constants were Glenn and longtime broadcaster Dave Niehaus. Sadly during the spring training of 1982 Glenn would have bone chips removed from his elbow, but couldn't get healthy afterward only to find that he had contracted viral meningitis. Due to loss of strength and weight it would cost Glenn all of the 1982 season. He would come back with the M's in 1983 only to have his contract purchased by the Detroit Tigers in August and would make it a year in the Motor City before being released in August of 1984 before the Tigers would make their championship run against the Padres.

Glenn was without work for long after calling it quits in 1984. Glenn has been a pitching coach in many cities since retiring including stops in Little Falls, Jackson, Tidewater, Huntsville, Tacoma, Midland, Modesto, Oklahoma, Spokane, Mobile, San Antonio, Portland, Savannah, and since 2012 he has been the pitching coach for the Binghampton Mets. You will find Glenn in the dugout with those Mets again for the 2014 season.