Scott Bankhead

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Scott Bankhead

|image=1987 Mother's Cookies - Scott Bankhead.jpg

|caption=Bankhead in 1987

|position=Pitcher

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1963|7|31}}

|birth_place=Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=May 25

|debutyear=1986

|debutteam=Kansas City Royals

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=July 18

|finalyear=1995

|finalteam=New York Yankees

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Win–loss record

|stat1value=57–48

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=4.18

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=614

|teams=

Kansas City Royals ({{mlby|1986}})
Seattle Mariners ({{mlby|1987}}–{{mlby|1991}})
Cincinnati Reds ({{mlby|1992}})
Boston Red Sox ({{mlby|1993}}–{{mlby|1994}})
New York Yankees ({{mlby|1995}})

|medaltemplates=

{{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}}

}}

Michael Scott Bankhead (born July 31, 1963) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from {{mlby|1986}}-{{mlby|1995}}. Bankhead also pitched for Team USA in the 1984 Olympic Games. He attended the University of North Carolina.

Early life and education

Michael Scott Bankhead was born on July 31, 1963, in Raleigh, North Carolina. He graduated from Reidsville High School in Reidsville, North Carolina, and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bankhsc01.shtml|title=Scott Bankhead Stats|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} In 1982 and 1983, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League and was named a league all-star in both seasons.{{cite web|url=https://cdthoms.shinyapps.io/CCBL/ |title=Player Stats |publisher=Cape Cod Baseball League |date= |accessdate=July 13, 2023}}{{cite news | last =Gray | first =John | title = Sports Chatter | pages = 31 | work= The Cape Codder | location = Orleans, MA | date = July 23, 1982 | url = https://snow-library.com/viewer/4188?medianame=1982_thecapecodder_vol38_issue51_orleans_000031 }}

Professional career

=Kansas City Royals=

Bankhead was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the first round, 16th pick, of the 1984 Major League Baseball Draft.

He appeared in only 31 games in the minors before being called up by the Royals. He made his Major League debut on May 25, {{mlby|1986}}, going four innings, giving up two hits and striking out four while giving up no earned runs to get his first win.{{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/box-scores/boxscore.php?boxid=198605250KCA|title=Box Score of Game played on Sunday, May 25, 1986 at Royals Stadium|website=www.baseball-almanac.com}} He finished the '86 season going 8–9 with a 4.61 ERA in 24 games, 17 for starts.

=Seattle Mariners=

On December 10, {{mlby|1986}}, he was traded by the Royals with Mike Kingery and Steve Shields to the Seattle Mariners for Rick Luecken and Danny Tartabull. In his first month with the Mariners, Bankhead went 4–1 with a 2.94 ERA, but he developed tendinitis and ended the season with a dismal 9–8 record and 5.42 ERA.

Bankhead established himself as a sharp pitcher in {{mlby|1988}}, but it wasn't until {{mlby|1989}}, when he went on a hot streak after the All-Star break, that he proved himself a winning pitcher. He finished the '89 season going 14–6 with a 3.34 ERA and was named co-MVP of the team along with Alvin Davis.

In his next two seasons shoulder trouble would limit Bankhead to just 21 appearances. On December 20, {{mlby|1991}}, he was granted free agency.

=Cincinnati Reds=

On January 22, {{mlby|1992}}, he signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Reds. He would revive his career and in just one season he was 10–4 with a 2.93 ERA in 54 games. On April 24, 1992, Bankhead picked up his only MLB career save during a marathon 16 inning victory over the Padres. Bankhead pitched a scoreless 16th inning to close out a 7-6 Reds victory. {{Cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SDN/SDN199204240.shtml|title=Cincinnati Reds at San Diego Padres Box Score, April 24, 1992|website=Baseball-Reference.com}} On October 28, {{mlby|1992}}, he was granted free agency.

=Boston Red Sox=

Bankhead was signed as a free agent with the Boston Red Sox on December 8, 1992. In two seasons, {{mlby|1993}} and {{mlby|1994}} with the Sox he went 5–3 with a 3.88 ERA in 67 games.

=New York Yankees=

On September 1, {{mlby|1994}}, Bankhead was purchased by the New York Yankees from the Red Sox but never played for them that season because of the strike. He was granted free agency at the end of the season but re-signed with the Yankees. In {{mlby|1995}}, Bankhead went 1–1 in 20 games, including one start. On July 25, he was released by the Yankees.

=Oakland Athletics=

On August 4, {{mlby|1995}}, Bankhead signed as a free agent with the Oakland Athletics but never made an appearance for them at the Major League level. He was released by the A's on September 10.