In 1974, Charlie Finley tried one of the strangest roster experiments in MLB history.
Herb Washington was signed for one job only: run.
Washington appeared in 92 games for the A’s without ever batting, becoming baseball’s first true “designated runner.” It’s usually dismissed as a Finley gimmick — but looking at it more closely, the idea itself might not have been completely crazy.
Using period coverage and modern run-expectancy math, I tried to answer a simple question: could a pure baserunner ever be worth a roster spot — then or now?
Full write-up here for anyone interested:
herb-washington-oakland
Was this always doomed, or just fifty years early?