Former Viking in The Show

Six years after pitching for the Vikings, Scott Richmond made his major league debut with the Toronto Blue Jays. (Chris Allen/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge]

He didn't win, but merely appearing in the uniform of a Major League Baseball team was an accomplishment for former Missouri Valley College pitcher Scott Richmond.

Richmond started for the Toronto Blue Jays last Wednesday, tossing five-and-a-third innings -- giving up seven hits and three runs, while striking out four batters -- during a 3-2 loss to AL East-leading Tampa Bay.

The native of North Vancouver, B.C., had already been through a lot before joining the Vikings in 2002, the second season and final season of Elliot Sampley's brief -- yet successful -- tenure as head coach. Richmond was a 21-year-old freshman, having been a dockworker for three years out of high school and playing summer ball.

Richmond performed well for Valley, with a 6-3 record, 2.70 earned-run average and .208 opponent batting average. The lanky 6-foot-5, 195-pound right-hander struck out 53 batters in 66 and two-thirds innings and completed six of 10 starts, two of them shutouts.

Although the Vikings didn't return to the NAIA Super Regional -- where a team led by lefthander Scott Kelly, soon to be drafted by San Diego and later to be Valley's head coach, lost a three-game series to second-ranked Dallas Baptist -- they did enjoy a solid 35-23 campaign.

When Sampley left for Bossier Parish (La.) Community College, Richmond went with him -- then transferred to Oklahoma State to wind up his college career. He wasn't drafted, but kept pitching -- for three years with the unaffiliated Edmonton (Alb.) Cracker Cats in the Golden Baseball League.

Last November, Richmond was chosen to the Canadian national team in the Baseball World Cup, helping it go 6-1 and land a berth in the Beijing Olympics. His performance impressed coach Ron Ducey, a scout for the Blue Jays, and finally -- at age 28 -- he was signed to a professional contract.

Richmond was 0-2, with a fine 2.53 ERA -- opponents hitting only .210 against him -- in five appearances for AAA Syracuse before being called up to the big-league club.

A spokesperson for the Blue Jays said Richmond no longer plans to go to the Olympic Games, but is now part of the team's starting rotation.

Richmond is scheduled to pitch today against the Oakland A's in the Rogers Centre.